Electric bike prices are all over the map and now more than ever it’s hard to distinguish which brands are reputable. It’s even more important to be educated on ebike brands when you’re looking at affordable ebikes or those priced less than $1,500. Sure there are plenty of ebikes on Amazon which come in at the $400 range but more often than not the quality is going to be questionable and the specs are going to leave much to be desired. Your ebike experience is going to be much more positive if you spend a bit more and get something with a decent size battery, a powerful motor and at least some brand name components.
Recently someone reached out to me asking what ebike models I’d recommend if I were on a budget. I view a budget ebike to be priced at less than $1,200 and surprisingly there are some really good choices at this price point. I came up with four ebikes which fit this budget category and they all have at least 500 watt motors.
Perhaps not surprisingly the Rad Power Bikes RadRunner 1 is at the top of my list (We own a Rad Power Bikes RadWagon). Coming in at $1,199 you get a sizable battery and a powerful enough motor. It is the same motor used in many of the other models that Rad Power Bikes offers such as the RadRover. The RadRunner 1 is also the most versatile of the bunch given the integrated rear rack that can carry a passenger. It gives all of the moped-style electric bikes a run for their money given the cost and it is backed up by Rad Power Bikes’ industry leading customer support. Keep in mind any of the additional accessories will cost you extra and that this bike is a single speed. It also doesn’t have an LCD display like all of the other Rad Power Bikes models.
If you’re looking for a more traditional style electric bike I really like the brand new offering from Ride1Up called the Core-5. They also continue to offer the 500 Series which offers a bit more comfortable ride with the front suspension and sports a slightly larger battery than the Core-5. These bikes are priced at $1,095 and $1,195 are are both worthy of consideration. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you’re curious about Ride1Up’s other new model, the LMT’D. It is a powerful electric bike that will be arriving soon to Ebike Escape HQ.
Finally we have a bit of a curveball in the mix with the Lectric XP from Lectric eBikes. The Lectric XP is a fat tire folding ebike with a 500 watt motor (800 watt peak). What makes this model unique from the others is that it is currently priced at $899. The company is new having just launched their first ebike this year but It’s hard to find anything as compelling at this price point. The bike also comes fully assembled which is another benefit to those who may otherwise enlist a bike shop for assembly.
Below is the short video I recorded on these affordable ebikes.
