The Best Electric Mountain Bikes [2024 Edition]

Why We Picked It:

Orbea is a name that is familiar to those that follow extreme endurance sports such as the Ironman Triathlon. They are famous for making very lightweight but extremely durable bikes for those athletes, as well as some premium mountain and road bikes. They have brought all that expertise over the eBike side, and the Orbea Wild H20 Eagle is their flagship enduro MTB.

With a BOSCH Performance CX Gen 4 mid-drive motor providing 600W and 85 Nm of torque, power comes from a 48V 750 Wh battery. Range is rated at over 90 miles, and keep in mind that is meant to be off-road and off-trail. SRAM components abound in the drivetrain, with a PG-1210 Eagle 12-speed derailleur giving the bike it's name. SRAM DB8 180mm hydraulic brakes help control any descending you decide to do, while decently wide Maxxis Asegai 26x2.5 inch tires give all the traction you could need.

For handling the bumps, jumps, and knocks the Wild H20 is expected to take, the front fork has RockShox 35 Silver TK Solo Air 160mm suspension, while the rear swingarm is damped by a Fox Float Performance Trunnion Evol LV 205x65mm shock absorber. The Wild also keeps a very clean handlebar area, with the battery charge remaining/charging level meter being built into the top tube, and no other display present. All of the cables needed with the exception of the front brake are routed inside the frame to keep a clean and distraction free environment.

There are 5 PAS levels and a thumb throttle, and if you want to use the Wild H20 Eagle on the road, it is rated as Class 2, which is where the 20 in its name comes from: Limited to 20 MPH of assist.

Why We Picked It:

When we first reviewed the Surface 604 Shred in 2021, we were impressed with how capable it was considering its entry-level pricing.

Unlike many inexpensive eMTBs, the Shred is using good quality brand name components instead of generic ones. The 9-speed SRAM X5 groupset is perfect for this bike and component combination, and Tektro hydraulic brakes provide strong braking performance.

The stock SR Suntour fork helps smooth out the ride, but if you want something smoother and more customizable, you can order your Shred with Wren air suspension and a SR Suntour NCX suspension seat post, which levels up suspension comfort and capability significantly.

The Shred is probably the best eMTB for someone wanting to get into eMTBs but not wanting to spend a ton of money.

Why We Picked It:

For those of the motorcycle world, an Enduro is a bike meant to compete in long distance, sometimes multi-day off-road competition. They have excellent power to weight, can carry a lot of payload, and have long-travel suspension meant to take an absolute beating. That whole philosophy has translated across to eBikes, with the Pivot Shuttle LT being a prime example of an Enduro MTB.

Using a Shimano EP8 mid-drive motor, with 500W peak and 250W continuous output, a handy 85 Nm of torque is provided, with the EP8 using torque sensors for assist. Power comes from an integrated 48V 756 Wh battery, although Pivot doesn't provide a range estimate because of the Shuttle LT's unique use case.

This is an MTB that is not meant to be used anywhere else except for going up hills and then coming screaming back down them at a high rate of speed. For that reason, a massive Fox 38 front fork with 170mm of travel sits out front, and a Fox Float X-Shock mounted to the trunnion with 160mm of travel takes care of the rear geometry. Pivot gives it huge 223mm front and 203mm brakes, front and back respectively.

A tiny screen sits just to the right of the handlebar upright, giving speed and battery power information only. A USB-C charge port is integrated into the top-bar mounted power button, and instead of the standard 5 PAS levels, there are three PAS modes: Eco, Trail, and Boost. This works with the Shimano XT M8100 12-speed derailleur, and many reviews state that you can get a full day's ride in and only drop 2 or 3 bars on the charge meter.

Why We Picked It:

Himiway have some of the most popular eBikes on the market, and the Cobra Pro is one of the more top tier offerings. It has way more power than it actually needs, has a pretty hefty payload capacity of 400 lbs so you can use it for both trail and full MTB riding, and still have enough capacity left over to carry gear in a backpack as you ride.

Drive comes from an industry leading Bafang M620 mid-drive at 1,000W and an absolutely huge 160 Nm of torque. You also get a 48V 960 Wh battery, giving you up to 80 miles of range. As expected in the MTB space, the motor is torque sensing.

You also get full front and rear suspension, with the rear being a true quad-bar link. The Cobra Pro also features a Shimano Deore 10-speed derailleur, so you'll always be in the right gear for whatever terrain you come across. You also have 26x4.8 super-fat tires so you can climb hills, come back down them, and do it all again without worry!

While many options in the MTB eBike space are well into the high thousands, Himiway have purposefully positioned the Cobra Pro as an entry-level option. We know, it sounds kind of ridiculous to call $4,000 entry level, but with the amount of tech and exotic materials in use, its par for the course. The Cobra Pro is made out of 6061 aluminum, so it is the heaviest bike we are recommending today at 90 lbs, but if you want to have an eBike that can easily cruise trails and have some fun on the hills when you feel the mood is right, you really can't go wrong with a Himiway bike.

Why We Picked It:

Fezzari took a look at the eMTB market a little while back and saw that prices were soaring higher and higher, but without much value-adding features on those bikes. So, they decided to make the Timp Peak, named after Mount Timpanoros in Utah. Not only that, they also created four separate variations for every budget, but the base Timp Peak Comp is what we recommend.

Using a Shimano EP8 mid-drive, torque-sensing motor, 250W continuous and 500W peak power is delivered. A 48V 635 Wh battery provides the juice, with a Shimano NX Eagle 12-speed derailleur handling the gearing. Much like the Pivot Shuffle LT from earlier in the list, the EP8 provides three PAS Modes: Eco, Trail, Boost, instead of the standard 5 PAS Levels. The Timp Peak is also a Class 1 eBike with no throttle option.

