Electric bikes are a huge democratising force in active transport.
They make cycling more fun, more efficient and more attractive. The only problem is the cost of the bikes themselves, which is why e-bikes that cost less than £2,000 are a hugely competitive market.
Having a little electrical power at your disposal goes a long way to making cycling better. Not only are you likely to move a bit faster, meaning you’ll arrive at your destination more quickly, but it also has the effect of smoothing out the hills.
Larger, steeper climbs become much less of a problem, as there’s a degree of adjustability to the power the motor provides, and you can keep it low for the flats and turn it up when the path begins to rise, and little bumps along the way might as well not be there. It's worth noting though that under UK law bikes are limited to having 250W motors and can’t provide assistance past 15.5MPH: go any higher and you’ll be wearing a helmet and taking out insurance.
In cities with good cycling infrastructure and rural areas with less busy roads, an e-bike can make a huge difference to how you get around. Four per cent of people in England cycle to work, while 2.5 per cent of children aged 5-16 (you have to be 14 to ride an e-bike on the road) cycle to school, and an e-bike can make these trips much easier. You still have to pedal, so you’re still getting exercise, but the motor takes the edge off.
Indeed, a recent study suggests that riding an electric bike can help in the management of type 2 diabetes, as people are more likely to do exercise when they enjoy it, while the Bristol Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, in association with Cancer Research UK, is hoping to study the effect riding an electric bike can have on those receiving treatment for breast cancer.
An electric bike has clear benefits, and you don’t have to spend a fortune to get one. Here are some of the best for less than £2,000.
Best e-bikes under £2,000 at a glance:
Decathlon Rockrider Mountain Bike E-EXPL 520
Best for: rugged power
Remarkable to think that this sleek, sophisticated and powerful piece of two-wheeling kit is under £2,000, isn’t it? A force of rugged power, the Rockrider is a versatile electric mountain bike that can be used on all-terrain rides - taking you from city to mountaintop in no time. Ride up to 80km + 44km with the handy battery extension, attack your climbs with a whopping 420W motor with 50Nm of torque and enjoy smooth pedalling thanks to the built-in autoassist. The mid-drive motor is powered by Yamaha and the frame is crafted from sturdy yet lightweight aluminium.
Buy now £1899.00, Decathlon
Decathlon Rockrider E-ST900
Best for: getting off the beaten track
An older version of the beloved beast, this electric mountain bike comes with a 250W mid-mounted motor, a more complicated variant on the rear hub motor that lives by the pedals under the bike’s bottom bracket. They require the bike to be designed around them rather than be added on later, which can add cost but can give a smoother feel and better performance.
The Rockrider E-ST900 is a bit of a bargain, with wider tyres (though not as big as the best fat-tyred e-bikes) and larger pedals than city bikes, plus hydraulic brakes and the slightly more aggressive styling you expect from something designed to be ridden off-road.
Buy now £1599.99, Decathlon
Carrera Subway E
Best for: a cheaper city option
Regularly available for less than its already very reasonable RRP, this is a top budget pick among bikes that are already at the cheaper end of the market. You get a torque-sensing rear hub motor and nine gears to help you get up those hills, and the 25-mile range is enough for most people’s commutes.
This is a basic, traditional-style e-bike with a chain drive, in fact, if it weren’t for the battery pack it could easily be mistaken for an acoustic cycle. You do, however, get an excellent spec for the money, with Tektro hydraulic disc brakes and a Shimano transmission.
Buy now £919.20, Halfords
Xiaomi Mi Smart Electric Folding Bike
Best for: keeping in small places
Exclusive to Halfords, this bike may at first glance be related to the Honbike Uni 4 above with its frame that appears to be built of scaffolding poles, but this is a completely different electric beast that trades range (it can manage 10 to 15 miles) for lightness and compactness.
As a folding e-bike, you can make it part of a broader commuting strategy, hopping off a train to effortlessly ride the last mile or so to your destination, or keeping it in the boot of a car so you can park outside some cities’ clean air zones.
Buy now £850.00, Halfords
Tenways CGO600
Best for: the city road warrior
A single-speed, belt-driven agile commuter bike, the CGO6000 has the svelte look that comes from integrating the battery into the frame - the thicker than usual bottom tube is a dead giveaway - and from routing the bike’s many cables inside its tubes so they can’t be seen. A consequence of this is that the battery life can be a bit lower than other bikes on this list - it’s a function of the way you ride the bike as much as the capacity of the power cells - but then it’s not designed for long treks over the hills.
This is a bike with its eyes fixed firmly on flatter rides through urban locations, and at that, it excels. There are wired-in LED lights for when the sun starts to dip below the horizon, hydraulic disc brakes to bring you to a halt easily, and plenty of optional extras if you need to carry more than just yourself.
Buy now £1199.00, Tenways
Eskute Netuno Pro
Best for: longer rides
Just slipping under the £2,000 price limit, this electric mountain bike from Eskute claims a range of up to 80 miles, which is exceptionally good. Of course, if you start using it in rough conditions on cold days that might well drop, but there’s a lot of fun to be had here for less than two grand.
There’s a mid-mounted 250W motor that means you can legally use it on the road with no extra paperwork, and while the battery looks integrated it is in fact removable, allowing you to carry a spare charged pack for even more range - a carrying capacity of 125kg (including the rider) makes it a bike for touring, camping, and other outdoor activities that need a bit of kit.
Buy now £1299.00, Eskute
Apollo Metis Electric Hybrid Bike 2021 - S, M Frames
Best for: step-through
Realised in a classic step-through style, the Apollo Metis has an average range of 15-20km. While this isn’t a huge amount in comparison to the other models on offer, it is certainly in keeping with the value-for-money price.
Plus, 15-20km is more than enough to provide assistance when you need it most – on the way to and from work. With a lightweight aluminium frame, 6-speed gearing and powerful V-breaks, cycling without e-assist will be just as breezy.
Buy now £699.00, Halfords
Verdict
Having an electric bike at your disposal in a city or town can revolutionise the way you travel. Anywhere the infrastructure, or roads that aren’t choked with traffic, exists, you can often ride a bike somewhere in less time than it would take to drive and park.
Electric bikes under £2,000, like the Rockrider 29” Hardtail that top this list, make active transport easy, opening up the possibility of commuting by bike to thousands more people. Add those that fold, or are particularly lightweight such as the Xiaomi Mi Smart. and there’s a whole world of bridleways, canal paths, segregated cycle routes and off-road tracks waiting to be explored.
