10 Of The Best Electric Bikes You Can Buy In 2024 (Rated By Consumer Reports)

Offering riders the best of both worlds with the ability to use pedal power or electrical assistance, e-bikes are a relatively new but popular addition to the biking world. There are plenty of things to consider before buying an e-bike, with one of the most important considerations being which bikes are suitable for riding in your local area. Laws and licensing requirements differ by state, so it's always best to check first. Once you have, it's time to decide what kind of bike you want. Some riders will want the fastest and most powerful e-bike available, while others will want to prioritize ride comfort and practicality instead.

Buyers who fit more into the latter camp will want to look for a bike aimed at commuters or cruisers, ideally those that deliver just the right mix of power and usability. Finding one can be a challenge, but following the recommendations of trusted institutions like Consumer Reports can give you a head start. These top-rated picks all received a rating of 80 or higher from Consumer Reports, and they make a solid starting point when considering what kind of e-bike is the right one for you.

In our ranking of the best major e-bike brands, Cannondale came in third, winning praise for its build quality and wide-ranging lineup. Cannondale is far from the cheapest brand on the market, but that's for good reason. The Cannondale Adventure Neo 4 is not one of the brand's cheapest models either, and at a retail price of $2,875, it's one of the more expensive e-bikes on this list. For their money, buyers get a bike that's built for urban commutes, with an aluminum frame that helps reduce weight and a comfort-oriented saddle.

Both the battery and motor for the e-bike come from Bosch, with the former being a 400Wh unit and the latter being an Active Line 250W model. The bike can reach a top speed of 20 mph and boasts up to 65 miles of range, so for most commuters, charging won't be a daily affair. Getting on and off the bike is straightforward too, thanks to the step-thru frame -– a common feature on many e-bikes designed for this kind of use.

Much like the Cannondale Adventure Neo 4, the Marin Fairfax E boasts an aluminum frame and a top speed of 20 mph. Its range is not quite as impressive as the Cannondale, with Marin estimating it to be anywhere between 19 and 62 miles depending on how the bike is used and the size of the rider. Then again, it's also significantly cheaper, with a retail price of $1,599. When the bike's battery is flat, it will take six hours to recharge. The Fairfax E features a 340Wh battery and a Bafang 250W motor, producing a maximum of 40 Nm of torque.

Riders can control how much assistive power is deployed through a small screen mounted to the handlebars, and can see a summary of their ride through the Bafang companion smartphone app. The app also provides a number of extra readouts and tips, including traffic information and heart rate monitoring. The Fairfax E's look is a particularly sleek one, with the slimline integrated battery meaning that it's not immediately noticeable as an e-bike at first glance.

With a 750W motor and a 672Wh battery, the Rad Power RadCity 5 Plus offers plenty of punch for its $1,699 asking price. According to the brand, it can manage between 28 and 50 miles on a single charge, depending upon which of the five electric assistance levels riders choose. The step-thru frame is designed to make it as easy as possible to get onto the bike, even for shorter riders, with the brand noting that all riders between 4'8” and 6'0” should be suited to the bike. Unlike some of its rivals, it's only available in one size.

As a Class 1 e-bike, it's limited to 20 mph by law. Its name makes it pretty clear what it's been designed for — unsurprisingly, the RadCity 5 Plus is best at home in the city. Specifically, it was created with commuters in mind, and so features shock absorbing front suspension and a rear cargo rack to make workday journeys as convenient and comfortable as possible. The brand also notes that larger containers or child seats can be strapped to the rear of the bike if needed.

Battery degradation is an inevitable worry with any e-bike, but the makers of the Heybike Cityrun claim that the bike's batteries will retain 80% of their original capacity after 600 recharges. Given that the bike offers a maximum range of 55 miles, that means that, in theory, it should be capable of more than 30,000 miles without degradation starting to really bite. In other aspects, the bike looks just as impressive, with a 1,000W peak motor and a 720Wh battery.

The Cityrun retails for $1,699, but those with a little extra cash spare could also pick up one of the brand's range of accessories, including a front or rear cargo basket or a phone mount. The bike is offered in one size only and Cityrun says that its frame will suit riders between 5'4” and 6'5” in height. A minimum inseam length of just over 32” is also recommended.

The Lectric One retails for $2,666, but it packs the power and features to back up its asking price. Its motor boasts a peak output of 1,310W and the bike can reach speeds of up to 28 mph — although it's always worth checking local laws before testing that out, since some states do not permit the use of e-bikes that can reach speeds over 20 mph. Depending upon usage, Lectric quotes a maximum range of up to 60 miles.

