Electric bikes offer one of the lowest-impact and most senior-friendly modes of exercise. Their motors can help to take the edge off of hills that seniors using traditional pedal bikes might otherwise avoid. Yet, depending on the type of e-bike, they can still require enough physical effort to make for a great workout.

E-bikes have also been proven to help maintain cognitive and mental health among older riders; according to one study, low levels of pedal assistance from an e-bike can inspire confidence and improve self-esteem in older people who may feel limited by mobility issues.

Prospective senior cyclists often ask our team of reviewers for our opinion on the best electric bikes. To answer that question definitively, we decided to put our heads together and create this list of our favorites.

• Velotric Discover 2
• Aventon Pace 4
• Lectric XPress 750
• Ride1Up Portola
• Velotric Breeze 1
• Ride1Up Vorsa
• Aventon Aventure 3 ST
• Electra Townie Go!
• Rad Power Bikes RadKick
• Euphree City Robin X+
• Trek FX+ 1S
• Ride1Up Prodigy V2 ST
• Specialized Turbo Como 3.0
• Lectric XPedition 2.0
• Lectric XP Trike2
• Rad Power Bikes RadTrike

Folding e-bikes are all the rage in Europe, where space comes at a premium, and many commuters rely on public transit for at least a portion of their daily round-trip to and from the office.

Here in the US, we have the luxury of larger living areas, an abundance of storage space, and, in many cases, our own automobiles to handle the daily commute.

So why should we concern ourselves with finding the best folding e-bikes? In short, because of their versatility!

The collapsible nature of folding electric bikes allows them to take up less space in a garage, be transported in a car or SUV without the need for a bike rack, or come along in the RV on a family road trip. Even if a bike’s folding feature is only used occasionally, it’s a convenience that makes a difference when you’re in a pinch!

While folding e-bikes often have some tradeoffs with their fixed-frame cousins, the differences are usually minimal. Folding bikes regularly include fat tires and suspension forks for off-road riding, cargo racks for hauling gear or passengers, powerful motors for riding fast and climbing hills, and great brakes with effective stopping power.

After riding and testing a myriad of folding e-bikes, our team of reviewers here at Electric Bike Report has selected their favorites. We hope this list of the best folding electric bikes helps you find a model that fits your needs and budget!

• Best Folding E-Bike for the Money / Most Accessories: Lectric XP 4
• Best Overall Handling: Ride1Up Portola
• Best Folding E-Bike for Heavy Riders and Tall Riders: Velotric Fold 1 Plus
• Best for Riders on a Budget: Lectric XP Lite 2.0
• Best for Off-Road Riding: Rad Power Bikes RadExpand 5 Plus
• Best Folding E-Bike for Hills: Aventon Sinch 2.5
• Fastest Acceleration: Mokwheel Slate
• Best Handling: Rad Power Bikes RadExpand 5
• Most Powerful Upgrade Option: HeyBike Mars 2.0
• Best Mid-Drive: Tern Vektron
• Best Folding E-Bike for Urban Apartment Living: Brompton Electric C Line 12-Speed

When discussing the two types of e-bike motors, the best mid-drive e-bikes and hub-drive e-bikes give riders a surprisingly different riding experience. With one, you only need to work as much as you want. With the other, you’re involved.

It’s a little more complicated than this, but I think it’s automatic vs. stick shift.

Most mid-drive motors use a torque sensor to judge when to turn the motor on and off. They also add an additional layer to the experience. By detecting how much pressure is on the pedals, they allow the motor to change how much it helps you pedal.

From the moment a rider pushes down on a pedal, the motor springs to life. Power addition and subtraction come in proportion to the rider’s effort. Furthermore, the proportion of power applied is determined by which PAS level the rider has selected.

While the experience of riding a mid-drive e-bike is natural and seamless, it also means that the rider is going to have to work harder to go faster. A Class 3 mid-drive e-bike, for example, won’t go 28 mph without the rider making some real effort.

We’ve tested a myriad of e-bikes with mid-drive motors and have selected a handful of options that we consider to be the best. Whether you want a relaxed city cruiser or a tough and active trekking bike, look no further for the best mid-drive electric bikes!

• Ride1UP Prodigy V2
• Aventon Ramblas
• Trek Allant+ 8s
• Aventon Aventure M
• Tenways AGO X
• Specialized Turbo Vado SL 2 6.0 EQ Carbon
• Specialized Turbo Como 3.0 IGH
• Vvolt Centauri II
• Specialized Turbo Levo Comp Alloy Gen 4
• Trek FX+ 7S
• Tern Quick Haul Long D9
• Trek Marlin+ 8
• Borealis Keystone

Calling an e-bike “cheap” is a risky proposition. As members of the media, we have to be careful to avoid words that can be misunderstood; in this case, our readers might think we are saying the products listed below suffer from poor quality, when we mean instead that they’re extremely budget-friendly.

To be clear, as much as we enjoy helping people find e-bikes to fit their specific needs and budget constraints, we don’t recommend products that aren’t well-made and built using quality components.

