From the hundreds of ebikes and escooters our testers have ridden, these are the best electric bikes we recommend in 2023. We have a specific guide to the best folding ebikes.
Each has been assessed and rated for: build quality, safety and security, handling and performance, and comfort and practicality.
Jump to the summaries below, where you'll also find a link to the full review.
Best ebikes under £1,500
- Estarli e20 - the best folding ebike
- Ampere Tourer S - best mixed use (on AND off road)
- ADO Air 20 - best for ease of use
- ADO Beast - best for comfort
Best ebikes under £2,000
- Estarli e28 - best road ebike
- Honbike Uni4 - best for style
- Synch Super Monkey - best cruiser
- Mirider One - value version of GB3 (below)
Best ebikes over £2,000
Best Mountain bikes
Best bikes under £1,500
Estarli e20, £1,281
Weight: 17.5kg | Folding | Range: 31 miles
See the full review of the estarli e20 plus all the ratings and spec info.
The Estarli e20 is a perfect entry-level folding ebike, Our reviewer's summary: "I love this bike". It’s just over £1,000 but we think it has a lot to offer for the price bracket it’s in. We found it light and comfy to ride. The larger tyres than most folding bikes (20 inch rather than 16 inch) mean you get power, comfort and good handling. Not only that it looks great, with the battery cleverly hidden in the seat post.
We found it wasn't the most compact bike when folded. And its other drawback is range - 31 miles from the slightly small battery (the price that had to be paid for concealing it so well). But these are only minor quibbles - this is a great, good value bike and is the one to beat in our tests.
Ampere Tourer S, £1,349
Weight: 21kg | Range: 75 miles
See the full review of the Ampere Tourer S plus all ratings and spec info
The Ampere Tourer S Hybrid is an affordable, practical, and easy-to-use electric bike that is the perfect first step into the electrified world or for those who are looking for an upgrade. "It's the ebike that makes you want to keep on riding" said our reviewer. It’s a “does what it says on the tin” electric bike – and that’s a really good thing.
If you’re looking for an ebike and you don’t want the fuss of apps, keys, log ins, and all the other shenanigans, look no further. The Tourer S is one of the most comfortable ebikes we've ridden – helped by its Suntour NEX front suspension. And it maintains that comfort level both on and off road.
Buy the Ampere Tourer S Hybrid
ADO AIR 20, £1,239
Weight: 18kg | Folding | Range: 60 miles
See the full review of the Ado Air 20
This lightweight ebike has 20-inch wheels for a touch more stability (than smaller folding bikes with 16 inch wheels) and is matched with a single speed, carbon belt drive system for minimal maintenance. It’s quick, nimble and weighs in at 18kg.
You can get the suspension version for an extra £50 or so. This has a carbon belt drive, is very easy to maintain, has hydraulic brakes as standard, and is very comfortable and smooth to ride. It’s a 5 out of 5 across all criteria. It’s an excellent bike - which is why it’s our best seller.
This isn’t just made for folding and carrying - we were REALLY impressed with the ride quality. It gets you up to 15.5mph incredibly quickly and maintains that assist. It’s also got a torque sensor so you can apply more or less power through the pedals as you need, someething you often don't get at this price point.
We found it easy to squeeze through tight gaps – like standstill traffic – thanks to the smaller width handlebars, so you can kiss congestion goodbye.
ADO Beast, £1,399
Weight: 28.5kg | Folding | Range: 75 miles
See the full review of the ADO Beast plus full specs and ratings
With five different power modes to choose from, you can have as little or as much support to get you from A-B. In mode 5, the Beast lives up to its name, accelerating quickly to 15.5mph. The motor feels responsive, with almost no lag throughout the gears and the Shimano 7-speed shifts smoothly up and down. When test riding the bike the motor and battery feel high quality, everything is responsive and fast, and all the components work well together.
You feel the pulling power of the 65 N.m, but never does it feel uncomfortably fast, or uncontrollable, balance is at the heart of the Beast it can be as powerful or subtle, as you want it to be.
