The best electric bike under £500 in 2024

There's no doubt that if you can find the best electric bike under £500, your cycling is going to improve for very little outlay. The best e-bike is a fantastic enabler for those carrying an injury or lacking fitness. By making things a little easier they're a great option for those looking to improve their health and mobility. They also increase people's riding range and bring enjoyment back to cycling.

But, as our list of eBikes below will show - finding the best electric bike under £500 doesn't leave a whole lot of choice. In truth, you’d struggle to get a decent ‘normal’ pushbike for £500, let alone an electric mountain bike or a hybrid with a decent electric motor. They are not instant power boosters either. Every eBike needs you to input something into the pedals for the motor to work. They have a limited speed too. At around 15mph, the motor stops and your own pedal power takes over.

The best electric bikes under £500 in 2024 at a glance

• Best overall electric bike under £500: Assist Hybrid Electric Bike 2021 - View at Halfords
• Best city e-bike under £500: Volt London - View at Blike
• Best road e-bike under £500: Volt Pulse LS - View at Blike
• Best folding e-bike under £500: Vello Bike+ - View at Blike

Thankfully, there are solutions to the prohibitive cost of good e-bikes that could make your cycling life a lot cheaper. If you're not fully satisfied, you can always check out our e-Bikes under £2,000 guide. There's a lot more on there and you'll likely grab a great deal. But which e-bike is right for you? We've looked at a range of bikes to suit road bikers, commuters and city riders, as well as a folding option for maximum portability. So, let's get the motor started and the wheels turning to find the best electric bike under £500.

Best electric bikes under £500 in 2024

All prices are correct at the time of writing. Prices, stock and deals are subject to change without notice.

eBike leasing

Here comes the reality check: For our money, there are no reputable eBikes available for under £500. The cost of manufacture and the need for reliable parts means that a good eBike is beyond this price. However, if you're looking to buy, we've found one e-bike at a little over £500 that we think measures up. Otherwise, for safety and quality's sake, we're looking at lease options that will bring a high-quality e-bike into reach at a fraction of the cost.

But, there is a new way of getting your hands on an eBike, without the large upfront cost. A company called BikeFlex allows you to lease eBikes, in the same way you may lease a car. Without a large upfront payment and returning the bike after your lease period, it might be the best way for you to own the bike you want.

There are three different lease plans, personal, business and cycle to work lease. Let's take a look at the different options available to you.

Consider an e-bike conversion kit

It doesn’t take a lot to convert a bog-standard bike into an eBike. So, if you have a bike in your shed, a good service and a conversion kit could be the answer. You could get yourself a brand-new e-bike for less than £500!

There are a few companies out there that offer this. If bike maintenance daunts you, speak to your local bike shop. It's often a service that they can provide. Different types of conversion kits are available.

Friction Drive Conversion

Here a roller pushes against the tyre, similar to a dyno bike light, when the roller turns the wheel turns. While not the most efficient motors, it’s simple. There’s not a huge amount needed to make it work, but it doesn’t work that well.

Mid-Drive Conversion

eBikes with a mid-drive tend to be the more successful design out there. The power to the crank is instant and not lost. It therefore feels much more natural. The weight of the motor sits low, keeping your centre of gravity lower. This is the best placement, but the most expensive and difficult to fit.

Electric Bike Wheel Conversion

The final option on our list is swapping out your front or rear wheel for an electrified version. This is a happy mix and a middle ground in terms of price point. The conversion is generally pretty simple, depending on battery mounts the weight distribution can be quite good. Generally, the battery is mounted where your bottle holders would be.

If the electric motor is on the front wheel, it can make it heavy. This might affect the handling and balance of the bike. There is also a slightly odd feeling in the way the power is delivered. If it’s on the rear wheel, it can feel like you’re getting a push from behind, certainly when setting off.

Best electric bike under £500: Buyer's guide

An e-bike is an electrical motor-powered bicycle. However, if you think that an eBike will just propel you to a set speed with no effort from you, that’s where you’re wrong. The electric motor needs power from batteries these batteries will only give the motor power if you put effort into the pedals.

