Expert consulted: In some places, like much of Europe, e-mountain bikes are so ubiquitous that a bike rental shop may look at you funny if you ask for a non-powered bike. How do I know? A kid at a shop in the Austrian Alps once asked two different co-workers to translate my request for a standard bike, sure that he was misunderstanding me. Apparently, I was the first person to ever turn my nose up at the row of beautiful e-mountain bikes lined up outside.
No, I assured him, I wanted to pedal myself. I ended up on a cobweb covered bike with bald tires that was pulled from the depths of a basement. Big mistake. I spent the next several days sweating up long alpine climbs while four-generation families gleefully floated past on powered bikes.
Now, Americans are increasingly realizing what Europeans have known for years: e-mountain bikes make it fun to ride longer or can help us go faster. E-mountain bikes combine off-road functionality with pedal-assist power that makes it easier to get to the top of the climb. Modern geometry and components make these bikes just as fun to ride downhill as their non-powered counterparts. These bikes keep improving as motors and batteries become more reliable, more powerful, lighter, and more efficient.
More importantly, bicycle designers have gone well beyond simply bolting a motor onto a bike and calling it an eMTB. The best models feature motors with enough power and range to let you get the most out of your ride, and are also built to be stable and capable of tackling any trail.
When you’re choosing an electric mountain, look for one that offers a high-power motor, a battery with long life (and/or the capability to add a backup battery), sufficient suspension travel, and a price that fits your budget.
The Best Electric Mountain Bikes
- Best Overall: Specialized Turbo Levo Alloy
- Best Hardtail: Aventon Ramblas
- Best Lightweight: Santa Cruz Heckler SL
- Best Enduro: Yeti 160E
- Best Women's Specific: Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ EL 3
What to Consider in an Electric Mountain Bike
When you’re shopping for an electronic mountain bike, you’ll want to factor in not only the motor’s power and features, but also the bike’s basic capabilities.
Why You Should Trust Us
Bicycling has been vetting and reviewing bikes, gear, and accessories for more than 50 years. The bike recommendations here are based on the extensive work of the test team, which includes Deputy Editor Tara Seplavy, Senior Test Editor Matt Phillips, Test Editor Dan Chabonov, and Maintenance Editor Gabe Ortiz. Together, they have more than 60 years of ride-testing experience and insight that they bring to every recommendation they make.
For electric mountain bikes, Matt Phillips and Tara Seplavy oversaw these selections based on the team’s collective testing experience, as well as their own extensive knowledge of the category.
Andrew Bernstein has been a cyclist nearly his whole life and a passionate road rider and racer since he was a teenager. These days, he rides road and gravel bikes around his home in Boulder, Colo. As a former bike salesperson and Bicycling Gear Editor, Andrew has had the chance to ride many bikes and meet many Bicycling readers, helping him to know what to look for in making these recommendations.
Dan Cavallari is a born tinkerer with a garage full of tools to prove it. He spent 14 years as a bicycle mechanic in various shops across the United States and is the editor/publisher of both Slowguyonthefastride.com and DawnpatrolMTB.com. He is the former technical editor of VeloNews Magazine. Find him on Instagram: @DawnPatrolMTB @slowguyonthefastride.
How We Selected These E-MTBs
The recommendations here are the combined efforts of Dan Cavallari who has been riding mountain bikes for nearly 30 years, and testing them professionally for more than a decade, in addition to the testing efforts and combined experience of the Bicycling test team, and, finally, the research and industry expertise of Andrew Bernstein.
Each bike recommended here offers an excellent ride quality balanced with assist capabilities most useful to mountain bikers. Based on the cumulative experiences and input of the experts and test team, these are the best electric mountain bikes you can buy right now.
Our Full Electric Mountain Bike Reviews
Pros
- Versatile trail bike
- Smooth-engaging motor
- Riders can easily adjust motor setting with Specialized’s Mission Control app
Cons
- Mullet configuration won’t appeal to all riders
Key Specs
| Weight | 53 lb |
|---|---|
| Travel | 160/150mm |
| Battery | 700Wh |
| Torque | 90 Nm |
Specialized has always been known for technical innovation, and when it entered the e-bike market 10 years ago, its first Turbo bikes were highly polished and well-designed. Things have only gotten better since then, and the current generation of Specialized Turbo e-bikes is built around Specialized’s own fast-engaging motor.
