The 4 Best Commuter eBikes of 2025

Our Picks of Electric Commuter Bikes

Best Premium Performance

Segway Xafari

E-Bike Class: 2 or 3 | Tested Motor Power: 1300W

The Segway Xafari is a full-suspension electric bike with more features than we're accustomed to discussing. Using a 936Wh battery, the bike traveled further on a single charge than any other electric bike we've tested. That might be expected if the Xafari was low on power, but according to our dyno test, it's also one of the most powerful bikes. Its 4-amp charger also gives it amongst the fastest charging times in our review.

The bike uses 26-inch wheels and 3.0" knobby tires that let you explore beyond the end of the pavement. ABS fenders, built-in lights, a 1300 lumen high-beam, and a rear rack make it commute-ready in any weather. The bike has a brilliant interface and excellent app integration that allows you to lock, track, and update the bike from your phone. You can view navigation, play music, and even take phone calls through the bike's display.

The Xafari can carry riders up to 352 pounds, including 55 pounds on the unique rear rack. An 8-speed drivetrain, hydraulic disc brakes, and superb ergonomics make the bike easy to enjoy. Only one frame size and style are available so that it won't be ideal for all users, but we found it worked well for riders from 5'4" to 6' with six inches of adjustability in the seatpost.

The bike aced our tests, but its comfort and tech features add significant weight. At 94 pounds, the bike is hard to muscle onto a bike rack or ride without assistance. If your biking plans involve hauling the bike around on a rack, you'd be wise to look for a lighter bike like the Aventon Level 3, below, or a heavy-duty rack. Overall, we're incredibly impressed with the Xafari, and given the bike's performance, its price is far lower than we expected.

Read more: Segway Xafari review

Best For Most People

Aventon Level 3

E-Bike Class: 2 or 3 | Tested Motor Power: 890W

The Aventon Level 3 is a full-featured commuter ebike at a great price. It's loaded with new high-tech and quality comfort features. The bike balances comfort and efficiency by rolling on 27.5" wheels and 2.2" tires. An 80mm suspension fork and a dampened seatpost isolate the rider from the road, providing extra comfort should you stray from the pavement. The bike comes equipped with a rack, lights, fenders, turn signals, and reflective tires, making it ready for commuting from the start.

Using Bluetooth, you can connect a smartphone to the bike to lock, track, and even geo-fence a perimeter for its operation. The Class 2 (with throttle) has a top speed of 20 mph, but through the app, you can adjust the pedal assist top speed to 28 mph. The 500W hub motor produced a peak power of 890 watts in our dyno test, which was sufficient to accelerate our test rider to 20 mph in just 7 seconds.

A Shimano Altus 8-speed drivetrain and Magura hydraulic brakes give the bike adequate gearing and exceptional stopping power. The bike is lightweight enough to be transported by most bike racks and robust enough to carry up to 300 pounds. Aventon's 4-amp fast charger replenishes the keyless battery in just 5 hours. The Level is a fantastic commuter bike in two frame sizes and step-through or step-over styles.

Read more: Aventon Level 3 review

Best Compact Option

Lectric ONE

E-Bike Class: 2 or 3 | Tested Motor Power: 1090W

The Lectric ONE is a gearbox / belt-driven electric commuter bike with many features available at an exceptional price. This compact commuter comes with everything you need for commuting day or night, rain or shine. The short wheelbase and upright position excel in urban environments, while its 672Wh battery and powerful motor give it the oomph and range to expand your domain.

The bike's compact size makes parking, storing, and transporting easy without sacrificing much in the way of utility. The 6-speed internal Pinion gearbox is clean and maintenance-free, providing smooth electronic shifting even when the bike is stationary. On the dynamometer, the bike produced 1090 watts; on the trails, it produced smiles for miles. The bike has a weight limit of 330 pounds, and the rack can hold up to 30 pounds. The cockpit has a fair amount of adjustability for riders between 5'2" and 6'4", but if you're near the edge of this range, you might not find its fit ideal.

The bike's 20-inch wheels use 2.5" puncture-resistant, reflective sidewall tires well-suited for pavement and hard-packed surfaces. The tires are excellent, but they account for most of the bike's vibration damping. As such, the ONE is less comfortable on long rides and uneven terrain. Overall, I found the bike wildly convenient and well thought out. If a high-tech commuter bike with a small footprint sounds good to you, the ONE is highly recommended.

