Best Commuter Electric Bikes 2024

Ride1UP 700 Series

The Ride1UP 700 Series is a terrific example of what we look for in an e-bike for commuting. To be a solid commuter, an e-bike needs to be good in all sorts of weather, meaning fenders; must accommodate shorter daylight hours in winter, meaning lights; and must be able to carry a load so that the commuter can travel with a change of clothes and a laptop, meaning a rack. We also like to see enough range to be able to cover two round-trip commutes. The 700 Series delivers on all these points, which is why it leads our collection of best electric commuter bikes of 2024.

In Electricbikereport.com’s testing the 700 Series post respectable range but came up a bit short in hill-climbing power. Their test e-bike powered through 27.5 mi. in PAS 5, and in PAS 1, the battery lasted 45 mi. In its hill test, despite the 750W hub motor the 700 Series couldn’t produce enough power to conquer the hill on throttle alone, which is why we like to know how much torque a motor produces; power alone can’t determine if an e-bike can climb; torque is critical.

Hill performance aside, this is a Class 3 e-bike that can be throttled up to 20 mph, and with pedal assist up to 28 mph. That extra speed doesn’t require that much work and can really cut time in getting around town.

The 700 Series offers a step-thru frame that will please anyone who doesn’t want to do a karate kick every time they get off the bike. For anyone is lesser stature or with flexibility issues, the low (17-in.) standover height of the 700 Series is worth noting.

The parts pick on this e-bike, considering it only goes for ~$1700, is outstanding. It has an 8-speed Shimano drivetrain for plenty of gear choice, hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors to stop effectively and a 100mm-travel air/oil suspension fork good enough to take in off-road riding. We consider all of those to be the mark of a premium e-bike. Finding them on a sub-$2000 e-bike is a pleasant surprise. We couldn’t put together a collection of the best electric commuter bikes without the 700 Series

Aventon Level

Commuting to work is impractical for many people because of the distance and the fact that at most places of work it’s hard to take a shower upon arrival. That’s why e-bikes have been such game changers. Distances that were impractical for most people became much easier to cover when riding at nearly 20 mph without sweating like a glass of iced tea on a summer day. The Aventon Level takes things a step further than most bikes by virtue of being a Class 3 e-bike with a top speed in pedal assist of 28 mph. That’s but one of the reasons it made our roundup of best electric commuter bikes.

It’s great to have an e-bike that can hit a top speed of 28 mph and knock out a 10-mile commute in under a half hour, but the e-bike isn’t worth much if it can’t make the round-trip without recharging the battery. According to our sister publication Electricbikereport.com, the Level managed 29.5 miles on PAS 5 and a whopping 66 miles in PAS 1. Many riders will be able to commute several days before needing a charge. Ever forgotten to charge your phone? Yeah, this e-bike has your back.

One of our biggest points of criticism against most of the consumer-direct brands is that the bikes come in just one or two sizes, and often those two sizes don’t vary by much more than standover height. The Level comes in three sizes in a traditional frame and two more sizes in a step-thru frame. E-bike sizing is a feature often overlooked but it can be even more central to a rider’s comfort than what saddle and tires the e-bike is equipped with. While it’s easy to find multiple frame sizes from big legacy brands like Trek and Specialized, it’s less commonly found for an electric bike that goes for less than $2000. It’s like getting a tailored shirt from Macy’s.

The parts pick on the Level features enough quality to seem like it should cost more than it’s $1700 price tag. Hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors handle the stopping duties, making sure this e-bike doesn’t overshoot the driveway. An 8-speed Shimano drivetrain gives riders plenty of ability to choose the right gear for going up a hill or coming back down the other side. The $1600-$2000 price range is increasingly competitive and the Level was an obvious choice for our roundup of best electric commuter bikes.

Rad Power Bikes RadCity 5 Plus

For someone who commutes to work daily, a bike’s finer details may only reveal how careful those choices were. Yes, a good commuter needs fenders, a rack and lights—not to mention a kickstand—but the quality of those components will make a difference in a rider’s experience. The Rad Power RadCity 5 Plus is a bike that features a number of carefully selected components, which is why it’s part of our collection of the best electric commuter bikes.