They rely on three things, power to the pedals, power from the batteries and power to the motor. If one of these things does not exist, then the bike will be stationary or you’re riding a normal bike. Before you hit the 'buy now' button, it's important to know the difference and some pros and cons of e-bikes:

How an eBike works

Many eBikes have different ‘modes’ for instance, eco, touring, sport and turbo. Each mode gives you a different level of power from the motor. It uses the power you put through the pedals as an indicator of how much power is needed. With motors giving you up to 250 watts.

It's true that you can lightly push on the pedals and the eBike will go up a hill. You will certainly notice the increase in power from the motor and it’ll be a huge benefit to you going up a hill. However, don’t expect to start accelerating up to 15mph from stationary. They simply do not work that way.

Always remember for an eBike to work efficiently, you need to do so too. The added assistance from the motor will boost your ride in terms of distance, and average speed and not fatigue you so much.

Choose based on riding needs and frame style

Here's a run-down of the basic types of e-bikes in terms of form and function. The best electric bikes under £500 may not include all of these options though, unless you're taking the hiring route.

Road bikes and City bikes

A road bike is used on roads with flat surfaces. They often have enough range to travel quite some distance. City bikes are often more comfortable. Often, these will also have a more upright seating position for comfort. City riders need similar features but typically make shorter runs - so battery and torque are usually lower down the list.

Commuter bikes

Every commuter needs decent battery life and road bike handling. But, they may need to hop on and off other forms of transport. A folding electric bike is an excellent option for portability in urban environments.

Mountain bikes

Motorised mountain bikes can make hill climbs and descents easier and more comfortable. You can ride for longer too., thanks to the powered assistance, so exploring farther is a real benefit here. The tougher and better equipped they are the heavier they’ll be without spending much more - even an e-bike costing under £1000 may not fit the bill here.

Hybrid bikes

Hybrids combine features from most of the above, making them a great all-around flexible e-bike choice. A hybrid electric will let you mix up a wide range of everyday cycling activities.

Choose based on different types of motor

Not all eBikes are created equal, the development rate on them has been huge and you may be looking at an eBike, without even knowing.

There are two main types of eBike motors ones that work on the pedals, which assist you in your pedal stroke and ones that work on the rear hub in assisting the rear wheel to turn.

We’ve tested many over the years and we’ve always found the Bosch motors, which are pedal mounted, to give you the most amount of boost and reduce fatigue the most. This is because the power is directly mounted to the pedals so you feel it instantly and they’re generally more bulking meaning they can put in a bit more torque than rear hub motors.

Motors on the rear hub are much more compact, about the size of the big gear on your cassette so they’re much more discrete. They provide plenty of power in terms of assistance and could be a good option for someone who is looking for a discrete boost of electrical assistance.

Best electric bike under £500 in 2024: FAQs

What is torque?

The torque on an e-bike is very similar to a car; the higher the torque a motor can produce, the more weight it can shift. It's not uncommon to find pedal-assist motors producing up to 80Nm of torque. This is plenty to get you off the mark and up the hills. But, the higher the torque a motor can produce, the more weight it will be able to shift.

What are Watt-hours?

A Watt is a unit of power, and Wh is a unit of energy. So, Watt-hours measure the amount of energy for a specific period. Watts is a measure of rates of power at any moment in time. So if you have a 250Wh battery, it will give you 250 watts of power for one hour.

Do I need a licence to ride an electric bike?

No, you don’t need a licence to legally ride an electric bike in the UK. To meet the required standard your e-bike must be pedal-assisted. Therefore, no motorcycle-like throttle will be fitted. It also can’t exceed 250 watts and has a restricted speed of 15.5mph.

How do you charge an eBike?

Some of the best electric bikes under £500 have a removable battery pack. This lets you plug just the battery into the charger - handy when you just can't take the bike inside for charging. Others require you to plug the charger into the frame if the batteries are integrated.

Myles Warwood is a Commercial Content Writer for What's The Best, Parkers and CAR. His areas of expertise include cycling, fitness tech and hot hatches.

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