BIKE/BOARD

Top 5 Electric Commuter Bikes in 2023

April 11, 2023

Commuter e-bikes are one of the more popular segments of the electric bicycle market. They’re a great way to get around town, bike to work, and even grab groceries. You get the benefit of exercise and fresh air, as well as potentially beating traffic in gridlocked cities. And you can even get to work without working up a sweat, even opting to sweat more on the ride home. Here are our top 5 picks for 2023.

AVENTON LEVEL.2

I loved the original Level. It’s inexpensive, well-built, powerful and fun to ride. My one gripe was that it only has a cadence sensor. What that means is that as long as you move the pedals, even with no effort on your part, it will immediately go up to the top speed of whatever mode you’re in (e.g. in mode 1, it will go 12 mph).

In a departure from all their other e-bikes, Aventon decided to include a torque sensor. That means that the harder you pedal, the more assistance it offers. This means more natural power delivery as well as a greater range. It’s a Class 3, topping out at 28 mph with pedal assist or 20 mph with throttle-only.

The bike features a sturdy rear rack that can hold up to 55 lbs, a suspension fork to smooth out bad pavement, fenders, integrated lighting and more. It’s available in a step-over or step-through frame design.

SPECS

AVENTON LEVEL 2

Price: $1799
Frame: 6061 double-butted aluminum alloy with internal battery
Fork: Zoom coil-sprung suspension, thru-axle, 65mm travel with lockout
Motor: Aventon-branded, 500W brushless rear hub motor
Battery: 672 Wh Lithium-ion
Controls: LCD Smart Easy-read display with backlight
Charge Time: 4-5 hours
Top Speed: 28 mph (Class 3)
Range: up to 60 miles (claimed)
Rear derailleur: Shimano Acera, 8-speed cassette
Chain: KMC e-bike rated, 8-speed
Brakes: Tektro hydraulic dual-piston disc brakes, 180mm rotors
Saddle: Aventon by Velok
Rims: Double wall aluminum
Hubs: thru-axle
Tires: Chaoyang Arisun Hybrid, 27.5×2.1” with reflective sidewalls
Weight: 61 lbs
Color Choice: Clay or Glacier
Sizes: Regular (5’3”-5’10”), Large (5’10”-6’4”)
Website: aventon.com

BIANCHI E-OMNIA C-TYPE

Bianchi has been making bikes since the late 1800s. I’m a fan, I had a Bianchi Denali mountain bike that I loved for 20 years. They just started making electric bikes a few years ago, but they didn’t just strap a motor system on an existing bike, they created a line of e-bikes from the ground up. It shows in the ride quality and experience. And because of this, it’s more expensive than the Aventon.

The C-type is their commuter bike. It has a step-through aluminum frame, a beefy built-in rear rack, fenders, integrated Spanninga lighting and more. You have a choice between two different batteries, one is 500Wh and one is 625Wh. It’s a $400 difference for that extra range.

You also have two different options for drivetrain. There’s a chain-driven version that uses high-spec Shimano Deore shifter and derailleur, and there’s a belt-driven version that uses a Shimano Nexus internally-shifting 5-speed rear hub. The latter offers far less maintenance, and Gates carbon belt drives are very quiet.

The Bosch Performance Line CX motor is designed for mountain bikes, and as such offers an incredible 85Nm of torque to get you away from the stop sign or signal quickly, but it also only provides pedal assist up to 20 mph.

The voluminous WTB 29×2.2″ tires glide smoothly over the pavement, offering great grip and some protection from the bumps in the road. A suspension fork also helps smooth that out.

SPECS

BIANCHI E-OMNIA C-TYPE

Price: Starting at $3949
Frame: Aluminum, step-through
Fork: SR Suntour XCM34, 100mm travel
Motor: Bosch Performance Line CX
Battery: Bosch PowerTube, 500Wh or 625Wh
Controls: Bosch
Charge Time: 4-5 hours
Top Speed: 20 mph (Class 1)
Range: Up to 65 miles (claimed)
Rear derailleur: Shimano Deore 10-speed or Nexus 5-speed internal with belt drive
Chain: KMC
Brakes: Shimano hydraulic brakes with 180mm rotors
Saddle: Velomann
Rims: Velomann e-bike Maxx 29″
Hubs: Shimano
Tires: WTB Slick, 29″x2.2″
Color Choice: Metal Grey, Metal Brown, Dark Celeste
Sizes: S, M, L
Website: bianchi.com

RadCity 5 Plus Electric Commuter Bike - Top 5 Electric Commuter Bicycles For 2023

RAD POWER RADCITY5 PLUS

Ubiquitous brand Rad Power offers a great commuter option in the RadCity5 Plus. It’s available in a step-through or step-over frame style, with a bike rack, integrated lighting, fenders and a bunch of extras. The 672Wh battery is semi-integrated into the down tube, the stem is adjustable for maximum comfort while riding, and the spring fork offers 50mm of travel to smooth the bumps in the road. 2.0″ tires also help with a smoother ride.