City riding forces a rider to stay on the lookout for the unexpected. From potholes to texting pedestrians, a rider must stay alert and often be ready to brake hard. The RadCity 5 Plus features hydraulic disc brakes that offer unusually powerful stopping; they’ll stop on a dime and leave five cents change.

Hub motors like the 750W brushless one in the RadCity 5 Plus have pluses and minuses. The big plus is they help keep the cost of the bike down. The minuses include a tendency to lag behind the rider’s effort because of the cadence sensor and they can be a little under-powered on hills due to a lack of torque. The RadCity 5 Plus has a cadence sensor more responsive than most and the motor offers plenty of torque for getting up hills, and the e-bike still goes for $1999.

Our sister site Electricbikereport.com reviewed the RadCity 5 Plus; in their testing they found that the e-bike exceeded Rad Power’s published range figures. The tester for Electricbikereport.com rode for a whopping 31 miles on PAS 5, not the 28 Rad Power indicated. Similarly, in PAS 2 the tester covered 51 miles before the battery was tapped.

The RadCity 5 Plus is equipped with one of the best racks in this price range; not only does it allow for panniers, the rack is designed to take child seats like Thule’s. The fenders are plastic, which will cut down on potential rattles that so many fenders develop; these fenders offer more coverage front to rear and side-to-side than some fenders, which will result in riders staying dryer. The lights are brighter than we normally see on e-bikes in this price range. This bike was a must-have for our roundup of best electric commuter bikes.

Gen3 The Stride

When it comes to e-bikes we believe there is a floor of minimum quality that a manufacturer must reach in order for us to recommend the e-bike in good conscience. With the many advances made in technology and manufacturing of e-bikes, these days that threshold is at roughly $1000. It’s possible to find less expensive bikes out there, but the Gen3 Stride is a great example of how a manufacturer can balance affordability and quality, which is why we wanted to include this in our list of best electric commuter bikes.

Discounted to $1199, the Stride bears a great resemblance to other bikes in this collection. It includes a 500W hub motor powerful enough to propel a rider to 20 mph as a Class 2 e-bike, disc brakes, a rack, fenders and lights, not to mention a relatively low standover height on its step-thru design.

Where the Stride differs from some of our other bikes is that it goes for more price-conscious parts, such as mechanical disc brakes, 26-in. wheels instead of larger 27.5 or 700C wheels (which roll faster), relatively narrow 1.75-in.-wide tires instead of 2-in. or even wider tires which offer a cushier ride. While these choices result in a bike that’s not as dialed as some in our roundup, every one of these choices was a strategic way to reduce cost and deliver a very workable bike for not much over $1000. This kind of resourceful product spec is something that, in aggregate, give us confidence that experienced hands guide this ship.

Those 26-in. wheels offer advantages of their own. Smaller wheels often accelerate faster and generally turn more easily, giving the e-bike a more nimble feel (unusually heavy wheels can offset this sort of handling). Narrow tires and a suspension fork with 50mm of travel mean this e-bike won’t be as comfortable as some, but it will still be far more comfortable than a traditional road bike.

A notable exception to the price-conscious choices is the choice of the Bafang hub motor which we generally see on higher-price-point bikes; putting a higher emphasis on the motor is yet another sign this is a well-designed e-bike. Terrific product design is what compelled us to include the Stride in our collection of best electric commuter bikes.

Vvolt Proxima

Commuter e-bikes all tend to handle pretty well, but every now and then we encounter a bike where the handling achieves a kind of finesse and riding the commuter is so in tune that we are reminded what we love about bikes. It’s fair to ask, why should riding to work be anything other than fun? There was no way we were going to pull together our favorite electric commuter bikes and skip the Vvolt Proxima.

It’s easy to criticize a bike for too little range, too easy, in fact. Not everyone needs an e-bike that sports a range of 30 mi. in PAS 5. For anyone with a relatively local life where the runs tend to single digit miles, a bike with only TK mi. of range in PAS 5 like the Proxima can still roll for several days before needing to be recharged.

