The Best eBikes For Commuting [2024 Edition]
Updated October 23, 2023 by Simon Bertram
When You Want To Get To Work With A Little Pedal Power
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These are the best eBikes for commuting in 2023:
The truth is, North America is playing catch up with the rest of the world when it comes to infrastructure for bikes. Many European countries have dedicated bike lanes, bike paths, and even some tunnels that bypass a lot of traffic designated as bike only areas. We're getting there, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
However, with the recent explosion of bike lanes, dedicate bike paths, and the realization that electric travel is the future, the reality of commuting via pedal power is starting to hit home. No longer do you need to sit in gridlock on the freeway, or have to find a parking spot once at work. Now, you can simply unplug your battery from the charger, slap it home in your eBike, and get pedaling down the road.
Because of this, a lot of eBike manufacturers are creating models specifically for the commuter, with cargo racks, comfortable saddles, suspension, and ranges that exceed 30 miles per charge. Many of them also have throttle systems that allow you to take a break from pedaling so you don't arrive at work already tired from the commute. These, then, are our selections for the best eBikes for commuting in 2023!
About Our Selections
These selections considered range, motor power, and ease-of-use/quality-of-life features to determine which are the best eBikes for 2023. Prices do vary wildly in the eBike space, but we also endeavored to keep things reasonably priced.
These eBikes are also not just confined to commuting, as a few are meant to be weekday commuters and weekend adventurers, so you can get out there and explore the urban jungle to your hearts content
Surface 604 Rook V-Shape (V-Rook)
A step-through built to be ridden every day and be just about the most reliable eBike ever
Why We Picked It:
One of the things that sets the Surface 604 Rook V-Shape apart from its competitors from the start is that it uses torque sensors for pedal assist, not a cadence sensor. It lets you feel the amount of power you're getting with your level of pedal assist, as well as varying it so that if you want to get a bit of workout, it feels like a traditional bike.
This is because the Rook V-Shape has a Bafang 500W rear hub motor that punches out a gutsy 80 Nm peak torque. It has 5 PAS levels, a 48V 672 Wh battery, a Shimano Alivo 9-speed derailleur, and a range of at least 45 miles. This is an eBike that is ready to be your daily driver, and it definitely has the guts for it.
Of particular note as well is that the Rook comes with not just a solid and sturdy rear rack, but a front one as well. It's not particularly big, but with a bungie cord or two, it would easily hold a briefcase or satchel bag without complaint. As well, if you want to get a bit off road, the front suspension is capable of being locked at full extension, and the Maxxis tires on this particular commuting beast are half-fat at 2.4 inches wide.
You really can't go wrong with at Rook V-Shape. Sturdy, built to last, can carry a buttload of stuff, and will cruise, commute, and do light off-road riding so you can be on your Surface 604 eBike 7 days a week!
Specifications:
Price: $2,599
Motor/Type: 500W Bafang Rear Hub Motor
Battery: 48V 672 Wh (14 Ah)
Torque: 80 Nm peak
Range: 45+ miles
Weight: 58 lbs
Strengths:
Read our full Surface 604 Rook V-Shape review
Strengths:
A double bike, both a commuter and a cruiser, in a highly effective and robust package
Torque sensor instead of a cadence sensor makes all the difference. It feels more like a traditional bike with a little push, instead of a cruise-control situation
Integrated rear and front racks
Easy to read display
Meant to be ridden daily, perfect for a commuter bike
Learn More:
Rad Power RadCity 5 Plus
One of the best class 2 commuter eBikes available, and a very decent price too!
Why We Picked It:
The Rad Power RadCity 5 Plus is an eBike that ticks off everything you need for a commuter bike, but also adds a little extra for weekend uses if needed. What we mean by that is that it has perhaps the sturdiest rear rack outside of a dedicated cargo bike, so much so that Rad Power Bikes states it can handle a child seat with said child in said seat without issue.
The RadCity 5 Plus is available in either step through or step over variations, with both sharing the excellent 750W rear hub motor and 48V 672 Wh battery. This gives you 30 to 50 miles of range in average use scenarios, depending on what level of PAS you select or if you use the half-twist throttle to take a break.
