How to choose an electric bike for women
It goes almost without saying that women can ride any electric bike. However, from talking to women riders, we know there are some things they tend to care about more than men:
- A bike suitable for less tall riders - covering seat height, leg extension and handlebar comfort
- Ease of getting on and off, with step throughs favoured for skirt or dress wearers
- Easy ways to carry bags
- Ease of carrying, with weight being a big factor.
Jump to:
- Estarli e20.8 Play, £1,850.99
- ADO Air 28, £1,369
- Estarli e28, £1,624.99
- MiRider One, £1,595.00
- ADO Air 20, £1,279.99
- Ampere Deluxe, £1,499.99
All the recommended bikes below have been extensively ridden by Eilis Barrett, our video reviewer, as well as going through the standard Electroheads assessments for component and build quality, comfort and handling, and power and performance.
Estarli e20.8 Play, £1,850.99
Folding | Weight: 20kg | Minimum height: 152cm / 5' | Range: 50km / 31 miles
This is a versatile, powerful, folding ebike in a female-rider-friendly configuration. We found it suitable for both commuting and exploring the countryside on trails and towpaths. Its torquey motor makes a standing start quick and fun, and in our tests we conquered steeper inclines, traveled with ease on towpaths and beat everyone at the traffic lights.
It has a starting rider height of 5ft thanks to its lower top tube (maximum height recommended is 6ft5.) It weighs 20kg, which is the top end that most women feel comfy with - but the mid-frame handle makes it convenient to carry with the weight spread evenly. Downside? Well the range isn’t outstanding, and there are cheaper options.
ADO Air 28, £1,369
Step-Through | Weight: 20kg | Minimum height: 160cm / 5’3” | Range: 100km / 62 miles
The ADO 28 is a fantastic bike combining lots of features with a relatively low price and is a great commuting and leisure bike. It’s got a torque sensor (as opposed to a cheaper cadence one) so riding feels natural, and a carbon belt drive which is much lower maintenance than a traditional chain.
The stepthrough frame caters for anyone 5ft 2 or more although it is the heaviest bike on this list at 21kg. And it comes with options for both front and rear cargo loading.
Estarli e28, £1,624.99
Classic frame | Weight: 16.5kg | Minimum height: 167cm / 5'6” | Range: 60-90km / 37-56 miles
Read our full review of the Estarli e28 plus all the specs
This is a beautiful, lightweight electric bike with a classic road-bike style frame and wide handlebars for easy manoeuvring. It has eight gears, which we found made it very suitable as a commuter bike, dealing with stops and starts.
The Estarli e28 only weighs 16.5kg, which makes it very easy to carry. So if you’re like me and need to hike up a few climbs of stairs with your bike in tow, the Estarli e28 makes that possible. In terms of height, the e28 has a 20 inch/54cm frame suitable for adults 5'6-6'4 in height. If that doesn't suit, there is also a trapeze version with a lower cross frame.
MiRider One, £1,595.00
Folding | Weight: 17.3kg | Minimum height: 152 cm / 5' | Range: 72 km / 45 miles
The Mirider One is a powerful, compact folder that has a ride quality that’s much better than such a small frame would normally provide. It caters to a wide range of rider heights (5’0 to 6’4),it is comfy and feels stable even on rickety roads despite its smaller wheels. At only 17.3kg it is on the lighter side, making it very easy to carry.
It’s also easy to fold and comes with secure magnets on the hubs so you can hop off, fold up and stash as quickly as you turn on and go. The motor does hum louder than other electric bikes on the market, however I personally don’t find this to be an issue. Its performance will leave you forgetting about any background noise.
The One has no gears - but there’s also a version called the MiRider One GB3. It’s heavier, at 19.4kg. It also comes with a couple of differences, such as colour display instead of the MiRider One monochrome one, a 3-speed belt, hydraulic disc brakes, and some other small upgrades, like the pedals, the saddle and the handlebar.
ADO Air 20, £1,279.99
Folding | Weight: 17.8kg | Minimum height: 150cm / 4'9" | Range: 100km / 62 miles
Read our full review of the ADO Air 20 plus all the specs
The ADO Air 20 is one of our favourite folding e-bikes because it ticks just about every box. It’s great to ride, affordable and can be adapted in different configurations to maximise practicality. Even its narrow handlebars make for easy commuting in traffic.
It folds down quickly to a compact size, and its single-speed belt drive means there’s just about no maintenance needed. This is a folding e-bike that we can heartily recommend.
For less strong riders, it weighs 17.8kg, so in the middle of the range of bikes here. But it’s easy to carry thanks to the in-built frame handle in the centre of the bike so the weight is evenly distributed.
Ampere Deluxe, £1,499.99
Step-Through | Weight: 22kg | Minimum height: 150cm / 4’11" | Range: 64km / 40 miles
Competent, comfortable and functional - the Ampere Deluxe exceeds a lot of other bikes we’ve tested at its price point, not least with its 65nm torque motor which eats up hills - we found it consistently gave us a powerful launch from stationary which is ideal at traffic lights. It’s also comfy to ride with a great seat, ergonomic handles and front suspension.
The rear rack is great for carrying things … although carrying the bike itself is trickier. It weighs 22kg and has no built-in handle, like the ADO 28 has, so you need to rely on sheer grip around the bottom of the seat tube. The step through frame means it’s suitable for anyone 4 ft 11 and above and its moustache handlebars are great for those with less reach.
Read more about the Ampere Deluxe
Comparison table
How we test
Our expert testers ride all the ebikes we review on and off road. We assess them against a range of criteria while riding as well as in our testing rooms. We check the components' quality and spec, and ride the bikes on different terrains and distances. We've ridden hundreds of bikes in total (and an equal number of electric scooters).
For this buying guide for women, we also spoke to female customers and, where the bike had originally been reviewed by a man, we ensured Eilis had thoroughly ridden each bike.
Fact check: Prices, avaialbility and specs all checked and updated, January 29 2024.
