12 Best Electric Bikes for Commuting in 2023
The search for the ultimate electric bike for commuting has led us on a journey of discovery and exploration. After devoting more than 30 hours to researching the latest e-bike technology and evaluating over 25 different models, we have emerged with a clear winner.
Trek Allant Plus 9.9S stands tall as the top choice for the majority of commuters, offering premium components, unbeatable performance, and a range that will take you where you need to go. But the journey doesn’t end there, as we also have some thrilling discoveries to share in the realm of budget-friendly options, foldable e-bikes, and e-bikes designed specifically for women.
–The Ultimate E-Commuter-
Trek Allant Plus 9.9S
- Powerful Bosch Performance Speed motor
- High-end carbon frame with hidden wires
- Bosch Smartphone Hub Display
- Range Boost compatible
If nothing but the Trek brand will do because you crave excellence, the Allant Plus 9.9S is guaranteed to turn the heads of jealous cyclists when you whiz by on this expensive machine.
As one of the first 2021 bike models on the market (Trek is always ahead of the curve), the 9.9S is the ultimate Ebike; “One that’s more than worthy of replacing your car,” said Trek engineers.
That says lots about this bike manufacturer’s longstanding reputation. Purchase this model, and it’s okay to brag about features like the “super-powerful Bosch Performance Speed motor and an extra long-range battery.”
Whether your objective is short recreational rides or long work commutes, expect off-the-chart durability courtesy of the high-performance carbon frame that fully encases the 625Wh battery. It’s the longest-range battery Bosch offers. The Bosch Performance Speed drive system helps riders sustain speeds of up to 28 mph.
Features also include the 12-speed Shimano XT/SLX drivetrain, 4-piston hydraulic disc brakes for all-weather stopping power, a Lync integrated front and rear lighting system, fenders, and a rear rack. If you can think of anything that’s missing, we’d like to hear about it!
Related: Best Electric Bikes for Hunting
-Zippy and Fully-Equipped-
Trek Super Commuter+ 8S
- Bosch Performance Speed, 350-watt motor
- Lights and fenders included
- Shimano M615, hydraulic disc brakes
- Amazing urban commuter
Trek Super Commuter+ 8S is undoubtedly one of the best e-bikes you can get at the moment if you are looking to find a high-profile electric bicycle. It is the second bicycle on our list from Trek, resembling a great combination of style and performance.
The bike comes in four sizes, helping every rider find their perfect fit. The sizing guide on the Trek product page is very convenient and easy to understand. This e-bike has a high-quality hydroformed frame painted in red and a rigid carbon fork.
This bike is a complete stunner when it comes to looks. Adding to it are the black elements on the handlebar and wheelset, making it one badass bike.
The Trek Super Commuter+ 8s uses a killer motor from Bosch Performance Speed – a 350-watt powerhouse, easily maintaining speeds of up to 28 mph and giving the pedal-assist a very fast acceleration.
The Bosch PowerPack 500 Wh battery is also on point, being fully integrated into the frame and guaranteeing a long lifespan. The bike is equipped with 11 gears and complete gearing equipment by Shimano, making your rides much easier.
The brake set is also the work of Shimano, using brakes with hydraulic discs, providing excellent control over the bicycle. As you might imagine, like most Trek bikes, you can’t expect a budget-friendly product. The Trek Super Commuter+ 8s especially is one of the most expensive ones on our list.
However, you can most certainly be sure that buying this e-bike will be an excellent long-term investment and that you will be satisfied with the pluses of this product.
The Super Commuter+ 8s is an excellent choice for a commuter bike of the highest quality that will never leave you disappointed.
Read more: The Best Bike Brands
-Best Folding E-Bike-
Tern GSD S10 Folding Electric Bike
- Bosch® Cargo Line Motor
- Bosch dual-battery system
- Shimano® Deore 1 × 10-speed hub
- 4-piston hydraulic disc brakes
The Tern GSD S10 Folding Electric Bike is one of the different products on this list. What makes it unique is that it is foldable into a pretty small piece of luggage, which is easy to store at home or while traveling.