It’s also easy to criticize the bike for lacking those usual commuter necessities (not accessories), such as fenders and a rack. So why would a bike that runs the better part of $3000 lacking those features get our nod? It’s one of the best values in mid-drive motor-equipped e-bikes out there. Vvolt combined that with a belt-drive and an Enviolo TR CVT hub for one of the most maintenance-free and easy-to-use drivetrains we’ve encountered. And while the mid-drive motor only puts out 250W (500 at peak), mid-drives tend to use their wattage more efficiently and this e-bike proves it with solid hill performance because it produces 80Nm of torque.

We don’t often see e-bikes with 160mm rotors, except on budget models, and while the smaller rotors might seem a miss, the fact that the Radius brakes are hydraulic discs and not mechanical makes up for the smaller rotors; it also doesn’t hurt that this bike only weighs between 50 and 52 lbs. (depending on the size).

Every touch on this bike is well-considered and shows the insight that comes with a knowledgeable team. The Proxima was an easy addition to our selection of best electric commuter bikes

Trek Allant+ 9.9s

For most of us, a Toyota is a perfectly fine car. However, some folks want Lexus or Mercedes. Compared to most of the other bikes in our roundup, the Trek Allant+ 9.9s is a premium e-bike with an accordingly premium price tag. No survey of the best electric commuter bikes would be complete without the Trek Allant+ 9.9s.

It’s fair to ask what’s so great about an e-bike that costs three or four times what some of the other bikes here do. Everything about the Allant+ 9.9s is noteworthy. For starters, the industrial design of this bike isn’t just stylish, it’s downright handsome. It features a 250W mid-drive motor with smooth yet instantaneous power application. This e-bike gets up to speed promptly, but with nary a lurch, and it eats hills for breakfast.

The brakes and drivetrain on this e-bike also take a marked step up from what we see on more budget-minded models. The hydraulic disc brakes only require a light touch and are squeak-free. The Allant+ 9.9s offers a greater number of gears and over much broader range of ratios. This is the sort of bike that can make commuting in San Francisco a snap.

And what about range? Even in PAS 5 at 28 mph, Trek estimates the Allant+ 9.9s will enjoy 20 mi. of range, while in PAS 1, it can achieve as much as 80 mi., but add Trek’s “range boost” which mounts a second battery on the bike and range can be stretched to a whopping 120 mi.

If all of that wasn’t enough to impress riders, Trek took the extra step of crafting the entire frame and fork from carbon fiber, which helps keep the weight below 50 lbs. Few e-bikes can impress the way the Allant+ 9.9s does, which is why it’s one of the best electric commuter bikes on the market.

Diamondback Union 2

Even if the name Diamondback doesn’t sound familiar, they are producing one of the more surprising offerings on this list. It shouldn’t be surprising, though; Diamondback has been producing high-end mountain and road bikes for more than 30 years. The Diamondback Union 2 is a bike that benefits from the company’s longstanding expertise in producing bikes that perform well, and needed to be part of our collection of the best electric commuter bikes.

For those who want a step up in quality, but don’t require the premium experience of a Trek or Specialized, the Diamondback Union 2 begins with an aluminum frame and fork, adds a Bosch mid-drive motor and high-quality 10s-speed Shimano drivetrain and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes (4-piston,180mm rotor front; 2-piston, 160mm rotor rear). The mis-matched brakes may seem like a mistake, but the choice shows the experience of the Diamondback product management team: most of a e-bike’s stopping power is concentrated in the front brake, so it makes sense to make that brake more powerful than the rear.

We’ve encountered Class 3 bikes that handled fine up to about 20 mph, but at 28 mph they felt less stable, a bit squirrelly, in fact. The solution to that is a change in geometry, which is the sort of thing a company with a history of making racing bikes for both on-road and off understands. The Union 2 has exceptional manners at top speed and is the sort of e-bike that begs to be pedaled in PAS 5 when on the road.

With 85Nm of torque this is an e-bike that deserves to be considered by anyone living in a hilly community. That’s more torque than is found in most motors and the result is a bike that climbs as well as it rides on the flat.

