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7 Best Commuter EBikes of 2024 Helpful Guide

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Updated May 19th, 2024

Best Commuter EBikes

Commuter EBikes are like the modern sports sedan of electric bikes. They have great handling, they can carry some gear, and they are just plain fun to ride. They are a lot more fast and nimble feeling than bigger fat tire ebikes. They are easier to pick up and put on a rack for travelling too. Commuter bikes are my favorite type of ebike and what I like to ride the most when were out running around here. There are a lot of choices out there. We are here to help weed through all the marketing hoopla and help you find the right commuter ebike for you.

The 7 Best Commuter EBikes

1. Best Overall – Himiway A7 Pro

Himiway A7 Pro on sidewalk

Specifications

  • Max Speed – 28 mph
  • Range – Up to 55 miles
  • Max Rider Weight – 300 lbs
  • Bike Weight – 77 lbs
  • Motor Power – 500 watt mid-drive motor
  • Speeds – 9 Speed Shimano Alivio
  • Brakes – Hydraulic Disc
  • Wheel Size – 27.5 inch x 2.4inch tires

See Review

What we liked:

  • Very smooth ride over rough pavement thanks to the dual suspension and hydraulic seat post
  • Air sprung fork and rear shock are easy to adjust for any rider weight
  • The torque sensor kicks the motor on very quickly and makes the bike feel very natural
  • It has a throttle which is rare for a mid-drive commuter bike
  • Bike comes with accessories such as an ABUS lock, modular rack, fenders, and dropper seat post
  • Integrated LCD display
  • Lots of power and range from the 500 watt mid-drive motor and 48 volt 15ah battery

What we didn’t like:

  • The right handlebar is a bit crowded with the shifter, bell, brake, and throttle
  • The bike’s gearing range isn’t quiet high enough to make the bike easy to pedal up to 28mph.
  • The throttle is binary and only gives zero or full power. No partial throttle
  • Owner’s manual doesn’t show all assembly steps

The Himiway A7 Pro is the latest commuter ebike from Himiway. It is a big step up from any bike Himiway has released in the past. It has a mid-drive motor, full suspension with air-springs, a built in ABUS lock, a hydraulic dropper post, and a color LCD display built into the stem. To top it off, it has a throttle too. Find a Trek or Specialized bike that has a throttle to go along with their mid-drive torque sensor bikes. You can’t because they don’t make one.

This bike is super smooth handling thanks to the front and rear air suspension. It is one of my favorites ebikes to ride. It’s comfortable, corners well, and has a very natural feeling motor and torque sensor combination. I think this would make a great gravel bike if you threw some more offroad tires on it. The fork and rear shock are already designeds made for cross country mountain bike use.

It has 5 levels of pedal assist that provide a good range of motor assist level. Level 1 will only give you about 15% of motor power no matter how hard you push on the pedals. Other budget torque sensor bikes will still give you almost full power if you push hard enough. This gives the A7 much more tunability.

The hydraulic dropper post make it very easy and quick to adjust the seat between riders. It also lets you quickly have a lower seat for riding with throttle where comfort matters more than maximum pedalling efficiency.

The built in ABUS lock allows you to lock the bike around things with an chain (not included) and prevents the rear wheel from turning. No one can just walk off with the bike. The lock isn’t Sold Secure or ART rated. I would still be careful where you leave the bike locked up with this lock.

See our review of the Himiway A7 Pro to learn more.

See Best Deals!

Use discount code AGI for $50 OFF at Himiway

Himiway Amazon

2. Top Pick – Aventon Level.2

Level 2 sitting on dock

Specifications

  • Max Speed – 28 mph
  • Range – Up to 60 miles
  • Max Rider Weight – 300 lbs
  • Bike Weight – 54 lbs
  • Motor Power – 500 watt rear hub
  • Speeds – 8 Speed Shimano Altus
  • Brakes – Hydraulic Disc – 180mm rotors
  • Wheel Size – 27.5 inch x 2.1inch tires

See Review

What we liked:

  • Smooth power from the motor that makes it very friendly to ride
  • 500 watt motor gives it a lot of power for climbing hills
  • Integrated battery giving the bike a clean look
  • Comfortable ride with just the right amount of cush for paved roads and paths
  • Included fenders and racks
  • Thumb tab throttle control
  • Color LCD display
  • 300 lb weight capacity

What we didn’t like:

  • Gearing needs higher gears for 22-29mph pedal assist

The Aventon Level.2 is the latest update to their popular Level e-bike. The Level.2 is a great fun bike to ride that is comfortable, responsive, easy to use, has lots of power, and has lots of range.