The Levo’s 500Wh battery holds enough electrons to carry most riders through all-day rides, and the geometry is designed to make for a stable bike that you can still whip through the technical sections.
Pros
- Easy-to-use-controls
- Large battery
Cons
- Heavier than other bikes
Key Specs
| Weight | 54 lb (size large) |
|---|---|
| Battery | 708 Wh |
Aventon’s do-it-all hardtail is built around the brand's proprietary motor and power system, which includes a 708Wh battery. The battery gives this bike a longer range than many others, even without a range extender, making the Ramblas perfect for riders who prioritize full days in the saddle. The bike is on the heavier side, which may make it harder to handle, especially in tight terrain, but the responsive Rockshox fork will help riders fly across square-edge bumps.
Read Full Aventon Ramblas Review
Pros
- Light for an e-bike
- Slick styling that hides the power system
- Proven trail geometry
Cons
- Lower-powered motor won’t give you as much of a boost as other bikes.
- Smaller battery won’t support longer rides on higher boost settings
Key Specs
| Weight | 43.7 lb (size medium) |
|---|---|
| Travel | (160mm Front/150mm Rear) |
| Battery | 430 Wh |
| Torque | 60Nm |
The Heckler’s slick styling means your riding buddies may not believe that you’re riding an e-bike, at least not until you power away on the first climb. The motor and battery—made by Fazua, a German manufacturer—are so svelte that they almost entirely disappear into the standard Heckler’s frame.
The power comes on smoothly and will work dependably for years. Few brands have as much experience building mountain bikes as Santa Cruz does, and you can feel its experience in the trail-proven handling when you take this bike out for a shred.
Read Full Santa Cruz Heckler SL Review
Pros
- Stable geometry
- SRAM Universal derailleur hanger
- Sixfinity suspension works flawlessly to smooth the trail
Cons
Key Specs
| Weight | 49.7 lb |
|---|---|
| Battery | 630 Wh |
Yeti’s first e-mountain bike uses Shimano’s EP8 drive system and will help you cruise any trail. Yeti may be new to e-bikes, but the Colorado-based brand has a long track record of building bikes that are as playful as they are competent on rough, steep terrain.
In that tradition, the 160E is ready to tackle any trail, and especially thrives on rough and steep trails. The bike comes in a variety of component configurations, allowing riders to choose their parts, and, to an extent, their price point. The model linked here is built with a dependable Shimano XT drivetrain and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes.
Pros
- Women’s-oriented brand and product design
- Smooth motor feel
- Sleek looks and integrated features
Cons
- Small battery capacity
- No XL size
Key Specs
| Weight | Not Listed |
|---|---|
| Travel | 150mm front/140mm rear |
| Battery | 400 Wh |
| Torque | 85Nm |
The Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite, which is Liv’s first performance carbon trail eMTB, demonstrates the promising future of ultra-lightweight electric mountain bikes. The SyncDrive Pro2 motor engages smoothly but is slightly less powerful than other motors. The drive system was co-developed with Yamaha and should prove durable enough for many happy miles.
Smaller and lighter riders will find that the motor has plenty of power, and its light weight makes it easy to drive this bike across and through technical sections. We also like the bike’s sleek design, and Liv’s focus on female rides mean that the total package is well thought out with touch points optimized for female riders.
Read Full Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ EL 3
Pros
- Ready to help kids explore further
- Governed top-speed ensures that kids can’t go too fast
- Geometry designed for growing riders
Cons
- Short-term investment; it’s a bike that your kid will outgrow
Key Specs
| Weight | 35 lb |
|---|---|
| Travel | 100mm front/rear |
| Battery | 320 Wh |
| Torque | 50Nm |
E-bikes can help kids imagine the long rides they’ll be able to enjoy as they get older and stronger. At the same time, the boost can make it practical to take your child out on longer rides that they wouldn’t have enough energy for on their own.
Like all ebikes, this Levo is heavier than comparable non-powered models. That means that it takes more work for the rider to push it around corners, but the geometry is well-designed and the mid-mount motor helps to keep the bike well-balanced for even the smallest riders.
