In the last ten years, the electric bike industry exploded. While this technology isn't anything new (the first commercially available electric bikes were launched in '98), thanks to developments in motor and battery technology, electric bikes have become pretty affordable.
These days it's not uncommon to find a half-decent electric bike for less than a thousand dollars. These e-bikes are perfect for people new to this technology. They're not very fast and don't have a lot of range, but they can help you figure out whether they're worth riding around.
But what if you want an electric bike with moderate range, a beefy hub motor, and enough durability that it doesn't break after a year or two. Well, for that you will have to invest a bit more than $1000.
Thankfully, there are plenty of electric bikes under 2,000 dollars that cover all the above criteria.
In this article, I cover some of the best electric bikes under 2,000 dollars. So, if you're looking to take your biking experience to another level, keep on reading!
In A Hurry? Here's a recap of the best electric bikes under 2000!
Best Commuter Electric Bike
Ride1Up 700
The Ride1Up 700 Series is an attractive-looking commuter e-bike that will take your commuting experience to the next level. Thanks to a careful selection of high-quality materials and features, this e-bike manages to offer more than an average electric bike in the $2000 price range.
Best Fat Tire Electric Bike
RadRover 6
While certainly not the best fat tire e-bike on the market, RadRover 6 offers the perfect mix of durability, range, power, and price. If you're looking for an e-bike you can take on off-road bike paths, RadRover 6 should be on your shopping list.
Best Folding E-Bike
RadMini 4
The RadMini is one of the most exciting folding e-bikes on the market. It comes with a wide range of features that allow you to both commute around town and go on off-road adventures. The best thing about this e-bike? Its affordable price.
Best Road E-Bike
Wing Bikes Freedom X
The Freedom X is one of the weirdest-looking electric bicycles around. If you want people to notice you, this electric bike is the choice for you. Besides innovative design, this e-bike comes with quite a few interesting features, including high-quality hydraulic disc brakes, a torquey rear hub motor, and a 60-mile range.
Best Electric Bikes Under 2000 - Reviews
Ride1Up 700 Series electric bikes have been around for 3 years now. Even after three years, these e-bikes are still pretty worth their price.
The 700 series boasts some pretty impressive specs for a mid-range e-bike. It comes with a beefy motor, decent range, and powerful hydraulic disc brakes. All these specs combined provide you with an e-bike that's fun and comfortable to ride.
Let's take a look at the key specs and then get into the nitty-gritty detail.
Key Specs | |
Weight | 62 lbs |
Frame | Aluminum Alloy |
Tires | Schwalbe SUPER MOTO X 27.5x2.4 (584-60) |
Motor | 750W Shengyi Geared Hub Motor |
Battery | 48V14ah Reention Rhino, 52x Samsung 35E Cells |
Range | 30-50 Miles |
Brakes | Tektro Dual Piston Hydraulic Disc Brakes |
Frame
Just a quick glance at the frame on the e-bike tells you how much value for the price you're getting.
The frame is built out of durable aluminum alloy and features incredibly sleek lines. On top of that, the frame has some of the best welding lines I've ever seen on a mid-range e-bike.
This commuter e-bike comes with a rear rack with a 55-pound carrying capacity. Moreover, the rack features a triple bungee so you can secure your cargo and a LED taillight so you can be visible to motorists.
Another cool thing about the frame is that it comes with 70mm wide fenders. This is pretty wide for a commuter e-bike and will keep your feet and back dry during the rainiest of days.
The only downside to the frame is that due to all the extra accessories, the overall weight of the bike is whopping 62 pounds. This makes it pretty hard to carry upstairs or push it uphill without motor assistance.
Motor
The Ride1Up comes with a Shengyi gear hub motor that can produce a whopping 750W of power. What's more, its peak power output is rated at 1000W.
With this much power, you'll be able to reach the maximum speed of 28mph in a matter of seconds. Moreover, this e0bike produces quite a bit of torque. 60nm, to be more precise. Having a torquey motor is a godsend if you live in an area that's pretty hilly.
This e-bike comes with a 22-amp controller that ensures all electrical components play together. To control the various function, there's a side-mounted display on the handlebar.
The display is in full color and provides you with all the information you need, including the motor's power output, current speed, battery capacity, and more.
The Ride1Up features 9 levels of pedal assist, which is unprecedented for an e-bike that costs under $2000.
