Updated August 21st, 2023
Electric Bikes are a great way to get around these days. They can be fast and exciting to ride. You can take them on public transportation too. Electric bikes are much less expensive than driving a car for your commute and errands. There are many great performing e-bikes out there for affordable prices these days.
See below for our top picks for best electric bikes under $1000. Keep reading for the rest of our recommendations and a guide to electric bikes.
The 8 Best Electric Bikes Under $1000
- BEST OVERALL: Ride1Up Turris
- BEST COMMUTER BIKE: Charge City Electric Bike
- BEST FOLDING E-BIKE: Lectric XP 3.0
- BEST ROAD E-BIKE: Ride1Up Roadster V2
- Wing Freedom 3
- AVENTON SOLTERA
- Hiboy P7 Commuter
- Velowave Ghost 500
1. Best Overall – Ride1Up Turris
Specifications
- Max Speed – 28 mph
- Range – 25-45 miles
- Max Rider Weight – 300 lbs
- Bike Weight – 55 lbs
- Motor Power – 750 watt rear hub
- Speeds – 7 Speed Shimano Altus
- Brakes – Hydraulic disc
- Wheel Size – 27.5 inch
The Ride1Up Turris is a great fast and fun e-bike. It is one of the faster bikes with longer range in this price range. It can go up to 28mph and a range of 25-45 miles. The bike comes nicely equipped with fenders and lights. It doesn’t come with any racks.
The bike has all cables and wires mounted inside the frame. The battery is integrated into the downtube for a clean look. The frame is available in regular and step thru versions. There are 3 colors available as well.
The Turris has a 750 watt rear hub motor giving it plenty of hill climbing power. It can go up to 28mph. It can easily reach it’s top speed quickly. The bike has a 7 speed Shimano Altus driveline which has enough range for hill climbing and going fast on flats.
The bike has a more relaxed geometry with an upright seating position making it comfortable to ride. The geometry has enough sportiness to it that the bike feels stable going fast and corners well. The Kenda 27.5 inch tires provide lots of grip and plenty of cushion. The front suspension fork has enough cushion for cracks, potholes and dirtroads.
What we liked:
- Lots of power and speed
- Tires have enough cushion for a smooth ride without a suspension fork
- Long range
- Comfortable to ride with upright seating position
- Good cornering performance without being twitchy
- Clean looking frame with integrated battery
- Comes with fenders and lights
What we didn’t like:
- Noisy motor
- Short range for heavier riders
Bottom line:
The Ride1Up Turris is a bike that likes to go fast. It is a class 3 that can go up to 28mph and handles hills easily with a 7 speed driveline. The geometry makes it comfortable to ride with good cornering.
See Best Deals!
Get up to $300 Off on e-Bikes during Ride1Up Labor Day Sale
2. Best Commuter Bike – Charge City Electric Bike
Specifications
- Max Speed – 20 mph
- Range – Up to 50 miles
- Max Rider Weight – 300 lbs
- Bike Weight – 45 lbs
- Motor Power – 250 watt rear hub
- Speeds – 7 Speed Shimano Altus
- Brakes – Mechanical disc with 160mm rotors
- Wheel Size – 700c (29 inch)
The Charge City Electric Bike is a different approach towards a commuter bike. Most companies give you more power and more capacity but they also give you a heavy to lug around and difficult to store bike. The Charge City Electric Bike is focused on being a light weight e-bike that is easy to transport and store.
The City Electric has a 250 watt motor and 7 speed Shimano Altus driveline. This gives it enough power for most city riding and short hills. Going with this approach brings the bike weight in at 45 lbs with the battery. This is much lighter than most other e-bikes that are 55-75 lbs. That makes it much easier to carry or hang up on a wall or rack.
The City Electric has a rotating handlebar along with folding pedals. This means you can store it up against a wall and it only sticks out a few inches. It needs half the space to store as a big with traditional handlebars and pedals. I wish more bike companies would include these features.