You also get a Shimano Altus 7-speed derailleur, 180 mm disc brakes, and a 50mm travel front suspension fork. Headlight, tail light, and backlit LCD control screen are all standard, as well as fenders front and rear.
We think Rad Power puts it best in their marketing: "An eBike built to handle your everyday." It's grunty, it's durable, and it will commute just as well as it will let you take your kid on a ride down the city trails on the weekends.
Specifications:
Price: $1,799
Motor/Type: 750W Rear Hub Motor
Battery: 48V 672 Wh (14 Ah)
Torque: 60 Nm peak
Range: 30+ miles
Weight: 64 lbs
Strengths:
Those looking for an all-purpose eBike that has a focus on commuting, but can handle a lot of other in-city needs, the RadCity 5 Plus is a definite option.
Lots of standard features included
Very robust and solid rear rack, so much so that Rad Power states it will handle a child seat without issue
Learn More:
Ride1Up 700 Series
Perhaps the best price-to-performance sub-$1,500 eBike you can get today
Why We Picked It:
Let's not beat around the bush about the Ride1Up 700 Series commuter: Bafang 750W hub motor, 60 Nm peak torque, 48V 720 Wh battery, 30+ miles range, class 3 eBike. All of that, for $1,295.
For those interested in a few more details, the 700 Series is available as either a step over or step through style. Standard equipment includes a bright 80 lux-rated headlight and integrated LED tail light, a full rear rack that can handle 50 lbs of cargo, and has semi-fat tires and full front fork suspension.
For gearing, the 700 Series features a Shimano Acera RD-M3000 8-speed derailleur. More importantly, it features 9 PAS levels, instead of the bog-standard 5. It is also, according to most reviews available, one of the most comfortable commuting bikes, full stop, not just in the entry level.
So, let's run that down again: 750W, 60 Nm, 8 speeds, 9 PAS levels, $1,295. Oh, and you get a thumb throttle up to 20 MPH too! If you're looking for what might rightly be called a bargain, then the Ride1Up 700 Series really needs to be on your shortlist.
Specifications:
Price: $1,295
Motor/Type: 750W Bafang Rear Hub Motor
Battery: 48V 720 Wh (15 Ah)
Torque: 60 Nm peak
Range: 30+ miles
Weight: 62 lbs
Strengths:
A full Bafang 750W rear hub motor and a 48V 720 Wh battery means even if you're at full PAS, you'll still get 30 miles or more, and be conquering and all hills on your commuting route
9 PAS levels lets you fine tune the hell out of your ride. Feeling tired? Dial up the PAS. Want a bit more of a workout? Dial it down.
Full color LCD display is sleek and easy to read
Learn More:
Blix Aveny Skyline
If style matters the most for your commute, then look no further
Why We Picked It:
Looking at that picture above, the Blix Aveny Skyline just shouts "Classic." It looks like the kind of bike your parents or grandparents might have ridden in the 1940s and 1950s, but don't let the classic lines and stylishly swooped step-over upper bar deceive you: This is one serious little commuter.
It has a 500W rear hub motor that will put down a very respectable 70 Nm peak torque. It has a 48V 614 Wh battery that will give you enough juice for 45 miles of range. It has a thumb throttle and 5 levels of pedal-assist. It has a 7 speed rear derailleur.
Add on to that the fact that it has a rear rack, integrated LED headlight and taillight, LCD control screen, and a comfort padded saddle, and you'll realize that the $1,499 asking price is actually very reasonable.
It's not exactly entry level pricing, but it's affordably priced for those that are serious about looking good and using their eBike as their primary commuting method.