Read more: Lectric ONE review

Most Enjoyable Commuter bike

Rad Power RadRunner Max

E-Bike Class: 1, 2, or 3 | Tested Motor Power: 1000W

Rad's popular step-through has been updated with more tech, a higher top speed, and a larger carrying capacity. The new RadRunner Max can carry 420 pounds, speed to 28 mph in Class 3 mode, and be tracked using Apple's Find My. A higher-quality drivetrain and a brilliant new display give the bike a higher-end, user-friendly feel.

Rolling on 20" x 3.5" tires and equipped with an 80mm suspension fork, the ride is far smoother and more planted than I've experienced on other bikes of this size. BMX-style handlebars give you an upright posture with a commanding view, while the new, ergonomic saddle supports the majority of your weight. We're reviewing this bike as a commuter, but it feels more like a pleasure/utility bike. It's enormously capable, with a large welded rack capable of carrying a passenger and mounts for a front rack, but the ride is sporty feeling and fun. This step-through model is available in one style, one color, and one size for riders between 4'11" and 6'2".

Filed under “things I never knew I wanted” is the bike's traffic radar, which detects cars or cyclists up to 100 meters away. When detected from the rear, the display shows you which side they're approaching from and how much faster they're travelling. The bike can be passcode-locked, and a clever NFC-enabled card allows you to lock and unlock with just a tap. Rad makes some excellent accessories, including a locking console box, a range extender, and seats for children or adults (up to 120 lbs). I found the bike to be an absolute joy to ride, but at 83 pounds, it's not easy to transport.

Read more: Rad Power RadRunner Max review

Why Trust GearLab

Over the last three years, we've tested almost 100 different e-bikes across multiple e-bike categories. For this review, we conducted an exhaustive research of the best electric bikes for commuting. This review highlights our 11 favorites, and we compare them side by side in our testing. Our rigorous e-bike testing process started with assembling each bike before weighing them ourselves for consistency. We rode each bike for several weeks while performing standardized tests to assess range, power, and handling. We also test their acceleration, hill-climbing ability, and measure their peak torque on a dynamometer. When our testing concluded, we rated each model on several predetermined metrics, including ride quality, range, power output, user interface, and ease of assembly. The cumulative scores helped us determine our best overall and other award winners.

Our e-bike test was led by Joshua Hutchens. Hutchens is GearLab's Senior Bike Review Editor and lover of two-wheeled things. He is a lifelong bicycle commuter with a storied history in the bicycle industry. He commutes in all weather and appreciates the reliability and durability of commuter bikes. A resident of Lake Tahoe for more than a decade, Hutchens is proud to call the Sierra Nevadas home and enjoys the 400-plus miles of single track accessible from his house. His current commute includes bicycle paths, city roads, single-track, and gravel roads. A former racer, mechanic, shop owner, and bike park founder, Joshua now moonlights as a mountain bike coach. He has tested over 100 bikes for GearLab since 2017 and is meticulous about the details.

Analysis and Test Results

To differentiate between the e-bikes in this test, we use quantifiable testing to make direct performance comparisons between the different models. We focus on several key performance attributes: ease of assembly, power output, range, user interface, and ride quality. In our scoring, we emphasized these metrics differently, with important characteristics like ride quality weighted more heavily than ease of assembly. Our side-by-side testing revealed the performance of each model and how they compare. These bikes are ridden for months to glean the differences and discover their nuances.

What's the Best Value?

At GearLab, we don't rate products based solely on their price, but we appreciate a good value. Often, price and performance go hand in hand, but that isn't always the case. Sure, some of the more expensive options rate highly in our performance metrics, but some more affordable models, like the Lectric XP 3.0, get the job done for less. For riders operating on a tighter budget, we've tested a group of lower-priced bike options in our Best Budget Electric Bike review.

Ride

The ride quality of a commuter bike plays a crucial role in determining your comfort and safety, which in turn influences how frequently you ride it. All bikes in this review are somewhat different, and their comfort, features, components, and handling vary. Various factors, like wheel size and geometry, affect how a bike handles at speed or while turning. Seated body position, saddle shape, grips, and cockpit layout all contribute to rider comfort. Meanwhile, integrated lights, fenders, cargo racks, and suspension can enhance the user-friendliness and rider experience of each model. We don't consider the technical interface in the ride metric, as that is accounted for later.

Regarding a great ride, the Segway Xafari delivers. This bike has a balanced, smooth, stable, and comfortable demeanor. The 26-inch and 3" tires combine with the bike's full suspension to take the edge off of cracks, bumps, and rough surfaces. A quality saddle, ergonomic grips, and ample handlebar and seat height adjustability provide a high level of comfort. While the Xafari isn't lightweight, its exceptionally strong motor hides its mass. The Xafari has features like fenders, integrated lights, self-locking, and GPS. It's a seriously capable commuter.