Riding the City Electric is fun and easy. It has enough power to give you some help without being difficult to ride in close spaces and around pedestrians. It has a comfortable upright riding position. It uses 29 inch wheels for a smoother more efficient ride than 27.5 inch wheels.
What we liked:
- Lighter weight than most other e-bikes
- Easy to store with folding pedals and rotating handlebar
- Enough power for city and urban riding
- Includes fenders and rack
- Upright comfortable riding position
- Easy to use controls
What we didn’t like:
- Could use a little more power for steep hills
- Battery is not integrated into frame
Bottom line:
The Charge City Electric Bike is a great, fun to ride, commuter bike that is easy to store thanks to its lightweight design with folding pedals and handlebar
See Best Deals!
Get an extra $800 Off at ChargeBikes.com with Coupon Code GEARCRAVERCITY800
3. Best Folding E-Bike – Lectric XP 3.0
Specifications
- Max Speed – 28 mph
- Range – 45-65 miles
- Max Rider Weight – 330 lbs
- Bike Weight – 64 lbs
- Motor Power – 1000 watt rear hub
- Speeds – 7 Speed Shimano Tourney
- Brakes – Mechanical disc
- Wheel Size – 20 inch
The Lectric XP 3.0 improves almost everything upon the already very popular Lectric XP 2.0. It has more torque, more suspension travel, more braking power and still comes in at a very affordable price.
The XP 3.0 is one of the best folding electric bikes out there. It looks like a bike that should cost $3000-$4000 instead of just $1000. Lectric keeps the cost down by selling a ton of them. The XP 3.0 is available in both step-thru and regular frame designs to suit rider preference.
It has a 500 watt motor and 2 battery options. A regular range (10.5ah) and long range version (14ah). The controller and all electronics are upgraded from the older version. The XP 3.0 has much improved acceleration and taller gearing means it is easier to pedal at higher speeds too.
New for the XP 3.0 is an integrated rear rack that has a weigh capacity of 150 lbs. This means it can be used for a passenger or just carrying lots of stuff.
Lectric also offers tons of accessories for the XP 3.0 from rear seats, pet carriers to food carriers. It makes it one of the most versatile bikes out there.
What we liked:
- Convenient folding design that can be stored almost anywhere
- Available in regular and step-thru frame designs
- Heavy duty rear rack with 150 lb capacity
- Has fenders, racks and lights all standard
- Improved motor, controller, and gearing over the XP 2.0.
- Fun to ride with lots of power and top speed
- Strong brakes with 180mm rotors
What we didn’t like:
- At 64 lbs it’s a bit heavy to carry around
- There isn’t much to dislike about this bike
Bottom line:
The best folding electric bike option out there. It comes spec’d like a much more expensive bike including racks and fenders. There are tons of accessories to customize it for any use.
See Best Deals!
4. Best Road e-Bike – Ride1Up Roadster V2
Specifications
- Max Speed – 24 mph
- Range – 20-30 miles
- Max Rider Weight – 300 lbs
- Bike Weight – 33 lbs
- Motor Power – 350 watt rear hub
- Speeds – Single speed belt drive
- Brakes – disc or B-Brakes
- Wheel Size – 29 inch/700C
The Ride1Up Roadster V2 is an electric road bike with minimalist styling and good performance. The Roadster is a bike for someone who doesn’t want a bike that looks like an e-bike. The battery is hidden in the downtube. It doesn’t look like an oversized frame tube that stores a battery. The battery is removable for service but it’s not a quick and easy to change battery.
The Roadster has a 350 watt rear hub motor that is enough to give you a boost. The driveline uses a single speed belt drive that is very quiet and smooth. The range is 20-40 miles depending on how much pedalling you do. There is an available extra battery that can mount on the downtube that doubles the range. The bike is very light for an ebike and rides more like a road bike than an e-bike. It is light feeling. The gravel tires give enough cushion to smooth out potholes and cracks and allow you to take the bike on dirt roads.
The bike has enough power to handle flats and rolling hills. It doesn’t have enough power to push it up steep hills without pedalling. With only 1 speed you may need to work a bit.
