Pedal power is one of the best ways to get around while keeping fit – and since e-bikes arrived on the market in the 1990s, all kinds of bike designs, from e-mountain bikes and folding models to gravel cycles and even scooters, have become available with a bit of extra oomph from built-in batteries.
Wondering if an e-bike is for you? An electric bike still requires pedalling, so you’ll still keep fit by hopping on your new bike, but that extra juice makes hill climbs and long distances much easier to tackle and can open up cycling to people who might not be able to take on bigger distances otherwise or who have mobility issues. They’re also ideal for commuting and for carrying or pulling heavier loads.
What e-bike suits my style of cycling?
First up, think about where you want to ride your new bike. If you’re planning on pedalling to work every day, a comfortable road or hybrid e-bike will suit you best, and a bike with racks will let you load up your ride with shopping on the way home. Folding bikes are the best choice if you want to take your new wheels on a train or pop it in the boot of your car.
What features should I look out for?
Next up, think about how much help you want from your bike’s battery. E-bikes tend to be heavier and bulkier than traditional bike models, but some are lightweight enough that you don’t need to pop the battery on if you don’t want to, so they work well as both. Battery life varies, too – if you’ll top your bike up daily when you get home then this doesn’t matter much, but if you like the idea of taking your new ride out on long weekends in the countryside, you’ll need something with decent battery life to get home again with. Tot up the number of miles you think you’ll cover between charges and check the model you buy offers at least that amount per charge. Don’t forget that e-bikes in the UK can only legally go at 15.5mph.
Whatever e-bike you go for, there are some features we found handy on test. A built-in rack or mounting points, so you can add a rack, means you can add pannier bags and mudguards to your new ride for commuting or bikepacking.
Do I need a gender-specific e-bike?
Most e-bikes are marketed as unisex designs, although we’ve included two great female-specific models in our round-up below. So what should women consider when picking an e-bike? If you’re on the shorter or petite side, look for a model that offers multiple frame sizes and pick a smaller one, or consider a ‘step through’ bike, which is easier to get on and off.
Don’t forget to check that you can manoeuvre the weight of your bike without the battery on, so that you can comfortably wheel it about or store it. Check the seat and handlebars are at the right height for you before you hit the road – you may find a women’s-specific saddle more comfortable, although you could always add one to a unisex frame.
How we tested the e-bikes
We tried out these e-bikes on country lanes and gravel tracks and looked for a comfortable, electrically assisted ride, reliable battery life and easy charging.
Shop the best e-bikes for women below
Canyon Pathlite:ON Superlight 6
- Female-specific: no
- Cycling discipline: touring
- Weight: 21.5kg
- Battery range: 53 miles
New for 2024, Canyon’s Pathlite:ON Superlight is a touring bike that’s built to tackle both off-road and city adventures, so if you’d like one bike to rule all kinds of tarmac and trail, we reckon this is the model to pick.
Canyon says its motor strikes the balance between power and low weight and we’d have to agree - a battery capacity of 53 miles is ideal for longer days adventuring and we love the extra, range-extending battery you can grab if you get caught out and need an electric boost to get home. The rear rack takes loads of cargo and is compatible with a child seat –the perfect all-rounder.
Buy now £2899.00, Canyon
Specialized Turbo Tero 3.0 Step-Through
- Female-specific: no
- Cycling discipline: MTB
- Weight: 21.6kg
- Battery range: 90 miles
The rugged Turbo Tero from Specialized is our pick for female touring cyclists or cargo haulers who fancy a bit of extra oomph – it comes complete with rugged off-road wheels and its three battery-assisted modes make even the toughest hills and trails a breeze.
If you're an experienced MTB fan tackling singletrack, you'll want something more trail-focused than this, but for exploring gravel and wider tracks in the wild without worrying about the conditions you might encounter, the Turbo is ideal. Three frame sizes and a step-through design mean shorter women should be able to find a Turbo to fit them nicely.
Buy now £2500.00, Specialized
Liv Amiti-E+2
- Female-specific: yes
- Cycling discipline: touring
- Weight: 27kg
- Battery life: 110 miles
Liv is a brand dedicated to women's cycling, and the Amiti-E+ 2 is tailored specifically for female riders. A step-through ALUXX aluminium frame makes it easy to hop on and off and the electric motor delivers reliable performance over various terrains on test.
We like the comfort and security that wide tyres and a comfortable saddle provide – this bike gives real confidence over long distances, and an impressively long range of 110 miles makes it perfect for bikepacking and touring weekenders.
Buy now £2799.00, Tredz
BMC 257 AMP AL TWO
- Female-specific: no
- Cycling discipline: urban
- Weight: 14.2kg
- Battery life: 90 miles
BMC has packed lots of lovely stuff into its AMP AL TWO e-bike, starting with a pleasingly tough and sturdy frame and powerful Bosch battery. The brand has placed the utmost attention to every detail all the way down to the integrated lights and back rack.