The Lectric ONE combines a compact form factor and a high-tech gearbox to provide a near-silent ride that is great for commuting. I loved how well-engineered this little bike felt.

The Blix Vika X and Lectric XP 3.0 have ride qualities dictated by their folding designs, compact geometries, and 20-inch diameter wheels. They feel noticeably less stable and steady than the larger wheeled competition, a tradeoff for their folding convenience. Both bikes come with relatively wide, knobby tires that work well on various surfaces and come loaded with useful features. At the other end of the spectrum, the Blix Packa Genie is a heavy and long cargo ebike with a huge carrying capacity. It isn't exactly agile but scores well here for its high comfort level, unflinching stability, smooth ride, and wealth of features.

Range

The range of an e-bike refers to how far it can be ridden on a single battery charge. The range of any bike varies significantly based on many factors, including (but not limited to) rider weight, battery storage capacity, terrain, temperature, rider input, and power output. E-bike manufacturers typically claim a range, with low and high-end estimates of their bike's range, and in our experience, these claims are generally accurate. Regardless, we performed our range testing to ensure consistency and determine the low-end range of each bike in the test. To level the playing field, we test on the same course, with the same weight rider, in the same weather conditions, using the same cycling computers and apps to record the data. For the bikes equipped with a throttle, we test using the throttle in the bike's highest power setting. There is no pedaling input from the rider. Since our test selection also included some Class 1 and Class 3 models, we also tested their range in a repeatable fashion. We rode the Class 1/3 bikes on the highest output setting, with the pedals turning enough to trigger the cadence or torque sensor and pedal assist, while requiring minimal effort from the rider, allowing the motor to do most of the work. To ensure equality in testing, we use Garmin power meter pedals connected to a Garmin 830 and strive to keep the riders' input wattage as close to 100 watts as possible.

Our testing revealed a large spread from the longest, almost 40 miles, to the shortest, 15.4 miles. In most cases, the size of the battery correlates pretty directly with the distance a bike can travel. Given the rider's minimal input, even the poorest-performing bike in this test managed to cover 15.4 miles, which is an impressive distance. Our range test results represent the low end of each bike's range potential, and they could all likely be ridden further on perfectly flat terrain. In most cases, their ranges could easily be doubled or more, with some pedaling effort on the part of the rider.

Boasting a massive 936 Wh battery, the Segway Xafari will alleviate range anxiety. The Xafari cruised 38.2 miles on our test course. This isn't surprising, given its large-capacity battery. The Rad Power RadCity 5 Plus also did well in our range test. It managed to travel an impressive 30 miles with just over 1,600 feet of elevation gain/loss, holding an impressive average speed of 16.7 mph in the process, and that's without even pedaling.

With its 672 Wh battery, the Lectric ONE achieved a range of 27.2 miles. The Aventon Level 3 features a 720Wh battery, larger wheels, and narrower tires, which help it achieve a range of 38.1 miles.

A surprise in our range test was the Blix Vika X. We didn't expect this compact folding model to impress, but its 614 Wh battery managed to propel us for 24.7 miles in our throttle-only test. Once you're done riding, you can also load it into the trunk of your car or RV for transport.

Power

In the US, electric bikes fall into three classes. In all three classes, the motor size is limited to 750W. Class 1 e-bikes have pedal assist only and are limited to a top speed of 20 mph. Class 2 electric bikes have a throttle and pedal assist, both limited to 20 mph. Class 3 ebikes also have a throttle and pedal-assist, but the throttle stays limited to 20 mph while the pedal-assist tops out at 28 mph. The speed limits of many electric bikes can be adjusted to accommodate Class 2 or Class 3 configurations, and often, the throttle can be disconnected to configure it as a Class 1.

We have various test bikes that encompass all three e-bike classes, featuring different motor sizes and power ratings. The power output of a bike is determined mainly by the size or wattage of its motor. Larger motors produce more torque and power. Additionally, the battery's voltage determines the amount of power the motor can generate. Our assessment of power is based on several tests that we conduct to analyze the throttle and pedal assistance. We compare the acceleration, range of pedal assistance, quality of output, and uphill speed and retention over time of each bike, in addition to their top speed. We also tested the power and torque on a dynamometer to get exact figures for each bike.