What’s more is that it is a perfect bicycle for parent cyclists or heavy cyclists, as it can carry up to 400 lbs, so you can easily carry the groceries, or even ride anywhere with your children.
The GSD S10 Folding Electric Bike comes in one size, but it is pretty convenient, as it is adjustable for riders anywhere from 4ft 8 into 6ft 4in so that it can be used basically by most grown-up family members.
Its appearance is plain and simple – with just one color variation, the silver-blue frame combined with the black parts results in a very trendy and stylish bike.
The pretty simple folding technology transforms the bike into one-third of its size and quickly prepares it for storage or transportation.
The high cargo capacity of the extended rear rack enables you to carry a large chunk of luggage. With the help of an additional child seat, you can fit up to 2 kids on your rides through the city.
The GSD S10 is a pedal-assist e-bike with four levels of e-assist and has a 250-watt Bosch Performance motor that can maintain a speed up to 20 mph. The ten gears help you to control your speed quickly. Decelerating and stopping is pretty on point with the hydraulic disc brakes.
The bike uses a reusable 400 Wh lithium-Ion battery that guarantees a range of between 31 and 68 miles. This makes it an excellent bicycle for your daily commutes and rides inside your city.
Of course, that doesn’t mean it won’t be suitable for a ride outside urban life. However, be more cautious, or you might have to cycle only with the help of your own two feet if you go for a longer ride.
In general, this bike is a solid pick if you want something to comfort your urban travels and be convenient to you.
-Best for Women-
STORY ELECTRIC STEP-THROUGH BIKE
- The comfortable aluminum step-thru frame
- 350 watts rear hub motor
- Quick Kenda 700x35c tires
- Hydraulic Disc Brakes
The Story Electric Bike is an excellent e-bicycle with a pretty classic look and is suitable for people of all ages. This bike is excellent for both male and female cyclists who want to keep a smooth look, with a hidden lithium battery, which gives the bike a look of a pretty ordinary bicycle.
The bike rides on 700×35 mm Kenda tires and comes only in a one-size frame of 52 cm. For orientation, this would be perfect for people of 5 ft 7 in – 5 ft 8 in and above. If you are a shorter cyclist, you might not be able to reach the ground that easily.
The Story Electric Bike uses a pedal-assist system, with a 350-watt motor and a seven aH lithium battery. This provides you with a range of 45 miles for a single charge, keeping speeds of up to 20 mph.
The pedal assist has six different levels, giving you a lot of confidence if you would like to step up with speed or just a slight extra push once in a while when you need it. The pedal assist is controlled over the nice LCD-screen, where you can monitor your speed and covered distance.
One unique extra that this bike has is the USB-port that can charge any piece of equipment you need. It could come in handy if you forgot to plug your phone in when going to sleep the night before.
As part of the company’s policy, for every Story e-bike that is sold, one traditional Buffalo Bike gets donated to farmers, entrepreneurs, students, & healthcare workers in Africa.
This aims to promote activeness among the communities, and resurrect the bicycle trend, benefiting to a healthier society. This bike is a perfect pick for travel back and forth and keeping a stylish look at the same time. What’s more, is that it has some convenient extras that can come to good use once in a while.
We also have a special article about ebikes for short females.
-Best Low-Step Electric Bike-
Elby Bike 9-Speed Electric Bike
- 280 lbs weight capacity
- 500W BionX hub motor
- 80 miles per charge
- Best-in-class 26” x 2.2” Continental Tires
The Elby 9-Speed Electric Bike is our undisputed winner in terms of style. The extraordinary design offers five different colors to choose from – black, blue, orange, silver, and white, all of which look absolutely stunning and classy.
It comes in a unified size with an adjustable seat post, which makes it compatible for most adult cyclists.
The step-through aluminum frame contributes to the lightweight of the bicycle – just a bit over 50 lbs. What’s more is that the oversized aluminum tubing provides a lot of durabilities, making The Elby 9-Speed E-bike capable of carrying 280 lbs.
With the rear fender with heavy-duty cross braces, you can carry your groceries and basically any type of luggage. Some of the key features of The Elby 9-Speed E-bike are it’s motor and battery. The motor is a powerful 500-watt BionX rear hub that easily reaches speeds up to 20 mph on the electric assist.