We were impressed with this e-bike’s comfort, ease of use and long battery life on test. BMC’s offering does come with a hefty price tag, but if you want an e-bike you can effortlessly jet to work on during the week and then go exploring with on the weekends, this could be your perfect match.
Buy now £3995.00, Tredz
Gazelle Ultimate C8+ HMB
- Female-specific: yes
- Cycling discipline: urban
- Weight: 24kg
- Battery range: 108 miles
Gazelle’s bikes are made by hand in the Netherlands, a country that’s home to more bikes than people and where locals know a thing or two about city cycling. The female-specific Ultimate c8 HMB has a low step-through frame design, making it easy to mount and dismount – perfect for petite women or anyone with reduced mobility.
A Bosch Performance Line motor gives you smooth, powerful assistance when commuting or on leisurely rides – the brand calls this a ‘city e-bike with a sporty look’ which sums it up nicely, and while we wouldn’t tackle trails on this model, it’s great for relaxed jaunts. A battery life of 108 miles means you can get away with a few days of pedalling between charges.
Buy now £3299.00, Gazelle
Engwe Engine Pro
- Female-specific: no
- Cycling discipline: road
- Weight: 35kg
- Battery range: 100 miles
Meet Engwe's big, bold Engine Pro. This trail-ready design packs a punch on the road but can be folded down in seconds for easy transport. This full suspension bike offers great comfort and its rugged tyres can go effortlessly from city and countryside, all with the extra beef of a battery.
While it does fold up easily and can be popped in a boot, this e-bike is very heavy at 35kg, which limits where you can take it.
Buy now £1349.00, Engwe
Himiway C5
- Female-specific: no
- Cycling discipline: road
- Weight: 40kg
- Battery range: 80 miles
Is it a cycle? Is it a motorbike? Himiway’s C5 is a bit of both. This behemoth of an e-bike has a super-comfortable design that will suit anyone who finds slim road bikes or narrow saddles hard to master, and you can choose whether to use pedals for fitness, so it’s suitable for all levels of fitness.
The 60-80 miles of range per charge is plenty for city rides and weekend exploring, but bear in mind that this whopper of a bike weighs 40kg, so it’s not suitable for a lightweight ride around and takes up space when it’s stored.
Buy now £1834.00, Himiway
iScooter U2 Commuter Step-Thru
- Female-specific: no
- Cycling discipline: road
- Weight: 27kg
- Battery range: 47 miles
iScooter’s step-through bike is super-affordable at just £590 – but how much e-bike does that budget price tag actually buy you? The answer is a cheap and cheerful but totally functional bike that performed surprisingly well on test.
The max range of the U2 is 47 miles, which is limited compared to more expensive models, and the battery doesn’t give the meaty oomph of some e-bikes we tested, but it still makes pedalling a pleasure rather than hard work and can tackle hill climbs. Good suspension, racks and a comfy seat make this a lovely ride for casual weekend use – great if you’d like to try out an e-bike but won’t use it daily.
Buy now £589.99, iScooter
Ribble CGR AL e
- Female-specific: no
- Cycling discipline: gravel/road
- Weight: 13kg
- Battery range: 80 miles
Weighing in at 13kg, this gravel/road e-bike is as lightweight as many non-electric bikes on the market, so you can use it with or without electric assistance and easily carry it up steps or over stiles on further flung adventures.
The battery is integrated into the frame of the CGR AL, and while you can’t see it, it’s ready to be punchy when you need a boost on long rides or on tough hills. The battery lasted for three days of hard pedalling on test, so it’s perfect for overnight and weekend trips. The ideal adventure bike.
Buy now £2699.00, Ribble
Brompton Electric C Line Urban
- Female-specific: no
- Cycling discipline: urban
- Weight: 16kg
- Battery range: 44 miles
Take a dinky, foldable Brompton bike, supercharge it and you’ll have the popular commuter brand’s small but mighty Electric C Line, an e-bike that folds down to an amazingly compact size and at under 16kg is light enough to pick up. This nifty little number is perfect for hopping on and off trains and hitting cycle lanes in the city – and all without looking sweaty when you get to the office. We’d stick to commuting on this bike due its smaller tyres and limited range of 44 miles.
Buy now £2980.00, Brompton
Verdict
There’s an e-bike out there to suit every woman, but our top all-rounder for all-terrain is Canyon’s Pathlite:ON Superlight 6. If you fancy a folding bike, Engwe’s Engine Pro and Brompton’s C Line are two very different but well-designed bikes. Our pick of the e-bikes designed specifically for women is Liv’s Amiti.
