trek electric bike road

Best electric road bikes: Go farther, faster

The best electric road bikes will give you the feel and ride of a top-end road bike but provide a boost when necessary

Lightweight spec options

Budget option, italian pedigree, e-endurance bike, removeable battery, on and off road use, aero advantage, powerful motor, integrated lights.

1. Quick list 2. Lightweight spec options 3. Budget option 4. Italian pedigree 5. E- Endurance bike 6. Removeable battery 7. On and off-road use 8. Aero advantage 9. Powerful motor 10. Integrated lights 11. How to choose

The best electric road bikes can almost go unnoticed these days, so discreet do they now look. They utilise a lot of the same components regular road bikes do, like the best road bike wheels and best road bike tyres most of which are rated for e-bike use these days.

Electric bikes in general are incredibly popular and a huge part of the cycling market. They can make cycling more accessible to a wider range of riders over different applications and terrains and are just downright fun to use.

The best electric bikes can be used over a range of uses, including e-bike commuting and gravel riding. We will be taking a look a the best electric road bikes here, a category that has come a long way, with the best models being very close to the best road bikes in terms of ride quality and looks whilst offering heaps of extra power when needed.

E-bikes are now nearly universally accepted, the 'cheating' argument has fallen by the wayside as people have acknowledged how useful and varied e-bike uses can be. Whether that be aiding sustainable travel or helping groups of riders with varying fitness ride together.

We've gathered the best electric road bikes into this list, helping you analyse specifications and tech to help you make a more informed buying decision. If you still need a little more help, head to the bottom of the page to see our buying guide pointers.

Best for premium features

The Domane+ SLR is a super-light road bike that in the US can power you up to 28mph, although it's speed-limited at 25kph elsewhere.

Trek Domane+ SLR

Specifications, reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

The Trek Domane+ SLR is the newest e-road bike from the US-based brand. Available in six different spec options but all based around a superlight weight Trek OCLV 800 carbon frame, this is the lightest e-road bike trek has ever produced. The Domane+ SLR is aimed at performance road riders who want a little extra zip, it has a discreet motor and battery from German specialist TQ which offers a super smooth and quiet e-riding experience. The Domane+ SLR is lighter than the Trek Domane LT and has a non-removable battery whereas the LT's is removable

You get a neatly integrated LCD display in the top tube, mode toggle buttons custom built into the shifters, and the lights and eTap charging can be wired in to run from the battery to simplify things. If you want a high-end lightweight electric road bike, the Domane + SLR is one we'd be happy to recommend.

Ribble Endurance SL e

Claimed to weigh 11kg, the Ribble Endurance SL e is one of the lightest e-road bikes currently available and, visually, the frame is almost identical to its non-assisted sibling, including the aggressive geometry.

Using the Mahle Ebikemotion system, the Endurance SL e doesn't get a control unit, instead opting for a button on the top tube that cycles through the three levels of assistance. Hidden inside the downtube is a Panasonic 250Wh battery, which is connected to a rear hub-based motor said to provide 40Nm of torque. There is an accompanying app, too, which will provide additional information such as remaining battery life.

As Ribble is consumer-direct, the pricing is competitive with the Tiagra build starting at £2,799, and the 105 build starting at £3,299 — every component can be upgraded through the brand's 'BikeBuilder' program.

Colnago E64

Using the C64 as the backbone, Colnago has adapted its carbon racer into a pedal-assist roadie. Claimed to tip the scales at 12kg including the battery, Colnago says the rear hub-based motor only adds 3.7kg and it's capable of delivering 250 watts of assistance.

With the battery housed in the downtube, the E64 doesn't get a built-in head unit; instead, there is a button on the top tube that controls the electronics. The battery is stored in the downtube and is not removable, but Colnago says there is an auxiliary battery on the horizon which can be stored in one of the bottle cages to add range.

Although the E64 appears to be a carbon-lugged frame, it's a visual illusion with these details being added in the paint shop. The bike comes with a Shimano Ultegra drivetrain, Deda finishing kit and Mavic Aksium Elite EVO UST wheels.

Trek Domane+ LT

With the IsoSpeed decoupler in the seat tube and room in the frame for 38c tyres, Trek's Domane+ LT is probably the best electric road bike for comfort.

It comes with a 250W motor and 250Wh battery, so in terms of power and range, it's on a par with many of the 'secret e-bikes' featured here, however, instead of having a battery permanently hidden inside the down tube, the Domane+ uses a removable battery. Batteries do degrade over time, so the option to replace them will be positive when it comes to long-term ownership or resale value.

The Domane+ LT features all the niceties of the pedal-powered Domane, including fender mounts, Blendr accessories, and endurance geometry. The carbon frame is fitted with a Shimano Ultegra 2x11 groupset, with a 50/34 chainset and 11-34 cassette.

Pinarello Nytro Ultegra

On the surface, the Nytro looks like any other Pinarello frame, complete with a wavy fork and aero tubing but hidden in the downtube are a Fazua drive unit and battery. The Nytro is claimed to have up to 250w of power and 55Nm of torque, and the battery can be dropped out of the downtube to make it just a normal road bike, weighing in at around 9kg without the battery.

The frame uses the brand's F10 frameset as a starting point and adds a bit of length to the wheelbase and height to the head tube. Rest assured, Pinarello hasn't forgotten to give the Nytro its trademark asymmetric tube treatment.

Built with a Shimano Ultegra Di2 11-speed drivetrain, the bike gets hydraulic disc brakes and rolls on Fulcrum Racing 5 wheels. It also comes with a Pinarello-sized price tag.

Specialized Creo 2

Specialized launched the Creo 2 in September 2023, replacing the original model with a new design, which has a lighter frame, a more powerful, quieter motor and incorporates the Future Shock 3 also found on the latest Specialized Roubaix SL8 .

The new model adds to the Creo's off-road credentials while soft-pedalling on the road, with a revised geometry, wider tyres and even a dropper post. US riders get motor support up to 28mph.

We've had our first ride on the Creo 2 at the launch event. This was mainly off-road, which emphasises the Creo 2's new direction over the original Turbo Creo, which looked to straddle both road and off-road. If you want to enjoy gravel too this could be the bike for you.

Cannondale SuperSix Evo Neo 3

The SuperSix EVO Neo has the aero frame shape of the non-assisted bike but adds a Mahle ebikemotion X35 motor, which offers 250w of assistance and up to 40Nm of torque.

According to Cannondale, the 250Wh internal battery will take you around 75km on a single charge. The bike comes with 28mm slick Vittoria Rubino Pro tyres, and the frame features an integrated seat binder combined with a 27 KNØT seat post, designed to work together to absorb road bumps. The frame also features SAVE micro-suspension to smooth out most rides for added comfort.

It includes a robust Shimano 105 R7000 hydraulic groupset, with 2x11 gearing. Up front, the FSA crank features 50/34 chainrings, paired with an 11-34 cassette at the rear, offering a massive range of gears.

As part of Cannondale's e-bike range, the SuperSix Evo Neo 3 benefits from the brand's integrated wheel sensor, which delivers accurate speed, route and distance information, registers your bike, reminds you when you need service, and more.

Giant Revolt E+ Pro

There's no denying that the Revolt E+ carries more of an electric bike aesthetic than some others here, but within its oversized down tube comes a large battery and a motor with a lot of torque.

Powering it is the Shimano EP8-powered SyncDrive Pro pedal-assist system, which promises smooth acceleration (thanks to its 85Nm of maximum torque). Meanwhile, the Shimano GRX Di2 1x11 electronic groupset and 40mm tyres make it all ready if you plan to mix things up a bit. There are also mounts for mudguards and racks.

The system is simple to use, and the motor comes with a SmartAssist mode that automatically adapts to your cadence and ride style, tuning the amount of assistance to the levels you actually need. This means you don't need to think about anything and can just get pedalling, leaving the motor to do its thing for you.

Orbea Gain M30

Orbea was one of the first brands to integrate the Mahle ebikemotion motor system into its road bikes and the Gain remains one of the most stylish electric bike implementations. The latest models use the more compact X20 system, for an even lower profile hub motor, which also produces more torque than the original X35.

Orbea includes a front light, which is integrated into the out-front computer mount. The Gain is supplied with a Mahle computer, which allows you to control the output from the motor system and check its status, without needing to use the top tube button. There's also a rear light on the saddle clamp, with both front and rear lights being powered by the 353Wh internal battery.

With a Shimano 105 11-speed groupset, there's plenty of gear range, although this does feel a little under specced for the Gain M30's price.

How to choose

Your riding demands will dictate which e-road bike is best for you. Hopefully, this guide should have given you an idea of what's out there. Next, you should consider how you may want to use your e-bike: are you commuting to work, adventuring and discovering new terrain or simply adding a new bike to your fleet? Your requirements will dictate weight, gearing, range, price point etc. Test ride a bike if you can and chat with manufacturers or stores about which e-bike is best for you.

What do I need to know about the drive system?

With the electric bike market continually growing, more and more brands are getting on board and developing newer and better technology all the time. The best electric road bike will likely come with a powerful and reliable drive system, including one of the best e-bike motors from the likes of Bosch, Yamaha, and Shimano, while some feature integrated units from Ebikemotion and Fazua.

These systems place the motor either at the bottom bracket or the rear hub and vary in weight. In fact, some of the integrated systems are surprisingly light. The power they offer is an important factor, and most hover between 250W and 500W.

What's the best capacity for an electric bike battery?

How long is a piece of string? It all depends on how much you're riding, and how much you care about your electric road bike's aesthetic.

When e-bikes started to gain popularity, the batteries were bulbous, and almost appeared to be haphazardly bolted on wherever there was space. Now we are seeing brands working to integrate them into the frame seamlessly.

Unfortunately, the smaller the battery, the smaller the capacity - which is measured in watt-hours (Wh). While some brands are quick to make claims about how far certain Wh batteries will take their bikes, these figures can vary greatly depending on the level of boost, the terrain, the weather and even the weight of the rider. Bosch has put together a handy Range Assistant , which can provide a good idea of how much mileage you can expect to achieve, depending on your riding habits.

While some bikes have removable batteries which allow you to keep a spare and make charging easier, others with hidden battery packs look much cleaner. Often, there's a range extender available as an option, which takes up one of your bottle cages.

Are electric road bikes unisex?

As a general rule of thumb, most e-road bikes are made to be unisex, while having multiple size options that should work for most people. The saddle, which is the key contact area that needs some tailoring to fit the users, is easily swapped out for one of the best women's road bike saddles if need be.

If you would prefer a women's specific model, be sure to check out our list of the best women's electric bikes .

Regional restrictions

Most e-bikes use one of three e-bike systems, however, depending on where you live, the level of assistance as well as whether you need a licence and insurance will vary. Here's a breakdown of all the e-bike restrictions in place in the UK, US and Australia.

The UK adopted a lot of the EU's regulations regarding e-bikes but with Brexit, it's hard to say if that may change.

All of the bikes featured here fall under 'The Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EPAC) Amendment Regulations' mandates; electric assistance can only provide 250 watts of aid and must cut out at 25kph. It also stipulates the rider must be in motion for the motor to kick in and be at least 14 years old.

Electric bikes (and riders) that meet these standards have the same legal standing as regular bicycles and are allowed on roads and bike paths.

In Europe, a new class of speed-pedelecs or s-pedelecs is gaining popularity. These are capable of providing assistance up to 45kph. You still need to pedal for the motor to kick in, however, under UK and EU law these are considered two-wheel mopeds and require insurance, a legally certified helmet and a qualifying driver's license.

In the US, rules for e-bikes vary from state to state; 30 states classify e-bikes as ordinary bicycles, while the remaining 20 label e-bikes as mopeds, scooters or something else altogether.

Federal law defines an electric bicycle as a two- or three-wheeled vehicle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of fewer than 750 watts, whose maximum speed on a paved level surface, when powered solely by such a motor while ridden by an operator who weighs 170 pounds, is less than 20mph.'

It's worth noting this statute defines the maximum assisted speed of the bike when being only powered by the motor, not when it's being pedalled. To make things more confusing, state regulations can supersede the federal statute.

The Bicycle Product Suppliers Association has proposed a three-class system which divides electric bikes up based on their maximum assisted speed:

Class 1: the motor provides assistance only when the rider is pedalling and cuts out a 20mph

Class 2: the motor can contribute regardless of pedalling but is governed to 20mph

Class 3: the motor provides assistance when the rider is pedalling but cuts out at 28mph and must be equipped with a speedometer.

For all three classes, the motor can only put out a max of 750 watts, and the class needs to be clearly labelled. This system also defines where the bikes can be ridden; classes 1 and 2 are permitted anywhere bikes are allowed, while class 3 can be ridden on roads and bike lanes but not multi-use paths, and may be subject to minimum user age and helmet requirements.

So far, 22 states have legislation creating a class system and our friends over at People for Bikes has put together a full state-by-state run down.

3. Australia

In Australia, e-bikes are split into throttle-operated and pedal-assist. Both systems must be limited to 25kph, and the throttle-operated motors can only output 200 watts while pedal assist is legal up to 250 watts. Anything that exceeds these figures is considered a motorbike and must be licensed and insured.

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Paul has been on two wheels since he was in his teens and he's spent much of the time since writing about bikes and the associated tech. He's a road cyclist at heart but his adventurous curiosity means Paul has been riding gravel since well before it was cool, adapting his cyclo-cross bike to ride all-day off-road epics and putting road kit to the ultimate test along the way. Paul has contributed to Cyclingnews' tech coverage for a few years, helping to maintain the freshness of our buying guides and deals content, as well as writing a number of our voucher code pages.