Most importantly, the 48 v, 556 Whr lithium-Ion battery pack will keep up to a range of up to the insane 80 miles for a single charge. It is easily removable and placed at a very low position, keeping a really low center of weight for the sake of the rider’s safety. The battery has an extremely fast charge of between four and five hours to go from 0 to 100.
An important feature of the BionX motor is that it uses a Regenerative Braking System, which recharges the battery every time that you use the handlebar controls. It helps with some additional braking when you’re riding through a steep downhill.
The pedal-assist comes with four different levels, which are easy to switch through depending on the help you would like to get.
The 9-speed model gives you a lot of comfort when controlling your pace. Adding to that are the hydraulic brakes, which give you great confidence in braking and decelerating.
This model is a masterpiece, entirely suitable for the urban environment, and reliable for your daily commutes. Not only that, but it is a very distinctive bicycle that will most surely catch the eye of anybody on the look.
Compared to other e-bikes, it comes at a higher cost. Our advice for anybody who is ready to reach into their savings and spend some more on a really genuine and stylish bike – go for it.
-Best Electric Road Bike-
Cannondale Synapse NEO AL 2 Electric Bike
- Bosch Active Line Plus 250W mid-drive motor
- Hydraulic Disc Brakes
- Aluminum frame with a classic endurance rider position
- 91 miles pedal-assist range
The Cannondale Synapse NEO AL 2 is basically a classic road e-bike. It can easily be classified as one of the most durable and high-quality e-bikes on this list. However, its main stress is on its powerful performance – providing an extremely long pedal-assist range.
This e-bike comes in a couple of different sizes in order to provide the best fit for any enthusiasts, who would like to ride a classy electric bike like this particular one. It also comes in a couple of very smooth-looking color variations. The frame is made of alloy, contributing to a pretty light overall weight – just around 38 lbs. What else provides extra lightness is the carbon fork, which is pretty durable as well.
Related: Best Road Bikes Under $1000
The drop handlebar gives it a great sporty and professional look. The 11-speed Shimano gearing and the hydraulic brakes make a great combination for one smooth ride, letting you control your pace easily and giving you a decent amount of safety, As one of the best producers on the market, most parts on this bike are from Cannondale themselves.
However, this bike uses a very high-class Bosch Active Line Plus 250 watt motor, which provides a max speed of 20 mph. Its main traits are that it is very light, powerful, and silent at the same time. The battery that this bicycle uses is a 500 Wh Bosch PowerTube lithium battery, which provides an extraordinary range of up to 91 miles.
This is quite an impressive performance for a pedal-assist e-bike, making it our champion in this aspect. The battery also needs quite a quick charging time, going to full just in 5 hours. The Cannondale Synapse NEO AL 2 Electric Bike is by no chance a purchase that you might one day regret.
Although it stands out as a bicycle that is more suitable for longer trips outside of urban life, it is perfectly compatible with your daily commutes as well. The Synapse NEO AL 2 is above the cost of an average e-bike, that is suitable for your trips to work. However, for this cost, it provides some of the most genuine equipment on our list, that can be trusted at one hundred percent.
-Comfortable and fully-equipped-
IZIP – E3 Moda Step Over
- 250W Brose motor
- 2.4″ Schwalbe Super Moto’s tires
- Tektro front and rear caliper disc brakes
- Lights and fenders included
The IZIP E3 Moda Step Over e-bike is one very solid looking electric road bicycle. This bike is a specially urban-oriented pedelec, that is very reliable for the dynamic city life.
It comes in 3 sizes that you can very easily choose between with the help of their own sizing guide. There is only one color option – a pretty good looking bluish grey, giving it a pretty suitable style for the urban environment.
The IZIP E3 Moda Step Over is a class 3 e-bike that uses the German Brose Speed 250-watt motor, being able to reach a maximum assisted speed of 28mph, making it a tier for the fastest electric bicycle on our list. What’s more about the motor is that its noise levels are pretty low.
Its battery is also impressive – a 497 Wh lithium-ion battery, giving an estimated assisted range of between 35 and 80 miles, which is quite impressive. Another thing about the battery is that it is completely integrated into the frame, giving the bike a very solid smooth look, and is easy to be removed for recharging.