Rather than spec an inexpensive suspension fork with a steel spring, Diamondback went with a rigid aluminum fork which will improve handling and then chose to spec 2.4-in.-wide tires that can soak up bumps as well as most inexpensive suspension forks. And at $4100, this e-bike occupies a price point between the most premium offerings and the more budget-oriented e-bikes offered by the D2C companies.

Priority Current

If there’s a thing with a motor, someone is going to have to hotrod it. Witness the original Mini Cooper; it was as underpowered as a toddler, but the Works version doubled its horsepower and it went on to win the Monte Carlo Rally. The Priority Current is what happens when a product manager decides more power would be a fun idea. We can’t deny that more power and torque can be fun, so including the Current in this roundup of best electric commuter bikes seemed obvious.
The Current may not be the bike for everyone, but with a 500W mid-drive motor that can produce a whopping 140Nm of torque, this is the e-bike that could cause someone to confuse San Francisco with Chicago. Hill climbing has never been less of a thing than with the Current. Such power carries other benefits, like incredibly smooth and insistent acceleration all the way to its Class 3 top speed of 28 mph (though it initially ships as a Class 1 bike restricted to 20 mph). Without that restriction this bike might break speed limits.

The Current gives buyers a choice between a Shimano 5-speed internal hub or an Enviolo continuously variable hub, turned by a Gates belt drive rather than a chain, which reduces maintenance and unsightly chain marks. Hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors seem a necessity given the power of this e-bike.

The Current comes in three sizes and while Priority lists inseam length ranges, it would be nice if they offered some basic guidance on likely height ranges for the simple reason that we’re not sure how many people are going to go to the trouble to take measurements before choosing a bike. Bike sizing may be a whole science at the high end, but we respect that the typical commuter wants a simple answer.

Priority suggests a range of 20-50 mi. depending on whether the rider is using PAS 5 or PAS 1. This range depends on the e-bike being set up as a Class 1 e-bike with a top speed of 20 mph. If set up to be Class 3, that range in PAS 5 will be even shorter.

Where this e-bike will truly excel is for riders dealing with lots of hills and/or an abundance of stoplights. The Current is fast off the line and gives riders a chance to get through intersections quickly. When compiling a list of the best electric commuter bikes, this one had to get a mention.

Gazelle Medeo T10 Plus e-Bike

If the name Gazelle (say Ga-zell-eh) doesn’t ring any bells, don’t worry. They are part of the world’s largest collection of bike brands and retailers. The brand is arguably the crown jewel in the portfolio of the Dutch holding company Pon. And because they are Dutch, they’ve been making bikes for commuters for longer than Ford has been making cars. Yeah. We couldn’t make a roundup of the best electric commuter bikes without including a bike from one of the first companies to offer an electric commuter bike.

The T10 Plus is a bit like a greatest hits collection of the best features in commuter e-bikes. It begins with an aluminum frame that comes in two frame designs and three sizes, adds a Bosch mid-drive motor with enough power and torque to provide solid Class 3 performance and with 85Nm of torque hills won’t pose an issue. A front suspension fork and 2.1-inch-wide tires offer a comfortable ride on bumpy city streets. The seated position isn’t quite as upright as some bikes we see, but having the rider lean forward a bit more adds weight to the front wheel to make the e-bike better balance maneuverability and calm handling.

A Shimano Deore 10-speed drivetrain gives the rider fine control over gearing not to mention a wider range than found on most commuters and the Shimano 4-piston hydraulic discs stop the bike like weighing anchor. In PAS 1 the bike has a reasonable 55-mi. range, while zooming through town at 28 mph, the T10 Plus still manages a 20-mi. range.

Because Gazelle has been making commuter bikes for as long as they’ve been making bikes, they understand the importance of including details like fenders, a rear rack, lights and a chain guard; heck, they even included an integrated lock. At $3699, this bike isn’t inexpensive, but such an investment results in a very reliable bike that performs well and will last for years to come. This bike occupies an important spot in our collection of best electric commuter bikes.

Specialized Turbo Vado 5.0

If Trek is the Mercedes of e-bikes, then Specialized is the BMW. The Specialized Turbo Vado 5.0 is one of best e-bikes we’ve encountered. This is just the sort of bike that comes to mind when considering where to begin a roundup of the best electric commuter bikes. And while we focus on the 5.0, Specialized offers the Turbo Vado at a number of price points; think of it as different trim levels.