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2023 Trek Domane+ e-road bike review: Ultra-quiet, ultra-stealthy

Flagship model weighs just 12.21 kg, and us-spec bikes get a genuinely useful 45 km/h cutoff from the new tq mid-drive motor..

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Trek has today announced the third generation of its Domane+ e-assist road bike, and it’s quite the change from the one that came before. There’s a new motor from German company TQ, a brand-new carbon fiber frame with more advanced carbon fiber content and construction, more tire clearance, and in general, a sleeker and lighter total package that looks and feels more like a “regular” road bike.

It sounds like quite the complete package on paper, and it mostly is in reality – with some caveats, of course.

The lightning pace of e-bike motor development

Trek clearly isn’t shy about switching motor suppliers. Each generation of the Domane+ has used a different brand of motor: Bosch on the first generation one, Fazua on the second iteration, and now TQ on this latest third-generation model.

Why the switch, you wonder? Because it seems like quite the advancement in a number of key areas.

First and foremost, the TQ HPR-50 motor is legitimately tiny, so much so that in profile, you almost wouldn’t guess at all that the Domane+ is an e-bike. Unlike the previous Bosch and Fazua units, the TQ is hidden completely inside a painted-to-match shroud at the bottom bracket with little on the outside to give anything away. Of course, a closer look reveals clues such as the cooling port on the underside of the cover, but even the battery is fully integrated inside the down tube.

Trek is also touting the HPR-50’s unusually quiet operation, which comes about thanks to a unique interior configuration that does away with the usual array of reduction gears and/or belts, and is claimed to reduce internal friction, too. Trek’s official press materials also make mention of the lower Q-factor as compared to the Fazua unit, but don’t get too excited; it’s only down 2 mm in total, and the 163 mm figure is still about 12 mm wider than what you get with Shimano GRX, or 17 mm wider than most dedicated road cranks.

Be that as it may, the specs of the TQ HPR-50 motor are impressive. The official maximum power output is 300 W (or 50 Nm of torque), and it’s powered by a 360 Wh Li-ion battery in the down tube that Trek claims is good for “up to” 145 km (90 miles) in Eco mode. An optional range extender battery tucks into a water bottle cage for another 160 Wh, and the system can even run on just the range extender battery alone should you want to fly with your new Domane+ and need to tuck in under typical airline battery size restrictions.

Three levels of e-assist are available, each of which can be customized using the Trek Central smartphone app. Switching between the three assist levels is literally at your fingertips thanks to convenient remote buttons positioned next to the brake lever hoods, while the various mode screens on the high-resolution LCD panel on the top tube are accessed directly on that panel. Among the available screen pages are windows for remaining battery life (expressed numerically as both a percentage and time to empty, and visually with bars), current power output, speed, and distance – and when you’re charging the system, the display even gives you a precise countdown to when the battery is full.

Frame design implications

The bigger benefit of switching to the TQ HPR-50 motor is arguably how it affects the latest Domane+’s frame design. Trek sought to have this version look as much like a non-powered bike as possible, and aside from some generally inflated proportions, that goal seems to have been met.

The motor’s smaller form factor makes for a more normal-looking bottom bracket area, and although the down tube is notably bulbous given the internally housed battery, the whole frame looks surprisingly proportional. The Q-factor may not have changed much, but the more typical chainline has allowed Trek to switch to a standard 142 mm-wide rear hub in place of the “Road Boost” 148 mm one on the previous-generation Domane+, which is a great move for wheel compatibility.

The 2023 Domane+ marks the first time Trek has used its top-end OCLV 800 carbon fiber content. Combined with the integrated down tube battery – meaning there’s no need for a large hatch – Trek claims to have lopped 450 g from the previous Domane+ chassis. Claimed weight for an unpainted 56 cm frame is around 1,250 g. Adding to that is 1,850 g for the motor, 1,835 g for the 360-Wh battery, plus a few more grams for mounting hardware.

That claimed frame weight includes the latest version of Trek’s IsoSpeed pivoting seat cluster concept. This incarnation isn’t adjustable, but it does use a conventional (albeit proprietary) telescoping carbon fiber seatpost instead of the integrated seatmast of previous IsoSpeed-equipped bikes.

All in, my 52 cm flagship sample with a SRAM Red eTap AXS wireless electronic 1×12 groupset and Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37V carbon clinchers tips the scales at a comparatively svelte 12.21 kg (26.92 lb).

Save for a 10 mm increase in chainstay length – a consequence of the TQ HPR-50’s motor casing size – frame geometry is the same as the non-powered Domane, down to the millimeter. Stack and reach figures are more upright and relaxed as compared to the Madone or Emonda, but both are still pretty sporty overall, and trail figures in the low-60s across the board are intended to provide fairly nimble handling manners.

Despite those virtually identical dimensions, the Domane+ is approved for tires up to 40 mm-wide, whereas the non-powered Domane tops out at 35 mm. Keep in mind those are Trek’s official ratings, which account for a minimum of 6 mm of space all around. Actual maximum tire sizes will almost certainly be bigger, though that’ll depend on your comfort level for potential frame rub.

Either way, adding fenders to the hidden front and rear mounts will drop that maximum tire size by 5 mm.

Naturally, cabling is fully hidden, although the manner in which Trek has gone about it for the new Domane+ isn’t nearly as maddening as it could have been. Lines are run externally on the handlebar before being routing alongside the underside of (not through) the stem and then into ports in the dedicated upper headset cover. Keeping things visually tidy are a cosmetic cover bolted to the bottom of the stem and profiled headset spacers that are also split for easier bar height adjustment.

Models, availability, and pricing

Trek will offer the new Domane+ in six different build kits, all using the same frame and motor package. There are only three price points, though, with each one offering a SRAM and Shimano variant. Interestingly, all SRAM-equipped bikes will come with 1×12 drivetrains and 40 mm-wide Bontrager gravel tires, while Shimano bikes are set up with 2×12 drivetrains and more tarmac-oriented 32 mm-wide slicks. As usual for Trek’s premium models, Project One custom builds are available in most models, although whichever way you slice it, the prices are awfully high.

Topping the list is the Domane+ SLR 9 eTap P1 (US$13,000 / AU$n/a / £12,900 / €14,500), built with a SRAM Red eTap AXS 1×12 electronic groupset, 25 mm-wide Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37V carbon clinchers, and 40 mm-wide Bontrager GR1 Team Issue gravel tires. Claimed weight is 12.15 kg (26.79 lb).

Sitting alongside that is the Domane+ SLR 9 P1 (US$13,000 / AU$n/a / £12,500 / €14,000), equipped with a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 2×12 electronic groupset, 21 mm-wide Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 carbon clinchers, and 32 mm-wide Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite slicks. Claimed weight is 11.75 kg (25.90 lb).

The middle child is the Domane+ SLR 7 eTap P1 (US$10,000 / AU$n/a / £9,750 / €11,000) with a SRAM Force eTap AXS 1×12 electronic groupset, 25 mm-wide Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3V carbon clinchers, and 40 mm-wide Bontrager GR1 Team Issue gravel tires. Claimed weight is 12.50 kg (27.56 lb).

Alternatively, the Domane+ SLR 7 P1 (US$10,000 / AU$n/a / £9,450 / €10,600) comes with a Shimano Ultegra Di2 2×12 electronic groupset and the same wheel-and-tire package. Claimed weight is 12.20 kg (26.90 lb).

There’s also a slightly less expensive non-Project One Domane+ SLR 7 (US$9,500 / AU$14,500 / £8,900 / €10,000).

Looking for the fancy TQ motor on a “budget”? The Domane+ SLR 6 eTap P1 (US$9,000 / AU$n/a / £8,900 / €10,000) is equipped with SRAM’s Rival eTap AXS 1×12 electronic groupset, 25 mm-wide Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3V carbon clinchers, and 40 mm-wide Bontrager GR1 Team Issue gravel tires. Claimed weight is 12.60 kg (27.78 lb).

If you prefer Shimano, there’s the Domane+ SLR 6 P1 (US$9,000 / AU$n/a / £8,890 / €9,600) with the same wheel-and-tire package, but Shimano’s latest 105 Di2 2×12 electronic groupset. Claimed weight is 12.40 kg (27.34 lb).

Finally, there’s the non-P1 Domane+ SLR 6 (US$8,500 / AU$13,000 / £8,340 / €9,000).

All of the new Domane+ models are supposedly available for ordering and/or purchase starting today.

Like an ever-present hand on your back

I should first point out in this review that your own experience on the new Domane+ will vary greatly depending on where you are. In the US, the TQ HPR-50 motor is allowed to operate at full power up to 45 km/h (28 mph). However, the cutoff in Europe is just 25 km/h, while most other countries will be at various points in between. I did this test in the United States, so take my commentary with a grain of salt if you live in a different region.

It’s also important to remember that there are essentially two major categories these days: so-called full-power ones such as what you normally see from brands like Bosch and Shimano, and lightweight models such as this new Domane+. Full-power ones are usually rated for around 250 W or so of power (and around 85 Nm of torque), but keep in mind that’s a nominal figure. Peak outputs are usually much, much higher – often more than 800 W.

But like other e-bikes in this “lightweight” category, the output of the TQ HPR-50 motor is far more modest. It’s rated at 300 W, but that’s the most you’ll ever get out of it (give or take a few watts). Likewise, maximum torque is capped at 50 Nm. The benefit of that reduced output is a huge weight advantage for the motor and battery itself, plus everything else on the bike can be made lighter as well.

That all said, while I know opinions are definitely mixed out there with respect to e-road bikes, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have one heck of a good time testing this thing.

Those full-power e-bikes are undoubtedly fun (so much power!), but the experience can also be so far removed from purely human-powered pedaling that it can almost seem like something other than bike riding. But this Domane+? It’s more like you’ve always got a hand on your back, or the feeling you get when you’re having a really, really (really) good day.

Trek intends for the Domane+ to feel like a regular road bike, and for the most part, I’m inclined to agree. Power from the TQ motor doesn’t come suddenly like a kick, but more like a building wave. It’s surprisingly subtle, so much so that when you rise out of the saddle to sprint, it almost seems like nothing’s happening – but then you look at your speed and your times, and it’s pretty clear that isn’t the case.

The way that power comes on is interesting, though. It’s not simply a direct proportion of your own output, but a more complex calculation that also takes other factors into account like speed and cadence. From what I can tell, it’s almost like the system has two goals.

One is helping you maintain your speed. For example, when casually cruising at 150 W (and with the highest-power setting selected), there are times the system is putting out 200 W or more. At other times, it’s kicking out almost nothing. But in either case, how much power the system produces depends on how much help it thinks you need, and it does an uncannily good job of figuring that out.

It’s also pretty impressive when flirting with that 45 km/h cutoff. One of the main drags heading back into town is mostly flat, but with some small rollers and often just enough of a tailwind that you can really build a head of steam. The Domane+ was more than happy to give me a nudge to get me to that magical 45 km/h mark, and then just barely enough power to let me stay just shy of that figure so as to not trigger the cutoff. And when I did cross that line, the cutoff is remarkably gentle, so much so that I kept peeking at the top tube display to see if the system really wasn’t doing anything.

It’s when climbing that the TQ HPR-50 comes into its own. There, the motor doesn’t seem to just want you to maintain your speed; it wants you to feel like a superhero (at least in full-power mode). Needless to say, the feeling of climbing like that is addictive, but it also highlights the power limitations of the system. Say you’re climbing steady at 200 W and the system is kicking out another 300 W. But if you put down more than that, it’s still topped out at 300 W. Granted, that’s still an awful lot more than I can maintain on my own, but proportionally speaking, it’s more noticeable that the system is cutting power than when you’re hitting the speed limit.

But it’s still fun.

Unfortunately, there’s another limit to that fun, and Trek’s range claims strike me as a bit ambitious (which isn’t surprising). Granted, range claims are always more than a little fuzzy, and the mountainous terrain of my local stomping grounds certainly has a lot to do with that. One ride in particular covered just 38 km (23.5 miles), but almost 800 m (2,600 ft) of elevation gain – all at maximum power assist (have I mentioned how much fun this bike is?). But when I got back home, the battery capacity was down to a middling 27%. Granted, I could have done that same ride on a lower power setting, but where’s the joy in that?

Here’s where that lightweight vs. full-power thing comes in again. While lightweight models like this Domane+ indeed feel more like non-powered bikes most of the time, there’s no substitute for watt-hours. To put that into perspective, I played around with a Canyon Grail:On gravel e-bike a couple of years ago, which is equipped with a full-power Bosch system and a much bigger battery. One ride I did on that bike covered more than 47 km (29.5 miles) with just shy of 1,200 m (3850 ft) of elevation gain – and there was enough juice left at the end that I almost could have done that ride twice.

Granted, that bike was more of a bruiser than this Domane+, which does really feel a lot like a good, non-powered road bike in many respects. While it’s fun to blast around in full-power mode, kicking things down a notch or so dramatically extends battery life. There’s some noticeable friction in the TQ motor when pedaling without power at all – more from the bearing seals than parasitic mechanical losses, from what I can tell – but it’s not bad at all, and it certainly pales in comparison to what the motor is putting out.

Aside for the extra weight, the Domane+ genuinely feels pretty normal – certainly enough so that you don’t feel like you have to be in full-power mode all the time. And just as promised, the TQ HPR-50 motor is remarkably quiet so you’re not always audibly reminded what you’re riding, either. There is a whir that grows proportionally louder with pedaling cadence, but even at its loudest, you can barely make it out from the hum of your tires. At higher speeds, it’s drowned out entirely by wind noise. It’s easy to forget about it.