The Timp Peak Comp spec provides DVO ONYX E1 170mm front suspension with optional lockout, and a DVO Topaz Gen 3 230x65 rear shock. Unlike many eMTBs, Fezzari have chosen to use a straight-on style of rear damping, instead of a complex X link or swingarm pivot style, thus keeping the price well down.

Stopping power for the Timp Peak Comp is from TRP DH-R EVO 2 piston calipers on 203mm discs, front and back. What surprises many for the Timp Peak is that the whole frame is hollow carbon fiber, rare to find under $7,500. The reason is that Fezzari have standardized the carbon fiber frame across the entire lineup, even the entry-spec Comp, so that it keeps production costs down and allows them offer sales on the Comp's $6,199 MSRP at times well over $1,000 off.

Why We Picked It:

Those that know bikes, know Specialized. With the Turbo Levo, they have a frameset that can be equipped with any number of features, with the base spec Turbo Levo Alloy coming in at $5,800 and the top spec S-Works Turbo Levo T-Type coming in at an eye watering $14,000. For that reason, our recommendation is for the base Alloy model, or its carbon fiber variant, the Carbon, for $6,800.

Both the Alloy and Carbon share the same base specs, which are a Specialized Turbo Full Power 2.2 motor that outputs 565W peak and 90 Nm of torque. The battery is a Specialized M3-500 at 48V 500 Wh of juice. Gearing comes via a SRAM SX Eagle 12-speed derailleur, with three PAS Modes: Eco, Trail, Turbo. Setting the bike to Eco reduces the motor to just 250W, however.

The front fork has a RockShox 35 Silver 150mm suspension, while the rear is a horizontally dampened RockShox Deluxe Select R with rebound adjust and 210mm of travel, at 52.5mm diameter. Brakes are from SRAM, both are Guide RE models, with 200mm front and rear. Slightly wider than standard wheels and tires in a mullet setup are at 29x2.6 inches Specialized Butcher GridTrail T9 front, and 27.5x2.6 inch Specialized Eliminator GridTrail T7 rear.

As is probably evident by the picture above, the Turbo Levo is a beefy bike with massive ground clearance, meant to be jumped off ledges, pathfind its own trail through the brush, and generally take one hell of a walloping. It's for that reason that there is no display, just a Ride Mode select left toggle with 3 LEDs, and a 10 LED battery charge readout on the top bar with the power button.

Why We Picked It:

While the Himiway Cobra Pro a few bikes up this list is the eMTB for those wanting to try out some mountain and trail riding, the Marin Rift Zone E2 is the eMTB one wants if they are buying 110% into the mountain and trail riding life. It's not the cheapest Rift Zone, the E1, nor the reduced feature Alpine Trail series, but it has the right features at the right price to make it one of our recommended eBikes.

The motor is a Shimano Steps EP801 unit, with 250W continuous, 500W peak, and a meaty 85 Nm of torque. A Shimano 48V 630 Wh battery provides the power, and a Shimano Deore 11-speed derailleur gives you all the gears you need. The Rift Zone E2 has a Fox 36 Performance Elite front fork with 140mm of travel, while the rear is taken care of witha Fox Float X 50mmx210mm EVOL Air Spring shock.

Stopping power is from TRP DH-R EVO 4 piston hydraulic brakes, 203mm front and rear. Unlike many of the other eMTBs with a Shimano EP motor, the Rift Zone E2 has four PAS Modes: Walk, Eco, Trail, Boost. The EP801 is also an evolutionary model, so it is lighter, much smoother, and has a triple combination sensor: torque, cadence, and speed. This provides the right amount of boost at all times while also saving battery power for when you really need it.

As well, both the front and rear shocks can be adjusted to find the perfect rebound and spring settings for your ride, although Marin does provide a rough guide of what settings are appropriate for rider weights up to 280 lbs. Basically, the Rift Zone E2 has all the features you need, including a small display, without any fluff.

Why We Picked It:

Making no bones about it, the Giant Trance X Advanced E+ 2, apart from being a mouthful to say, is not a cheap bike. This is an eMTB that you want if trail riding is your jam, and you want to spend all day riding and come home with half the battery's charge left.

The motor is a Yamaha SyncDrive Pro, providing 400W peak and 85 Nm of torque. The battery is a bespoke-for-Giant Panasonic EnergyPak 48V 625 Wh unit, with an optional 250 Wh range extender battery available. Gearing is through a top spec Shimano Deore SLX 12-speed derailleur, with the motor having 5 PAS Modes: Eco, Tour, Sport, Active, Power.

Where the Giant really shines is in the materials used for its frame and its geometry. Made of advanced carbon composites, even with the battery in, the Trance X Advanced E+ 2 weights a scant 40 lbs. Couple that with Fox Performance suspension, 36 Float 150mm fork and DPS EVOL 110mm rear shock on Giant's own Maestro Compositie Dual-Link setup, and you have one hell of an agile bike that turns on a dime.

If you need to stop, that's taken care of by Shimano Deore BR-M240 4-piston calipers on 203mm discs. The Yamaha SyncDrive Pro has every type of sensor available for a motor, including torque, cadence, speed, and is even gear-sensitive to vary its output depending on where the derailleur is at. This allows for the motor to absolutely sip power instead of chugging it, and in Tour and Sport mode, you can get upwards of 70 miles of range. The more assist you dial in, however, that range does drop, but even in the full Power mode, you'll get 40+ miles.

At $8,799, it is a pretty dear price point, but the sheer amount of tech shoehorned into this monster of an eMTB makes it fair!