Electric bikes are a trendy commodity, and as demand for them grows, it's easy to see why they've become an excellent trend. If you want to see the best electric bikes, What's The Best has rounded them up. Electric bikes remove the hard manual work of pedalling that you have to do with regular bikes. And whilst manual bike rides can be lovely and leisurely, if you need to commute or go out for errands, an eBike ride can help you take the strain.
Electric bikes offer a whole host of benefits; they give you the freedom to explore, and you can potentially travel further than you ever have.
However, not all electric bikes are built the same, and whilst all make manual pedalling less tiring, there are different bikes for different needs, from hybrid electric bikes, mountain electric bikes, and folding electric bikes. Many have other attributes which suit them better to different needs.
What makes an eBike more suited to seniors? Something a bit more upright will make rides more comfortable and bigger, plusher tyres help eliminate road buzz while a bit of suspension is less shock on the joints. These things combined make the bike heavy, so be mindful of storage.
A heavy bike means you'll want a motor capable of delivering power with plenty of torque - these are generally found on mid-motor bikes or crank motors. Hydraulic disc brakes offer the best-stopping ability with minimal hand grip, mechanical discs are strong, too, but you'll need more hand grip strength.
We've rounded up the cream of the crop and a wide range of options so that you can buy the best electric bike for yourself.
The best electric bikes for seniors in the UK
www.tredz.co.uk
Description
This low-step design makes the Cannondale Adventure Neo easy to get on and off, with no top tube to have to hoik your leg over. The Bosch Active Line Plus motor provides plenty of grunt to help you up hills and on the flats, while a sizeable 400Wh battery is ample to get you around town with up to 120km of range. Large Kenda tyres offer plenty of grip and enough tyre wall for a slightly more comfortable ride.
Pros
- Sleek design
- The low-step frame is easy to get on and off
- A respected brand with a respected motor
Cons
- Hydraulic disc brakes are pricy to maintain.
www.tredz.co.uk
Description
While not a step-through frame, the dropped top tube offers an easier off-and-on than most bikes. This dropped top tube also brings the handlebars closer to the rider, bringing about a more upright riding position and more comfort. Front suspension adds to that comfort with the plush tyres. However, the Haibike Trekking 3 has a 500Wh battery if you want range. The motor is a super robust Bosch Performance Line Gen3, giving you up to 75Nm of torque, plenty if you carry any luggage or any hills.
Pros
- Huge 500Wh battery pack
- Powerful Bosch Performance Line motor
- Comfortable ride
Cons
- With the suspension, big motor and big battery, this will be a heavy bike
www.tredz.co.uk
Description
Looking more like a convention town bike, Cube has loaded this with accessories to make riding it that much more pleasant. Things like Mudguards, rear pannier racks front and rear lights and a kickstand. All of which will be very welcome as you ride along.
Front suspension and plush tyres add comfort, but the motor and battery pack are party pieces. A Bosch Drive Unit Performance CX Generation 4 with 85Nm of torque and a 625Wh Bosch PowerTube battery it's needed, though, because you'll only get around 54km of range, depending on which mode you're in. But this should be plenty for any jaunt in the countryside.
Pros
- Plenty of torque
- Respected brand
- Comfortable ride
Cons
- A heavy bike at 26.6kg in a small
www.lucky-bike.de
Description
This is slightly more off-road focused with its knobbly Schwalbe tyres and 'mountain bike' name. It's only by name, though, as this is one super capable bike at home on the woodland trails flattening out tree roots with its front suspension as it is on the daily commute or weekly shopping trip into town.
Focus has fitted this with the same Bosch Performance CX Gen4 motor and 625Wh battery as the Cube above and is claimed to be a kilo lighter.
Pros
- Well-respected battery and motor
- Versatile and capable bike
- Good accessories as standard
Cons
- Heavy at 25kg
www.sigmasports.com
Description
What makes this bike so expensive? Well, the battery on this Riese and Muller Superdelight GT Vario is unrivalled. Not one but two Bosch PowerTube batteries, now 500Wh and one 625Wh, add a super punchy Bosch Performance Line CX with 85 Nm of torque. You even have an anti-lock braking system developed by Bosch and enough suspension to make everything nice and comfy as you ride.
If you want a bike stuffed with accessories, a range that will have you cycling for days and hill-crushing performance with a mega-powerful motor, you'll have to pay big money for it.
Pros
- Massive battery capacity
- Very powerful motor
- Fully kitted out as standard
Cons
- A very, very heavy bike