About that speed cutoff

As I mentioned earlier, your experience on an e-road bike will vary greatly depending on where you’re riding it (or perhaps more specifically, where you’ve purchased it). Although I found the Domane+ to be incredibly entertaining, it would have been very different had the motor cut out at 25 km/h as it would in Europe. There, the Domane+ would still be a blast when climbing, or perhaps more as a dedicated light-duty gravel rig with those 40 mm-wide tires. However, I’m not sure how much fun it’d be otherwise (and I know CyclingTips senior tech editor Dave Rome agrees on this one ).

Kudos to Trek and TQ for so thoroughly engineering the motor assist cutoff when you do bump up against that mandated speed limit. Unlike many other e-bikes I’ve ridden, the power drops off gently and seamlessly, rather than feeling so abrupt that you wonder if a wire has suddenly come loose.

But even then, the 25 km/h cutoff that much of the world would see on this thing also severely cuts into its utility. It’s virtually guaranteed that someone riding a Domane+ wouldn’t be able to enjoy a bunch ride with friends since they’d essentially be dragging an ineffective anchor all the time, and even more gradual climbs would likely be frustrating as the motor continually cuts in and out. It’d still be a boon for longer climbs if you’re ok with taking it a bit slower, and certainly on steeper ones. But aside from that, I’d urge anyone considering their first e-road bike purchase to seriously ponder the effects of that speed limit.

What about the non-motorized bits?

Handling mostly feels like the regular Domane (and you can expect a review of the new non-powered Domane SLR from me shortly, too), although there are some caveats. I find it interesting that Trek equips the Domane+ models with such a broad spread in tire sizes, as it does affect the steering. I first tried my test bike with the stock 40 mm-wide Bontrager GR1 Team Issue gravel tires, and it was… ok. The steering felt heavy off-center, and the bike wasn’t nearly as eager to initiate turns as I would have expected. But when I switched to 35 mm-wide Schwalbe G-One RS tires, the handling instantly became much more natural, easily diving into turns and flowing through corners as it should.

Switching tires also highlighted another downside. Although the stock Bontrager gravel tires are quite grippy on hardpack and tarmac, they’re also surprisingly slow-rolling. With those Schwalbes installed, the bike felt much faster and alive (and I’m sure there’s a positive impact on battery range, too).

Ride quality improved with the tire change, too, but it still couldn’t completely mask the imbalance between the front and rear ends. Trek’s IsoSpeed feature continues to work brilliantly, offering an incredibly smooth and compliant feel that (at least for me) never feels overly bouncing or intrusive. But even with the bigger Bontragers fitted, the front end is dramatically stiffer. Even medium-sized impacts jar your hands, and trying to attack washboard sections of packed dirt is absolutely brutal. My guess is the massively oversized down tube has a lot to do with this, which is something I’ve noticed on other e-bikes with similar proportions.

There are some other quirks, too.

One of the TQ display screens is supposed to separately show your output and that of the motor. The motor figure seems believable enough, but the display of your output seems dramatically low. Granted, I didn’t verify this with a separate power meter, but I know what 200 W feels like, and when I see 150 W on the display, something seems off.

Aside from the tires, I don’t have much to complain about regarding the spec. The 10-44T cassette and 42T chainring offer plenty of range, and shift quality is very good. The jumps between sprockets are still a little bigger than I’d prefer for group road rides, but it’s fine when out solo. And kudos to TQ for powering the rear derailleur directly by the main system battery. It’s clean and convenient, and one less battery to worry about (although that also means if the system is totally, completely dead, you now can’t shift, either).

The Bontrager finishing kit is generally excellent. The snub-nosed Verse Pro saddle is comfy, the Aeolus RSL 37V wide-format carbon wheels are fantastic, and kudos to whoever at Trek specified this wonderfully grippy and squishy bar tape. But the handlebar underneath that tape? I’m sure someone likes it, but it’s definitely not my cup of tea. The short reach and deep drop are an odd combo, and I was never able to find a remotely comfortable position for my hands in the drops. Thankfully, Trek’s solution for concealed cabling allows you to use any bar with a 31.8 mm clamp diameter.

Super fun, but keep the limitations in mind

Trek’s move to the TQ motor platform is interesting, if for no other reason than its longstanding relationships with other (and much better established) motor suppliers. However, the company clearly sees advantages in what the TQ HPR-50 provides, and after riding it myself, it’s hard to argue with Trek’s decision: it looks better, it’s quieter, and while TQ’s long-term reliability still needs to be proven, the simpler mechanical layout at least bodes well since there’s less to go wrong in there.

As promised, the Domane+ does feel a lot like a regular road bike in a lot of ways, and it’s undeniably fun to ride. But as I mentioned earlier, the experience will vary greatly with where you’re riding it. Although I found the bike incredibly entertaining, it would have been very different had the motor cut out at 25 km/h as it would in Europe. There, the Domane+ would still be a blast when climbing, but I’m not sure how much fun it’d be otherwise.

Either way, those looking for the more visceral thrills of a full-powered e-road bike won’t be blown away by the TQ motor’s modest specifications, but if you’re after more of a traditional feel with a little bit of a boost – and live in the right country – this seems like a bike well worth considering.

More information can be found at www.trekbikes.com .

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it","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/unbound-gravel-prize-money\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/unbound-gravel-prize-money\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"unbound, the \u0027world\u0027s premiere gravel event,\u0027 doesn\u0027t have prize money. should it\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/unbound-gravel-prize-money\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"unbound, the \u0027world\u0027s premiere gravel event,\u0027 doesn\u0027t have prize money. should it\"}}\u0027>\n unbound, the \u0027world\u0027s premiere gravel event,\u0027 doesn\u0027t have prize money. should it\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "}]' > >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>advertise >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": 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There’s never been a better time to ride electric Visit a participating retailer now through June 30 to test ride an electric bike and score a free pull tab ticket revealing a sweet prize. The best part? Every ticket is a winner! The luckiest winners may ride home with a free e-bike! +

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More power, more possibility Whether you’re just dipping your toes into the world of bikes or a well-seasoned cyclist, Trek electric bikes amplify your pedal power and supercharge your two-wheeled fun. Our e-bike buyer's guide will help you learn everything you need to know about adding a boost of power to your next ride so you can explore farther than ever before.

See the e-bike buyer’s guide

An e-bike for every rider With over 30 models of Trek electric bikes to choose from, we have an e-bike for every type of rider. Browse our collection of city, mountain, and road e-bikes to find the best fit for your style.

Electric city bikes

Run errands, breeze through long commutes, and have way more fun cruising around town on one of our comfortable city or recreation e-bikes. 

Electric road bikes

Whether you want to stay comfortable on an epic all-day adventure, easily power up climbs, or stick with the fast group, our electric road bikes are designed to help you go farther, faster. 

Electric mountain bikes

Spend your off-road days climbing higher and exploring more of the trails you love on one of our powerful electric mountain bikes. 

Electric cargo bikes

Have more fun getting wherever you’re going with sleek and purposeful electric cargo bikes that fit your kids, pets, groceries, and more.

2023 Trek Domane+ SLR – The Brand New TQ Powered E-Road Bike

All of our bikes are electric, but all of our writers are humans.
Last updated September 22, 2023

Exploring the Trek Domane+ SLR

Trek’s latest range of road e-bikes is based around the lightweight TQ motor, which is nearly silent in operation. In theory, Trek holds out a coat to the rest of its e-road bike competition and politely asks them to leave the room.

About the Trek Domane+ SLR

Trek announced: “The all-new Domane+ SLR weighs in at just around 11.8 kg thanks to a lightweight frame design and compact e-system. The TQ harmonic pin ring e-system is remarkably lightweight, quiet, and compact while packing enough extra power for the most epic adventures.”

The Domane+ SLR uses Endurance Geometry, compared to the H1.5 geometry found on Madone and Émonda. According to Trek, Endurance Geometry means a taller head tube and longer wheelbase to “maximize comfort and stability.”

All Domane+ SLR bikes in the new range come with tubeless-ready wheels, tires, valves, and TLR sealant.

The TQ Harmonic Pin Ring motor functions differently from other e-bike motors. Most other e-bike motors use gears and belts to transmit power. TQ says these parts take up more space and can make noise or break. The HPR50 uses a harmonic drive transmission that’s small, simple, and dependable.

The TQ system’s specs

The Domane+ SLR offers up to 300 watts of assist, 50Nm of torque, and a 360Wh battery. It has a maximum assist speed of 28mph in the US, 25 kph in the EU and Australia, and 45 kph in New Zealand, and other markets will be subject to local speed regulations.

“The Domane+ SLR doesn’t look, sound fit, or feel like an electric bike. It boasts a lightweight carbon frame, whisper quiet motor, sleek controls and a road-specific tune for a true road bike experience with a subtle and powerful boost wherever you need it.” (Trek)

The weight is 25.90 lb on the top-of-the-line model, costing $12,999.99. But the range begins with a $8,499.99 starting price. So it’s not a cheap product, highlighted by its compatibility with electronic drivetrains only.

The battery is a 360-watt/hour unit integrated, which can take riders to a range of around 60 miles in Eco mode (or around 90 miles) with the optional 160-watt range extender.

Our Trek Domane+ SLR Verdict

Trek looks to have developed a possible market-leading product that could shake up the road e-bike market and make the competition really pay attention. Furthermore, the Domane+ SLR range can easily transition from road to gravel due to the wide choice of tire options available. So we expect to see great sales for this innovative product.

Further expanding on the range, Trek says: “The Domane+ SLR was built with the same rider-friendly features as the traditional Domane, including rear IsoSpeed to smooth bumps in the road and a stable endurance geometry for long haul comfort.”

Explore more leading electric bikes in our guides to the best e-bikes of 2023 and explore how to choose your perfect e-bike .

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Trek has been building bikes since 1976 — and in that time, we’ve collected a whole lot of hard-earned knowledge about what makes a quality bike that’ll stand the test of time. We’ve applied those same lessons to the electric bikes we’ve made in the past two decades. Experience matters when it comes to design and innovation. But whether or not your e-bike journey ends with a Trek, there are some key things you should know to look for when you’re making your choice. Here’s what we’ve learned separates quality electric bikes from the mass-produced e-bikes that can be less dependable, less durable, and less convenient.

Parts that are locally serviceable

Want to spend more time riding and less time waiting? Choose an e-bike that can be serviced locally at your shop, and not one you need to ship away to a service center for repair.

Robust hubs, wheels, and tires made for e-bike power and speed

Electric bikes have more mass and are ridden faster. So, it makes sense that they’re equipped with strong parts built to stand up to these additional forces — not just cheap parts that happen to fit the frame.

Hydraulic disc brakes for all-weather stopping power

With the additional speed and mass of an electric bike, you want high-quality disc brakes designed for stopping power in varying weather conditions. Rim brakes are generally not as powerful as disc brakes, so we recommend avoiding them.

A higher torque if you’re riding in hilly areas or carrying cargo

In an e-bike drive system, a higher torque gives you quicker acceleration. If you’re climbing or carrying extra weight, opt for a system with more torque.

A range that matches the distance you’ll ride

Stopping to charge mid-ride isn’t always awesome, so choose an e-bike with a range that’ll at least get you where you’re going and back on a single charge.

A battery that’s replaceable and recyclable

Electric bikes use lithium-ion batteries. Make sure the e-bike company you choose has a solution both for replacing your end-of-life battery and recycling it responsibly.

A drive system with software that’s easy to update with new features

Just like your computer or phone, a quality e-bike will have software that’s easy to update when new features are released. Choose an e-bike with software that can be updated easily when the time comes.

A warranty that covers both the electronics and the frame

Check your warranty carefully and be sure to understand what’s covered and for how long. Reputable e-bike companies won’t be afraid to stand behind both the electronics and the frame.

Curious how Trek stacks up?

Seven ways Trek is a smarter e-bike investment

Why choose Trek e-bikes

Take me to the e-bikes already!

Wherever you roam, there’s an e-bike that’ll bring more power and possibility to your rides.

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Want to talk it out? We love talking bikes — electric bikes especially. Because we know there’s a lot that goes into your decision to purchase one. We’re standing by to talk through your questions and help you find your perfect ride. Here’s how you can reach us fast.

Take a test ride locally

Drop by your local Trek retailer to check out Trek and Electra e-bikes, ask questions, and even go for a test ride. It’s the best way to see how much fun an e-bike will bring to your life.

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Have questions now? Don't wait! We have a ton of ways for you to reach out and get connected with us. We'll help you answer your questions, guide you to your perfect model, and help you find your local Trek retailer.

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Always Ride with a Tailwind on Trek’s Latest Domane+

The lightweight and quiet Domane+ SLR proves that less can be more for e-road bikes.

Takeaway: Trek’s Domane+ SLR is a different type of road bike. And it’s a different type of e-bike. The Domane+ SLR combines lightweight, comfort, and pedal assist into the look and feel of a traditional road bike. The Domane+’s TQ motor system delivers assistance smoothly and runs quietly, making for a bike that feels at home on any kind of road ride. The bike’s biggest downside is the very high price tag.

Weight: 26.7 lbs (size 52cm) Price: $13,000

Trek Domane+ SLR 9 AXS

A Different Type of E-Bike

It’s important to distinguish between Trek’s latest, third-generation Domane+ and most other e-bikes currently on the market. E-bikes in the commuter and mountain categories are usually termed full-power e-bikes. These bikes have large-capacity (and thus heavy) batteries paired with powerful motors. Many of these full-power e-bikes hit peak power outputs of 700w and have up to 80 Nm of torque. And the motors on these bikes are designed to push as much power as fast as possible to get you to maximum regulated speeds of 20 or 28mph.

Trek’s Domane+ SLR is not like that at all. Riding the Domane+ SLR is an experience much closer to that of riding a traditional road bike, except that you have a sweet tailwind where ever you go.

