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Every electric bike on this list is sub $2,000—from urban bikes to cruisers to fat bikes, and even some that reach 28 mph. 1000 Watt Electric Moped
Electric bikes—and the cost-effectiveness they bring to everyday transportation—have helped e-bike models that cost less than $2,000 skyrocket in popularity. E-bikes’ ease of use and all-around fun make the lower-cost models an attractive option for short trips or leisurely recreation.
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We use the term “cheap electric bikes” here to describe their price relative to the more expensive electric bikes you can find in many bike shops and online retailers. We’ve tested many of those premium e-bikes and electric mountain bikes and some are truly exceptional. But they can cost three or four times the models here, sometimes costing in excess of $10,000.
While the e-bikes below cost less, our testing and research show them to be very reliable for everyday commuting and riding. To make these reviews as helpful as possible, we focused on lower-priced options from brands like Aventon, Rad Power Bikes, and others that you can purchase directly online. In addition to bikes for everyday riding, we included folding e-bikes and even a fat-tire e-bike.
If you are looking for a higher-performance e-bike, or specifically want the help and service you can get from a specialty retailer, be sure to check out recommendations for our Best High-Performance E-Bikes. You’ll find 18 exceptional, award-winning bikes rigorously vetted by our editorial team.
Our team of experienced testers spent many hours and miles using most of these bikes for their intended purposes. I’ve personally ridden and tested many of them to and from work, used them to stock up on groceries and beer, tested their passenger-hauling capability, ridden them on questionable terrain to see how they handle and run their batteries down to officially see how long they last on one charge.
The Bicycling gear team evaluated every model on performance, price, comfort, handling, value, reliability, fun, and overall e-factor to come up with these recommendations that we believe will best serve the needs of anyone looking to add a little pedal assist to their ride.
Aventon's Level e-bike delivers smooth and linear power from its rear hub motor, giving this bike a natural and intuitive feel when riding. The addition of integrated lights and a small, easy-to-use display help make one of our favorite commuter e-bikes even better. Aventon's Level e-bike delivers smooth and linear power from its rear hub motor, giving this bike a natural and intuitive feel when riding. The addition of integrated lights and a small, easy-to-use display help make one of our favorite commuter e-bikes even better.
In our testing, the Level.2 performed better than expected in every situation. The Aventon Level.2 remains the best commuter e-bike you can purchase for less than $2,000 and one of the best commuter bikes you can buy overall. This e-bike has everything you need for commuting or getting around town.
There are a lot of budget-priced e-bikes on Amazon. So, how do you know if you’re getting unrideable junk or a decent bike? Since e-bikes are electric items that require service, we recommend buying bikes from brands that have U.S.-based offices. Troxus has support from its office in Vista, California, and a network of dealers across the U.S. This allows you to procure parts or get warranty service on your e-bike more easily.
Troxus’ SkyHopper is unique and slightly quirky (in a fun way). It’s a zippy-riding commuter-style e-bike with 20”x4.0” fat tires, a suspension fork, and a 750-watt rear hub motor. It’s also equipped with a rear rack, lights, fenders, and an adjustable stem. The frame has a semi-integrated downtube battery and a low-slung top tube.
This relatively affordable seven-speed model from Aventon delivers simplicity and style that is tough to beat. Simply push the throttle to get started and the brushless hub motor kicks in, assisting you more gently as you start pedaling. The Soltera features disc brakes and an integrated light. The battery is hidden in the bike’s frame, a surprising feature compared to the bolt-on vibe of many bikes in this price range. Best for smoother roads and bike paths, the Soltera delivers the most essential features a city rider needs in a strikingly light 46-pound package.
The Co-op Cycles Generation e1.1 is an excellent bike for short trips, cities, and around-town use. It is equipped with a rack, lights, and Schwalbe Super-Moto-X tires with puncture protection. Co-op equips the e1.1 with Tektro hydraulic disc brakes (unlike some competitors in the class) for improved stopping power and an SR suspension fork to smooth out the ride. Plus, REI provides service and warranty on Co-op bikes.
A torque sensor allows improved control over the acceleration of Aventure's 750W rear hub motor, making the bike's ride more intuitive. The Aventure also features an updated head unit interface, integrated turn signals, front light, rear rack, and fenders. A torque sensor allows improved control over the acceleration of Aventure's 750W rear hub motor, making the bike's ride more intuitive. The Aventure also features an updated head unit interface, integrated turn signals, front light, rear rack, and fenders.
We found the Aventure well-suited for commutes (especially on snowy days and gravel pathways) and off-road on doubletrack trails. The bike's weight and components limit its functionality on singletrack and for more aggressive mountain bike riding. (For a comprehensive list of e-MTBs able to withstand the rigors of trail riding use, check out our Best Electric Mountain Bikes guide.)
Ride1Up’s Portola folding electric bike packs a lot of punch for such a small package. Folding down to a compact 19”x29.5”x33” footprint, this bike features a 750-watt rear hub motor with 65Nm torque, hydraulic disc brakes, Shimano 8-speed drivetrain, and an integrated rear rack with 130-pound carrying capacity. For less than $1,000, this is a great deal for bimodal commuters, RVers, vanlifers, or folks living in a small apartment. The standard 10.4Ah battery has a claimed range of 20-40 miles or bump the range up to 45 miles with an optional 13.4Ah battery for an additional $100.
At $1,399, the Aventon Pace 350 is low cost, but our testing revealed it’s not too cheap to be high quality. The Class 2 e-bike tops the assistance out at 20 mph, whether you get there by pedal assist or a throttle.