The three levels of pedal assist give you a chance to precisely pick the help that you want to get. The controls are pretty easy to operate. Alongside with the 10-speed Shimano shifter, you surely will not be hesitant on a long and steep uphill climb.
Another key feature of this e-bike are its extremely comfortable wide tires. The IZIP E3 Moda Step Over uses Schwalbe 2.4” Super Moto-X tires with puncture protection providing great stability.
This bike comes fully equipped and ready for your daily commutes with front and rear fenders, a convenient rear rack, and a pair of front and rear lights that ensure great visibility to yourself, as well as making yourself noticeable to others.
As a whole, the IZIP E3 Moda Step Over is a powerhouse, that is fully equipped for the needs of the daily urban travels and is an extremely reliable bicycle. It is surely one of the top picks on our list.
-Best Electric Utility Bike-
Rad Power Bikes RadRunner 1
- 330 accessory combinations
- 750W Geared Hub Motor
- Ready for urban commuting and cargo
- 45+ Miles per charge
You may have to get on a waitlist to get your hands on this spiffy bad boy because this model sells out fast, but when last, weren’t you willing to wait for something extraordinary? Winner of ElectricBikeReview.com’s (EBR) Best Electric Minibike of 2020 honors after prevailing in 7 categories.
This Rad Power electric bike is a powerful ride that keeps you going up to an estimated 45 miles on a single charge. Driving this power is the 750W geared hub motor, 48V, 14Ah lithium-ion battery, and even if you’ve gained a few pounds of late, this machine has a 300-pound payload capacity.
Designed to be customized, the RadRunner consistently earns 5-star ratings from riders enchanted with this bike’s unique features. There are 330 accessory combinations available to shoppers, and this bike is uniquely compatible with the brand’s full suite of racks and platforms.
Love innovation? Check out the new patent-pending Passenger Package and Center Console, and while you’re there, you can stop whining about a topic that makes you crazy: Bikes that don’t allow riders to adjust their seat heights. Sit low. Sit high. Your legs will thank you.
The icing on the cake? The RadRunner is affordably priced, a factor that makes waiting for new inventory bearable.
-The Future is Now-
GoCycle GS
- Lightweight, agile, and stowable allrounder
- Patented quick-detach Pitstopwheels
- Integrated in frame lithium ion battery
- 500W Gocycle proprietary front hub motor
Advertised as the Ebike that’s a joy to own and ride; the GS is easier to live with than your last relationship. The streamlined chassis and PitstopWheels are easy to clean, you’ll have to find another use for the time you spent detailing your former Ebike. Kiss oily chains, gears, and sprockets goodbye.
They’re hidden from sight, so forget soiling your car interior or trunk. Even the price point for the blue, white, or black model won’t give you a bad case of sticker shock.
Need a ride that’s lightweight enough to carry around? This baby weighs only 36 pounds, and it’s so precisely engineered, weight distribution is perfection, which is why GoCycle insists that this ride handles like a sports car thanks to its agility and low center of gravity.
Earning 5-star and best buy honors, you can ride this Ebike with confidence knowing that the lithium-ion battery keeps going for up to 50 miles on a 4-to 7-hour charge. Did we mention the fact that the GoCycle GS folds for storage, accommodates awesome accessories, and comes with an ultra-useful app?
-The iPhone of the Bikes-
VANMOOF S3
- Automatic electronic gear shifting
- Integrated anti-theft tech
- 250W front wheel hub motor
- Fully integrated hydraulic brakes
Wondering why the newest TV commercial produced by this bike maker has been banned in France? Why not go there to learn why Vanmoof calls the spot “too hot for French TV”?
You’ll pay for this classy ride in Euros if you order directly from the manufacturer, but what else would you expect from the Ebike that is “reframing the future,” according to Vanmoof product designers?
In return for your investment, you get the benefit of an updated motor, automatic gear shifting system, and integrated anti-theft technology, because after all, who doesn’t want to steal this amazing ride?
Promising a top speed of 25km and 59Nm turbo boost torque, your desire for biking solitude is assured by a new motor that delivers a silent (even at top speed) ride, so you wouldn’t be the first to experience the same sensation car drivers do when switching from fuel-driven cars to electric models.