If you’re surfing Alibaba, Temu, or Amazon, you may be able to find e-bikes priced lower than those we’ve included here, but there are several reasons you won’t find them listed below. We’ve had hands-on experience with every bike on this page, and each has met our standards for quality, performance, and safety, while still being seriously affordable.

Some of the e-bike models listed here are naturally priced low, while others have been marked down significantly for clearance sales. Some have even been awarded a top overall e-bike of the year by our team of expert testers and reviewers! Regardless, each is a great deal that we think would be hard to pass up if you’re pinching pennies.

• Best Cheap Multi-Purpose: Lectric XP4
• Best Cheap Folding: Ride1UP Portola
• Best Cheap Lightweight: Aventon Soltera 2.5
• Best Cheap City Cruiser: Velotric Discover 1 Plus
• Best Cheap City Commuter: Ride1Up Roadster V3
• Best Cheap Single Speed: Lectric XP Lite 2.0
• Best Cheap Portable Fat Tire: RadExpand 5
• Best Cheap Beach Cruiser: Retrospec Chatham Rev 2
• Best Cheap Step-Thru: Aventon Pace 500.3 ST
• Best Cheap Mid-Drive: Heybike Alpha
• Best Cheap Full-Size Fat Tire: Velotric Nomad 1 Plus
• Best Cheap Cargo: Lectric XPedition 2.0
• Best Cheap Moped-Style: Retrospec Valen Rev 2

From cruising traffic-clogged city streets to scooting a few blocks to the office and back, our staff of professional testers reviewed many of the best city and urban electric bikes on the market. But what makes a city bike a city bike?

Truthfully, this category of e-bikes is broad, and ultimately, any bike can be a city bike. For example, you could happily ride a full-suspension eMTB around the streets of New York City. You might, however, run into its limitations in that environment when riding through puddles or trying to carry it up a flight of stairs.

Generally speaking, city and urban e-bikes are a part of the larger commuter category, but they have certain characteristics that make them best suited for short-range commutes in densely populated urban environments.

They’re usually a little lighter, a little more nimble, and sometimes have a little less power and range than pure commuter bikes, though they may look extremely similar at first glance.

All of the bikes on this list have been put through the wringer by our team of experienced bike testers on the roads and bike paths of southwest Utah. We consider each to be equally comfortable in a dense urban environment.

If you’re seeking the best city e-bikes on the market, we think these are just too good to ignore.

• Ride1Up Roadster v3
• Tenways CGO600 Pro / Pro-C
• Lectric XP Lite 2.0
• Aventon Soltera 2.5
• Velotric T1 ST Plus
• Trek FX+ 1S
• Rad Power Bikes RadKick (Chain Drive)
• Specialized Turbo Vado SL 2 6.0 EQ Carbon
• Trek FX+ 2
• LeMond Prolog
• Vvolt Centauri II

Many products in this world don’t need to be gender-specific: TVs. Computers. Baseball caps. However, many other items need to be made to fit the specific proportions of one gender or the other: Clothes. Multivitamins. And, yes, bikes and e-bikes. Human anatomy is a fascinating thing.

Within each gender, there is a wild variation in sizes and even proportions, but themes and trends do emerge. As a (very) general rule, for a given height, women have longer legs than men, as well as shorter torsos and arms. Also, on average, women are shorter than men.

Most bikes and e-bikes are bought by men (what’s up with that?), so the majority of all one-size e-bikes are made for a man’s proportions. This means that, while women can adjust saddle height appropriately, they will likely be left with a long reach from the saddle to the handlebar, resulting in a potentially uncomfortable forward lean.

We’ve selected a collection of e-bikes that cover a variety of uses, ranging from cruisers and commuters to special-use e-bikes such as eMTBs and even a road/gravel e-bike. Almost all of these e-bikes feature step-thru frames to make them easy to mount and dismount, while a few fit with more traditional expectations of woman-centric design.

To be clear, none of the e-bikes on this list were specifically made for women, but we have selected e-bikes with geometry that is suitable for both genders. This is more a reflection of our decision to focus on e-bikes priced in the $1,000-$3,000 range than what is available.

The fact is, the higher your budget range, the more options that exist. That’s sadly sexist, but our job is to point out the best opportunities we see. The options highlighted below will likely satisfy the budget, comfort, and functionality preferences of most women looking for an e-bike. Let’s dig in!

• Best City Cruiser (On Sale): Aventon Pace 500.3
• Best Overall City Cruiser: Velotric Breeze 1
• Best Comfort: Euphree City Robin X+
• Best Commuter: Velotric Discover 2
• Best Cruiser: Specialized Turbo Como 3.0 IGH
• Best Affordable: Lectric XP4 (500W)
• Best Lightweight: Urtopia Carbon Joy
• Best Customization: Electric Bike Company Model S
• Best City: Trek FX+ 1S
• Best Single Speed: Rad Power Bikes RadKick (Belt Drive)
• Best Cargo: Lectric XPedition 2.0
• Best Fat Tire: Rad Power Bikes Radster Trail
• Best eMTB: Specialized Turbo Levo Comp Carbon
• Best Hardtail/Beginner eMTB: Aventon Ramblas
• Best Gravel: Ride1UP CF Racer
• Honorable Mention: Retrospec Beaumont Rev 2