The right electric bike can take the sweat out of riding and make cycling fun again – and we're here to help you choose the one for you.

Do you enjoy the freedom of cycling, but sometimes wish your panniers seemed lighter, the headwind less stiff, and the hills not quite so steep? Fancy arriving at your destination fresh and presentable rather than sweaty and rumpled? Then you’re already lusting after an e-bike.

For commuting, grocery-getting, or leisure riding, electric bikes deliver on the promise of carefree cycling that geography and fitness sometimes conspire to derail. Combining transport and exercise, a little electric assistance can keep the balance right, ensuring your new electric bike is an ever more viable alternative to public transport or hopping in the car.

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Allowing riders to tailor the assistance they receive, from a gentle push to a full-on shove, the majority of the best electric bikes work on a pedal-assist basis. Meaning there’s no throttle, you’ll need to turn the cranks before the motor adds in the extra power. Assistance is also limited to modest speeds, above which you’ll need to do all the work yourself.

Coming in a range of different styles, unless you’re already into road racing or mountain biking, some form of hybrid electric bike will suit most riders. With versatile types, most are happy on tarmac or gravel paths, instantly comfortable to ride, and will fit accessories like racks and mudguards.

From fast city commuters to multi-terrain capable machines and innovative electric folders, we’ve rounded up five of our faves.

If you're on a particularly tight budget, check out our guide to the best cheap electric bikes as well.

(Image credit: Ribble)

1. Ribble Hybrid AL e A super-stylish hybrid e-bike for commuting and weekend fun No price information Check Amazon Smooth power-assisted ride Great looks Surprisingly affordable App needs a little work

With its road-inspired design and super smooth ride, the Ribble Hybrid AL e is our tip for the best electric bike available right now. Whether you're looking for something to take the sweat out of your daily commute, or a bike for long weekend rides, this electric hybrid could be just the ticket.

Electric bikes often aren't particularly stylish, and their chunky frame-mounted batteries are common targets for mean-spirited vandals, but the Ribble Hybrid AL e could easily pass as a conventional push-bike. Its drive system weighs a mere 3.5kg, making the bike surprisingly light (it weighs less than some electric scooters), and only a discreet power button and slightly thicker than usual downtube give it away.

It can be charged from flat in 3.5 hours, and gives you up to 60 miles of power-assisted riding over mixed terrain. There are three levels of assistance to choose from (though in our experience the highest is the most fun), and the Ebikemotion companion app provides you with turn-by-turn navigation and live stats on your ride.

If that's not enough, this is also one of the most affordable e-bikes available today. Highly recommended, and hugely enjoyable to ride.

Read our full Ribble Hybrid AL e review

Gocycle GX (Image credit: GoCycle)

2. Gocycle GX A smart, folding e-bike with a radical low-maintenance design No price information Check Amazon Folds to save space or for easy transport Superb design and performance Might baffle home mechanics Large collapsed size for a pure folder

Where to start with the radical Gocycle? For one, it folds, but it’s not a standard ‘folding bike’, being good enough to ride that we’ve put it in with these full-sized alternatives. Then there’s the radical frame that includes a mono sided fork and rear swingarm.

With hydraulic disc brakes, magnesium spoked wheels, enclosed chaincase, tiny front hub motor, and internal three-speed gearing, none of these are gimmicks. Adding up to one incredible electric bike, even without the power on it rides nicely. Switched on, its motor assist is excellent, while the bike’s app lets you customise its performance to the Nth degree.

About the only downsides are the slightly idiosyncratic handling created by the small 20-inch wheels, along with the way some of the tech may baffle home mechanics.

Read our full GoCycle GX review

(Image credit: Ribble)

3. Ribble CGR AL e A sporty gravel e-bike that's enormous fun to ride No price information Check Amazon Sporty gravel bike design Super quick acceleration Easy to use and switch modes App needs some work

Most of the electric bikes in this roundup are designed primarily for road use, but the Ribble CGR AL e is something a bit different. This is a gravel bike – a genre that mixes chunky tires and a robust frame with sporty drop handlebars to create something that's equally at home on tarmac and trails.

The CGR AL e accelerates like a dream, and this combined with its maneuvrability make it a pleasure to ride. It's begging to be taken off the beaten path (there's plenty of room for fitting knobbly tires or just accumulating a vast amount of mud), and it charges from flat in just 3.5 hours so you won't have to plan your adventures too far in advance.

The only downside is the Ebikemotion app, which is still a work in progress and not quite perfect yet, but that's a small complaint.

Read our full Ribble CGR AL e review

(Image credit: Ampler)

4. Ampler Curt A stylish and subtle e-bike that’s fast and efficient. View at Ampler Bikes Light and easy to get going Stylish yet fully-featured Motor’s cut-off point is low Motor assist is gentle rather than full-gas

Easy to mistake for a conventional bike, the Curt features stylish looks, great extras, and a superb kit-list. With a hub motor and concealed battery, the bike’s lights are also neatly integrated.

Using skinny racing tyres and a fairly low front end, this electric bike is ideal for nippy city riding, or longer trips where efficiency is a concern. Its parts all back this up, with light wheels, superb hydraulic disc brakes, and great contact points.

Also available with derailleur gears, we were happy enough with this single-speed version. Even with one gear, the Curt is so fast it sometimes seems to be playing against type, and we often found ourselves pedalling faster than the limit imposed on UK e-bikes, causing the motor to cut out.

Read our full Ampler Curt review

(Image credit: Vado)

5. Specialized Turbo Vado 4.0 A long-range cruiser happy across multiple terrain-types. No price information Check Amazon Long-range with a powerful motor Arrives with lights, mudguards, and a rack A little on the heavy side Range isn't quite class-leading

Almost like a small electric scooter, the Turbo Vado is fully equipped to take the place of a car or motorbike. Equally good on the commute or the grocery run, its rack, lights, and mudguards combine to help you carry your kit in comfort and safety.

With a huge battery and mid-mount motor, this electric bike’s handling is exemplary, as is the assistance provided. Heavy to carry, riding on road or trail is nevertheless a joy thanks to its multi-terrain capable tyres and suspension fork.

Far outdistancing the other bikes here, the Vado’s huge capacity battery will likely do multiple commutes before needing a recharge. Still, it’s not quite the longest-running on the market; something worth considering if range is your prime concern.

Read our full Specialised Turbo Vado 4.0 review

(Image credit: Gtech)

6. Gtech Sport A single-speed electric bike that’s light, simple, and cheap. No price information Check Amazon Super easy to use and maintain Light and minimalist design Lacks a little top-end power Brakes could be better

Looking much like a conventional hybrid, the Gtech’s rear hub motor and bottle-style battery are the only hints it’s packing extra electrical assistance.

Using a simple single-speed drive, it employs a carbon belt rather than an oily chain to keep the user clean and maintenance to a minimum. With no display or app connectivity, you push the on-button, select one of two assistance modes, and off you go.

Weighing very little, it’s a fun electric bike to ride, even if the extra assistance is more subtle than on some models. A great first e-bike, about the only misstep in its spec is the v-style brakes, which will require more regular attention than more modern disc callipers.

Read our full Gtech Sport review