Since the motor is so torquey, you will have to get used to riding this e-bike on the highest level of pedal assist because of how responsive cadence sensors are.
Battery
Powering the 750w motor on this bike is a 672Wh battery pack with Samsung cells.
The battery has enough juice to ride you anywhere from 30 to 50 miles. The actual range on this e-bike is somewhere in between. Maybe you can get the full 50 miles if you rode this bike on flat ground.
The battery is cleverly hidden under the downtube, which gives the frame an extra dose of sleekness. What's more, it's secured by a lock and key, so no one steals it when you park the bike outside.
Along with the bike, you also get a 2-amp charger that can get the bike's battery fully charged in around 6 hours. This is pretty long, and I recommend you get an extra battery if you decide to purchase the Ride1Up.
Tires
The Ride1Up comes with beefy 27.5” x 2.4” Schwalbe Super Moto tires. Thanks to their high volume, they're perfect for city riding. You won't feel any road bumps or shocks.
The tires are built out of high-end rubber that is specially designed to withstand the strain of high-speed riding. They're so good you can even take this city bike on off-road adventures.
Brakes
Since the Ride1Up is pretty heavy, it comes with pretty serious brakes.
The Tektro hydraulic disc brakes will bring this e-bike to a full stop with just a short squeeze of the lever.
Moreover, the disc brakes come with an Electric Cut-Off sensor that overrides the pedal assist and the thumb throttle. The second you squeeze on the brake, the sensors will pick that up and turn off the motor.
PROS
Cons
Finding an e-bike that provides the perfect balance of stability and fun is pretty difficult. But, the people at Rad Power Bikes somehow managed to design such an e-bike.
The engineers at Rad Power Bikes did an excellent job at designing an almost perfect fat-tire e-bike. It comes with a beefy motor, sleek frame design, and tires that can conquer even the roughest of terrains.
Let's take a look at the key specs and move on from there.
Key Specs | |
Weight | 62 lbs |
Frame | Aluminum Alloy |
Tires | Schwalbe SUPER MOTO X 27.5x2.4 (584-60) |
Motor | 750W Shengyi Geared Hub Motor |
Battery | 48V14ah Reention Rhino, 52x Samsung 35E Cells |
Range | 30-50 Miles |
Brakes | Tektro Dual Piston Hydraulic Disc Brakes |
Frame
As you can see from the specs, the Rad Rover 6 is pretty heavy. But don't let that discourage you.
The frame is constructed out of durable 6061 aluminum alloy and has a maximum load capacity of 275 lbs.
I don't recommend you go over this limit because there is a chance you can overload the motor.
Where Rad Rover 6 excels over other e-bikes is in harsh environments - especially on snowy surfaces. Because of its high weight and fat tires, this e-bike will plow through thick layers of snow like it's nothing. Moreover, the RST spring front suspension fork provides superb stability, and you can even adjust it to your heart's content.
One of the coolest things about the frame on this electric bicycle is the ability to adjust the standover height of the top tube. You can lower it to 30.5 inches which is perfect for short riders.
Rad Power Bikes really went the extra mile when it comes to comfort. In addition to the fantastic front suspension, it also comes with a Velo Plush saddle. This saddle has a perfect ratio of width and height to provide perfect comfort.
Unfortunately, this e-bike doesn't come with front or back cargo racks. However, you can buy a front and rear cargo rack kit. That will push the price up a bit, but it will still be more than reasonable.
Motor
There's no point in having a hefty frame if you're not going to put a beefy motor on it. This is exactly what engineers at Rad Power Bikes did.
The Rad Power 6 comes with a 750W rear hub motor. Moreover, the motor is capable of producing 80 nm of torque. This means that you won't have much trouble conquering tough bike trails and steep hills. It will also accelerate to the max speed of 20 miles per hour in a matter of seconds.
As soon as you hit the max speed limit, the motor pedal assist mode will turn off. So, if you're new to e-bikes, I recommend you start with a lower pedal assist level and increase it as you become more comfortable controlling this beast of an e-bike.
The Rad Rover 6 features a backlight LCD display that provides you with all the crucial riding data such as current speed, battery power, as well as a cadence. The display also features a built-in clock, so you don't have to take out your phone mid-ride to check the time if you're in a hurry.
When it comes to pedal assist, this electric bike comes with six levels - from zero to five. The level zero PAS will put the e-bike in walk mode so you can push it easier.