The bike's centrally mounted display is larger than some of its rivals and offers readouts for speed, distance, and battery levels. The display is IP65 rated against dust and water ingress, and so can be safely used in all weathers. E-bikes can sometimes be uncomfortably heavy thanks to their batteries, but the 55 pound weight of the Lectric One is around average for the segment. That's partly thanks to the liberal use of aluminum, with the frame, front fork, cranks, and more made from the metal.

Although the Aventon Pace 500.3 e-bike is available in both step-over and step-thru guise, it's the latter that won high praise from Consumer Reports. The bike features a 500W motor and a range of up to 60 miles, providing a good balance between power and longevity. Like the Lectric One, the Aventon Pace 500.3 Step-Thru offers a top speed of 28 mph, although laws over how and where that speed can be deployed vary by state.

The bike is available in multiple sizes with the regular size accommodating riders as short as 4'11” and the large size accommodating riders up to 6'1". Like most of the e-bikes here, the Aventon is designed primarily with commuters and road users in mind, and as such, it features built-in turn signals for added safety.

The bike also offers a wide range of accessories, including a hitch rack, fenders, and a double child seat trailer, all available at an extra cost. It's worth noting that the bike lacks the suspension found on some of its rivals, and so users planning on riding over rougher terrain will have to factor in the cost of the $130 suspension seatpost on top of the bike's initial $1,799 retail price.

While it also makes a capable commuter bike, the Blix Sol Eclipse is built with cruising in mind. The wide tires make it suitable for a variety of surfaces, while the large saddle prioritizes comfort over performance. The bike is powered by a 500W motor and offers a range of up to 45 miles thanks to the 614Wh battery. That battery will take around six hours to fully charge from empty according to the brand.

The bike's retro-inspired design includes a built-in bell, which notably isn't included as standard in some of the other top-rated bikes here. Small devices such as smartphones can also be charged via the USB port built into the bike's display. A range of accessories is also offered that includes cargo baskets and a front or rear rack. Fenders are also available for any riders who are really trying to lean into the retro look. They can be bought for $60, while the bike itself retails for $1,899.

A budget alternative to the e-bikes from leading brands, the Ancheer 350W Electric Bike offers a surprising amount of capability considering that it's available for under $1,000. It received high marks from Consumer Reports and it's not hard to see why, since its 350W motor and 499Wh battery mean a top speed of 20 mph and an officially quoted maximum range of up to 50 miles. It's backed by a one year warranty — far from the longest on the market, but not unsurprising given its price point.

Rather than being integrated like many of its most expensive rivals, the Ancheer's battery is removable. That results in it being one of the less elegant looking bikes here, and that's not the only downside. It also lacks disk brakes — a feature that's very common among other top-rated bikes — instead relying on rim brakes at both the front and rear. A slim rear cargo rack is included as standard, but the Ancheer also lacks the accessory list that other, pricier bikes benefit from.

The Blix Sol Eclipse might be best suited to cruising on a budget, but the company's pricier bikes have commuters covered too. Consumer Reports gave high marks to the Blix Aveny Skyline, which retails for $1,999. Much like the Sol Eclipse, it boasts a 614Wh battery and a 500W motor, resulting in an estimated range of up to 45 miles. Also like its stablemate, the Aveny Skyline will take six hours to recharge. Various colors are available, but only one size is offered.

Disc brakes come standard at both the front and rear of the bike, while a simple display lets riders keep tabs on their speed and distance traveled. Multiple mounting points are available on the front and rear of the bike to fit a variety of accessories, but with or without those extras, the classic styling of the Aveny Skyline makes it arguably one of the best looking bikes in its class.

E-bikes are, by nature, bigger and bulkier than their human powered counterparts, but some e-bikes do a better job of compensating for that than others. The Lectric XP Step-Thru 3.0 is a folding e-bike, making it easier and more compact to store away when it's not in use. It doesn't compromise on power either, with the bike featuring a motor with a peak outlet of 1,000W and a range of up to 65 miles with the long-range battery fitted. The long range variant of the bike retails for $1,653, while the standard range bike — offering a still-decent 45 miles of range — retails for $1,453.

It's available in either black or white, and like many of its top-rated competitors, a range of accessories can also be bought for buyers looking for extra storage capacity or upgraded headlights. Hydraulic disk brakes are fitted at both the front and rear of the bike. The battery is integrated neatly within the frame of the bike, but its utilitarian design won't appeal to those looking for an aesthetically pleasing cruiser. Instead, the XP Step-Thru 3.0 delivers on performance and practicality, and at a price that undercuts several of its key rivals to boot.