Best electric bikes 2023

The best electric bikes help you go further, faster and for longer. They provide a smooth ride and make hills easier to climb, and range in price from £500 to more than £5,000.

We've tested electric bikes costing around £2,500 or less from top brands and retailers such as Halfords, Trek, Cube, Giant, Carrera and more.

There were big differences in how smoothly each bike accelerated, which could get up steep hills and how comfortable they were to ride.

We found three Best Buys and several Great Value recommendations, two of which are less than £1,000.   

The best electric bikes

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The electric bikes we tested

All the electric bikes we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.

Only logged-in Which? members can view the best electric bikes from our tests

Join Which? now to get instant access to our verdicts and Best Buy recommendations below.

Assist Hybrid Electric Bike

Only available at Halfords: £549

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Most recently tested May 2022

Manufacturer's claimed range Up to 20 miles

Weight 18kg

Rider heights 5ft 3in to 6ft 1in

Motor Shengyi, front-hub

Battery sizes 115Wh

Need to know Kingmeter LED display, speed sensor, three assistance levels, single speed, V-brakes, 20-inch wheels, kickstand, quick-release seat clamp, rear luggage carrier

Carrera Vengeance Electric Mountain Bike 2.0

Only available at Halfords (men's frame), Halfords (women's frame): £1,099

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Most recently tested May 2022

Manufacturer's claimed range Up to 40 miles

Weight 23kg

Rider heights 5ft 6in to 6ft 1in (men), 4ft 11in to 5ft 7in (women)

Motor Suntour eco, rear-hub

Battery sizes 317Wh

Need to know Suntour OLED display, cadence sensor, four assistance levels, SRAM eight-speed gears with clicker shifter, cable disc brakes, 27.5-inch wheels, front suspension, quick release seat clamp and front wheel

Cube Reaction Hybrid Performance 625 Electric Mountain Bike

Cheapest price: £2,459 at The Electric Bike Shop, also available at Rutland Cycling

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Most recently tested April 2023

Manufacturer's claimed range Not stated

Weight 23.9kg

Rider heights 4ft 8in to 6ft 5in

Motor Bosch Performance (3rd gen), mid-hub

Battery sizes 625Wh, also 500wh non-removable

Need to know Doesn't come with pedals, Bosch Purion LCD display, torque sensor, five assistance levels, Shimano nine-speed gears with clicker shifter, hydraulic disc brakes, 27.5-inch wheels (XS, S models) 29-inch wheels (M to XXL models), front suspension, quick release seat clamp and front wheel, other colours available

Elops Electric City Bike 120E

Only available at Decathlon: £799.99

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Most recently tested May 2022

Manufacturer's claimed range Up to 31 miles

Weight 26kg

Rider heights 5ft 2in to 6ft 2in

Motor Elops KM790, rear hub

Battery sizes 313Wh

Need to know B'Twin display, cadence sensor, three assistance levels, Shimano six-speed gears with twist shifter, V-brakes, 28-inch wheels, kickstand, built-in front and rear lights, rear luggage carrier

Looking for a more portable electric bike? Read our guide for the Best folding electric bikes

E-move Premium electric bike

Only available at Argos (men's frame), Argos (women's frame): £950

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Most recently tested April 2023

Manufacturer's claimed range Up to 18 miles

Weight 19.5kg

Rider heights 30-34in inside leg measurements

Motor Not stated, rear hub

Battery sizes not stated, non-removable

Key features LED display, three assistance levels, seven-speed gears with clicker shifter, disc brakes, 28-inch wheels, quick release seat clamp and front wheel

Giant Ease-E+ 2 (2021)

Cheapest price: £1,120 at Giant, also available at Rutland Cycling (out of stock)

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Most recently tested May 2022

Manufacturer's claimed range Up to 68 miles under 'ideal' conditions

Weight Not stated. Giant says: 'Weight can vary based on size, finish, hardware and accessories.'