The industry-first automatic electronic gear shifting system is so smooth; you may have to focus on feeling transitions between all four speeds that “flatten every urban incline.” Can’t get enough apps? The VanMoof app does everything but wash your Ebike, and we wouldn’t put it past this company to add that feature down the road.
-Beefy tires, Nimble Ride-
Rad Power Bikes RadRover 5
- Rigid 4” fat tires
- 750W Geared Hub Motor
- Best-selling electric fat bike in U.S.
- Puncture-Resistant Tires
Affordable and sexy? Yes, please. This electric fat bike can be removed from your wish list because both criteria are filled, and you’re ready to buy. Attain a top speed of 25km per hour and up to 72km per estimated charge. This Ebike’s 250W geared-up motor and 672Wh lithium-ion battery offers you enough power to stay in the game.
Read more: Electric Bike vs Car – Can an E-Bike Replace Your Car?
Cyclists enjoy a comfy seat as long as they meet this Ebike’s 275-pound limit, so whether you use this transport for a work commute or for fun on the trail, those fat tires are capable of chewing up typography, mastering steep inclines and you can even go from top speed to dead stop in a heartbeat.
Count on this Ebike to keep your presence on the down low since this is one inconspicuous, quiet ride. Display technology includes battery life gauge, pedal assist level, USB charging port, odometer, speedometer, and wattmeter.
You’ll appreciate the puncture-resistant tires, 7-speed, 11-34 tooth freewheel, reflective sidewall striping, and integrated bike light. Even if you come to an abrupt stop on loose terrain, the 180mm mechanical disc brakes will perform adroitly so you don’t go into a skid.
There’s lots more to love about this Eike, but it could take a test drive to convince you since the price on the RadRhino 5 may already have won you over.
Also check our RadRover 6 Plus review.
What are the benefits of riding an electric bike
Modernization and innovations are a natural phenomenon in every aspect of our lifestyle, including our beloved cycling sphere. New technology has provided us with a very convenient alternative to our good old bikes, taking electric motors into action. The e-bikes are gaining more and more popularity every day and are becoming one of the best means of commuting nowadays.
Electric bikes are undoubtedly a great opportunity to tackle all the traffic and long-time travel to and from work in the big cities and make your daily trips to work a fun and exciting thing to do.
As the green wave is growing more and more, it is understandable why e-bikes are increasingly becoming a preferred method of travel.
Furthermore, they are perfectly convenient for the dynamic city life, making your urban travels much much easier.
Surely, electric bikes are one of the best ways to cope with arriving sweaty at the office or any place you want to look smooth.
Electric bikes or easier said e-bikes, are a modern type of bicycle that uses an electric motor that makes pedaling a lot easier and gives you a boost of speed to get you faster to your target point.
Related: Best Electric Bikes for Heavy Riders
There are many different types of e-bicycles with different types of batteries, that can last you shorter or longer, and can give you different propulsion while stepping the pedals.
There are even some variations that reach very close to an electric motorcycle, with a lot less power, of course.
The electric bikes have been a thing for a while now, but are gaining huge popularity in the last couple of years, especially amongst those who like to cycle to work, or even the motorcycling fans.
Electric bikes give commuting a very smooth boost, that saves your effort and sweat, and gets you sharp on time at the office. It is a very reliable means of travel, as you can still avoid traffic, as with the regular bicycles, but it provides a bit of a more pleasant sensation from your daily trips.
What’s more is that some motorcyclists turn to e-bikes, since they are a more cost-efficient means of travel. The line between e-bikes and motorcycles is even more blurred today. It is a trend with the more environment-conscious people, who start preferring electric bicycles, because they are free of any harmful emissions, and actually, they are a very eco-friendly choice of transport.
What to Consider When Choosing an Electric Bike for Commuting
There are a couple of things you should consider and think over really good before approaching to buy your new electric bicycle.
In the next few paragraphs, we will make sure to clear you up with all of the specifics of the e-bikes and narrow your choice down so that you can pick out the best electric bikes for you.