The Pace 350 has a 7-speed Shimano Tourney drivetrain and five levels of e-assist, giving you various pedaling options. Of the e-bikes we put through our handling circuit, the Pace 350 felt the most balanced and planted on pavement and dirt. You don’t get lights or fenders, but the Pace 350 felt viable for daily commuting.
The new Model E is a sturdy, elegant beach cruiser assembled and painted in the U.S. We tested the brand’s Model X last year and it impressed us with its high quality. All Electric Bike Company models are assembled in the U.S., and the attention to detail is immediately evident. Unlike the Model X, this one is sleeker, with an integrated battery. But like that one, it’s fully customizable and built to order with your options.
The Schwalbe Fat Frank tires and steel frame and fork combine to deliver a smooth ride and the comfortable saddle and retro handlebar beckon you to relax and let the e-assist do most of the work. And despite its weight, the disc brakes help you come to a smooth stop, whether you’re dodging squirrels on the bike path or avoiding tourists on the boardwalk.
If you’re on a budget and looking to ditch the car for errands and trips around town, the Xpedition is the cheapest e-cargo bike Bicycling has ride-tested and is comfortable recommending. The bike has many features and capabilities of much higher-priced cargo e-bikes, achieving its price with lower-grade components (such as drivetrain and lights). The Xpedition’s hub motor feels less refined than pricier cargo bikes but is sufficient for shorter trips and lighter loads.
Trikes are a great option for riders uncomfortable riding more traditional two-wheel bikes or who regularly carry items (such as groceries, beach supplies, or pets). Rad Power’s RadTrike features a 750-watt front hub-drive motor with pedal assistance up to 14 mph. The 18" x 2.25" tires roll smoothly, while a front disc brake helps ensure controlled stops. A step-through frame makes it easy to get on or off the trike, the cushy seat and upright position add to rider comfort, and a 325-pound max rider weight means more people can enjoy the ride.
There’s a lot to like about the Roadster. It’s discreet, lightweight, and makes getting around a big city or small town a breeze. Plus, it’s priced very competitively. It does give up lights, a rack, fenders, gears, and disc brakes to hit both its price point and weight, and the range is shorter than other more expensive options. Because of that, the Roadster is ideal for short commutes on mostly flat roads and paths. But, if you’re looking for a low-cost, durable e-bike, then it’s worth considering the Roadster.
Every e-bike here uses a hub motor rather than a mid-drive motor. Hub motors (the original industry standard and more affordable of the two) can be located on either the front or, more commonly, the rear wheel. They typically don’t allow for the same natural maneuverability as today’s increasingly more common mid-drive motors because their weight is concentrated at the front or rear of the bike. In contrast, a mid-drive motor’s weight is low and centered over the bottom bracket, resulting in better control and a more balanced ride feel, much like a traditional bike.
In the U.S., there are three classes defined by the type of assist and how fast the motor will propel you. Most electric bikes are defined as class 1 or 3. Class 1 bikes have a motor (max 750w) that assists while you’re pedaling, up to 20 mph. Class 3, also known as “speed pedelec,” can also have up to only a 750w motor (aka 1 horsepower), but can assist you up to 28 mph.
Both are allowed in most states and cities without the need for a license. Rare just a year ago, Class 2 models are becoming more popular, especially at lower prices. These models have a throttle that can propel a bike up to, and maintain, 20 mph without having to continuously pedal. Some bikes blur the lines. Aventon’s popular Pace 500, for example, is technically a Class 3 e-bike in that it reaches speeds up to 28 mph, but it also has a throttle that tops out at 20 mph (the maximum legal speed for a throttle).
Usually, the cheaper the bike, the cheaper the quality of the parts. But this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be riding around on a rattling tin can. It just means that the bike’s designers took into consideration where they could include lower-level parts without sacrificing safety while putting the money where it counts most—hydraulic disc brakes, decent tires, and a reliable e-system.
Although the electrical components on some of these bikes might not be plastered with a familiar name, like Bosch or Shimano, that doesn’t mean they’re not capable. Aventon, for example, pieces together its own e-bike systems—rather than buying a complete one from someone else—to keep the price down and allow for higher-quality parts elsewhere.
It used to be that most bikes at this price point didn’t hide their batteries with much elegance. Instead, companies installed them prominently on top of the down tube. But we’re beginning to see more batteries hidden within the down tube or tucked discreetly behind the seat tube.
Don’t expect to ride across the state on these bikes, either. The highest range in this list is 70 miles, but most average about 40. Like gas mileage in a car, real-world results vary depending on what assist level you use, terrain, and more. Still, it’s worth checking the bike’s battery range before you buy it to make sure it fits your daily needs.
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As Deputy Editor, Tara Seplavy leads Bicycling’s product test team; after having previously led product development and sourcing for multiple bike brands, run World Championship winning mountain bike teams, wrenched at renowned bicycle shops in Brooklyn, raced everything from criteriums to downhill, and ridden bikes on six different continents (landing herself in hospital emergency rooms in four countries and counting). Based in Easton, Pennsylvania, Tara spends tons of time on the road and trail testing products. A familiar face at cyclocross races, crits, and bike parks in the Mid Atlantic and New England, on weekends she can often be found racing for the New York City-based CRCA/KruisCX team. When not riding a bike, or talking about them, Tara listens to a lot of ska, punk, and emo music, and consumes too much social media.
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