Electric bikes are becoming more popular for many reasons, but especially because of their ability to give those who may not be able to ride a regular bike a chance to enjoy the activity. Another reason they are gaining popularity is that even though eBikes offer pedal-assist, you still get plenty of exercise while riding them.
Because of their popularity, there are many different eBike brands and models on the market. You probably found this page because you need help deciding which ebike is best for you or the person you are buying one for, and we’re here to help. Read further for tips on choosing the best adult electric bike for what you are looking for and our recommendations of the models we offer here at Motomentum.
The first thing you’ll need to decide is what kind of riding do you want to do. Deciding on the type of riding you plan to do will help you ensure you’ll get the right type of ebike.
Answer this question: Do you want to ride…
- On the road (like on pavement or paved bike paths)
- On trails (like on a dirt or stone path in the woods)
- On both road and trails
After you decide what type of riding you want to be doing, you’ll need to pick between Value or Performance:
- Value: Best features for the lowest price
- Performance: Based on quality of features, components, and power that drives the best performance
ROAD AND CRUISER ELECTRIC BIKES
If you want to ride on the road, you’ll want a road or cruiser electric bike.
Road and cruiser electric bikes are usually equipped with a motor that has a low to mid-range wattage to give you the right amount of power for leisurely riding. These ebikes are for those who ride on paved roads (like bike paths or sidewalks), while commuting or leisurely riding around.
Value:
Our Staff Pick for “Best Value” Road/Crusier electric bike goes to (drum roll) the Ecotric Vortex.
This affordable road/cruiser ebike equipped with a 36V/9aH battery and a 350-watt motor. The Vortex has a battery life of 14-17 miles and a max speed of 15-18MPH. This bike is perfect for someone who wants an affordable electric bike to ride around in the neighborhood.
Learn more about Ecotric and all their electric bikes here.
Performance:
Our Staff Pick for “Best Performance” Road/Cruiser electric bike goes to… the COR Nitro R.
This electric road bike is equipped with a 48V/21aH battery and a 750-watt motor to give you all the power you need for your road biking adventure. The Nitro R has a battery life of 50-60 miles and a max speed of 28MPH with pedal assist. This electric bike is perfect for those who want to use this bike as something for their daily commute, but also to ride leisurely on the road.
Learn more about COR and all their electric bikes here.
TRAIL AND MOUNTAIN ELECTRIC BIKES
If you want to ride on the trails, you’ll want a trail or mountain electric bike.
Trail or mountain electric bikes are perfect for those who want to ride off-road and hit the trails. These eBikes are usually equipped with a motor that has higher wattage, bigger tires, and faster speeds to allow for climbing and downhill riding.
Value:
Our Staff Pick for “Best Value” Trail/Mountain electric bike goes to… the Aostir S18.
The S18 line of electric mountain bikes are not only affordable, but you’ve got a few different options for amps, wattage, max speed, and battery life.
Our top Value pick from this line that would be best for trail/mountain riding is the S18 Snakeskin. This eBike has a max speed of 30MPH and is equipped with a 48V/14aH battery with a 25–49-mile range and a 1500-watt motor, giving it maximum power to handle the climbs and rough terrain of the trails.
Depending on your budget, you do have different options within the Aostir S18 line.
Learn more about Aostir and all their electric bikes here.
Performance:
Our Staff Pick for “Best Performance” Trail/Mountain electric bike goes to… the COR Trail.
This electric trail bike has a max speed of 30MPH and has a 48V/21.4aH battery with a 50-60 miles lifespan and a 1000-watt mid-drive Bafang motor which gives you all the power you need for mountain and trail riding. Features such as the hydraulic brakes and the puncture-resistant tires make this well-equipped electric bike perfect for the adventurer looking for high performance.
DUAL SPORT ELECTRIC BIKE
If you want to ride on both the road and trails, you’ll want a dual sport electric bike.
Electric dual sport bikes are usually equipped with fat tires and a motor that has mid-to-high-range wattage to give you just the right amount of power for both road and trail riding, without giving you too little for trails or too much for roads. The eBikes are perfect for those who are adventure-seekers that plan to ride on different terrains.
Value:
Our Staff Pick for “Best Value” Dual Sport electric bike goes to the Rattan LM 500W or LF 500W bikes.
(This video shows the 750W version, which is nearly identical to the 500W with some upgraded features)
The only difference between the LM and LF is that LF has a lower crossbar so that it allows the rider to step through to mount the bike. Other than that difference, both models are affordable and foldable. They are equipped with a 48V/13aH battery and a 500-watt motor. They have a battery life of 60-80 miles and a max speed of 25MPH. An electric bike from this line would be perfect for someone who wants an affordable electric bike that allows them to ride on different terrains.
Learn more about Rattan and all their electric bikes here.
Performance:
Our Staff Pick for “Best Performance” Dual Sport electric bike goes to the Ecotric Hammer.
The UL-Certified Ecotric Hammer dual sport electric bike is equipped with a 48V/13aH battery and a 1000-watt motor to give you more power for the trail part of riding. With a battery life of only 18-23 miles and a max speed of 20MPH, this bike out beats the Value pick because of the high-power motor. The Hammer also has fat tires, hydraulic brakes, and many other features that makes it a high-performance electric bike.
FOLDING ELECTRIC BIKE
Although not a ride type, we decided to put folding electric bikes into its own category. A foldable electric bike is perfect for someone who is tight on space and/or wants to travel with the electric bike. Folding the bike up with make it more compact, which results in easier storage and easier transportation.
Value:
Our “Best Value” Staff Pick for electric Folding bike goes to the Aostir A20.
This affordable folding ebike is categorized as a road ebike and is equipped with a 36V/13aH battery, a 500-watt motor, and fat tires. The A20 has a battery life of 15-20 miles and a max speed of 25MPH. This bike is perfect for someone who wants an affordable electric bike that is compactable to ride around in the neighborhood or drive with it in the car to the bike path.
Performance:
Our “Best Performance” for electric Folding bike goes to the COR Venture.
This foldable electric bike is both compact and powerful. It is categorized as a trail electric bike and is equipped with a 48V/21aH battery and a 750-watt motor. The Venture has a battery life of 50-60 miles and a max speed of 28MPH with pedal assist. The Venture has a full front, rear, and seat suspension which qualifies it as being a performance trail electric bike. This ebike perfect for those who love to ride the trails but need to transport their bike there.
IN CONCLUSION
There are a lot of different models, sizes, prices, etc. for electric bikes. Starting with the simple things, such as what type of riding you want to do and whether you’re interested in best value or best performance, is a great way to start narrowing down your search of the perfect ebike. We hope this guide was helpful in giving you our suggestions for each category and leading you to make the best decision on what electric bike fits your needs!
You can browse all our ebike models here.