The Lectric ONE has a powerful 750W motor. This bike was quick off the line, whether using the throttle or pedal assist, and it held power impressively well while climbing gradual hills during our throttle-only range testing. This fast-moving bike comes in Class 3 settings, and it had no problem ripping along at 28 mph while using pedal assist. The Lectric ONE also boasts a strong 750W geared hub motor. The ONE quickly accelerates using the throttle and maintains its impressive speed. It's generally quite easy to achieve the top pedal-assisted speed of 28 miles per hour. These bikes are fast, but you also don't have to ride them or any of the Class 3 models at top speed all the time. Multiple levels of pedal assistance allow you to choose how much help you want to get to the top speed. Too fast? You can decrease the top speed through the display or connected app.

The Class 3 Aventon Level 3 also impressed us with its power and a top speed of 28 mph. While not quite as quick to accelerate using the throttle as the models mentioned above, its 500W (890W peak) motor felt robust, and it had no problem hitting and holding 28 mph on flat ground in its highest pedal assist level. Likewise, the small but mighty RadRunner Max surprised us with its power. This bike quickly accelerates using the throttle, and the 750W (996W peak) motor assists in reaching speeds of up to 28 mph.

The most power came from the Xafari, which pushed out 1,300 watts on the dyno machine. We found that its powerful motor could effortlessly push us up hills without requiring any additional pedaling assistance.

Interface

The interface of each bike differs, and the ergonomics, user-friendliness, and intuitiveness of the models in this review vary. Riders will interact with their e-bikes through their display and controls. Although every system we tested was functional, some are advanced and display a wealth of information, while others are more basic. Our preferred interfaces feature controls that are easy to access while riding, along with large, easy-to-read digital displays that display various data fields at a glance. Some displays are the size of a watch face, while others approach the size of a modern cell phone; some even have charging ports and apps that allow you to use your phone as a display. The Trek FX+7S features a built-in quad-lock phone mount, allowing you to use your phone as a digital dashboard while the bike keeps your phone charged.

Most modern bikes have advanced control and display systems, but several models stand out. The newest Rad Power, Aventon, and Lectric models particularly impressed us with their large digital display screens placed in the center of the handlebars for easy visibility. These screens provide a plethora of information, including your current speed, pedal assist level, distance traveled, time, and more. These bikes also have user-friendly control buttons next to the left grip, making them easily accessible while riding. Additionally, Aventon has taken an extra step with their Aventure.2 model, which is compatible with the Aventon companion app. This app allows you to synchronize with your bike's display, change settings, record rides, and share your cycling experiences with the Aventon community.

The Ride1Up Prodigy and the Roadster V3 models feature all-in-one units that combine button controls and displays in a single unit, mounted to the handlebar by the left grip. The displays show a vast array of data and are easy to read, although their smaller screen size and location make them a little less user-friendly than models that feature larger screens in the center of the handlebars.

Assembly

Every bike in this test was shipped directly to us and required some assembly before being taken out for test rides. Most of the models arrived mostly assembled with only a few relatively easy steps remaining to get them ready to roll. People unfamiliar with bikes may want to have the assembly completed by a professional bike mechanic. However, the remaining assembly of every bike we tested can be easily completed at home with a little time, a few tools, and detailed instructions. Some bikes are easier and quicker to assemble than others, with fewer and/or easier steps to finish the job.

The two folding bikes we tested were clear winners in this metric because they arrived fully assembled. The Blix Vika X was almost completely assembled, though the handlebars needed to be tightened and the pedals installed to finish the job, which was a very quick and easy process. Some of these bikes can claim no assembly required because they use quick-release pedals. In general, we're not a fan of these or the folding pedals, as they make the interface with the bike feel less stable. The Trek FX+7S and Segway Xafari also edged out the competition as we picked them up from the bicycle shop fully assembled.

The Charge City received high marks for its slick packaging and straightforward assembly process. This bike comes with the handlebars and pedals already attached, requiring only the front wheel to be installed. Assembling the Ride1Up Prodigy was also straightforward, a major highlight being the lack of styrofoam or plastic packaging. The bike was ready to ride once we installed the handlebars and pedals and set the saddle height.

Conclusion

Whether for commuting, running errands, or simply riding for fun or fitness, a quality e-bike is a great way to get you there. With so many options on the market, we know there can be much to consider when choosing a new electric bike. Our rigorous testing process goes past the specifications and jargon and into the nitty-gritty details of how these bikes perform in the real world. We hope our detailed comparative analysis helps you find the right e-bike to suit your needs and meet your budget.