This Class 3 e-bike wants for nothing. The 250W mid-drive motor offers such smooth acceleration it’s easy for a rider to zip up to 28 mph and only realize it upon looking down at the color LCD display. Some bikes that handle great at 12 mph feel less stable above 20 mph, but the Turbo Vado handles with such aplomb it contributes to the feeling that the bike isn’t going flat-out.

The Turbo Vado 5.0 is at the upper end of the Turbo Vado collection of bikes; the 5.0 goes for $5000, but there are 13 other flavors of the e-bike that range in price from $3250 up to $5500. The upshot here is that riders can right-size a Turbo Vado purchase to their budget.

The Rockshox Recon Silver RL is arguably the most sophisticated suspension fork on any commuter e-bike we’ve seen. This is a sophisticated air/oil fork meant for eMTBs and Specialized has a special 80mm-travel version produced for the Turbo Vado. Add in a suspension seatpost and 2.3-in.-wide tires and it would be difficult to find a more comfortably riding commuter.

SRAM 4-piston hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors and a wide-range SRAM 11-speed drivetrain make for a decidedly better-performing e-bike. Add fenders, lights, a rear rack, bell and an app-based security system that gives the owner location info on the bike and the Turbo Vado rests its case for why it’s one of the best electric commuter bikes on the market.

Stromer ST5

Vying for the slot as the hands-down best electric commuter bike is the Stromer ST5. This is no ordinary Class 3 e-bike. It sports some technologies found on no other bike in this collection.

Aside from having the most powerful hub motor we’ve encountered, the ST5 takes stopping as seriously as it does accelerating. Our favorite feature on this bike is the only anti-lock braking system we’ve encountered. The brakes are made by the respected manufacturer TRP and feature ongoing data analysis that helps the bike recognize dicey situations so it can modulate braking in a way that helps the rider maintain better control of the bike … and the situation.

The pro move in electric commuter bike design is to select components made for mountain bikes. They offer terrific gearing range for hilly riding and are built with durability (abuse) in mind.

It’s unusual for a high-end e-bike to use a hub motor rather than mid-drive, but the Stromer’s hub motor performs much like a mid-drive, especially in its immediate response to pedal input; there’s no discernible lag. The ST5 impresses riders with powerful acceleration that is smooth and predictable.

The ST5 is also unusual in its security; it features keyless locking via a Bluetooth connection and GPS tracking. The Bluetooth security adds another benefit; removing the battery happens with the push of a button—no key needed. The security features alone might have merited the ST5 a place in our roundup of best electric commuter bikes, but the intelligence behind the whole bike ensured that.

Riese & Muller Charger4

The Riese & Muller Charger4 is veritable wish-list of a bike in terms of its design and features. It begins with an aluminum frame and Bosch’s best motor, the Performance Line CX that produces 350W and 85Nm of torque, making this Charger 4 a beast on hills and flats alike. With choices between and Enviolo planetary hub or a Shimano 11-speed drivetrain, the presence of premium parts at every turn made it a must-have for our roundup of the best electric commuter bikes.

Magura hydraulic disc brakes handle the stopping duties and these brakes, which were designed specifically for e-bikes, feature a standard 2-piston brake in the rear, but a more powerful 4-piston brake in the front and the brakes feature a cutoff switch for the motor when brakes are applied and the rear brake light will activate.

The combination of an air/oil suspension fork with 100mm of travel, a suspension seatpost and front and rear tires that are 2.4-in. and 2.35-in.-wide, respectively, result in a bike that is unusually comfortable and will make any commute a smooth ride.

Our one knock against this bike is its lack of integrated app with security features like those we have seen, in particular, with Stromer and Specialized.

The rear rack, fenders, lights and additional accessories that can be ordered are all first-rate. This is one of the very best Class 2 e-bikes we’ve encountered. For those who want a premium bike but want to make sure they don’t run afoul of any local ordinances, the Charger4 is an ideal choice and needed to be part of our roundup of best electric commuter bikes.