Battery
The only weak point of this e-bike is the battery pack. The 672WH Lithium Rad battery provides you with about 40 miles of range. If you're planning on using this e-bike for daily commuting, you will have to recharge the battery at least twice a week.
The recharge time of six hours is pretty standard for a bike in the $2000 price range.
The best way to circumvent the low range and long recharge time is to purchase another battery. This way, you can simply plop in the fresh battery while the other one recharges.
Tires
The tires on this e-bike are nothing short of amazing. Besides providing you with superb grip, they're also very good at absorbing road shock.
If you want to ride this e-bike over sand, I recommend you deflate the tires a bit, so you get more grip.
Brakes
Because Rad Rover 6 is a bit heavier than other e-bikes, it comes with some pretty impressive brakes.
This e-bike comes with Nutt hydraulic disc brakes that provide superb stopping power. Unlike mechanical disc brakes, the ones on the Rad Rover 6 are much more responsive. The second you press on the leaver, you will start decelerating.
PROS
Cons
If you're limited on space, owning a bike can be pretty difficult. You can either lock it outside and hope it won't get stolen or install a bike hanger which means you'll have to clean your e-bike every time you come home.
Thankfully, there are e-bikes that are specially designed to take up as little space as possible. Enter RadMini, a fat tire e-bike that folds.
But, just because it's tiny, that doesn't mean it's not fun. The RadMini comes with a powerful motor that will get you around town effortlessly.
Key Specs | |
Weight | 69 lbs |
Frame | 6061 Aluminum Alloy |
Tires | 20" X 3.3 |
Motor | Bafang, RadMini Specific 750W Rear-Mounted Geared Hub Electric Motor |
Battery | 672 Wh Samsung 18650 35E 3500mAH |
Range | 25-45 Miles |
Brakes | 20 Miles Per Hour |
Frame
The Rad Mini 4 features a 6061 aluminum frame that's both light and sturdy. It can withstand loads of up to 275 lbs, and it features a telescoping handlebar stem you can adjust to ensure you're in an upright riding position.
Of course, the frame's main feature is its ability to fold.
You can fold this bike by unlatching a latch on the downtube. When folded, this bike measures only 41″ x 22″ x 28" (W x H x L). While you won't be able to put it under your bed, you won't have much trouble storing it in your closet or in a corner somewhere.
The latch is pretty heavy-duty. No matter how much stress you put on the frame, you can rest assured the latch won't break.
Besides durability, the Rad Mini also provides excellent comfort. Thanks to the front suspension fork, you won't feel any road shock.
Unfortunately, since it's built to be durable, this bike is pretty heavy - 69 lbs, to be precise. So, if you're living in an apartment building without an elevator, be ready to do some hard cardio while carrying this e-bike up several flights of stairs.
Motor
The Rad Mini comes with a Bafang 750W geared rear hub motor that can get you to speeds of up to 20 MPH. Unfortunately, you'll be able to reach the top speed on flat surfaces only.
Although the motor can produce up to 80 Nm of torque, you'll have trouble accelerating and going over hills.
What's more, the motor also produces a lot of noise the faster you're going. Still, this is pretty common for e-bikes in this price range.
The controller is located in the middle of the handlebar and comes with a pretty large LCD display. It also features a USB charging port you can use to charge your phone. Just keep in mind that that will further reduce your range.
The LCD displays all the necessary information, including pedal assist level, battery life, wattmeter, and more.
Battery
The battery pack on the Rad Mini is the same as on all other Rad Power E-bikes. It's a 672WH battery pack that uses Samsung li-ion cells.
Because the battery is a bit underpowered, don't expect to get a lot of range from this e-bike. In perfect conditions, you can expect around 40 miles.
The recharge time is also the same as the previous e-bike in this list, so the same advice applies to the Rad Mini. If you want to ride this bike all week long, I suggest you get a second battery pack. This way, you won't have any downtime.
Tires
The Rad Mini comes with 3.3-inch Kenda K-Shield fat tires. They're pretty chunky and provide you with more than enough grip for all types of terrains.
On top of that, they're puncture-resistant.
Even if you ride this bike over a thorn-laden trail, you can be sure they won't puncture.
Brakes
The Rad Mini features 180mm Tekra mechanical disc brakes. While not on the level of hydraulic brakes, they're pretty decent when used on smaller wheels.