The RadCity5 Plus has a quiet, internally geared rear hub motor and hydraulic disc brakes. It’s the heaviest bike on the list, at nearly 65 lbs, which is something to consider if you’re going to need to carry it up stairs or load it onto a bike rack.

SPECS

RAD POWER RADCITY5 PLUS

Price: $1849
Frame: 6061 Aluminum, step-over or step-through
Fork: Spring fork with 50mm travel
Motor: 750W brushless geared hub motor
Battery:672Wh
Controls: Rad Power
Charge Time: 5-6 hours
Top Speed: 20 mph
Range: 28-50 miles (claimed)
Rear derailleur: Shimano Altus, 7-speed
Chain: KMC Z7
Brakes: Hydraulic disc
Saddle: Rad Power with lifting handle
Rims: Double wall aluminum alloy
Tires: Rad Power, 27.5×2.0
Weight: 64.5 lbs
Color Choice: Charcoal
Sizes: One size
Website: radpowerbikes.com

SPECIALIZED TURBO VADO

Specialized is a premium brand with a loyal following. They make popular e-bikes, most powered with unbranded Brose motors, which have internal carbon belt drives inside the motors which makes them incredibly quiet. The Turbo Vado comes in several configurations, from the lower end 3.0 version to the higher-end 5.0, the differences are in the levels of components which also affect the price.

They all come with a rear rack, integrated lighting, adjustable suspension fork and fenders. All have options for step-over or step-through frames, they all have fully internal/removable batteries. Most have a chain drive, but there’s one version of the 5.0 version with a Gates carbon belt and an Enviolo AUTOMATiQ stepless internal CVT rear hub.

When set up correctly, an automatic-shifting rear hub is really fantastic. If you set your pedal cadence wrong, the ride experience can be less than ideal, with you always pedaling too fast or too slow. This can be adjusted in an app.

SPECS

SPECIALIZED TURBO VADO

Price: $4000
Frame: Specialized E5 aluminum
Fork: SR Suntour MobieA32, 80mm
Motor: Specialized 2.0 (Made by Brose)
Battery: Lithium-ion, 710Wh
Controls: Specialized MasterMind TCD
Charge Time: 4-5 hours
Top Speed: 28 mph (Class 3)
Range: 35-70 miles(claimed)
Rear derailleur: SRAM NX, 11-speed
Chain: KMC e11s
Brakes: SRAM Level 2-piston hydraulic disc brake.
Saddle: Rivos Sport
Rims: double-wall alloy, 650b
Hubs: Specialized alloy
Tires: Pathfinder Sport Reflect, 650bx2.3″
Weight: 58 lbs
Color Choice: Cast Black/Silver Reflective, White Mountains/Black Reflective, Red Tint/Silver Reflective
Sizes: S, M, L, XL
Website: specialized.com

BULLS ICONIC EVO TR 1 750

What happens if you take the best parts of a full-suspension mountain bike and put them onto a long-range commuter? You get the Bulls Iconic EVO TR 1 750, truly the Cadillac of commuter bikes. The ride is like a 1970s autobarge.

If you live in an area with terrible roads or you like to do some off-road riding, the Iconic is worth a look. Having ridden this bike on fire roads and even taking it off some sweet jumps, this bike is a great choice for mountain bikers who want a commuter. It has fully adjustable front and rear suspension, integrated super bright headlight, and a Monkeylink receiver on the back to add an optional rear light. It also has a rear rack and fenders and even a short-travel dropper post, perfect for making it easier to stand on the ground at stop lights.

It is the most expensive and heaviest of all the commuters on this list, as it features the full Bosch Smart System, including the largest battery on the list, at 750Wh. If you want a premium ride to go over less-than-perfect commutes, and your wallet can handle it, the Iconic is well worth a look.

SPECS

BULLS ICONIC EVO TR 1 750

Price: $6299
Frame: 6061 aluminum
Fork: SR Suntour Lytro 35 Supreme Air Boost LOR DS 29, 120mm Travel, adjustable with lockout
Rear shock: R Suntour Edge Plus TR 2 CR, 120mm Travel, adjustable with lockout
Motor: Bosch Performance Line CX
Battery: Bosch PowerTube 750
Controls: Bosch Kiox 300
Charge Time: 7 hours
Top Speed: 20 mph
Range: 40-80 miles(claimed)
Rear derailleur: Shimano Deore 10-speed
Chain: Tektro TR203-45/HD-M530, 203/180 mm
Brakes: Tektro TR203-45/HD-M530, 203/180 mm
Saddle: Bulls-branded Selle Royal
Dropper Post: Limotech Alpha 1 Dropper
Rims: BULLS AN30, Ryde Disc 30, Double Wall, Aluminum Alloy
Hubs: Bulls
Tires: SUPERO ALL GROUND L7, 27.5″ x 2.45″
Weight: 66 lbs
Color Choice: Black matte
Sizes: S, M, L, XL
Website: bullsbikesusa.com