What we liked:
- Clean minimal look. Doesn’t look like an e-bike
- Available in 2 frame sizes and several colors
- Reliable smooth belt drive
- Very lightweight for an e-bike
- Gravel tires for smooth ride and some offroad ability
- Available extra battery for extending range
What we didn’t like:
- Standard included battery is not quick and easy to remove
- Not a lot of power for climbing hills on electric throttle power
- LCD display is difficult to read in bright sunlight
Bottom line:
The Ride1Up Roadster V2 is for those who want a road bike with electric assist and don’t want to show off that they are on an e-bike. It has minimal electric components to help you go the distance.
See Best Deals!
Get up to $300 Off on e-Bikes during Ride1Up Labor Day Sale
5. Wing Freedom 3
Specifications
- Max Speed – 25 mph
- Range – 35-60 miles
- Max Rider Weight – Not published
- Bike Weight – 39 lbs
- Motor Power – 550 watt rear hub
- Speeds – 7 Speed Shimano Tourney
- Brakes – Mechanical disc
- Wheel Size – 26 inch
The Wing Freedom 3 is a more stylish commuter bike for those who want to stand out. It has a similar appearance to the much more expensive Vanmoof bikes. It is available at a much more affordable price anyone can afford.
The Freedom 2 has a 550 watt rear hub motor for assist and throttle modes. It has a top speed of 25 mph. It is setup as a commuter bike with 26 inch wheels and fenders. Racks do not come with the bike but they are an available option. The bike can be purchased with 1 of 3 battery options for those who want more or less range. The battery is easily removable for those who want to carry extra batteries.
The frame has a head light and tail light at the ends of the top tube. There is a built in electric alarm operated by a keyfob. It is very loud when it goes off to send bike thieves running. The alarm speaker also functions as a horn to let pedestrains and other bikers know your passing them.
The Freedom 2 has a more curved cruiser bike style handlebar. Some riders like this. Others whish for a more straight style bar. The bike handles well and the tires have enough cush to smooth out cracks in the pavement without a front suspension fork.
What we liked:
- Vanmoof style for a budget price
- Lightweight for an e-bike
- Snappy performance on the road
- Includes fenders and throttle
- Available with 3 battery sizes
- Available in 2 colors
- Removable battery hidden in the frame
- Headlight and tail light mounted in frame top tube
- Very loud electronic alarm
What we didn’t like:
- Curvy cruiser style handlebars
- Only available in 1 size and no step thru version
Bottom line:
The Wing Freedom 2 is a more stylish commuter bike for those who want to stand out with 3 available battery sizes. The Vanmoof style frame has integrated headlights along with a removable battery.
See Best Deals!
6. AVENTON SOLTERA
Specifications
- Max Speed – 20 mph
- Range – 41 miles
- Max Rider Weight – 300 lbs
- Bike Weight – 43 lbs
- Motor Power – 350 watt rear hub
- Speeds – 7 Speed Shimano Tourney
- Brakes – Mechanical disc
- Wheel Size – 29 inch/700C
The Avanton Soltera is a light duty road e-bike. It has the looks, style, and performance of a classic fixie bike without being a fixie. It is available in single speed or 7 speed versions. There is a regular frame and step through frame styles available also.
The bike has a 350 watt rear hub motor that gives enough assist when you need it. The frame integrated battery can give up to 41 miles of range. The bike has 700C road tires and traditional road bike geometry. It is meant for someone that likes to ride bikes with a more forward leaning athletic riding position. It is not a relaxed cruiser bike. The bike is snappy and light feeling on the road. It corners well with its aggressive riding position.
The 7 speed version of the bike comes with disc brakes. The single speed comes with u-brakes. We strongly prefer disc brakes and wish both versions had them. They are more simple to set up and maintain with better stopping power.
The bike doesn’t come with any racks or fenders keeping it light. It does have a headlight but no tail light. It has rack and fender mounts built into the frame for those who want to put them on.