Best ebikes under £2,000
Estarli e28, £1,625
Weight: 16.5kg | Range: 56 miles
See the full review of the estarli e28 plus all ratings and spec info
This is a beautifully designed e-bike in a slender, classic road-bike style frame. The team at Estarli have made a very capable, very sleek and smart looking e-ride.
One nice feature is the torque sensor system which works out how much assistance to give and this works well - it feels like a bionic extension and a step up from cadence sensors. If you're looking for a non-folding road bike, this is a great choice.
Honbike Uni4, £1,600
Weight: 20.2kg | Folding | Range: 60 miles
If you want a lower cost, extremely comfortable commuter bike that looks great, weighs less than many of its competitors and delivers smooth assist, then look no further. The Honbike U4 really is a noble, near half-price competitor to the VanMoof and Cowboy bikes that has swiftly become one of our favourites.
Synch Super Monkey, £1,899
Weight: 25kg | Range: 35 miles
This is gold-star e-bike brilliance - a cruiser hand built in the UK, with nice touches like a removable battery, seven gears, a headlight and hydraulic brakes.
Its sensor is very responsive to pedalling. The 20 inch by four inch fay tyres have nice tread on which made a real difference to how we felt on rough terrain and the geometry of the bike is really impressive. Equally impressive was its ability to take on steep hills - it's a powerful beast.
It's worth taking it for a test ride as the seating position isn't for everyone. There's a longtail version too to take a passenger (we tried two riders on this version buy it wasn't that comfy for too long).
Mirider One, £1,599
Weight: 17.3kg | Folding | Range 45 miles
Full review of the Mirider One
This is the single-geared version of the GB3, below, with a few less features (the screen is fairly basic, for instance) and at 17.3kg, just over 2kg lighter as a result. Overall, it feels solid and well built with a satisfying folding mechanism. The motor does hum louder than other electric bikes, but its performance will leave you forgetting about any background noise. And it looks stylish too, with an impressive choice of colours.
Best electric bikes over £2,000
Mirider One GB3, £2,499
Weight: 19.4kg | Folding | Range: 45 miles
Full review of the Mirider One GB3
A high-spec folding ebike ideal for people who are limited on space as we found it folds down well.
It’s not cheap - but our tests show you get what you pay for. A rapid charge battery (2-3 hours), an impressive 45-mile range, 3-speed belt drive, lightweight pedals, hydraulic brakes, super comfortable gel Selle Royal saddle and puncture protected Schwalbe tyres.
We found it very comfortable to ride, partly due to the rear damper. We loved the bright, clear display and it has VERY good brakes.
Best ebikes - the specs
Best electric mountain bikes
We have a full guide to the best electric mountain bikes. They are:
Five star mountain bikes - full suspension (front and rear)
- Cyrusher Trax: heavy but so comfy, £2,799.00
- Techtron Ultra 8000: excellent spec for the price, £2,399.00
Five star mountain bikes - front suspension
- Wisper M9: premium, mid-drive model, £2,499.99
- Wisper Tailwind Trail Crossbar: lightweight but effective, £2,249.99
- Beameo Unbound: stands out on hills, £2,099.99
Four-star mountain bikes - front suspension
- Vitesse Vigour: all about bang for buck, £1,699.99
- Ampere X-Trail: solid and enjoyable, £1,599.00
- Dallingridge Coniston Hardtail: good for its price, £1,349.99
- Engwe P26: great value, £999.00
How we test
Our expert testers ride all the electric bikes we review, and we assess them against a range of criteria on road, off-road and in our testing rooms. We check the components' quality and ride the bikes on a range of different terrains and distances. We've ridden hundreds of bikes in total (and an equal number of electric scooters).
For more commuter bikes, see our full list of best electric folding bikes plus all the adult electric bikes we sell. If you want off-road, see our guide to the best electric mountain bikes, plus all the mountain ebikes we sell. We also cater for those just looking for cheap electric bikes. If you want a bike that's lighter or easier to get on and off in dresses or skirts, see our guide to the best electric bikes for women.