Rider heights Under 5ft 3in (XS model) to 6ft 4in (L model)

Motor Giant SyncDrive Move, front-hub

Battery sizes 300Wh

Need to know Giant RideControl ONE display, Giant PedalPlus three-sensor system, five assistance levels, Shimano eight-speed gears with clicker shifter, V-brakes, 29-inch wheels, kickstand, built-in front and rear lights, rear luggage carrier

Giant Entour E+ 2 (2022)

Cheapest price: £1,999 at Giant (crossbar frame), Giant (step-through frame), also available at Rutland Cycling (out of stock)

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Most recently tested April 2023

Manufacturer's claimed range Up to 93 miles under 'ideal' conditions

Weight Not stated. Giant says: 'Weight can vary based on size, finish, hardware and accessories.'

Rider heights 5ft 1in (XS model) to 6ft 7in (XL model)

Motor Giant SyncDrive Core, mid-hub

Battery sizes 400Wh

Need to know Giant RideControl Dash LCD display with USB charging port, Giant PedalPlus six-sensor system, five assistance levels, Shimano nine-speed gears with clicker shifter, hydraulic disc brakes, 27.5-inch wheels, front suspension, kickstand, built-in front light, rear luggage carrier

Muddyfox Electric Avenue hybrid bike

Cheapest price: £629 at Evans Cycles, also available at Muddy Fox

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Most recently tested April 2023

Manufacturer's claimed range Up to 17 miles

Weight 18.65kg (M model)

Rider heights 5ft 1in (S model) to 6ft 0in (L model)

Motor not stated, rear-hub

Battery sizes 230Wh, non-removable

Need to know LED display, three assistance levels, single-speed gear, mechanical disc brakes, 27.5-inch wheels, other colours available

Pendleton Somerby-E Electric Hybrid Bike

Cheapest price: £1,099 at Trendz and Halfords

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Most recently tested May 2022

Manufacturer's claimed range Up to 50 miles

Weight 22kg

Rider heights 5ft 1in to 6ft 1in

Motor Bafang, rear-hub

Battery sizes 317Wh

Need to know Kingmeter LED display, speed sensor, three assistance levels, Shimano eight-speed gears with clicker shifter, V-brakes, 29-inch wheels, kickstand, rear luggage carrier, other colours available

Raleigh Array hybrid electric bike

Cheapest price: £1,199 at Raleigh, Halfords (crossbar frame), Halfords (s frame)

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Most recently tested April 2023

Manufacturer's claimed range Up to 60 miles

Weight 23kg

Rider heights 5ft 0in (S model) to 6ft 1in (L model)

Motor Suntour, rear-hub

Battery sizes 400Wh

Need to know Suntour OLED display, four assistance levels, Shimano seven-speed gears with clicker shifter, mechanical disc brakes, 27.5-inch wheels, front suspension, kickstand, quick release seat clamp and front wheel, built-in front and rear lights, rear luggage carrier

Rockrider Electric Mountain Bike E-ST 100

Only available at Decathlon (men's frame), Decathlon (women's frame): £999.99

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Most recently tested May 2022

Manufacturer's claimed range Not stated

Weight 22.3kg

Rider heights 4ft 9in to 6ft 6in (men), 4ft 9in to 6ft (women)

Motor Vision, rear-hub

Battery sizes 380Wh

Need to know B'Twin LCD display, cadence sensor, three assistance levels, eight-speed gears with clicker shifter, mechanical disc brakes, 27.5-inch wheels, front suspension, quick release seat clamp

Make sure your bike is night-ready and can be locked securely with our guides to Best bike lights and Best bike locks

Trek Dual Sport+ 2

Only available at Trek: £2,150

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Most recently tested April 2023

Manufacturer's claimed range Up to 34 miles

Weight 17.41kg (M model)

Rider heights 5ft 5in (M model) to 6ft 6in (XL model)

Motor HyDrive, rear-hub

Battery sizes 250Wh, non-removable

Need to know Trek LED display, torque sensor, three assistance levels, Shimano nine-speed gears with clicker shifter, hydraulic disc brakes, 27.5-inch wheels, built-in front and rear lights

Trek Verve+ 1 (2022)

Only available at Trek (step-through frame), Trek (crossbar frame): starting from £2,000

