Driving through traffic is one of our biggest daily stresses. Public transportation can waste time unless you live in a main city with a great system, and even then it can be a messy, overpacked ordeal. Motorcycles are great, but not all states allow for lane splitting, which means you will just be waiting in traffic, with no AC or a comfy seat.
What to do? Commuters all over the U.S. have found a nicer way to get to work — cycling. There are over 60 million cyclists in the United States as of Spring 2017, and this number doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
Also read: Our electric motorcycle buyer’s guide – Everything you need to know before you make a buy
Electric bikes have increased in popularity as cycling has become more common. They are changing the way we look at commutes. Not only can they become your main form of transportation around the city, but they can also also adapt to work in tandem with other types of vehicles.
The best e-bikes can fold up to fit on the train or in a trunk, so you can leave your car on the edge of town. They slot between cars so you can pick your way through traffic and there’s hardly any real physical exertion.
Looking for a nice e-bike? They are still not as popular as regular bicycles, but demand is growing and options are looking more diverse. Picking the right one can be hard, so we have done the work for you and narrowed down the list of options. Here are 10 of the best electric bikes you could be using to get through the city.
Editor’s note: Our roundup of the best e-bikes will be updated regularly.
Monday Motorbikes M1
Monday Motorbikes was created by motorcycle enthusiasts, and you can definitely see that influence in the final product. While it is a modern piece of cutting edge technology, the M1 takes design cues from traditional bikes, currently known as cafe racers.
This is certainly an interesting product. It doesn’t attempt to be a bicycle or a motorcycle.
The M1 is not the most capable of the bunch, but it offer some of the best bang for the buck. It costs $4500 to pre-order. Shipments are set to come in April 2018.
Is it capable? It goes as fast as 40 mph, for an estimated 40 miles on a full charge. It is also made to handle a rider and a passenger. You don’t have to ride alone!
Monday Motorbikes M1 key specs
- Weight: 170 lb (77 kg)
- Top speed: 40 mph (64 km/h)
- Range: 40 miles (64 km)
Monday Motorbikes M1 price
- $4500
SPA Bicicletto Tradizione Italiana
Take Monday Motorbikes, give it some steroids, and you get a SPA Bicicletto. This thing is crazy gorgeous, with design elements from the old-school cafe racer motorcycles like the M1. SPA has taken things to another level, making a bicycle evenmore closely resembles a motor bike.
This thing is gorgeous and elegant! It is also more than twice the price of the M1. The Bicicletto goes for 9,200 euros( around $11,310). Look at it, though!
While it looks amazing, the specs are pretty standard. The SPA Bicicletto can go as fast as 25 km/h, for about 90 km on a single charge. It’s Pretty good, but you are really mostly paying for the looks here.
SPA Bicicletto key specs
- Weight: 53 lb (24 kg)
- Top speed: 16 mph (25 km/h)
- Range: 56 miles (90 km)
SPA Bicicletto price
- 9200 euros (around $11,310)
Delfast Prime
I wouldn’t hesitate to say this is hands-down my favorite electric bike. It’s what I would pick if I had to choose, based solely on its range. This thing can go for up to 236 miles on a single charge, an unprecedented distance for e-bikes. My motorcycle has a 160-mile range on a full tank of gas!
This isn’t a weak bike, either. It can get up to 34 mph, making it one of the fastest electric bikes on this list. It’s not even Delfast’s fastest model! The Delfast Top can hit a whopping 50 mph. That model has a shorter range at 174 miles, which is still nothing to complain about.
If those models are too expensive, you can also opt for the Delfast Lite, which has a top speed of 26 mph, a range of 112 miles and a price just under $3000. The Prime goes for $4289 and the Top costs $5319.
These prices are not bad considering what you get. The bikes are amazing, and surprisingly came about from a delivery company trying to make a vehicle for its couriers.
Delfast Prime key specs
- Weight: 95 lb (43 kg)
- Top speed: 34 mph (55 km/h)
- Range: 236 miles (380 km)
Delfast Prime price
- $4289
Italjet Ascot Sport
This is not a motorcycle from the early 1900s, but it sure looks like one! Italjet brings modern technology to classic designs, and has one of the coolest electric bikes around, with a look that’ll get motorcycle enthusiasts all revved up. This item is sure to start up a conversation.
The Italjet Ascot Sport is made in Italy (duh), and boy does it look good! The manufacturer made sure the bike lives up to its standards, providing an elegant design with leather grips, a classic frame, a fancy quartz clock, and more.
You must keep in mind this is not exactly a full-on e-bike, though. It is an electric-power-assisted bicycle. You need to pedal to move forward, but the electric system helps make the ride easier with a slight push. It is convenient for those times you would rather not get a full-on workout, or for going up steep hills.
The Ascot Sport may not be the fastest, or the cheapest, but makes up for its downsides in looks!
Italjet Ascot key specs
- Weight: 66 lb (30 kg)
- Top speed: 15 mph (25 km/h)
- Range: 50 miles (80 km)
Italjet Ascot price
- 3700 pounds (about $5122)
Trefecta URB L1E
If looking cool is your thing, this bike would fit in a James Bond movie. Its futuristic aesthetic, powerful motor, and great range will have you zooming by pesky cars in style. This bike is bold and stylish, so don’t get it if you plan to go unnoticed.