What we liked:
- Lightweight for an e-bike
- Available with single or 7 speed driveline
- Road bike handling and performance
- Well integrated design that doesn’t really look like an e-bike
What we didn’t like:
- Not as much power and range as other e-bikes
- More forward athletic riding position
Bottom line:
An electric road bike with the spirit and looks of a single speed fixie bike. This bike is for someone who rides in an urban environment and wants good pedalling performance and electric assist
See Best Deals!
Get up to $500 Off E-Bikes and 20% Off Accessories during AVENTON LABOR DAY SALE
7. Hiboy P7 Commuter
Specifications
- Max Speed – 20 mph
- Range – 37-68 miles
- Max Rider Weight – 265 lbs
- Bike Weight – 65 lbs
- Motor Power – 500 watt rear hub
- Speeds – 9 Speed Shimano Altus
- Brakes – Mechanical disc
- Wheel Size – 27.5 inch
The Hiboy P7 Commuter Electric Bike is a hybrid style bike with good electronic integration. The bike is a hybrid style with light duty mountain bike components and tires. It lacks racks and other features such as a rear light you would find on a true commuter bike.
The bike has a 500 watt rear hub motor, with lots of torque, that feels a bit more like a 750 watt motor. The battery is nicely integrated into the frame. All the cables are mounted inside the frame giving it a clean high quality look. The driveline uses Shimano Altus 9 speed components. The throttle has very good resolution with a smooth response. You can change out of pedal assist at any time by applying throttle.
The bike has a more active riding position. It is more comfortable to ride while pedaling than it is using throttle only for a long time. It is a better bike for someone who wants to pedal and not someone who only wants to use throttle most of the time. The setup of this bike is more meant for paved or dirt road riding. The front suspension works well for smoothing out rough pavement and dirt roads. It’s not a true mountain bike fork with damping and won’t hold up to mountain bike trail use. The frame geometry is smooth and snappy for good cornering on pavement.
What we liked:
- Hybrid bike good for dirt roads and smooth paths
- Very smooth throttle response
- More active riding position that is most comfortable while pedalling
- 5 levels of pedal assist
- Pedal assist has no speed limit cutoff on any setting
What we didn’t like:
- Derailleur and brakes may need some adjustment
- Twist throttle has a stiff spring
- Front suspension fork is only good for very light duty offroad use
Bottom line:
A fun to ride hybrid bike, with mountain bike looks, that can handle dirt roads and some trails. Good for commuting or casual adventures.
See Best Deals!
8. Velowave Ghost 500
Specifications
- Max Speed – 25 mph
- Range – 45 miles
- Max Rider Weight – 280 lbs
- Bike Weight – 57 lbs
- Motor Power – 500 watt rear hub
- Speeds – 7 Speed Shimano Tourney
- Brakes – Mechanical disc
- Wheel Size – 27.5 inch
The Velowave Ghost 500 is an entry level electric mountain bike. It has basic mountain bike parts such as a generic front suspension fork and Kenda branded 27.5 inch tires. It has modern looking hard tail mountain bike geometry with a battery hidden in the frame.
It is powered by a 500 watt rear hub motor and a 7 speed Shimano Tourney pedal driveline. We would like to see at least Shimano Altus or Acera components on anything sold for offroad use. This is one of the few faults we have with this bike. The bike is setup for mountain biking which means it has no fenders, racks or lights from the factory. It has just what you need for trails.
The bike as spec’d is setup well for flowy mountain bike trails without big drops or lots of rocky, rooty technical terrain. It is a lot of fun to fly around a flowy trail with corners with berms.
The bike has mechanical disc brakes with 180mm rotors that give it plenty of stopping power. The electronic controls are simple and easy to use. It has a twist shifter on the right handlebar and thumb throttle on the left with the LCD display.
For those who want a bit more performance, Velowave offers the Ranger which has a 750 watt motor and hydraulic disc brakes.