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Most recently tested April 2023

Manufacturer's claimed range Not stated, but the website has a range calculator – up to 44 miles in eco mode, 75kg rider 

Weight 22.3kg (for medium frame, 300Wh battery)

Rider heights 4ft 10in to 6ft 1in

Motor Bosch active line, mid-hub

Battery sizes 300Wh, also 400Wh, 500Wh

Need to know Bosch Purion LCD display, torque sensor, four assistance levels, Shimano eight-speed gears with twist shifter, hydraulic disc brakes, 27.5-inch wheels, front suspension, kickstand, built-in front light, rear luggage carrier

Volt London Urban Electric Bike

Only available at Volt: £2,199

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Most recently tested April 2023

Manufacturer's claimed range Up to 60 miles

Weight 22.1kg

Rider heights 5ft 7in or more

Motor Bafang, rear-hub

Battery sizes 504Wh, non-removable

Need to know SpinTech LCD display, torque sensor, five assistance levels, four gears, single speed gear, hydraulic disc brakes, 27.5-inch wheels, kickstand, built-in front and rear lights, front luggage carrier

Electric scooters: everything you need to know - how to ride them safely and legally

How we test electric bikes

We tested e-bikes from key UK retailers and top brands, including Giant, Trek and Cube. Electric bikes can cost several thousand pounds. We focused on cheaper models costing £2,500 and under.

We bought all the e-bikes we tested.

Motor tests

Each electric bike was tested at Brooklands Museum test hill. Each was:

• Ridden up hills with fixed gradients on the highest assistance and lowest gear  to make sure the motor, not the rider, was doing the work. 
• Accelerated multiple times over a set distance.

A panel of testers rode each bike to evaluate:

• How smooth each motor accelerated and delivered power while cycling
• How smoothly the power tapers off as you reach 15.5mph
• If there was any yo-yoing (if this assistance  kicks in and cuts out too forcefully at 15.5mph, the e-bike feels almost like it's rocking back and forth like a yo-yo)

All the bikes we tested helped on shallow hills. However the best ones could climb extremely steep hills with a 25% gradient - some could even do a hill start at this steepness. 

The best e-bike motors smoothly delivered power and were responsive. 

The worst launched us like a rocket, kicked in and cut out abruptly, and struggled up even  a 12.5% gradient.

Ride quality

Our testers evaluated each bike for:

• How clear and easy the display and motor controls were to use
• How easy and smooth the gear changes were
• How comfortable each bike was on various terrain – from smooth roads to bumpy woodland trails
• How easy it was to perform quick manoeuvres and corner at low speeds while pedalling. 

The best electric bikes were comfortable to ride over potholes and rough ground, and easy to handle with clear displays and comfortable controls – a joy to ride,  in other words.

The worst had hard-to-read displays, with awkward buttons and gear controls. You could feel every bump, and the motor made trying to take tight turns slowly very difficult. 

Braking

We repeatedly measured the stopping distance of each electric bike travelling at 15.5mph. While brakes can be adjusted, our testers also assessed how good they were out-of-the-box.

The best had responsive brakes with short stopping distances. They were also quieter, and the triggers didn't need squeezing all the way in to activate.

The worst took a while to stop, needing more compression before the brakes engaged. They were also noisy and grating. 

Ease of use

Each electric bike was assessed for:

• How easily it could be adjusted
• How easily it could be lifted and carried short distances
• How easy the battery was to remove and put back in again.

The best electric bikes were light enough to carry a short distance, with even weight distribution. The battery was intuitive to remove.

The worst had uneven weight distribution, making carrying tricky, and batteries that felt more like solving a puzzle  when trying to take it off and put it back on again.

Build quality

The best e-bikes had the electrical wiring sealed or built into the frame, and used comfortable materials for the handles and saddle

The worst bikes had cheaper plastic handles, exposed electrical wiring and scruffier welding on the frame.