The Aventon Level 2 has several improvements over the Level. The biggest change is the switch to a torque sensor instead of a cadence sensor. This makes the power system much more responsive and efficient. It makes the bike better for riding in the city or on bike paths around people since you have more control of the motor.

The Level 2 has a 500 watt rear hub motor and an 8 speed Shimano Altus driveline. They work well together making climbs easy. The gearing is just about right for speeds up to 20mph.

The bike has a throttle for those times you don’t want to pedal. It can be set for pedal assist speeds up to 28mph. The bike can be configured as a Class 1, 2, or 3 e-bike. It comes labeled as a Class 2 from the factory.

The Level 2 comes with lights, fenders, and a rack with a 55 lb capacity making it ready for commutes or running errands.

The Level 2 has a comfortable upright riding position that feels good riding at speeds over 20mph. Cornering feels balanced. The street tires the bike comes with are quiet with good traction. The bike works well on gravel and dirt roads too.

The Aventon Level 2 is a great e-bike with many great features. It is my bike of choice for street riding.

See our full review of the Aventon Level.2 to learn more.

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Aventon

3. Best Value – Mokwheel Asphalt

Mokwheel Asphalt downtown

Specifications

  • Max Speed – 28 mph
  • Range – 50-60 miles
  • Max Rider Weight – 350 lbs
  • Bike Weight – 60 lbs
  • Motor Power – 500 watt hub motor
  • Speeds – 7 Speed Shimano Tourney
  • Brakes – Hydraulic Disc
  • Wheel Size – 27.5 inch x 2.4inch tires

See Review

What we liked:

  • Torque sensor gives the bike a smooth feel that is easy to control in congested spaces
  • Very good hill climbing performance
  • Available in step-thru, step over, and 2 frame sizes along with several colors. Lots of options.
  • Comes with rack, fenders, and lights
  • 500 watts gives it enough power for most urban riding
  • Hydraulic brakes gives it good stopping power with minimal finger pressure
  • Color LCD display with easy to adjust settings without an app

What we didn’t like:

  • Shimano Tourney deraileur
  • Gearing isn’t high enough to easily peddle up to 28mph

The Mokwheel Asphalt and Asphalt ST are their latest commuter bikes. These bikes have a 500 watt motor, 14.6ah battery and use a torque sensor for pedal assist. They bikes are available with several frame options including 2 sizes and a regular and step thru frame. Each frame is available in a few different colors. They recognize that ebikes are not a one size fits all item. They have a more upright riding position with swept back cruiser style handlebars.

The torque sensor on the Asphalt is smooth and very responsive giving quick power when you push the pedal. The gearing of the bike is a little bit on the short side. The pedal cadence gets really fast above 25mph so you have to pedal very hard and fast to get it to 28mph. This is a common issue with many entry level torque sensor bikes with hub motors.

Mokwheel is known for having good customer service and supporting their bikes. All their bikes offer good value for the features the bikes come with. You can’t go wrong with Mokwheel.

See our full review of the Mokwheel Asphalt to learn more.

See Best Deals!

Get up to $600 OFF EBIKES during the MOKWHEEL WINTER WARM-UP SALE

Mokwheel

4. Best Premium EBike – Specialized Turbo Vado

Specialized Turbo Vado Product Image

Specifications

  • Max Speed – 28 mph
  • Range – Up to 90 miles
  • Max Rider Weight – 300 lbs
  • Bike Weight – 55 lbs
  • Motor Power – 250 watt mid-drive
  • Speeds – 9 or 11 speed or gearbox
  • Brakes – Hydraulic Disc – 180mm rotors
  • Wheel Size – 27.5 inch x 2.3inch tires

What we liked:

  • Available with a variety of different drivelines
  • Long range with with 710 watt battery
  • Available in 5 different frame sizes
  • Mission Control app for tuning performance and locking bike
  • Very natural pedalling feel with torque sensing
  • Comes with lights, fenders and rear rack

What we didn’t like:

  • Doesn’t have a throttle
  • High cost

The Specialized Turbo Vado is a stylish commuter ebike made with premium components with performance to match. The Turbo Vado is available at a variety of price points with different level components. It is available in step over and step thru versions. Both versions are available in 5 frame sizes to fit small and large riders.