Also, don’t buy it if you plan on having money in your bank account. This bike costs more than most cars out there, with a 22,500-euro price tag. That’s over $27,000. Ouch!
It is a marvel, though. The L1E can speed up to 45 km/h in assisted mode. You can also avoid even a drop sweat if you would rather cruise at 40 km/h. You won’t need to be recharging all the time, as this bike can go for 100 km on one charge.
Neat, right? I am sure all of us want one, but I can think of plenty uses for that kind of cash.
Trefecta URB L1E key specs
- Weight: 84 lb (38 kg)
- Top speed: 28 mph (45 km/h)
- Range: 62 miles (100 km)
Trefecta URB L1E price
- 22,500 euros (about $27,000 )
Greyp G12H
When electric supercar maker Rimac announced it would build an e-bike, we always knew it would be special.
First came the off-road 43.5mph Greyp G12S, which was cool, but essentially useless for the man on the street. Now we have the road-going version. The G12H is a 43 mph cruiser that can cover 75 miles on a single charge.
It’s not cheap, but it’s a Rimac e-bike world. It comes with a 1,5 kWh battery, a headlight and high-tech designer styling.
A lot of city commuters use a motorbike to get to and from work and in the city this bike really won’t be much slower, which makes the price a little easier to bear. No doubt this is a spectacularly engineered bike. For some people, that will be enough to justify the price of admission.
Greyp G12H key specs
- Weight: 107 lb (48.5 kg)
- Top speed: 43 mph (70 km/h)
- Range: 75 miles (120 km)
Greyp G12H price
- 7,280 euros (about $8,956)
Tern Vektron S10
This folding electric bike comes from Taiwan. You can set it up and go in just 10 seconds. It will do up to 75 miles between charges, which is more than enough for any last-mile commute. It weighs in at just 49 lbs and measures just 40.9 x 86.1 x 65 cm when it’s folded up.
The Tern bike blasted through its Kickstarter goal and is now available for sale. It isn’t cheap, but it could be a much better way to get to work than the metro and it’s way cheaper than using Uber over the course of the year. Not to mention the fact many e-bikes are a lot more expensive — this one is actually among the most reasonably priced.
Tern Vektron S10 key specs
- Weight: 49 lb (22 kg)
- Top speed: 20 mph (32 km/h)
- Range: 75 miles (120 km)
Tern Vektron S10 price
- $3,400
URB-E Pro GT
Forget pedals. The last three products in the list are fully electric and have no need for them. Of course, if we are going to list mobility scooters URB-E has to be mentioned. These were among the first of their kind to go mainstream, and these scooters are pretty awesome.
The URB-E vehicles are small and have tiny tires, which makes them a bit weird to ride. Once you get used to them they can be quite fun and convenient. Need to carry (or roll) it around? Just fold it up. Once you are ready to ride, it only takes a few seconds to unfold it and get going.
The top-tier model is the URB-E Pro GT, and it costs $1,999. For nearly two grand you get a vehicle that can go as fast as 18 mph and has a range of 20 miles.
It can also be equipped with carrying baskets, cup holders, mounts, bells, and more.
URB-E Pro GT key specs
- Weight: 35 lb (16 kg)
- Top speed: 18 mph (29 km/h)
- Range: 20 miles (32 km)
URB-E Pro GT price
- $1,999
OjO Commuter Scooter
Here is another fully electric scooter with a $1,999 price point. Though it may seem expensive at first, it starts to look more enticing when you compare it to everything else in this list. Not only is this scooter’s design aesthetically pleasing and comfortable, but it also has all the bells and whistles you’d expect and then some.
The unit can reach speeds of up to 20 mph, and is estimated to get you as far as 25 miles per charge. It includes a touchscreen display, integrated Bluetooth speakers, motion-activated alarm, wireless key fob, front/rear LED lighting, and a regular outlet plug for charging.
This thing is a beauty to ride. The company is also working on a partnership with Ford. The Ford OjO is on its way to market, which could give this product and the company the needed push to go mainstream.
OjO Commuter Scooter key specs
- Weight: 65 lb (29.5 kg)
- Top speed: 20 mph (32 km/h)
- Range: 25 miles (40 km)
OjO Commuter Scooter price
- $1,999
Smacircle S1
This could be the most interesting little electric scooter around, mostly because of its futuristic aesthetics. It looks like it came straight out of the Tron movie. But instead of being a crazy fast electric bike, it’s a cute little thing that can reach top speeds of 12.4 mph.
Its range is also estimated at 12.4 miles, which means you can only go for 1 hour at full speed ahead. Don’t let the lackluster specs fool you. This could actually become your favorite item in this article, especially if you are on a tight budget. The Smacircle S1 is currently offered through Indiegogo for $699 — a price more of us can swallow.
It’s also a very convenient vehicle. It can fold up to fit into a backpack. Features include integrated lights and the ability to charge your devices on-the-go.
Smacircle S1 key specs
- Weight: 65 lb (29.5 kg)
- Top speed: 20 mph (32 km/h)
- Range: 25 miles (40 km)
Smacircle S1 price
- $699
That’s our list of best electric bikes. Which e-bike is your favorite? Did we miss anything? Tell us in the comments!