5 things we learnt testing e-bikes

1. They all get the basic job done All the e-bikes we tested took the effort out of cycling to some degree, although we found big differences between the best and the worst. If you're just looking for something to use occasionally to get from A to B, and don't have big hills to climb, you don't need to break the bank.
2. You get a better electric bike the more you pay, at least when it comes to the lower-priced e-bikes While the cheapest e-bikes still make some hills easier to climb, moving from the £1,000-or-less price point up to the £1,000 to £2,000 bracket will typically get you a smoother motor. The displays are more informative, with extra information such as your speed and distance travelled. Cheaper e-bike displays typically only showed battery level and selected assistance level.
3. Price doesn't affect comfort Our testers didn't find any correlation between the price of the bike and how comfortable it was to ride, but they did find the pricier models handled cycling at low speeds better.
4. The motor isn't a replacement for having gears While the motor helps, we found that electric bikes with only one gear didn't perform as well on our hill tests. If your daily commute or favourite cycling route has some big hills, make sure you get an e-bike with gears.
5. Torque sensors make a huge difference An electric bike with a torque sensor is able to respond to how hard you're pushing on the pedals. Our tests found e-bikes with a torque sensor started supplying power from the motor much quicker on hill starts, which made them easier.  

Electric bikes: key questions answered

How do e-bikes differ from other motorised vehicles? You have to pedal on an electric bike for the motor to kick in. The UK law requires that e-bikes go no faster than 15.5mph, so you don't need a licence, or tax or  insurance as you would with scooter. Visit the government website for more details.

Do you still get exercise using an electric bike? Yes. You get your heart rate up, breathe deeper and burn calories whenever you cycle, whether it's an e-bike or not.

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How heavy are electric bikes? They tend to be around 10kg heavier than a regular model. A hybrid electric bike typically weighs 22-25kg. Folding e-bikes tend to be a bit lighter at 16-18kg on average. 

How much do they cost? Electric bikes start at around £500 and can reach more than £5,000 for top-end electric mountain bikes; most fall in the £1,500-£3,000 range. E-bikes with mid-hub motors, lighter material frames (such as carbon-fibre) and a larger battery tend to be more expensive.

Are range claims accurate? It's hard to give a single value for how far an e-bike can go on one charge, as factors such as rider weight, motor assistance level, weather, wind speed and road conditions  all affect how far you'll go on a given day. Manufacturers give estimates, but they are usually based on ideal riding conditions on a low assistance level, so treat them as an absolute maximum. The most reliable measure of range is perhaps the simplest: the bigger the battery, the further you'll go.

How to buy the best electric bike

Video: choosing the best motor position and battery

Other things to consider

Display The control display usually sits on the handlebars and allows you to adjust the assistance level as you go. Some displays only show battery level, while others give more information such as your speed and the distance travelled.

Assistance levels Different e-bikes have slightly different setups, but most will offer an equivalent of low, medium and high-assistance modes. These usually equate to the motor matching your input, giving one and a half times your input, or doubling it.

Sensor An electric bike can come with one, or a combination of, sensor types to determine how much power the motor should deliver to the bike and when. Speed sensors measure how fast the bike is going, typically based on the speed of the wheel, and deliver power accordingly. Cadence measures how fast you're pedalling and delivers more power the slower you are. A torque sensor measures how hard you're pushing on the pedals and delivers more assistance if needed. A bike with a torque sensor can engage the motor faster than a cadence or speed sensor, making it great for hill starts.

Frame size Getting an oversized or undersized frame can ruin your enjoyment of a bike if you have to reach too far for the handlebars, or you simply can’t find a comfortable riding position. We recommend you test-ride a bike before you buy or, at the very least, check the manufacturer's guidelines to find the right frame size.

Brakes You'll want a decent set of brakes on an electric bike, given its increased weight. V-brakes are a common type and are easy to replace. Cable (or cantilever) brakes only have a cable running between them, so they're less likely to get clogged with mud and are a good option for off-road cyclists. Disc brakes are increasingly popular, their main advantage being increased stopping power in wet conditions.

Gears If you only intend to ride on flat terrain, you can get away with an electric bike with a single gear (these tend to be lighter and cheaper), but if you live in an area with hills, you'll need one with several gears to get up them.

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