E-Bikes

Choosing an electric bike

The right e-bike depends almost entirely on the journey you are actually making. A folding bike that lives under a desk solves a different problem from a full-size mountain bike, and paying for range you never use is the most common way to overspend.

This page is the reference: what the specs mean and which claims to distrust. If you want our picks for a particular rider, see the best electric bikes in the UK, or the best commuter e-bikes if the bike is for getting to work.

What the specs actually mean

• Motor position. A hub motor sits in the front or rear wheel. It is simpler, cheaper and fine on flat routes. A mid-drive motor sits at the pedals and works through the gears, so it climbs better and feels more natural, at a higher price.
• Rated power. Every road-legal bike is rated at 250W, so a higher "peak" figure on the listing tells you about hill-starts, not top speed. Compare torque (Nm) if you want a sense of pulling power: 40 to 55Nm is typical for a hub motor at this price.
• Battery capacity in watt-hours. Volts multiplied by amp-hours gives watt-hours (Wh), and Wh is the only fair way to compare batteries. A 36V 13Ah pack is 468Wh; a 48V 13Ah pack is 624Wh. Voltage alone tells you very little.
• Range. Manufacturer range is measured at the lowest assist level, on the flat, with a light rider. Halve it for hilly routes, winter weather or higher assist, and you are closer to what you will see.
• Weight. Most full-size e-bikes weigh 22 to 28kg. That decides whether you can carry it up steps, onto a train or onto a car rack.
• What is fitted. Mudguards, lights and a rear rack are standard on some bikes and a £60 to £100 extra on others.

The legal test comes first

Any bike ridden on UK roads and cycle paths without a licence must meet the EAPC rules: a motor rated at 250W or less, assistance that cuts out at 15.5mph, working pedals, and no throttle that can drive the bike above walking pace. Plenty of imported bikes fail at least one of those, and a bike that fails is legally a moped. See UK Road Legal (EAPC) for the full test.

Be sceptical of these listing claims

• "250W" with a throttle. The motor rating can be compliant while the bike is not. A throttle or "electric mode" that moves the bike without pedalling takes it outside the EAPC rules, and listings rarely say so plainly.
• "Pedelec and throttle-on-demand" in the technical details is the phrase to look for. It sometimes contradicts the product title.
• "Boost mode" can mean a stronger assist level or a throttle. Check the manufacturer's own site.
• Range quoted in kilometres with no assist level stated is the best case, not the typical one.

What we have checked

Every bike in this category has been checked against the listing's own technical details and, where they conflict, the manufacturer's site, with the motor rating, cut-off speed and throttle each confirmed separately. Where a bike fails or we cannot confirm it, it stays out of the UK Road Legal category and the reason is written plainly in its cons. That is why not every bike on this page appears there.