Specifications:
Price: $1,499
Motor/Type: 500W Rear Hub Motor
Battery: 48V 614 Wh (12.8 Ah)
Torque: 70 Nm peak
Range: 45+ miles
Weight: 57 lbs
Strengths:
Classically styled and only available as a step-through
Gutsy rear hub motor and decently chunky battery give it more than enough range for your daily commute
7 speeds, 5 PAS levels, and a thumb throttle, all at an affordable price point
Learn More:
Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ
It's a pricy beast, but if you are needing a purpose-built ultra-lightweight commuter eBike, Specialized has you covered
Why We Picked It:
To those that know bikes, Specialized is a very well respected name. They have been making two-wheel pedal-powered vehicles for just under 50 years, and specialize, if you'll pardon the pun, in crafting lightweight and ultra-lightweight bikes for everything from commuting to the Tour de France endurance race.
The Turbo Vado SL (Super-Light) 5.0 EQ is, as you might assume, the 5th iteration of the specific commuter line from Specialized. It may not sound all that impressive to state that it has a 250W mid-drive motor, a 48V 600Wh battery that is built directly into the frame, or that it tops out at 28 MPH.
What will likely impress you, however, is that the Turbo Vado 5.0 is just about the most efficient eBike on the market right now. It weighs in at a barely believable 36 lbs... total. That is down to the fact the main frame is E5 aerospace grade aluminum, and the front fork is pure carbon fiber. It has a Shimano SRAM 12-speed derailleur, and stopping power comes from powerful 160mm Tektro HD-R510 fully hydraulic disc brakes. It will chuck out a peak 90 Nm of torque. It also has a 30 mile range if you ride it at the PAS 5, but knock that down to PAS 1 or 2, and you'll get over 60 miles of range, easily.
It will set you back $6,500, but you get one hell of an eBike for the price.
Specifications:
Price: $6,499
Motor/Type: 250W Mid-Drive Motor
Battery: 48V 600 Wh (12.5 Ah)
Torque: 90 Nm peak
Range: 30+ miles
Weight: 36 lbs
Strengths:
Designed to be the most efficient and lightweight eBike for the commuter market, no ifs, ands, or buts.
The battery, mid-drive motor, and even the LCD readout are all integrated into the frame, making it look like just a regular street bike.
Incredibly nimble and lightweight means that your overall effort, even if you run out of battery, is reduced so that you can enjoy the ride
The battery and motor are both in-house Specialized designed units, so they are optimized for each other
Learn More:
Denago City Model 1
An entry-level bike that is the distilled essence of what you need in a commuter eBike, with no extra frills or gadgets
Why We Picked It:
Denago's first eBike when the company formed just a few years ago, the City Model 1 was a pure statement bike. It needed to have an immediate impact, sell well, and hit every mark it needed to to establish the company as a viable competitor. Let's just say that they did exactly that.
The City Model 1 is a no-frills, barebones, entry-level bike that is generously equipped with the important bits. You have a 500W rear hub motor with a 50 Nm peak torque rating, a 48V 652 Wh battery that will still get you 40 or more miles of range on a single charge, and it ranks as a class 3 eBike, with a top speed of 28 MPH.
Of course, with a list price of $999, some things had to be trimmed. The City Model 1 does not come with a rear cargo rack, nor does it even come standard with fenders, and it has no headlight or LED tail light in its barest form. All of the above items can be added as accessories, but that does increase the price closer to $1,200. Yet, even if you just ride the barebones bike, it has a ridiculously gutsy motor, 5 levels of pedal assist, and a thumb throttle.
Denago does make a Commute Model series of bikes, but with prices closer to $2,000 for those, buying a City Model 1 and a few accessories will get you 95% of the same experience, for hundreds of dollars less.
Specifications:
Price: $999
Motor/Type: 500W Rear Hub Motor
Battery: 48V 652 Wh (13.5 Ah)
Torque: 50 Nm peak
Range: 40+ miles
Weight: 53 lbs
Strengths:
One of the least expensive, full-function eBikes you can buy on the market today.
Optional accessories let you customize your commuter bike to your needs, without breaking the bank
Despite the low 652 Wh rating on the battery, it will still go 40 or more miles per charge, even if you use it purely on thumb throttle. Many independent reviews have shown it will reach closer to 45 to 50 miles if you add a little pedaling in as well
Learn More:
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