For the TQ HRP-Motor, max torque is capped at 50 Nm, and the most power a ride will ever get from it is 300W. The most obvious benefit of this huge weight saving in the motor and battery itself allows the rest of the bike to be built lighter. Both of these things combine to make the Domane+ genuinely one of the lightest production e-bikes on the market (26.7 pounds for the 52cm size).

A 360 Wh battery housed inside the downtube powers the new motor. Trek claims the battery is good for up to a 90-mile range in Eco mode. Riders can add an optional range extender (which takes up a water bottle cage mount) for an extra 160 Wh capacity. As with any e-bike range estimates, your mileage will vary based on rider weight, elevation gain, and what assist mode is used.

Three levels of e-assist are available via the handy buttons tucked in near the shifters. The modes are customizable in the Trek mobile app to suit your riding style and preferences. The central top tube display offers a variety of display pages with things like battery life, your current power output, the motor's current power output, speed, and distance. When you are charging the system, the display shows a countdown to when the battery will be fully charged.

Honestly, it was the remote buttons that stole the show for me. So many road e-bikes will rip you out of the familiar ride experience by forcing you to use cumbersome mode controls. By comparison, the Trek system felt natural and easy—similar to the auxiliary shift buttons on high-end road bikes.

While the various e-bike features of the Domane+ SLR are impressive, it’s worth noting that Trek also nailed the regular bike bits. First, they bumped the official tire clearance from 35mm to 40mm. The wider rubber gives the Domane+ a bit more versatility or comfort, depending on the tires you use. There are also hidden fender mounts in case rain is a common feature of your rides.

As is expected on a high-priced road bike, the Domane’s cables are fully-internal. But Trek goes about it in a way that doesn’t make me want to pull my hair out. Brake lines run externally on the handlebar and under the stem before disappearing into dedicated ports on the headset cover. A small plastic cover attaches to the stem to hide the lines from view. This allows for easy handlebar and stem swaps for fit adjustments if needed.

The Domane+ frame geometry is nearly identical to the standard, non-assist Domane. The only change is a 10mm increase in chainstay length (needed to fit the TQ motor). As with the standard Domane+, the stack and reach numbers are much more relaxed than Trek’s race bikes like the Madone or Emonda but are still relatively sporty overall.

Pricing and Models

Trek offers the Domane+ with the TQ motor in six different builds. All of these options use the same frameset, battery, and motor. None of them are cheap. Our test bike equipped with SRAM Red eTap AXS and Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37V carbon wheels sells for an eye-watering $13,000.

The most affordable model in the lineup—equipped with SRAM’s Rival eTap AXS and slightly heavier Bontrager carbon wheels—still retails for $9,000.

The “value” Trek offers with the Domane+ is almost entirely in the TQ motor system, which has a unique ride experience but commands an enormous price premium. A Pinarello Nytro E9 e-road bike with the same TQ motor will also set you back $13,000

As a brand, Trek doesn’t generally shy away from premium-priced bikes, and in that respect, the Domane+ is priced similarly to its non-assisted version. Hopefully, as the technology develops, Trek will offer the TQ system on more affordable bikes and models.

Trek can point to the Domane+ AL 5 as perhaps a more reasonably priced e-road bike model at $3,500. But, there are some key differences between the AL 5 and the significantly more premium Domane+ models. The alloy versus carbon frame is the obvious one, but I argue the more crucial difference is that the AL 5 uses a hub-based motor instead of the mid-drive TQ motor. This change (accompanied by a lower maximum-assisted speed of just 20mph) eliminates the AL 5 as an option for riders who want to participate in faster-paced group rides (where speeds are often above 20mph).

Ride Impressions

Trek designed the Domane+ SLR to feel and ride similarly to a traditional, non-electric assist road bike, and I think they came exceptionally close. Riding the Domane+ feels much more like you're having an amazing day on the bike, instead of a typical e-bike ride.

The first thing you notice with the TQ motor is its incredibly subtle power delivery. There’s no sudden jolt or kick when the motor kicks in, versus the feel of many full-power e-bikes. The Domane+ SLR feels much more like a slowly gathering tailwind that’s helping you get up to speed.

Adding to this feeling is how clever the whole system is at figuring out how much assistance you need. It’s not a simple linear relationship of effort to assist. For example, when starting from a stop, the Domane+ will give you a brief bit of extra boost to get you moving that gradually tapers off as you settle into your pace. Similarly, once you’re up to speed, you need to actually put in effort to get the motor to kick out some extra boost. The whole system does a remarkable job of making you feel great on the bike without constantly reminding you that you are on an e-bike. But riders that want more boost could always tune the system to their preferences via the Trek mobile app.

The TQ motor is so danged quiet that you will sometimes forget you’re riding an e-bike. If you don’t spend much time riding e-bikes, this might be hard to appreciate, but some electric motors can sound pretty loud. This is especially true on powerful commuter e-bikes where the motor noise can distract from the cycling experience.

The Domane+ SLR’s motor is practically silent. There is some noise, but it is so minor that you must listen closely to hear it. Otherwise, the noise fades into the background sounds of riding a bike, along with wind, tire, and drivetrain sounds.

The ride quality of the Domane+ is somewhat of a mixed bag. As on other Trek models with IsoSpeed (the suspension feature at the seat and top tube junction), the system works very well and provides compliance. But the front end of the Domane+ is incredibly stiff by comparison. This is due to the overbuilt downtube of the frame (designed to accommodate the motor and battery), which results in increased harshness up front. Fortunately, Trek equips the Domane+ with 40mm wide Bontrager GR1 tires. At first, I thought putting gravel tires on a road bike was a bit weird, but the added comfort of the wider tire helped counteract the harsh-feeling front end.

The Domane+ is so good at blending its e-bike characteristics into the background of your ride that I sometimes began asking, “Why don’t I just ride an assisted bike all the time?” I spent plenty of time thinking about that while riding this bike back to back with non-assisted bikes. Simply put, the Domane+ SLR is fun—It is fun to go out and experience what riding with an extra 300 watts feels like (without being something that feels more like an electric scooter). While my inner, grumpy bike racer might scoff at the “unearned speed” that the Domane+ provides access to, the rider in me thinks the joy of going fast on a bike is worth sharing instead of being a curmudgeon about it.

Given the Domane+ SLR’s high price point and the unique motor and ride feel the bike best suits the rider that prizes the feel, sound, and experience of riding a non-assisted road bike over the power output of a full-powered e-bike. Typically, bicycle brands market e-bikes like the Domane+ to riders who cannot keep up with faster riders. Lightweight e-bikes are often sold as bikes only for aging racers or significant others. This marketing approach feels dated and non-inclusive. I know folks who have given up on riding due to health issues but have gotten back into riding regularly, thanks to e-bikes. The bottom line is that e-bikes are for anyone that wants one.

Test Editor Dan Chabanov got his start in cycling as a New York City bike messenger but quickly found his way into road and cyclocross racing, competing in professional cyclocross races from 2009 to 2019 and winning a Master’s National Championship title in 2018. Prior to joining Bicycling in 2021, Dan worked as part of the race organization for the Red Hook Crit, as a coach with EnduranceWERX, as well as a freelance writer and photographer.

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Your guide to trek electric bikes.

A comprehensive guide to Trek eBikes that fit your needs on the open road, mountain trails or on the city streets.

In This Guide

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If you are in the market for a new eBike, you’ve probably heard of Trek bicycles . Founded in 1976, Trek is a leading bicycle manufacturer and distributes bikes in over 90 countries around the globe. Headquartered in Waterloo, Wisconsin, Trek bikes are manufactured in Europe and Asia.

Through extensive R&D from its world-class professional road and mountain bike teams, Trek designs and builds its consumer eBikes with the most innovative technology available in the industry. Trek’s eBike lineup includes an extensive selection of road, mountain, city, utility, and cruiser bikes that suit anyone who wants to ride recreationally on the road or trail, commute to work or carry groceries and kids around town.

Reputation and Quality - With 50 years of experience, Trek has a solid reputation for building quality, dependable eBikes that are equipped with good componentry. Their batteries, motors, and controllers are certified for safe operation and charging in your home.

Model Variety - Trek offers an extensive selection of performance road and mountain eBikes, city and utility eBikes, and hybrid and recreational bikes in a variety of sizes and colors.

Innovation - Trek strives to be on the leading edge of the bike industry and puts innovative technology into all levels of its bike lineup.

Warranty and Customer Service - Through dealers and customer service, Trek provides personalized service to ensure that you get the bike that’s correct for you and that it works for years with minimum issues.

More Expensive - Trek eBikes are not the lowest-priced options on the market. Do you prioritize price over component specs and feature innovation? You may look to other eBike brands that deliver more value.

Dealer Sales Only - New Trek eBikes are only available through authorized dealers with no options of direct-to-consumer. On the plus side, you will receive proper fitting and have the peace of mind that your eBike was assembled by a certified mechanic.

Are you ready to learn more about Trek eBikes? Let’s get started!

.css-1hnz6hu{position:static;}.css-1hnz6hu::before{content:'';cursor:inherit;display:block;position:absolute;top:0px;left:0px;z-index:0;width:100%;height:100%;} Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep

The Verve+ 3 Lowstep is Trek’s take on the classic city bike. The lightweight, step-through frame and comprehensive set of accessories make the Verve+ 3 Lowstep a turn-key eBike for your city riding needs.

10 Reasons to Buy the Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep

The Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep e-bike comes with powerful disc brakes that provide maximum safety.

This e-bike is equipped with a mid-drive motor to help riders easily ascend any incline without the need for strenuous physical effort.

Its geometry provides great stability and comfort when cycling, allowing riders to remain in an upright position while their body weight is evenly distributed on the bike's frame.

The design of the Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep e-bike is sleek and modern, adding a stylish touch to your cycling experience.

To ensure a smoother ride, it has a suspension seat post that can absorb shocks from uneven terrain, reducing stress on the joints.

For added protection against punctures, the Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep e-bike comes with tough, puncture-resistant tires.

Its lightweight aluminum frame makes the bike easy to maneuver.

The price tag of the Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep e-bike is also very affordable compared to other electric bikes in its class.

With its wide range of sizes and frames tailored specifically for different heights and body types, you’re sure to find the perfect fit for your needs.

This amazing bike also comes with high-quality accessories, including rear lights.

2 Reasons Not to Buy the Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep

The Verve+ 3 doesn’t include any front suspension, meaning riders won't benefit from the added shock absorption.

The display included with this bike is nothing special, just featuring basic functions such as speed and battery level indicators.

The Bottom Line

The Trek Verve+ 3 Lowstep’s traditional city bike design and geometry make it ideal for city commuting and light utility use. The low step frame makes it easy to get on and off, no matter what you are wearing. It’s generously equipped with all the accessories that you’ll need to tackle your daily errands in all conditions.

The Trek FX+ 2 eBike is a no-frills upgrade for your city commute or leisure rides when you want an electric boost. The FX+2 is Trek’s more economical eBike offering.

11 Reasons to Buy the Trek FX+ 2 eBike

The Hyena Rider Assistant app optimizes the bike's performance to meet your needs.

The bike's rear hub motor is quiet so you can enjoy a natural ride that feels like a traditional bicycle with an added boost.

The PAS system has three optimized settings that provide noticeable variation in assistance.

The 120-lumen headlamp offers excellent visibility and the fenders help you stay dry in wet conditions.

The kickstand mount keeps the bike upright and accessible, making it easy to grab and go.

The hydraulic disc brakes perform well even in heavy rain, ensuring consistent stopping power in various weather conditions.

The rear rack mount lets you easily transport items while commuting or running errands.

The loud bell ensures you can alert other riders or pedestrians to your presence for added safety.

It’s incredibly lightweight at just 40 lbs for effortless handling and maneuverability.

It comes in four sizes and three color options.

It has a range of 70 miles with the range extender battery system.

2 Reasons Not to Buy the Trek FX+ 2 eBike

The LED display for battery status and pedal assist mode feels outdated compared to modern LCDs.

The lack of quick-release wheels requires tools for their removal.

The Trek FX+2 gives you the essentials for everyday city commuting. Its lightweight, understated design is excellent for riders who need to carry their bike and don’t want to attract attention. It lacks some features found on more expensive bikes, but the FX+2 provides extra assistance for daily utility and leisure rides.

The Trek Dual Sport+ is a versatile and well-designed electric bike that delivers a comfortable and stable riding experience on both the road and trail. It is lightweight and durable, making it perfect for commuting or light touring.

6 Reasons to Buy the Dual Sport+

Well-designed and versatile electric bike

An affordable and reliable option

Excellent brakes and dependable specification list

Lightweight and durable hybrid bike

Small but effective motor and torque sensor

Stealthy appearance with streamlined design elements

3 Reasons to Buy the Dual Sport+

The absence of an integrated light system

Puncture-resistant tires

Non-replaceable internal battery may limit range without an external range extender battery

The Dual Sport+ electric bike is a well-designed and versatile option that offers great value for its price. With excellent brakes, a dependable specification list, and a small but effective motor, it provides a reliable and enjoyable ride.

The Trek Domane+ LT is a performance road bike with electric assist that is perfect for long miles on pavement or gravel.

5 Reasons to Buy the Trek Domane+ LT

The Bontrager Arvada Elite saddle promises a comfortable ride

Tubeless tires on quality tubeless-read wheels

Full carbon suspension is extremely durable and stable

Powerful electric drive system with a touch remote

Good performance on steep climbs

3 Reasons Not to Buy the Trek Domane+ LT

The pedal assist will cut off after reaching a speed of 20 mph, which might not give the best experience to riders looking for a fast ride.

The battery life can be a bit short if you want to have a full-day adventure.

Only one frame size is available, but it might not be suitable for all riders.

The Trek Domane+ LT can give you an authentic road bike experience, thanks to the quality carbon frame, tires suitable for road and gravel, and hidden electronic drivetrain system.

The Trek Allant+ is a powerful, versatile, and capable electric bike perfect for speedy commutes, sweat-free errands, and off-road adventures. It offers a hill-flattening boost and a range that shrinks distances, making it suitable for various ride use cases such as neighborhood cruising, urban commuting, and family leisure.

5 Reasons to Buy the Allant+

It is a high-quality ebike with ample range, a powerful motor, and a comprehensive parts package.

It is a comfortable and capable commuter ebike with reliable handling.

This fast commuter e-bike has sharp and reliable handling and ample speed.

The Allant+ features high-quality components, a powerful motor, and intuitive connectivity.

The Allant+ is a high-quality bike with effective weight distribution, an impressive motor, a smooth ride, and good components.

3 Reasons Not to Buy the Allant+

The Trek Allant+ has an expensive price point that may not provide the best value for every customer.

The charging port could benefit from a more accessible position.

Low-speed steering and suspension could be improved.

The Trek Allant+ line of electric bikes offers top-notch quality, impressive performance, and a comprehensive set of features. While they may have a higher price point, the high-quality components and intuitive connectivity make them a great investment for those seeking an enjoyable commuting or casual riding experience.

The Trek E-Caliber is a lightweight electric mountain bike that combines traditional cycling agility with the benefits of electric assistance. With its nimble and efficient ride, the E-Caliber is accessible to a wide range of riders and offers a versatile design that appeals to both professionals and casual riders.

7 Reasons to Buy the E-Caliber

The Trek E-Caliber is praised for its integration of the Fazua Evation assist system, which provides electric assistance while maintaining traditional cycling agility.

The bike is optimized for weight and performance, potentially setting a new standard for eMTB design.

It offers a nimble and efficient ride, making it accessible to a wide range of riders.

The E-Caliber features a lightweight carbon frame and quality components.

The bike has a versatile design and appeals to both professional and casual riders.

The iso-strut suspension guarantees a comfortable and adjustable ride.

The E-Caliber is customizable, allowing customers to tailor it to their specific needs.

4 Reasons Not to Buy the E-Caliber

The E-Caliber suspension may not provide enough off-road performance and its aggressive geometry may limit its application.

The high price tag of $11,999 may deter some potential buyers.

There are other e-bikes in the same price range that offer more.

Despite its lightweight and quality components, the E-Caliber may not be suitable for longer rides.

The Trek E-Caliber is a groundbreaking eMTB that offers the perfect blend of electric assistance and traditional cycling agility. With its optimized weight and performance, it sets a new standard for eMTB design. The nimble and efficient ride, along with the Fazua Evation assist system, ensures a superior riding experience with minimal resistance.

The Trek Powerfly FS 4 is a full-suspension electric mountain bike designed for rugged trail adventures. It features a durable Alpha Platinum Aluminum frame and is equipped with a powerful Bosch Performance Line CX drive system. Despite its high performance, the Powerfly FS 4 remains affordable, providing excellent value for money.

9 Reasons to Buy the Powerfly FS 4

The Trek 2022 Powerfly FS 4 features a suspension system, making it suitable for mountain biking and off-road adventures.

The bike utilizes Trek's Alpha Platinum Aluminum frame, ensuring durability and strength.

Equipped with the reliable Performance CX mid-mounted motor by Bosch, providing efficient and powerful assistance while riding.

The integrated battery is removable, allowing for easy charging and replacement.

The bike offers additional features ready for customization, giving users the ability to personalize their riding experience.

The new Trek Powerfly FS is versatile and high-performing, suitable for various terrains and riding styles.

The e-bike is equipped with top-of-the-line hardware, ensuring quality and reliability.

Despite its high quality, the Trek Powerfly FS is considered affordable, offering value for money.

The design of the bike allows for great off-road handling, providing a thrilling and enjoyable riding experience.

1 Reason Not to Buy the Powerfly FS 4

The bike's small display screen might be inconvenient for some users, potentially affecting visibility and ease of navigation.

The Trek Powerfly FS 4 is a top-performing e-bike that offers durability, versatility, and value for money. With its suspension system and strong frame, it's perfect for off-road adventures. The reliable motor and removable battery provide efficient assistance and easy charging. Plus, the customizable features allow users to personalize their riding experience. While the small display screen may be a drawback for some, overall, the Powerfly FS 4 delivers a thrilling and enjoyable ride.

The Trek Rail 9.7 is a long-travel carbon electric mountain bike that offers impressive performance and a solid distance range. With its powerful Bosch motor and 625Wh battery capacity, it provides powerful uphill momentum and inspires confidence on descents.

4 Reasons to Buy the Rail 9.7

Impressive distance range with the powerful Bosch motor and a solid 625Wh battery capacity

Powerful uphill momentum and confident descent

Good geometry and an enjoyable ride

Surprisingly plush and comfortable

4 Reasons Not to Buy the Rail 9.7

Slightly quirky display and controls

Less smooth start-off of the motor

Placement of the water bottle holder

The aesthetic of the remote (not visually appealing)

The Rail 9.7 offers an impressive distance range and powerful performance, making it a great option for those looking for an enjoyable and comfortable ride. While there may be some minor quirks and budget-oriented componentry, overall, this enduro eMTB delivers on its promises and provides a solid choice for riders.

The Fuel EXe 9.8 GX AXS is an evolved e-mountain bike from Trek. Built on a carbon fiber chassis, it offers a light, stiff, and nimble ride.

13 Reasons to Buy the Fuel EXe 9.8 GX AXS

Versatility for different terrains

A great option for both park rides and long trail rides

Impressive build quality

Sleek design for a smooth ride

Sturdy build, high-quality components, and excellent ride quality

Electric-assist has powerful performance

Silent operation and instant drive unit engagement

Reduced fatigue and increased agility compared to full-fat eMTBs

Sturdy frame and supportive suspension for an efficient and confident ride

Efficient climbing performance and powerful brakes

It has a short rear end for a playful ride quality

Impressive natural ride feel and lightweight build

Potential long-term durability and performance

3 Reasons Not to Buy the Fuel EXe 9.8 GX AXS

Somewhat expensive compared to some competitors

It has areas for potential improvement

Heavier and lacking small-bump suppleness

The Fuel EXe 9.8 GX AXS is a versatile and high-quality micromobility vehicle that delivers an exceptional ride experience. With its sleek design, sturdy build, and powerful electric-assist performance, it's a top choice for riders looking to tackle different terrains, from park rides to long trail adventures. The reduced fatigue and increased agility make it a joy to ride, while the supportive suspension and efficient climbing performance ensure a confident journey. Despite the somewhat higher price tag, this micromobility vehicle offers long-term durability and performance, making it a worthwhile investment for those seeking a reliable and enjoyable ride.

The Trek Fetch+ 2 is a compact electric cargo bike designed to haul a lot while being fun and simple to use. With the powerful boost of the Bosch smart system, it can easily carry up to 175 lbs of cargo, making it perfect for families.

5 Reasons to Buy the Fetch+ 2

The Trek Fetch Plus 2 electric bike offers great capacity for carrying children or cargo.

The bikes are highly customizable, allowing for the addition of child seats and various compartments for cargo.

They are equipped with Bosch electric bike motors, known for their quality and reliability.

The removable Bosch batteries can be fully charged in six hours, providing a convenient power source.

The Fetch Plus 2 cargo bike offers a minimalist design with a relatively lightweight, making it suitable for urban riding.

4 Reasons Not to Buy the Fetch+ 2

The Trek Fetch Plus bikes have a hefty price tag, which may not be accessible to all potential buyers.

While the bikes are designed for carrying cargo, they may not be suitable for users who don't have a need for that specific functionality.

The customization options and additional accessories may add to the overall cost of the bike.

The bikes are primarily designed for short city rides, so they may not be the best choice for long-distance or off-road riding.

The Trek Fetch+ electric bikes are an excellent choice for those seeking versatile micromobility options. With their impressive carrying capacity and customizable features, they provide a reliable and convenient solution for transporting children or cargo.

The Trek Fetch+ 4 is an electric cargo box bike that offers a high carrying capacity and the ability to connect with family members while providing a sustainable transportation alternative. With the powerful boost of the Bosch smart system and best-in-class handling and stability, this bike can confidently carry up to five children.

6 Reasons to Buy the Fetch+ 4

Customizable options for the Trek Fetch+ 4 electric cargo bike.

Significant carrying capacity, with the Fetch+ 4 able to carry up to 200kg and carry up to five children.

Priced comparably to leading electric cargo bikes.

High cargo carrying capacity and durable components make the Fetch+4 ideal for families.

Premium Bosch powertrain systems, a trusted brand in electric bike technology, offer high performance power and sustainable transportation alternatives.

Potential savings from eliminating recurring costs related to car ownership.

4 Reasons Not to Buy the Fetch+ 4

The design appeal of the Trek Fetch+ 4 falls short compared to rivals.

The Trek Fetch+ 4 lacks a throttle, which may be a disadvantage for some riders.

Customizable options for the Trek Fetch+ 4 is not as extensive as other brands.

The cost of the bikes is high, which may be a deterrent for some potential buyers.

The Trek Fetch+ series offers customizable options and impressive carrying capacity, making them perfect for families and those in need of a reliable cargo bike. With Bosch electric bike motors and high cargo-carrying capabilities, these bikes provide sustainable transportation alternatives and potential savings from eliminating car ownership costs.

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Trek Electric Bikes Review

eBicycles score

In terms of principles, Trek is firmly grounded in producing bikes with high-quality craftsmanship, aiming to bring the joy of cycling to a broader audience. The fact that the company has four electric bikes speaks for itself.

Trek started back in 1976 as a subsidiary of Roth Corporation, an appliance distributor based in Milwaukee. The founders, Richard Burke and Bevil Hogg, began to manufacture steel touring frames with the aspiration to rival Japanese and Italian-made bicycles that were dominating the market at that time.

Just as its name suggests, Trek is fully committed to bringing its riders to great adventures and even promises to take them to the edge of the horizon.

It’s also fitting that their place of origin, Waterloo, is home to the Waterloo Driving Park Association, where spirited residents gather for some old-time tough and gritty bicycle racing.

Throughout its long history, Trek has been fueled by its determination to provide the best and the most rugged bicycles for the adventurous spirits that form part of their heritage.

Overview of Trek Electric Bikes

Trek Bikes produce premium quality bikes all around the world.

Trek was founded with an established goal of building high-end bikes for the United States. Back in the day, all the good bikes came from European brands. This inspired Richard Burke and Bevil Hogg to take matters into their own hands. The solution? To make their own brand of bicycles.

Three years after its foundation, Trek sales came close to the $2,000,000-mark.

Now, Trek Bicycle Corporation is one of the world’s biggest bike companies.

The company offers models designed for Road, Mountain, and Urban biking. Trek is also renowned for making the bikes that Lance Armstrong rode to his number of victories in Tour De France.

In terms of their electric bike portfolio, Trek covers a wide range of frames, from amiable town bikes to more powerful road bikes and mountain bikes. Currently, the company sells 24 of these bikes with a price range between $1,500 to $12,000.

What We Like About Trek Electric Bikes

It is a given that Trek is very well-known when it comes to building bikes. However, this doesn’t mean that every giant company doesn’t have kinks in its armor.

This section will talk about the pros and cons of Trek e-bikes. Here to highlight the things we like about them and the points to consider before buying their e-bikes.

Reasons to buy:

Trek produces high-quality bikes that can handle any type of weather and terrain .
Most models are available in five different sizes for an optimal fit for each rider.
Aside from their magnificent designs, Trek bikes boast high-quality frames and components .
Massive collection of e-bikes span from hybrids, mountain bikes, and road bikes.
The Bosch motor boasts top-notch performance while keeping its size and weight minimum.

Reasons to avoid:

Some bicycles are overly expensive for an everyday e-bike.
Some key components don’t come with the complete bike and are sold separately .

Popular Trek E-Bike Models

The company has a ton of bicycles underneath its belt and a compelling product line, market value, and spec sheet.

Trek has been in the biking industry for a long time, but it didn’t hold back on innovating the e-bike scene. Here is a brief overview of Trek’s e-bike categories and what you can expect to see in each one.

Hybrid & Commuter Trek E-Bikes

If you’re looking to commute by e-bike, run errands around town, or just go for a leisurely ride with friends and family, Trek’s hybrid and commuter e-bikes are for you.

They’re split into three categories (City & Hybrid, Commuter, Recreational) and consist of multiple model lines:

Dual Sport+
Electra Go! E-Bikes

FX+ and Dual Sport+ model families are what you would call typical hybrid electric bikes with Class 1 speeds and rear hub motors. They are available with step-over and step-through frames and provide dynamic performance and upright riding positions.

Trek Mountain E-Bikes

Trek’s electric mountain bikes provide ‘endless adventure’, as Trek puts it. The category consists of hardtail and full-suspension mountain e-bikes that will fit all different types of riders.

The selection includes XC bikes, trail bikes, and even enduro bikes. There are four model families you can choose from:

All of Trek’s mountain e-bikes are powered by trail-tough Bosch mid-drive motors and integrated batteries with up to 625 Wh of capacity. They have Class 1 capabilities and the batteries typically last up to 5 hours of continuous use.

The only downside of Trek’s e-mountain bikes is the pricing, as they typically cost between $6,000 and $14,000, though the Powerfly models are priced in the $3,000-$4,000 range.

Shop Trek Mountain E-Bikes

Trek Road E-Bikes

Finally, Trek makes some of the best electric road bikes on the market, but also some of the most expensive ones.

They are famous for providing a natural riding experience and only supplementing power instead of taking over. Therefore, you’ll be able to ride further and enjoy road biking just as you would on a traditional road bike.

Domane+ is the only model family in this category, though it comes in around a dozen variations, including road and gravel capable builds.

These are Class 1 and Class 3 capable e-bikes with Fazua Evation or TQ e-bike systems. All models are built around lightweight carbon frames, come with drop bars, 1x and 2x Shimano and SRAM drivetrains, and powerful hydraulic disc brakes.

Therefore, if you want to explore more or keep up on fast group rides, one of Trek’s road e-bikes is for you, if you can afford it.

Shop Trek Road E-Bikes

Trek E-Bike Classes, Motors, and Batteries

Trek Bikes have high quality motors, suspension and steering

These bikes offer a lot of power and range from both their motor and battery.

The principle which the company is built upon is simple. That is to create a bicycle brand that is on par or even more significant than its European and Japanese counterparts back then. Now, they are one of the biggest bike companies in the whole world, so their grit and drive really paid off.

Trek is all about creating reliable bicycles that could take their customers to the next level of fun and enjoyment.

The company’s formula to success lies at their rigid standard of quality when it comes to their bikes. It ranges from steel, alloy, and carbon fiber, ensuring that it can take on any punishment it might receive when riding. They also didn’t hold back in choosing each component, as evidenced by their top-notch Bosch electric motors and Shimano parts.

When it comes to selling, the company won’t have any problems catering to your needs as they distribute their bicycles worldwide. What’s more? They even have 1,700 dealers in the U.S. alone. Their website also allows you to see the store closest to you, where you can view, test, and purchase their bikes.

Reliability and Durability

Trek Bikes use only the best quality materials so that their products can handle extreme terrains and any kind of weather.

Trek began with a vision from the two founders to build the best bicycles that the world had ever witnessed.

Thus, the company’s strict observance of the highest possible craftsmanship quality was born.

The company’s collection of bicycles typically receive rave reviews for their build quality. This applies to even their entry-level bikes, which at the price tag they’re sold at, isn’t always known to have the most premium components. Even if their price range generally makes their bikes a luxury, everything about it feels premium and durable when you get your hands on it.

As a testament to their bike’s quality, one Quora user shared that he almost managed to travel across Canada by riding an entry-level 1993 Trek 820 Antelope. This devotion to their founder’s vision endeared many cycling enthusiasts to the company and brand.

Frequently Asked Questions

If there’s anything that remained unanswered, here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding Trek e-Bikes.

Are Trek e-Bikes any good?

Yes, Trek e-bikes follow the standard set by their conventional siblings. The excellent quality is a given. What makes it even better is that Trek is supported by a vast network of dealers to ensure that parts and maintenance are readily available.

What happens if Trek e-bikes run out of battery?

If the battery on your Trek e-bike dies, you can no longer use the throttle, nor will you have the benefit of the pedal assist. However, you can still pedal the bike on your own, just like any regular bike.

Where are Trek e-bikes manufactured?

Trek’s headquarters itself is located in Waterloo, Wisconsin. Still, the manufacturing happens outside the U.S., in countries such as the Netherlands, Taiwan, Germany, and China.

How do I buy my own Trek e-bike?

Buying a Trek bike is an easy process. You can find the dealer or retailer closest to you using Trek’s Store Finder on their website. Alternatively, you can order them online and have the bike delivered to your address.

What is the motor used on Trek e-bikes?

All of Trek’s e-bikes use Bosch electric motors . These are mid-drive pedal-assist electric motors meant to mimic a natural, consistent feel while pedaling.

Bottom Point — Who Are Trek E-Bikes For?

Never be late again with Trek Bikes e-bikes!

Trek Bikes provide the best e-bikes out there. Not only do they have sports bikes like mountain bikes, but they also provide high-quality city and hybrid bikes.

Trek creates their bicycles with the sole purpose of providing reliable vehicles for adventurous spirits. However, the company also caters to those who only want to get from point A to point B without hiccups.

The company offers a lineup of electrical bikes consisting of road bikes, commuter bikes, mountain bikes, and hybrid bikes. Sure, the price may prove to be high for some, but it will all pay off as soon as you see and feel the quality of each part of the bike.

Shop Trek Electric Bike Models

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Trek Verve+ 2 Low-step Ebike review: A well-behaved city ebike

The trek verve+ 2 is an easy ebike with for commuters who only want a little extra help getting to work.

Trek Verve+ 2 parked outside on gravel path

Tom's Guide Verdict

The Trek Verve+ 2 is a light and well-balanced electric bike with a responsive Bosch mid-drive motor. However, its relatively limited power assistance and high price makes it a tough sell among equally capable but lower cost ebikes.

Good balance and handling

Solid components

Responsive motor

Not much power assistance

No full-throttle mode

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

Battery: 400 Wh Max estimated range: 60 miles (Eco mode) Max assisted speed: 20 mph Motor: Bosch Active Line 250-watt mid drive motor Gearing: Shimano Alivio 9-speed Wheel diameter: 27.5 inches max Weight: 52 pounds

Most riders will find the Trek Verve+ 2 a little underpowered, especially compared to some of the best budget electric bikes from the likes of Rad Power, Juiced Bikes, and Aventon. On the other hand, for those who think those ebikes are somehow outre and want something subtler, this mild-mannered ebike may be just the thing.

Designed to be a daily commuter and weekend daytripper, the Trek Verve+ 2 doesn't make any radical design statements or excessive power moves. This road bike is for those who want a no-hassle, low-maintenance easy rider with reliable components. Indeed, the low-step version of the Verve+ 2 we tested even makes it easy to climb aboard.

Trek Verve+ 2 Ebike review: Price and availability

Founded in the '70s in Wisconsin, Trek has a reputation for solid construction and reliability — a reputation for which the company hopes shoppers are willing to pay a premium. Sold through retailers, Trek offers an extensive line of bikes, ranging from $13,000 carbon fiber road racers to full-suspension mountain bikes, as well as a full line of ebikes.

The $2,849.99 Verve+ 2 sits somewhere in the middle of the company's ebike line. Compare, for example, Trek's Domane+ ALR, which is a more serious distance road bike that starts at $5,049.99 and the Townie Go 8D EQ Step-Over bike for Sunday beach bathers that starts at $2,449.99.

Trek's bikes are not available directly online but are rather ordered through retailers. The benefit is that you won't have to skin your knuckles assembling it yourself.

Trek Verve+ 2 Ebike review: Design

The Trek Verve+ 2 is designed for casual riders and commuters. It's available in sizes from XS to L, the largest of which will accommodate riders just over 6 feet tall. The bike has an aluminum frame with steel forks and wide straight handlebars for commuter comfort. You won't find mountain-bike style front shocks on the Verve+ 2, but a foam Bontrager seat with a suspension seat post takes the edge off of potholes.

Trek also includes a neat chain guard that runs nearly the full length and ensures you're not going to get a nice pair of pants or skirt mussied up in the gears. Furthermore, the essential power and brake wiring is fed through the down tube to keep things tidy and reduce the chances of damage. For convenience, front and rear quick release wheels are included.

To provide power assist, the Verve+ 2 uses a Bosch Active Line 250-watt, mid-drive motor to deliver smooth support and eliminate surprise surges of power. The bike has a top pedal assist speed of 20 mph and includes a Bosch controller and a 9-speed Shimano drivetrain with a 400Wh removable battery. Rounding out the feature list are hydraulic disc brakes, puncture-resistant tires, a kickstand and front and rear lights, plus metal fenders.

The Verve+ 2 also comes with a rear rack that uses the Racktime clip-on system, which makes it easy to use with compatible panniers and bags. One missing item: a bell or horn is not included, though it does have a headlight and taillight.

Trek Verve+ 2 Ebike review: Performance

The Trek Verve+ 2 offers smooth electric pedal assist performance and predictable handling. Its relatively light weight (52 pounds vs. 70 pounds for some ebikes) also makes it more maneuverable so riders will feel like they're in control of the bike — rather than vice versa.

Although there's no full-throttle mode, on city streets the mid-drive motor, which uses a torque sensor, is very responsive. The instant you apply pressure to the pedals you'll receive some electric assistance. That makes it more seamless than many rear-hub motor models, which tend to suffer from a delay or turbo lag. Consequently, the Trek Verve+ 2 helps you start off from a dead stop, and it's whisper quiet compared to rear motor designs. To bring everything to a halt, the bike's hydraulic brakes are responsive without being too touchy.

Taking the Trek for trips in the countryside presented more of a challenge. The mild power assist even in the top Turbo mode may feel insufficient in helping me climb hills. And if you get caught in the wrong gear on an incline, you'll find yourself getting up out of the saddle. So if you're looking for help on the hills in San Francisco or Asheville, look elsewhere.

One advantage of the Verve+ 2 is that you can use it in full manual mode. Electric support is not necessary. Compare that to big gravel bikes like those from Aventon or Biktrix, which are so heavy you'll never want to be stuck somewhere without power.

The Bosch controller for the electrics displays speed, range, amount of electric assistance selected, and the battery level. There's also a button for walk mode, but you're unlikely to need it unless you're pushing the bike up a steep hill.

We also found that the front headlamp could be brighter for daytime visibility (initially, we didn't realize it was on).

Trek Verve+ 2 Ebike review: Battery life and range

The Bosch controller on the Verve + 2 is a basic LCD display that allows you to choose between four power assist modes: Turbo, Sport, Tour, and Eco. As the nomenclature might suggest, you'll get the most range out of Eco mode--up to 60 miles, according to Trek--and then in descending order less distance the more electric push you ask for with Turbo mode rated for 25 miles.

Because we didn't find the lower power modes much of a help on hills, we primarily used Turbo mode during our weeks of testing. Facing significant hills and with a 170-pound rider aboard, we got an average of 23 miles out of Turbo mode. That's a reasonable result, given the challenging terrain. But depending on where you ride, how much you weigh, and how much electric assistance you prefer, your mileage may vary.

Trek Verve+ 2 Ebike review: Competition

If you're looking for an ebike for between $1,400 and $1,900, there are a raft of choices from reputable but relative newcomers, including the Rad Power Rad City5 Plus , and the Charge Bikes City , both of which cost $1,799. In this end of the market, you'll get more power for your money, but the bikes typically use a less-desirable rear hub motor and are heavier, intended for gravel and occasional off-road use.

If you're considering the more suburban Trek Verve+2 and have the $2,800 to spare, there are plenty of choices from other established brands. Cannondale, for example, offers the Adventure Neo 4 for the same price and boasting nearly the identical powertrain and feature set. However, Cannondale's model has more style than the Trek bike, concealing the battery as part of its downtube, for example.

And if you want a truly no-fuss, sophisticated ebike commuter, our first choice is still the Gazelle Ultimate C380 HMB, although it's considerably more expensive ($4,249).

Trek Verve+ 2 Ebike review: Bottom line

It's difficult to make a value case for the Trek Verve+ 2. Among the best electric bikes and best budget electric bikes , there are many available with comparable abilities and much more power — for a lot less money. On the other hand, lighter casual riders will find the Verve+ 2 more manageable and maneuverable than many of those less expensive models. Furthermore, Trek is sold through traditional brick-and-mortar retailers versus models that are only sold directly online, so buyers don't have to face the annoyance of putting the bike together themselves.

John R. Quain has been reviewing and testing video and audio equipment for more than 20 years. For Tom's Guide, he has reviewed televisions, HDTV antennas, electric bikes, electric cars, as well as other outdoor equipment. He is currently a contributor to The New York Times and the CBS News television program.

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Trek releases two new more affordable electric bikes with hub motors and hidden batteries

If you’ve ever explored Trek’s electric bike families before, you’ll know that the companies offers nicely made yet high-priced e-bikes. You get what you pay for, though you pay handsomely. But now Trek has just released two e-bikes – the Dual Sport+ and the FX+ – that are helping bring down prices for everyday riders.

Both of the bikes are targeted more towards that quickly growing group of everyday riders.

While Trek has plenty of $8,000 electric mountain bikes and road e-bikes for the hardcore riders out there, these two new models are designed for everyone else; the kind of riders that just want to get out and hit the pavement or the dirt without worrying about shaving off every last gram or bragging about top tire components.

While both of the new models could likely handle both urban riding and manicured trails, the Dual Sport+ certainly has one wheel further in the dirt category while the FX+ is more of your everyday commuter e-bike.

The Dual Sport+ is essentially an electrified version of Trek’s existing Dual Sport line; the bike is available in a step-over format (Dual Sport+ 2) or a step-through version (Dual Sport +2 Stagger).

Both are priced at $2,399 , or several thousands dollars less than most of Trek’s other e-bikes.

The lack of a mid-drive motor combined with a smaller battery helps drop that price. The 250W hub motor carries the same 250W continuous rating as most box store e-bikes, though the 40 Nm of torque is admittedly on the lower end of the spectrum for e-bike torque ratings.

At full power, the bike offers assist up to 20 mph (32 km/h), making it a Class 1 e-bike in the US.

The Trek Dual Sport+ only has three pedal assist settings, but a torque sensor in the bottom bracket will help produce intuitive feeling electrical assist in all three power levels. The remote on the left side of the handlebars makes it easy to switch between power levels and check your battery charge level without taking up too much space with a large display.

Powering that motor is a 250Wh battery hidden in the frame; Trek says it’s good for 35 miles (56 km) on a charge. An auxiliary battery is available as a range extender that sits in the water bottle holder and double that ranges to 70 miles (112 km).

There’s no suspension to be had, but the 2″ tires should give a bit more relief with modest air pressure.

The small motor and battery combination help the bike shed some poundage, weighing in at 38 lbs. (17.5 kg).

Other features on the bike include a lower tier 9-speed Shimano Altus transmission, decent Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, and both front and rear LED lights.

Racks and fenders aren’t included standard but there are mounting points for adding those accessories if you want to turn the bike into a commuter-ready two-wheeler.

Though if you’re more focused on commuting, the Trek FX+ is likely the better option; it’s Trek’s second new model and is designed more for urban riding. Not only does it comes with a rear rack and fenders pre-installed, but it also marks one of Trek’s most affordable urban e-bike models yet with a price tag of just $2,499 for both the step-over and step-through models.

Electronically, the Trek FX+ e-bikes offer much of the same components as we saw in the Trek Dual Sport+ models. There’s a 250W hub motor, 250Wh battery built into the frame, a minimalist remote/display on the handlebars and a torque sensor in the bottom bracket.

The bike takes on a bit more of a street vibe with its geometry and slightly narrower tires. But a lot of the bones here are quite similar.

Both bikes come in four sizes of S, M, L, and XL. They’re available either from Trek’s website or a local Trek dealer.

Electrek’s Take

Taken on their own, $2.4-$2.5k is a bit pricey for a hub motor e-bike, even if it does come with a torque sensor.

But you’re also paying for more than just a spec sheet here. You’re getting the service and support of a large bicycle company with a worldwide dealer and service network.

Are the bikes as well made as Trek’s $8k e-bikes? I doubt it. But are they better made than a one-size-fits-most $1.5k direct to consumer e-bike ? You better believe it.

So if you’re looking for bang for your buck, this probably isn’t it. But if you want a bike shop e-bike – and all the advantages plus the peace of mind that entails – I could see these Trek e-bikes as good options.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Micah Toll is a personal electric vehicle enthusiast, battery nerd, and author of the Amazon #1 bestselling books DIY Lithium Batteries , DIY Solar Power, The Ultimate DIY Ebike Guide and The Electric Bike Manifesto .

The e-bikes that make up Micah’s current daily drivers are the $999 Lectric XP 2.0 , the $1,095 Ride1Up Roadster V2 , the $1,199 Rad Power Bikes RadMission , and the $3,299 Priority Current . But it’s a pretty evolving list these days.

You can send Micah tips at [email protected], or find him on Twitter , Instagram , or TikTok .

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Review: Trek FX+ 2

Trek FX 2 electric bike on geometric yellow and green backdrop.

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If you come to me and say, “I’ve never ridden an electric bike before,” I am probably going to take a few factors into consideration. The first is safety. If you’ve never built a bike, I’m probably not going to recommend a mail-order one you have to assemble yourself. You don’t want to discover that you've failed to tighten a screw when you’re going 20 miles per hour down a hill.

You also probably want a bike that’s reasonably priced, comfortable, and convenient to ride. In fact, you might want one that’s as close to your first human-powered bike as possible. Trek’s FX+ 2 hits all the sweet spots. It’s made by a reputable manufacturer with a wide retailer network. The reasonable base price includes all the commuter components, like integrated lights and fenders. Most importantly, it’s light and maneuverable.

It’s not a 65-pound “starter” ebike that will crush you if you stop on a hill or forget to charge the battery. Nor is it a smart bike that makes you spend 20 minutes walking through an app before you can ride it. I've been testing ebikes at home for years, and this is the first one my 60-year-old dad has felt comfortable grabbing and using to chase after my kids. “Sometimes I don’t even turn it on,” he remarked the other day. That’s the whole point.

The FX+ 2 comes in two configurations and three different sizes. The default model has a regular step-over top tube, and the FX+ 2 Stagger has a step-through top tube. Both come in a variety of colors and have small, medium, and large sizes. I’m 5'2" and the small-size Stagger fits me well. However, if you’re smaller than 5 feet, you might want to look at a different bike.

The cables, battery, and motor are inside the frame. The only clue the FX+ 2 Stagger is an ebike at all is a small unit with only three buttons on it: a power button, and plus and minus symbols. When you turn on the bike, its lights turn on, and two light meters show how much battery you have left and what level of pedal assistance you have toggled on.

That’s it. There’s no bright LCD display and no throttle. This might seem like a downside, but I use my electric bike for commuting and running errands. When I lock it up on a rack, it gives me peace of mind to know that no one’s going to spot a lone ebike in the wild and immediately try to steal it (or the battery).

I also appreciate the clarity in the controls. I’ve tried other electric bikes with a one-button toggle, but I could never remember how many times to press the button to toggle the level of assist, or what light indicated how much battery I had left.

Closeup view of a cargo rack on the Trek FX 2 electric bike.

The FX+ 2 has a 250-watt Hydrive rear hub motor, which is the European standard. That might seem slightly underpowered to Americans looking to power up huge hills, but the bike is so light and maneuverable that having a smaller motor doesn’t matter much at all. The medium frame size weighs 40 pounds—almost 30 pounds lighter than my own Tern GSD S00.

Not only is it easy to scootch up hills, it’s also easy to maneuver onto crowded bike racks when I’m out, or to lift onto our hanging bike rack in my garage. Also, for the past two weeks, it’s the first bike both my dad and I have grabbed to run errands around the neighborhood. The stated range is 35 miles, but we’ve put at least 10 miles on it by now, and the battery seems largely untouched. The fast 45c road tires didn’t hurt, either.

Person riding the Trek FX 2 electric bike on a city street.

It does lack a few features we're used to seeing on higher-end ebikes by now, like a low-maintenance carbon belt drive or a continuously variable shifter. Instead, it has a regular bike chain on a nine-speed Shimano shifting system, with a derailleur that, yes, you may have to adjust occasionally.

But honestly, this was more than fine by me. I didn’t have to learn a new shifting system or figure out how to calibrate the gearing with the assist levels. I wasn’t riding a bike that was trying to predict how much assist I’d need and when—I could simply toggle on more or less as I rode. In that way, it felt much easier and more natural.

It also has a lot of accessories that may be equally important, especially as the weather here in Oregon has grown cold, gray, and wet in the past few weeks. The 120-lumen headlamp is incredibly bright. The bell is incredibly loud. The fenders have kept my jeans relatively dry, and I’ve been able to bungee items onto the rear rack. A kickstand keeps it up in the garage for quick access, and hydraulic disc brakes work even when the rain is pouring down.

The price point may seem high compared to direct-to-consumer bikes from Aventon, Lectric, or Rad Power. But once you start adding up the cost of quality components, labor, and accessories, their prices start inching up. Mail-order companies are able to offer much lower prices on base models because their motors are cheaper. With a nicer motor, a mail-order bike like the Ride1Up Prodigy is priced comparably to the FX+ 2, and you have to assemble and safety-check it yourself.

Over the years, I’ve seen bicycle manufacturers debate and then struggle to add or subtract features that will make electric bikes more attractive to people who haven’t biked before. Extremely low step-throughs! Weird shifting systems! Apps! Huge tires! Maybe the best way to get people on an electric bike is the same way you get people on a regular bike—by making it fun, light, and easy to ride.

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Best Electric Road Bikes of 2024: Ride Farther and Faster with Less Effort

Image: Cannondale.com

An eRoad bike, or electric road bike, is a road bike with an electric assist motor fitted either in the hub of the rear wheel or in the bottom bracket. Otherly known as hub motor, or mid-drive.

Usually, the motor doesn’t power the bike fully but provides enough assistance that pedaling is easier, especially when going uphill.

E-Road bikes have taken longer to be accepted by the cycling community than other electric bikes due to the competitive nature of road cycling. To use electric assistance is seen by many as negating the purpose of road cycling, which is meant to be a tough form of exercise.

However, more and more people are now adopting electric road bikes to improve their training sessions, reduce joint impact, and increase their daily distance.

Best Electric Road Bikes of 2024

1. Trek Domane+ AL 5 2. Santa Cruz Skitch GX AXS 3. Ride1UP CF Racer1 4. Salsa Confluence 5. Trek Domane+ SLR 6 6. Cervelo Rouvida 7. Santa Cruz Skitch CC Apex

Alternatives:

8. Gazelle Ultimate C380+ 9. Ride1UP Gravel Roadster v2 10. State Bicycles Co. 6061 Ebike Commuter 11. Giant FastRoad E+ EX Pro

1. Trek Domane+ AL 5

Weight – 31 lbs | Battery – 250 Wh | Range – 110 mi | Motor – 250W | Torque – 40Nm

MSRP: $3,500

Class 1 e-bike
Frame – Aluminum
Brakes – Shimano 105 hydraulic disc brakes
Gears – Shimano 105 R7000

Trek bikes are easily recognizable by their signature high-quality build and finish, and the Domane+ AL 5 e-road bike is no different.

Looking much like your traditional Trek road bike, it has only a slightly fatter downtube to fit the battery and more modern frame geometry. The rear hub Hyena motor has several power modes, assisting you up to 20 mph and the 250 Wh battery provides up to 110 miles of range per charge.

Hop on and it feels just like riding a standard road bike, with hardly any resistance from the motor and mild, smooth electrical assistance when going uphill.

Top-quality parts like a Shimano 105 R7000 groupset make it feel just like a pro bike, so competitive riders will feel at home. All the class and quality of a traditional Trek steed, with some added electrical horsepower.

Buy from Trek Bikes

2. Santa Cruz Skitch CC GX AXS

Weight – 30 lbs | Battery – 430 Wh | Range – 60 | Motor – Fazua Ride 60 | Torque – 60 Nm

MSRP: $7,299

Class 3 e-bike
Frame – Carbon
Brakes – SRAM Rival AXS
Gears – SRAM GX Eagle AXS T-Type

The Santa Cruz Skitch GX AXS is one of the best e-bikes for long-distance road and gravel cycling. While it is categorized as a road, gravel, and adventure bike, the geometry and 700 x 45c tire size make it an irreplaceable companion as an all-road bike.

With a max-assisted speed of 28 mph, the Fazua Ride 60 motor is among the most compact and innovative, while the integrated 430 Wh e-bike battery is hard to spot. The level of components and the 60-mile range allows you to go farther in altitude and distances while saving a ton of energy.

The Skitch GX AXS is best suited for someone who knows how to appreciate the nice blend of components mixed into one, from a truly high-end carbon electric road bike.

Buy on evo.com Buy on Mike's Bikes

3. Ride1UP CF Racer 1

Weight – 28.6 lbs | Battery – 250 Wh | Range – 40 mi | Motor – 250W | Torque – 42 Nm

MSRP: $2,295

Frameset – Carbon
Brakes – SRAM Rival hydraulic discs
Gears – SRAM Rival 1×11-speed

The Ride1UP CF Racer1 is an electric road and gravel bike that performs perfectly on the road thanks to high-power electronics and a lightweight carbon frame.

It comes with a powerful 250W geared rear hub motor that pushes out 42 Nm of torque, more than enough to help you with those steep hills or long rides.

The 250 Wh battery can last up to 40 miles, which is perfect to power up your long-distance rides.

The Ride1UP CF Racer1 is the ideal, comfortable gravel or road electric bike for riders on a budget. In addition, it’s available in a gravel and road build, so you can choose whichever suits your riding style better.

It’s hard to believe that you can get a full-carbon electric road bike that weighs just 28 lb for only $2,295, but Ride1UP did it somehow.

Buy from Ride1UP

4. Salsa Confluence

Weight – 33 lb | Battery – 250 Wh | Range – 45 mi | Motor – 250W MAHLE X35+ | Torque – 40 Nm

MSRP: $2,999

Frame – Aluminum
Brakes – Tektro Mechanical disc brakes
Gearing – SRAM Apex 1×11

The Salsa Confluence electric road bike is designed to give more people the feeling of comfort and pedal assistance.

The Confluence combines traditional all-road bike traits with a cutting-edge, lightweight motor that helps keep the bike lightweight. It has multiple power-assist modes so you can manage exactly how much extra boost you need while still getting in some solid training.

With a 250 Wh battery that can help you ride 45 miles on a single charge, you’ll be able to explore high mountain passes that were previously inaccessible.

The high-quality SRAM Apex 1 drivetrain and mechanical disc brakes finish off this Salsa bike with a high-performance feel.

It’s the perfect bike for weight-conscious cyclists who’ve always thought eBikes are too heavy.

Buy from REI.com

5. Trek Domane+ SLR 6

Weight – 27.34 lbs | Battery – 360 Wh | Range – 60 miles | Motor – TQ Mid-drive | Speed – 28 mph

MSRP: $8,500

Brakes – Shimano 105 hydraulic
Gears – 1×11
Rear derailleur – Shimano 105 Di2 12-speed

The Domane+ SLR 6 is a Trek electric road bike with gravel capabilities, combining an aerodynamic, lightweight frame with 32 mm tires and a powerful motor. The result is an all-road beast that will tackle the tough conditions of nature with ease and speed.

The Trek Domane+ SLR 6 is a lightweight and stable ride thanks to tailored geometry, providing control and confidence even at high speed.

The 250W TQ motor will assist you up to 28 mph, helping you sail up hills with ease. Finally, you have 360 Wh battery integrated inside the down tube that offers 60 miles of range.

6. Cervelo Rouvida

Weight – 27.3 lb | Battery – 430 Wh | Range – N/A | Motor – Fazua Ride 60 | Torque – 60 Nm

MSRP: $6,200

Brakes – Shimano GRX hydraulic
Gears – 1×12
Derailleur – Shimano GRX RX822

The Cervelo Rouvida is a unique all-road/gravel electric bike with a carbon frame and fork, and trusted Fazua electronics.

The Rouvida boasts a Fazua Ride 60 rear hub motor that delivers 60 Nm of torque and a 430 Wh battery that will provide you with a decent range in Eco mode.

With a range of pedal-assistance modes available, you can push out as much or as little effort as you like, ensuring that you get in all your training while reducing strain and impact on your joints.

The wide-ratio Shimano GRX drivetrain allows you to take on steep climbs, and the GRX hydraulic disc brakes will make sure you descend safely as well.

The Cervelo Rouvida also comes with interchangeable dropouts which lets you change the geometry of the bike from a road setup to a gravel setup and vice versa. Therefore, by buying it, you get two bikes in one.

Buy from Mike's Bikes

7. Santa Cruz Skitch CC Apex

Weight – 30 lbs | Battery – 430 Wh | Range – 60 miles | Motor – Fazua Ride 60 | Torque – 60 Nm

MSRP: $6,299 ( Mike’s Bikes / evo.com )

Frame – Carbon fiber
Brakes – SRAM Apex
Gears – SRAM Apex Eagle 12-speed

Santa Cruz Skitch is a gravel electric bike that feels just as impressive on paved roads, with a highly efficient and lightweight Fazua Ride 60 motor and 430 Wh battery. This means you can use the Skitch as a gravel bike or as a normal electric road bike.

With quality SRAM Apex Eagle gears and SRAM Apex hydraulic disc brakes combined with a lightweight carbon frame with stable geometry and 700 x 45 mm Schwalbe G-One tires, it’s clear this is a bike for long-distance rides.

It comes with all the bells and whistles of Santa Cruz’s top competitive bikes with just that added bit of power when you need it.

Buy from Mike's Bikes Buy from evo.com

Alternatives to Consider

8. gazelle ultimate c380+.

Best flat-bar electric road bike

Weight – 55 lbs | Battery – 500Wh | Range – 80mi | Motor – 250W | Torque – 75Nm

MSRP: $5,000

Frame – 6061 Aluminum alloy
Gears – Enviollo 380 Trekking Hub

The Gazelle Ultimate C380+ is an excellent flat-bar road bike with commuter components, perfect for those who spend a lot of time cycling down dirt or gravel roads.

It has thicker tires than most at 47mm and a powerful engine with a long-lasting battery. The Ultimate C380+ is ideal for getting out into the countryside and spending a full weekend exploring your surrounding nature.

Gazelle has included an impressive Bosch Performance Line Speed eBike system and a 500Wh battery to deliver 80 miles of range. Not the cheapest e-bike on the market, but what a lovely ride!

9. Ride1UP Gravel Roadster v2

Weight – 33 lbs | Battery – 252 Wh | Range – 20-30 mi | Motor – 350W | Torque – 40 Nm

MSRP: $1,345

Class 3 eBike, 24 mph
Single-speed belt drivetrain
Tektro Aries mechanical disc brakes
700 x 42c tires

The Ride1UP Gravel Roadster v2 is a great alternative to traditional gravel and road electric bikes that you should consider.

Ride1UP electric bikes are known for offering a high value-to-money ratio, with modern design, affordable components, and solid real-world performance.

The Gravel Roadster v2 is powered by a 350W rear hub motor combined with a single-speed belt drivetrain that requires minimal maintenance—perfect for dusty gravel rides.

The 250 Wh battery offers a 20-30-mile range, which is not too much, but it’s enough for a day’s worth of riding for most cyclists.

Finally, the 700c x 42 mm tires are versatile and not too wide, so you can comfortably use the Gravel Roadster as a flat-bar electric road bike.

10. State Bicycles Co. 6061 Ebike Commuter

Weight – 38 lbs | Battery – 360Wh | Range – up to 100 miles | Motor – 250W | Speed – 20 mph

MSRP: $1,500

Brakes – Mechanical disc brakes
Gears – Single-speed
Tires – 700c x 40 mm

The State Bicycle Co. 6061 electric road bike combines a lightweight 250W motor with a single-speed drivetrain to deliver a versatile flat-bar road bike.

Paired with the motor is a 360 Wh battery that is fast-charging and long-lasting, so you can expect up to 100 miles of range in PAS 1, or 18-24 miles of range in PAS 5.

Finally, the fact that this bike comes with 700c x 40 mm tires makes it an incredibly versatile and comfortable electric road or gravel bike.

Buy from State Bicycles

11. Giant FastRoad E+ EX Pro

Class – 3 | Battery – 500 Wh | Speed – 28 mph | Motor – 250W | Torque – 80 Nm

MSRP: $4,300

Gears – 10-speed, Shimano GRX 400

Giant is the biggest cycling brand in the world and the FastRoad E+ is their flat-bar commuter road electric bike. We’re including it on our list because it offers excellent components and accessories for the money.

This electric commuter road bike uses Giant’s SyncDrive Pro 80 Nm motor and 500 Wh battery to provide a long range and PAS speeds of up to 28 mph.

The aluminum frame comes equipped with front and rear fenders, a rear rack, front and rear lights, and even a kickstand, so you have all you need for year-round commuting on paved and street roads.

The Giant FastRoad also boasts a 10-speed Shimano GRX 400 drivetrain with Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc brakes, so it rides as nicely as any other road bike out there.

What to look out for in an electric road bike?

When choosing an e-Road bike, the main points to look out for are the 1. Discipline (endurance, race, gravel), 2. Correct size, and 3. Level of components. Luckily, all of the e-road bikes lister are made of high-quality components, oftentimes designed for e-Road specific geometry and components.

Why get an electric road bike?

There are many good reasons to get an eRoad bike but trying to cheat in a cycling race is not one of them. The large batteries and visible motors make eRoad bikes instantly recognizable, so you won’t be fooling anyone.

Many eRoad bike buyers simply want to get to work without breaking a sweat or keep up with their younger, fitter mates on weekend rides.

If you struggle with arthritis or knee pain , an electric road bike could mean the difference between hanging up your helmet for good or enjoying several more years in the saddle. Maybe you simply want to see more of the world in a day and your legs aren’t taking you as far as you’d like to go.

Despite the electrical assistance, some research has found that eBikes actually improve fitness because riders spend longer periods in the saddle.

And lastly, the most obvious reason is that eBikes are super fun to ride. The constant assistance is very convenient on both flat and hilly roads.

What is the average cost of an electric road bike?

Make no mistake, electric road bikes are not cheap so you may need to consider your needs carefully. Most electric road bikes cost upwards of $3,000, with some top-range bikes costing $6,000 or more. However, if you currently drive to work or use public transport, an eRoad bike could pay for itself in a few months by saving on petrol or train tickets.

Disadvantages of e-road bikes?

Most electric road bikes are heavier and more expensive than traditional bikes. They also have more complex parts and as such are likely to need expensive repairs more often.

Which is the best electric road bike brand?

Cannondale has produced the widest variety of eRoad bikes on the market, while their main competitor, Specialized, has also a line of high-end bikes on their fleet. When you are after a road-specific brand, consider Look electric road bikes.

Are electric road bikes worth the money in 2024?

Any bicycle that gets you cycling outdoors, breathing fresh air, and improving your fitness is worth the money. For many people, an e-bike gives them the power to cycle to work, saving money on fuel or transport, and paying itself off in the long run.

Over the years, motor and battery technology has gotten cheaper, making e-bikes more affordable now than ever before.

Which is the best electric road bike groupset?

Electric road bikes use the same groupsets that normal road bikes do, but with more pressure being put on the gears, it’s best to have a high-strength set like Shimano Ultegra or GRX. Some ebikes with rear-wheel motors use built-in gears like the Shimano Nexus or Rohloff system, both of which are very good.

What is the lightest electric road bike?

At only 23.7lbs (10.75kg), the Scott Addict eRIDE is probably the lightest electric road bike in the world.

Which is the best budget electric road bike?

Unfortunately, the term ‘budget’ is not often seen in the road bike industry and is not as common in the electric bike industry as well. We couldn’t find any cheap electric road bike under the $2,000 and even the $3,000 mark so please hold on few more years and let’s hope to see better deals by then.

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About the Author

Mark Hartley

12 thoughts on “ best electric road bikes of 2024: ride farther and faster with less effort ”.

I am looking for a small e-bike. Prefer road, but size appears to be a limiting factor — I am about 4-10 …

Also cycle longish distances – 75-100 miles. Don’t use the electric all the time, looking for strategic boosts.

Brands? Are there US brands, should I look to Europe?

Hey Danita,

Considering your height and requirements, I recommend checking out Specialized’s Turbo Creo SL models in XS size or Canyon’s Precede:ON models, also in XS size. I think both would fit you well and meet your needs, though you may need to install a shorter stem on the Turbo Creo SL to shorten the reach (if the standover height fits you to begin with).

Hope this helps!

Trek makes awesome e-bikes both road & mountain. I have the Trek Domane+ HP7 with their Project One Cosmic Pearl paint scheme. It is a great bike and regularly complimented on its looks and performance. For some reason Trek has decided not to make this bike any more and has gone with most other manufactures with smaller motors and smaller batteries for lighter bikes. That is fine for somewhat younger lighter riders doing mostly shorter flatter rides but for older people like myself who like riding longer and hiller rides these lighter bikes don’t cut it. I believe Trek is losing out on a significant market share of the ebike business and should reconsider reintroducing the Domane+ bike.

These revues are useless as a comparison between the bikes chosen. What’s needed is how the different bikes feel when ridden for an extended period. BTW, your statement that e bikes over 28mph require a license is incorrect. The law requiring e bikes to be limited to 20mph in assisted mode applies to these as well. Assisted speeds of more than 20mph can only be used off-road. I liked your comment that e bikes tend to get more people out riding more miles is good.

Hey Peter, thanks for the comment! That’s why I wrote “would legally need a license to ride on the road “. You can go as wild as you like off-road, though, unless you’re riding on public trails!

Great article on ebikes. I am in the market and I am a retired bike shop owner. The article helped alot.

I’m happy to hear that, Gina! Have fun on your e-bike!

What is the meaning of “Class” in the list of features of each bike. Most are Class 1 e-bikes, but I note that a few are listed as Class 3 e-bikes. What is the difference?

Hi Peter. E-Bikes are categorized in 3 legal classes. Each state in the US has their own set of rules regards to age limit and helmet compulsory when riding an e-bike. Class 1 eBikes are equipped with pedal-assist motor only, with a max speed of up to 20mph. Motor power in Class 1 is limited to 750W. Class 2 eBikes come with the throttle as a standard, while there are many variations that have pedal assistance as well. The speed of Class 2 eBikes is limited to 20mph on both throttle and pedal-assist mode. Same goes for motor power that is limited to 750W.

Class 3 eBikes have a maximum assistance of 28mph. Anything over 750W or 28mph would legally need a license to ride on the road. Those bikes are considered as Class 4 eBikes as long as they have pedals.

We’ll be updating a post about eBike laws this week. Stay tuned!

I’m with you David. I’ve owned one for six months and no regrets. The Domane HP+7 rarely gets mentioned at the “top” because it has it all at this point and no competition. If the reviewers were to say that, they would be frozen out by the manufactures. Nothing competes with this bike with its features, money aside. it’s a no-compromise bike and no one else makes anything resembling it. Our secret.

I’m wondering why there is no mention about the Trek Domane+ HP7. It is truly a top of the line endurance class 3 28 mph road bike with Di2 shifting. Amazes me it didn’t make your list much less get #1 spot.

The best electric bikes make cycling more accessible to people at large and allow families or groups of riders with varying fitness levels to ride together and experience the comradery that comes with heading out with others. Plus, they are just plain fun to ride. From a pure transportation perspective, e-bikes mean you can commute without sweating through your work clothes, or haul a load of groceries or kids from point A to point B without having to push 1,000 watts to get over that super steep hill in your neighbourhood.

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Trek’s new road bike: what is it and what do we know so far?

Trek is set to launch a new road bike that was ridden to victory on its debut outing by Lidl-Trek’s Mads Petersen in the Dauphiné yesterday, but what is this new bike that appears to say both 'Madone' and 'Emonda' on the top tube, and what do we know about it so far?

It looks a lot like the seventh-generation Trek Madone which was introduced two years ago, but put them alongside one another and they resemble ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos from WeightWatchers. Everything on the new bike is shallower.

> New Trek Madone breaks cover at Dauphiné… or is it an Emonda?

Down tube, seat tube, head tube, seatstays, chainstays, fork legs: they’re all shallower. It’s easier to tell you what doesn’t look slimmed down: the top tube.

2024-new-trek-road-bike-spotted-dauphine

What remains, though, are the mahoosive hole in the seat tube and the cantilever frame design (where the top of the seat tube is connected to the top tube and the extended seatstays, but not directly to the lower section of the seat tube.)

When introduced on the seventh-generation Madone, Trek called this its IsoFlow design, and we’re assuming that name will remain. At that time, Trek’s senior design engineer Alex Bedinghaus said, “We can accelerate the air around the head tube and into this low-pressure zone behind the rider, making the rider and bike more aerodynamic and faster.

“It also has this cantilevered seat tube and really optimises weight, aerodynamics and compliance. It’s a unique solution that gets us to a lighter weight system than what we had before, and beats our aerodynamic goals by quite a bit.”

It looks like Trek is sticking with the same technology on the new bike, but that it has been on a quest to reduce weight. We’re saying “looks like” because Trek has told us absolutely zilch, so what can we work out for ourselves?

You probably know that brands want to release their new bikes on a certain date for maximum impact, so they usually provide media organisations with material ahead of time under embargo. In other words, they’ll give us information and sometimes a bike to try out on condition that we don’t talk about it until a specified day. