7 Stylish and Powerful Electric Bikes You’ll Actually Want to Ride

Bryan Hood

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Electric cars may hog all the attention these days, but they’re not the only sector of the EV market that’s growing at light speed. Electric bikes have also evolved dramatically over the last decade. Once clunky monstrosities that needed to be charged for hours after a single trip across town, technological advancements—particularly where motors and batteries are concerned—have seen electric bikes turn into sleek machines capable of helping riders get where they need to be quicker than ever before. Whether you’re just riding around town, running errands or hitting the trails, there’s now an e-bike that will help you accomplish the task without breaking a sweat. Here are seven perfectly suited for any ride you might want to take.

Electra Café Moto Go!

The limited-edition Café Moto Go! is Electra Bicycle Company’s latest attempt at wedding classic style with the technology of today, while pushing the e-bike forward. Described as being “like a bat out of hell,” the bike’s looks were inspired by the café racer motorcycles of the ‘60s and ‘70s—think a Honda CB750—making the highly stylized, single-speed one of the most eye-catching e-bikes on the market. The sleek, almost all-black bike sports a subtle beige and olive racing stripe, a bright Spanning Custom front bullet light, and features a Brooks premium leather saddle, and tool bag. The $4,499 e-bike has some pretty impressive performance specs as well, capable of hitting a top speed of 28 mph while zipping around town.

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Fuell Fluid 1S

Here’s a thing about e-bikes: even the best have iffy-ranges. Sure, the best will get you around town for a day, but what if you need to go further than that or won’t have access to a charging station for a day or two? The motorcycle-inspired Fuell Fluid 1S might be the bike for you then, with a maximum range of 125 miles, something basically unheard of in its class. While that range can be shorter depending on speed, pedal assistance and grade, that number isn’t the bike’s only eye-catching spec. Designed by motorcycle racer Erik Buell and Formula 1 designer Frédéric Vasseur, the $5,499 bike is equipped with a custom-made, mid-drive Bofeili motor and Gates Carbon Drive belt drive system that combine to produce 100 newton-meters of torque and hit a top speed of 28 mph.

Vintage Electric Roadster

Retro aesthetics are nothing new when it comes to e-bikes. Even with that in mind, the Vintage Electric Roadster stands out from the pack. But as slick as the Santa Clara, California-based company’s latest e-bike looks, it’s got plenty more to offer the discerning customer. Because while the Roadster may look like a blast from the past, it’s fully loaded with modern technology that makes it one of the better all-around e-bikes on the market. Featuring five different power modes, the bike is capable of a blistering 36 mph in Race Mode. Its 1123Wh battery also gets juice from its regenerative hydraulic disc brakes, giving it a more than acceptable 75-mile range. The Roadster starts at $6,995.

Pininfarina E-Voluzione

The famed Italian automotive design house Pininfarina—you might know them for their work with Ferrari—doesn’t want its carbon-frame e-bikes to look like other e-bikes. Or traditional bicycles for that matter. Instead, the company’s collaboration with Swiss e-bike manufacturer Diavelo, called the E-Voluzione, is a futuristic hybrid of the two. But the sci-fi aesthetic isn’t just for looks; it also ensures that the bike’s weight is evenly distributed throughout, an issue some of its peers still struggle with. The slick speedster is available in two editions: the XT, which comes with a Shimano XT chain drive (about $7,040), and the Nu Vinci, which comes with a NuVinci belt drive ($7,450).

Riese & Müller Load 60 Touring HS

While e-bikes have made it that much easier to get between locations quickly, they’re not really meant to carry anything more than their rider. Luckily, when you do find yourself having to transport a large load and don’t have a car on hand, the Riese & Muller Load 60 Touring HS is more than up for the task. Its two batteries and powerful Bosch motor mean you’ll be able to jet around at speeds of up to 28 mph with an extra 220 pounds in the bikes front-loading cargo area. That means the $8,099 e-bike the perfect bike to lug around groceries, pets, or even another person (wearing a helmet, of course).

Pivot Shuttle

When we think of e-bikes, we tend to think of commuter bikes that will get you around town with ease, even if you live somewhere known for its hills like San Francisco. But if you want something you can push a little further, like, say, up a mountain, you’re going to need something a little more powerful. Enter the Pivot Shuttle, a true beast of a e-mountain bike. Starting at $9,999, its Shimano STePS e8000 drive unit, 500Wh battery and 27.5-inch wheels outfitted with 2.8-inch tires help provide 20 mph of pedal-assistance, all but assuring there’s not a trail you won’t be able to conquer.

Specialized S-Works Turbo Creo SL-Founder’s Edition

No innovation has propelled the e-bike industry quite like the evolution of batteries. Once-bulky eyesores, they’ve now become so lightweight and small that they can be seamlessly integrated into the design of the bike. One need look no further than Specialized’s recently unveiled Turbo Creo line for proof. The sleek 11-speed’s most important design element is invisible: The motor and battery that are hidden away within its carbon-fiber frame, where only the most keen-eyed observers will spot it. The California manufacturer offers four bikes in the line, including the SL ($9,000), the off-road-ready SL EVO ($9,000), the S-Works Turbo Creo SL ($13,500) and the S-Works Turbo Creo SL-Founder’s Edition ($16,500).

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