What we liked:
- Mountain bike styling with battery hidden in the frame
- Good handling on flowy mountain bike trails and dirt roads
- Modern mountain bike geometry and riding position
- 27.5 inch wheels with Kenda branded tires
- Available in 2 colors
- Simple and easy to operate controls
- Disc brakes with 180mm rotors
What we didn’t like:
- No lights
- Shimano Tourney driveline on a mountain bike
Bottom line:
The Velowave Ghost 500 is an entry level electric mountain bike. It is setup with 27.5″ wheels with name brand Kenda tires. It has enough power for climbing hills and going fast.
See Best Deals!
Electric Bike Guide
There is a lot of things to think about when purchasing an electric bike. Where do you plan on riding it? How far do you need to go on it. Do you need to transport it on public transportation or the trunk of your car? How fast do you want to go? Let’s explore all of these electric bike questions below.
What are the benefits of an electric bike?
There are several benefits to an electric bike. Lets look at a few of them.
- They allow you to ride farther and faster than you could with a conventional bike.
- People who can’t ride a regular bike due to lower body injury can ride e-bikes.
- You can still use an e-bike to lose weight. This is especially true for people with injuries who can’t do other exercises.
- E-bikes make great commuter vehicles. They are much cheaper to own and operate than a car.
- They are fun to ride. Zipping around on a bike has never been boring no matter what kind of bike it is.
What should I look for when buying an electric bike?
Operating modes
There are a few different operating modes for electric bikes. They are motor powered and pedal assist. An electric bike may operate in one or both modes and also as an unpowered bike depending on the bike. Some electric bikes are able to switch modes.
- Powered Bike – The motor can power the bike on its own with no pedaling input. The bike may or may not have pedals.
- Pedal Assist – The motor provides power only when the rider is pedaling. A sensor on the pedal detects when the bike is being pedaled and powers the motor only when it’s being pedaled.
- Unpowered bike – You pedal the bike with no electric assist or power.
Motor power
Most electric bikes in the under $1000 price range have a motor that is between 350 and 500 watts of power. For reference 1 horsepower is equal to 745.7 watts. The more power an e-bike has, the easier it will be to go up hills, and the faster it can go.
Battery size
Most under $1000 electric bikes have 36 to 48 volt lithium batteries with between 10 and 13 amp hours of capacity. An electric bike with more battery capacity will have more range and can have more output power. Higher capacity lithium cells can discharge at a higher current without damaging the cells. More capacity is better. The downside to more battery capacity is that the batteries get bigger and heavier. There is only so much space on a bicycle frame to store batteries. If you need to carry your electric bike, battery weight becomes an important factor.
Bike Type
You can get electric bikes in all of the common bike types these days. The most popular types of bikes are listed below.
- Road bike – These bikes are primarily meant for riding on smooth paved surfaces. They have a crouched down riding position with drop handlebars.
- Mountain bike – These bikes are meant for riding off road on trails. They have flat handlebars and a more upright riding position. Most have front suspension or full suspension.
- Hybrid bike – These are a cross between mountain bikes and road bikes. They have a more upright riding position and flat handlebars similar to a mountain bike. They are lighter weight with tires and wheels that are more pavement oriented.
- Gravel bike – These are another cross between a mountain bike and a road bike. They have droop handlebars and crouched down seating position of a road bike with wheels and tires that are more oriented towards gravel or dirt road surfaces
- Commuter bike – These are an offshoot of a road bike. They tend to have flat handlebars and upright seating position. They have wheels and tires meant for pavement use.
- Folding bike – This is a bike that can fold in half to be more portable. They tend to be road bikes with pavement oriented tires and wheels and flat handlebars.
Driveline
The bike will have some combination of chainrings (front gears) and cogs (rear gears). 3 x 7 drivelines with 3 chainrings and 7 cogs are really common in bikes under $1000. Since e-bikes also have motor assist they don’t always have a need for really low gearing. Some bikes have a 1 x 7 or single chain ring and 7 cogs.
Most e-bikes come with 1 x 7 drivelines until the price goes well over $2000. Occasionally one has a 3 x 7 driveline because the bike it’s based on happened to have a front derailleur. Most common rear hub motors are designed around Shimano 7 speed freewheels.
Higher end drivelines usually mean more range in gear ratios. This means you get better climbing (low gear) and better top speed (high gear).