Related read: How to Choose an Electric Bike – Complete Buying Guide
The Local Laws
Most importantly, we advise you to get acquainted with the local laws before you end up buying something you cannot use.
As per the federal Consumer Product Safety Act, a “low-speed electric bicycle” is a two or three-wheeled vehicle with fully operable pedals, a top speed when powered solely by the motor under 20 mph (32 km/h), and an electric motor that produces less than 750 W (1.01 hp).
More information on the local laws you can find on this Wikipedia Page.
Electric Bike Motor and Control
First of all, you should get to know the electric bike classes and specifications. A lot of their characteristics can diversify them, but, in general, e-bikes are classified by their power, and, most importantly, by the control system that they use.
Read more: Best Electric Bikes for Seniors
Power can vary from 250 watts, for the least powerful ones, to anywhere up to 750 watts, for the stronger bikes, according to local US jurisdictions. Specifically, in the United States, the most popular e-bikes that are used have 500-watt motors.
The main classification of e-bikes is, however, their system of control. They can be diversified into bikes that use a pedal-assist system, ones that use a power-on-demand one, and ones that use a fusion between both systems.
Simply said, the e-bikes with pedal-assist only have less powerful motors, while the ones that use the power-on-demand system have stronger motors and use a throttle.
Of course, there are some exceptions and other cases where both systems are combined, which is are more complicated details, that we are not going to look at.
Electric Bike Motor Types
There are three types of electric bike motors – a geared hub motor, a direct-drive hub motor, and a mid-drive motor.
Geared Hub Motor
The geared hub motor is the most common among electric bikes today. The good side of the hub motor is very efficient especially when you are coasting down a hill, and the motor is free-spinning in the back, not giving you any drag.
Unfortunately, there is a downside as well. There is no geared hub motor with regenerative braking. If you live in a hilly area with a lot of steep hills, a geared hub motor is a great option.
Direct Drive Hub Motor
Direct Drive Hub Motor is similar to the geared hub motor but with a larger diameter. One revolution of the motor makes one revolution of the wheel, that’s why it’s called a direct drive.
The good news is that with this type of motor you can use the regenerative braking up to 10-15% back. Some of the most powerful electric bikes use the direct drive hub motor. If you live in a flatter area and want to max out the speedometer look for this type of motor.
Mid-Drive Motor
This one is found inside the cranks of the bike. It turns the sprocket by the front and turns the chain. All the power is running through the chain like in a normal bike. Wear and tear of the drivetrain is common here.
The biggest advantage of the mid-drive motor in an e-bike is the range of power. You can manually shift gears just like on a motorcycle or a car. Some of the best electric bikes use this type of motor to achieve higher speeds and more versatility.
Electric Bike Battery
The battery is one of the essential components of the e-bikes. Different types of batteries are being used by the bike manufacturers, including some old systems, but the most popular is the rechargeable lithium batteries, which we believe are the most reliable ones.
The capacity of the battery, in combination with some other minor factors, define the battery range, which varies with every bicycle. The lifespan of the battery is also different for the different types of usage, so there is basically no single way to define this.
Gears and Speed
Gears and speed in electric bikes aren’t much different than the same on ordinary bikes. The majority of e-bikes use 11-gear shifters, as they are more versatile for the road. Some varieties may use more or fewer gears, depending on the purpose of the bike.
In terms of speed, electric bikes have different max speed capabilities with the different types of motors they use. Usually, in the U.S., the maximum speed that is allowed for an e-bike varies between 20 and 30 mph through the different states.
This measures the maximum speed produced solely by the motor and is the barrier that derives electric bicycles from mopeds and motorcycles. On this list, you will see some bikes that have a lower max reachable speed, but some more powerful ones might violate the local legislation.
Electric Bike Weight
The weight of the electric bike is a variable that strongly depends on the model, design, and bike specifications. As a whole, electric bikes are solidly heavier than ordinary bikes, due to the more complex pieces of equipment that are used, such as the motor and battery.
Of course, there are some very light e-bikes, as well as some extremely heavy ones, but mostly the average weight of an electric bike varies between 38 and 70 lbs.
What is the best electric bike for commuting?
Editors’ Recommendations:
