The Best E-Bikes on Amazon for a Smoother Ride

E-bikes have exploded in popularity over the past few years. Once available in only a few models, e-bikes are now available in almost every type and style. There are e-bikes for seniors, kids, and road and gravel riders alike; there are even fat tire and mountain e-bikes on the market these days. What’s assured is no matter what type of e-bike you’re looking for, you can find one—and it's easy to get them delivered to your house fast, thanks to the wide variety available on Amazon.

Best E-Bikes on Amazon

• Best Fat Tire e-bike: Velowave Ranger FMTB3
  
• Best Full Suspension Mountain Bike: Paselec GS-9 E-MTB
• Best for Seniors: Nakto City Stroller
• Best Step Through: Schwinn Coston
• Best Folding e-bike: Swagtron Swagcycle EB-5
• Best Women’s Cruiser: sixthreezero Around The Block Women's e-bike
• Best for Kids: Hiboy BK1 Electric Bike

What to Consider

First, consider who is going to ride the e-bike you're eyeing and how they're going to ride it. If you’re buying an e-bike for a kid or a senior, they probably won’t need—or want—an e-bike that tops out at 30 miles an hour on trails (nor would we really encourage that). However, if you’re looking for a powerful e-bike for your own needs, they do exist.

Second, when buying an e-bike, consider where you’re going to ride it and be considerate of others around you who don’t ride e-bikes. Some places, including certain trails and bike paths, don’t allow e-bikes, so it’s wise to familiarize yourself with local regulations. With regards to other riders, many don’t appreciate being zoomed by on the road or trail, so make sure that you’re being considerate of those around you, regardless of where your ride takes you.

E-Bike Type

There are two main types of e-bikes: pedal-assist and throttle systems. With a pedal assist, the motor is only active when you’re pedaling. With a throttle system, the bike essentially can operate as a lightweight motorcycle and you don’t have to pedal to make the motor propel the bike. Some e-bikes allow you to control how much pedal assist they offer or if you want to operate them in a throttle-mode.

Motor Class

E-bikes are offered with three different motor classes.

Class 1: These are e-bikes that are only pedal-assisted and have a top speed of 20 mph. These bikes may have a motor with as little as 250-watts.

Class 2: These e-bikes allow for throttle-only use and top out at 20 mph.

Class 3: Class 3 can mean a couple different things depending on where you are. These e-bikes have a speedometer and top out at 28 mph. In some states, they are pedal-assist only with no throttle. In others, they can throttle up to 20 mph but require pedal assist after that. These bikes can have a motor of up to 750 watts.

Motor Mount

Motors for bikes are located in either of the wheel hubs or by the bottom bracket. Where the motor is mounted affects how the bike rides. Most of the higher-end e-bikes have a motor mounted by the bottom bracket as it helps keep the center of gravity low and it can push power directly to the gears.

Batteries

E-bike batteries are either integrated or mounted to the frame, or removable. Both types have their merits. A removable battery is ideal for someone who has to lock their bike outside and wants to charge it while at work or overnight. Integrated or mounted batteries are non-removable and can give the bike a sleeker look.

Batteries are rated in terms of watt-hours (Wh) and most are meant to have a range of about 40 miles, under ideal conditions. It generally takes a few hours to recharge the batteries to at least 80 percent. If you’re going for rides longer than 40 miles, you can bring an extra removable battery.

Weight

While great road bikes typically weigh under 20 pounds, most e-bikes are much heavier. They generally range from 35-70 pounds because of their motors and batteries. This extra weight can make them more difficult to stop, so look for a bike with good disc brakes. Also, the weight can be more cumbersome for kids and seniors when trying to handle the bike. It may also require a beefier bike rack, since many are only rated to 40 pounds per bike or less.

How We Selected

Currently, bikes and e-bike supplies are constrained. We’ve evaluated many e-bikes over the years and there are many we love. These are the best that are currently available on Amazon, based on our evaluations as well as evaluations by customers and other professional reviewers.