As you go up in cost bikes transition from a 3 x 7 system to a 3 x 8 or 3 x 9 system. Then to a 2 x 10 and finally to 1 x 11 and 1 x 12 on high end bikes. 1 x 12’s are wonderful and simple to use since they have a lot of range and no front derailleur to worry about.
This may seem counter intuitive since higher end bikes lose the front derailleur and have fewer parts. Low end bikes have 3 chainring drivelines which would seem to be a more complex system.
See our article on 1x Drivelines to learn more about 1 x 12 systems.
Brake type
Bike brakes are either v-brake or u-brakes that clamp on the rim to stop the bike or disc brakes. V-Brakes are the traditional bike brake that are operated by a cable. They work by clamping brake pads against the sidewalls of your bike rims. They work well when setup right. They don’t work when the bike rims get wet. If the bike wheel becomes bent and out of true it effects their clamping effort. They have less stopping power then disc brakes.
Disc brakes work by clamping against a rotor attached to the center of your bike wheel. They can be operated by a cable or hydraulics. They have several advantages over v-brakes. They have much higher braking power. You can screech to a stop with 1 finger effort. They work on wet roads. The rotor is far from the wheels and wet pavement. They work with bent or out of true wheels because they are attached to the hub.
Disc brakes are better performing and preferred for any e-bike. Hydraulic disc brakes are even better.
Frame Material
Most bike frames are made of aluminum. Aluminum offers good lightweight construction for a reasonable price.
Carbon fiber is the next most popular choice but it is much much more expensive. Carbon fiber bikes will weigh several pounds less than an aluminum bike. You will pay a few thousand dollars to save those few pounds.
Some bikes are still made with steel frames. Steel frames are a few pounds heavier than aluminum. Steel has good durability and the frames are more flexible than aluminum so it can provide a softer ride.
With an electric bike, you are carrying around several pounds of batteries. Some have 20 to 30 lbs of batteries which weigh as much as some bikes. It’s not worth spending thousands for a carbon frame when you are going to strap pounds of battery weight to it.
Wheel size
Bigger bicycle wheels give a smoother ride. Bigger wheels roll with less resistance and are more efficient. Common wheel sizes for full size bike wheels are 29 inch or 700C, 27.5inch or 650b, and 26inch. 26 inch is no longer common except on under $500 mountain bikes, cruiser bikes, or fat bikes with 4 inch wide tires.
Foldable bikes or small portable bikes have smaller wheels. These make the bike light enough to carry. They will not ride as smoothly and they will take more effort to climb hills.
Class 1, 2, and 3 e-bikes
California has developed a system of 3 classifications for electric bikes. Several other states and federal organizations have adopted it as well. The classifications are as follows:
- Class 1 e-bike – pedal assist only with no throttle and a top powered speed of 20mph
- Class 2 e-bike – Bike can be powered by the motor alone with a maximum powered speed of 20mph
- Class 3 e-bike – pedal assist only with no throttle and a top powered speed of 28mph
To learn more about electric bike classifications go here.
You Might Also Like:
- The Best Electric Bikes Under $500 And Helpful Guide
- The Best Electric Bikes Under $2000 And Helpful Guide
- Why are E-Bikes so Expensive? Will they get any Cheaper?
- The Best Mountain Bike Helmets Under $100 And Helpful Guide
Doug Ryan
Co-Founder & Chief Editor
I grew up back east in Pennsylvania and learned to ski on a family trip to Killington, Vermont when I was 6. I immediately fell in love with the mountains and outdoors and have been skiing across the US and Canada ever since. I went to school for Mechanical Engineering, and have a Master’s Degree in Material Science and Reliability.
I am a total gear nerd and love learning how things work and thinking about how they could be improved. Nothing excites me more than trying out new gear. I’d rather spend 3 hours taking my bike apart and learning how to change something than go to a bike shop. These days I reside in Michigan by the Great Lakes and go skiing, biking, and boating as much as possible.
doug@adventuregearinsider.com