At the low end, the Turbo Vado has a 530 watt battery along with 9 speed Shimano Alivio components. At the high end, it has a 710 watt battery, SRAM GX components, an air spring fork, and a more powerful motor. All levels of the Vado are also available with an internal gearbox hub option. These options provide much smoother shifting and gear range than the Shimano Tourney and Altus drivelines on cheaper bikes.

All versions use a 250 watt mid-drive motor. The Vado 5.0 has a 90nm torque motor compared to the 50nm torque motor on the Vado 3.0 and 70nm on the Vado 4.0.

The Turbo Vado has a top speed of 28mph and is geared to allow you to easily pedal that fast. It does not have a throttle keeping it a Class 3 or Class 1 ebike. The Vado uses Specialized Mission Control App to allow you to customize the performance of the bike. It also allows you to lock and activate an alarm on the bike for security.

See Best Deals!

Specialized

5. Best Value Mid-Drive – Ride1Up Prodigy v2

Prodigy XC purple by lake

Specifications

  • Max Speed – 28 mph
  • Range – 30-50 miles
  • Max Rider Weight – 300 lbs
  • Bike Weight – 50 lbs
  • Motor Power – BROSE 90nm torque mid-drive
  • Battery – 36 volt 15 ah Samsung Cells
  • Speeds – 9 Speed Advent Microshift or CVT with beltdrive
  • Brakes – Hydraulic disc – 180mm rotors
  • Wheel Size – 27.5 inch x 2.4inch tires

See Review

What we liked:

  • A lot of fun riding on trails
  • Lots of power for steep climbs when riding on “boost” setting
  • Setup well for offroad and trail use
  • Comes with Maxxis trail tires
  • Advent Microshift pedal driveline is durable and smooth
  • Air sprung front suspension fork
  • Chameleon paint that looks green or purple or both

What we didn’t like:

  • Gearing needs more range for riding at speeds above 23mph
  • Range is a little short for the price
  • Headlight can’t be turned off

The Ride1Up Prodigy v2 is one of the cheapest mid-drive electric mountain bikes available today. It comes set up ready for commuting out of the box. It features a 90nm torque Brose mid-drive motor, hydraulic brakes, air sprung front fork, Advent Microshift driveline, and Maxxis trail tires. New with the Prodigy v2 is the option to get a belt drive with CVT hub for a smoother, more durable riding experience. The Prodigy is a lot of fun to ride on or off road.

The Ride1Up Prodigy v2 is available with a regular pedal driveline or a belt drive with CVT hub. Both versions come with an air fork and, fenders and rear rack. The Prodigy XC is gone from the lineup. The XC would be the same as the v2.0 bike with the fenders and rack removed. The v2 has an air fork and still comes with Maxxis mountain bike tires.

The Brose mid-drive unit provides a lot of power and torque to help with climbing hills or accelerating fast on the flats. The torque sensor is very responsive and gives you almost instant help as soon as you push on the pedals. Power is available in 5 settings from Eco up to Boost.

The Prodigy is set up as a class 3 e-bike with a top speed of 28mph with pedal assist. The bike is really only geared for going up to about 24mph. Going 22-23mph requires very little effort on Boost mode. Going faster requires a lot of fast pedaling.

The Prodigy has geometry that feels like a typical cross country mountain bike or hybrid bike. It is slack enough to feel stable at high speeds. It handles tight turns very well. The hydraulic brakes provide plenty of stopping power.

If you want a commuter bike that can turn into a true electric mountain bike to take on the trails but don’t want to spend $5000 for a Specialized or Trek then the Prodigy v2.0 is the bike for you.

We reviewed the original Prodigy XC before. It still shares most of the design of the Prodigy V2 except for no rack and fenders. See our full review of the Prodigy XC to learn more.

See Best Deals!