You won't have much trouble stopping with this ebike, but it won't be as responsive as with hydraulic disc brakes.
PROS
Cons
Just like smartphones, most electric bikes look the same. You have a couple of frame designs that most companies use.
This is where Wing Bikes comes in.
Wing Bikes Freedom X features a unique frame design that will certainly turn some heads. On top of that, it comes with some pretty decent specs for a bike under $2000.
There are a couple of better e-bikes (such as the Cannondale Topstone Neo SL2), but these would be a bit pricier.
Key Specs | |
Weight | 39 Lbs |
Frame | Aluminum, Smooth Welding AL-ALLOY 6061 |
Tires | 26 X 1.75 |
Motor | 36V/550W Bafang With 45Nm Of Torque |
Battery | 8.8ah, 10.4ah, Or 14ah |
Range | 35, 45, Or 60 Miles (Depending On Battery) |
Brakes | 180mm Stainless Steel Rotors |
Frame
The frame on this e-bike is like something out of a 60's sci-fi movie. It features a unique cylindrical upper tube that also houses front and rear lights.
The bike frame, although unusual, is like that for a good reason. The straight lines and simplicity are there to serve an apparent goal - to keep you safe and comfortable.
The frame is built out of aluminum and features pretty smooth welds. The bike frame is pretty lightweight (only 39 pounds), so you won't have much trouble pushing or carrying it if needed.
Unfortunately, because of the unique frame design, the Freedom X doesn't come with a rear rack. So if you need a bike to carry cargo, I recommend you take another look at the best commuter under $2000.
The one thing I like the most about the frame is the way the battery is integrated into it. It perfectly fits inside the downtube, which is something you rarely see.
Motor
The Freedom X comes with a 550W Bafang motor with 45 Nm of torque.
Although the torque isn't that impressive, it's more than enough to get you to the top speed of 24 MPH pretty fast. You also have to factor in that this bike is designed for riding over paved roads, so you don't need much torque.
Bafang hub motors are famous for their durability and ruggedness. They don't break down easily, even if you push them over the limit.
You can access the various functions of the motor by using the buttons on the handlebar. The bike also features an LCD display that is integrated into the handlebar stem. Besides being pretty sleek, the display will give you all the crucial riding information such as the pedal assist level, battery charge, speed, and more.
Battery
Freedom X takes an interesting approach to batteries. Instead of being locked into one choice, this bike is available with three different batteries.
Depending on your needs, you can choose between 8.8Ah, 10.4Ah, or 14Ah battery. Each battery gives you a different max range and a different balance of torque vs your own pedaling strength.
All three batteries are pretty good - just make sure to pick one that best suits your needs. For instance, if you're planning on using the Freedom X for daily commuting, I recommend you go for the 14 Ah battery. Otherwise, you can go for one that's less powerful.
Tires
The Freedom X comes with Kenda tires that measure 26 by 1.75 inches. They're puncture resistant and provide you with enough grip for city riding.
Don't expect much grip on off-road trails because the tires aren't designed for that.
Brakes
Wing Bikes Freedom X features 180mm Stainless Steel rotor breaks. While not on the same level as hydraulic brakes, the rotors will get you to a full stop with a moderate squeeze of the leaver.
Construction-wise, they seem virtually indestructible. You're probably set for life if you do regular maintenance.
PROS
Cons
Aventon Sinch - Honorable Mention
Before we part ways, I have to mention another bike that surprised me. The Aventon Sinch offers you an incredibly fun riding experience while remaining pretty affordable.
Just like the Rad Mini, the Sinch features a foldable design. When folded, this bike measures only 41" x 23" x 31" (L x W x H). This means you won't have any trouble storing it in your apartment or your car.
One of the coolest things about this bike is the frame design. Besides being foldable, the battery is hidden inside the middle tube of the bike. This gives the Sinch a pretty sleek look.
This fat tire bike also comes with a pretty powerful motor. It comes with a 500W motor that can deliver up to 750W of peak power if you push it. It is a bit noisy, but that's expected for a rear hub motor.
Lastly, the tires are so large that you won't be able to resist not taking it to the beach or a forest trail so you can see just how fun this bike can get.
Conclusion
As you can see, the market is brimming with affordable e-bikes. The ones I featured in this article are just the tip of the iceberg.
If you do a little research on your own, I'm sure you can find a dozen more e-bikes that are even better than those featured in this article.