Pros
- Smaller sizes use 27.5-in. wheels; bigger sizes use 29-in.
- Value-oriented package that will work well for many riders
- Proven Bosch power system
Cons
- Heavier than other e-bikes
Key Specs
| Weight | 55 lb |
|---|---|
| Travel | 140mm front/130mm |
| Battery | 625 Wh |
| Torque | 85Nm |
REI’s Co-Op brand focused on giving riders a great value in a bike that’s fun to ride. The DRT e3.1 has a durable aluminum frame and a solid mix of components that will be dependable without increasing the price of the bike too much. The German brand Bosch is one of the leaders in e-bike motors, and its proven power system should last for thousands of happy miles.
While REI is not generally known as a bike shop, its national network of stores and friendly staff are known for being helpful and professional, ensuring that Co-Op riders will have a dependable place to go for maintenance, advice, and any warranty issues that should arise (although that’s unlikely to be needed).
Q&A with Expert Andrew Bernstein
Expert Andrew Bernstein Shares What Extras To Take On Your Ride, When to Update Firmware, and Where to Ride
Andrew “Bernie” Bernstein is a former Bicycling Magazine Gear Editor, and Bicycling marketing manager. While at Bicycling, he promoted the Bicycling Fall Classic, and the famed Fifth Street Cross Thursday Night Training Series. Bernie was an elite track and road racer from 2010-2019. In 2019, he was hit by a driver near his home in Boulder, CO. The crash nearly killed him and left him with paraplegia. He considers himself very lucky to still now be able to hike, and ride with the help of an e-gravel bike. He’s written about his experience as a paracyclist disabled athletes for Men’s Health, Bicycling, and Outside Magazine. You can follow his adventures on Instagram.
Dan is a writer and editor who runs Brown Tie Media (publisher of Slowguyonthefastride.com and DawnpatrolMTB.com) and a born tinkerer with the garage full of tools to prove it. His life on two wheels started with an overwhelmingly heavy Huffy and progressed into top of the line mountain, road, and gravel bikes over the course of many miles and pedal strokes. He is the former longtime technical editor for VeloNews Magazine and spent 14 years as a bicycle mechanic in various shops across the US. Dan's writing and photography has appeared in VeloNews Magazine, Triathlete Magazine, Podium Runner Magazine, Women's Running Magazine, Cycling Weekly, Rouleur Magazine, Road Bike Action Magazine, Mountain Bike Action Magazine, CycleVolta.com, Tomsguide.com, Cycle Sports Japan, CyclingTips.com, Bikerumor.com, Bicycle Retailer, and more.
A gear editor for his entire career, Matt’s journey to becoming a leading cycling tech journalist started in 1995, and he’s been at it ever since; likely riding more cycling equipment than anyone on the planet along the way. Previous to his time with Bicycling, Matt worked in bike shops as a service manager, mechanic, and sales person. Based in Durango, Colorado, he enjoys riding and testing any and all kinds of bikes, so you’re just as likely to see him on a road bike dressed in Lycra at a Tuesday night worlds ride as you are to find him dressed in a full face helmet and pads riding a bike park on an enduro bike. He doesn’t race often, but he’s game for anything; having entered road races, criteriums, trials competitions, dual slalom, downhill races, enduros, stage races, short track, time trials, and gran fondos. Next up on his to-do list: a multi day bikepacking trip, and an e-bike race.
As Deputy Editor, Tara Seplavy leads Bicycling’s product test team; after having previously led product development and sourcing for multiple bike brands, run World Championship winning mountain bike teams, wrenched at renowned bicycle shops in Brooklyn, raced everything from criteriums to downhill, and ridden bikes on six different continents (landing herself in hospital emergency rooms in four countries and counting). Based in Easton, Pennsylvania, Tara spends tons of time on the road and trail testing products. A familiar face at cyclocross races, crits, and bike parks in the Mid Atlantic and New England, on weekends she can often be found racing for the New York City-based CRCA/KruisCX team. When not riding a bike, or talking about them, Tara listens to a lot of ska, punk, and emo music, and consumes too much social media.