Get up to $700 Off Ebikes during the Ride1UP Gear Up For Summer Savings Sale

Ride1Up

6. KBO Breeze

KBO Breeze ST on boardwalk

Specifications

  • Max Speed – 25 mph
  • Range – Up to 55 miles
  • Max Rider Weight – 300 lbs
  • Bike Weight – 62 lbs
  • Motor Power – 500 watt hub motor
  • Speeds – 7 Speed Shimano Altus
  • Brakes – Cable Pull Disc
  • Wheel Size – 27.5 inch x 2.4inch tires

See Review

What we liked:

  • Nimble feeling and fun to ride
  • Long range with 16 ah battery
  • Easy to get on and off with step through frame
  • Available in step through and step over frames
  • Comes complete with fenders, rack, and lights
  • Simple and easy to use controls
  • Slow power ramp up makes it easy to ride in tight spaces and around pedestrians

What we didn’t like:

  • Battery meter shows 1-2 bars left when battery is dead
  • Included multi-tool is easy to strip
  • Slower acceleration under 9mph when using throttle

The KBO Breeze is an entry level commuter ebike that packs a lot of performance into a very affordable package. It is available in both a step through and regular frame in 2 colors each. The step-thru frame has a short seat tube making it good for shorter riders out there.

The Breeze has a 500 watt hub motor that can output up to 750 watts peak power. It has a 48 volt 15 ah battery that should give it a pedal assist range of 45 miles in real work usage.

The Breeze has 5 levels of PAS with a cadence sensor. The power level is easy to control in tight urban spaces or riding around pedestrians.

This bike is a good value for someone wanting the range and power of a more expensive ebike without paying a high end ebike price.

See our full review of the KBO Breeze ST to learn more.

See Best Deals!

KBO Amazon

7. Charge City Electric Bike

Charge City Electric Bike in park

Specifications

  • Max Speed – 20 mph
  • Range – Up to 50 miles
  • Max Rider Weight – 300 lbs
  • Bike Weight – 45 lbs
  • Motor Power – 250 watt rear hub
  • Speeds – 7 Speed Shimano Altus
  • Brakes – Mechanical disc with 160mm rotors
  • Wheel Size – 700c (29 inch)
See Review

What we liked:

  • Doesn’t take up much storage space
  • Easier to carry. Under 35 lbs when the battery is removed.
  • Includes a rack, fenders, and lights
  • Has enough power for flat terrain and can climb small hills
  • Has throttle and pedal assist
  • Comes in environmentally friendly packaging

What we didn’t like:

  • Ride is not that smooth without a front suspension fork and low profile tires
  • Not much difference between pedal assist modes 1-3 and 4-5.
  • Not the strongest hill climbing commuter bike out there
  • Tool required for adjusting seat height and removing front wheel

The Charge City Electric Bike is a different approach towards a commuter bike. Most companies give you more power and more capacity but they also give you a heavy to lug around and difficult to store bike. The Charge City Electric Bike is focused on being a light weight e-bike that is easy to transport and store.

The City Electric has a 250 watt motor and 7 speed Shimano Altus driveline. This gives it enough power for most city riding and short hills. Going with this approach brings the bike weight in at 45 lbs with the battery. This is much lighter than most other e-bikes that are 55-75 lbs. That makes it much easier to carry or hang up on a wall or rack.

The City Electric has a rotating handlebar along with folding pedals. This means you can store it flat up against a wall and it only sticks out a few inches. It needs half the space to store as a bike with traditional handlebars and pedals. I wish more bike companies would include these features.

Riding the City Electric is fun and easy. It has enough power to give you some help without being difficult to ride in close spaces and around pedestrians. It has a comfortable upright riding position. It uses 29 inch wheels for a smoother more efficient ride than 27.5 inch wheels.

See our full review of the Charge City Electric Bike to learn more.

Woman standing with Charge City Electric Bike

See Best Deals!

Get an extra $800 Off at ChargeBikes.com with Coupon Code GEARCRAVERCITY800

Charge Bikes
Doug Ryan Portrait Skiing 200x200

Ryan Craig
Co-Founder & Chief Editor

I am a total gear nerd and love learning how things work and thinking about how they could be improved. Nothing excites me more than trying out new gear. I’d rather spend 3 hours taking my bike apart and learning how to change something than go to a bike shop. These days, I reside in Michigan by the Great Lakes and go skiing, biking, and boating as much as possible. Visit our About Us page and learn more.

ryan@lowbudgetadventurer.com

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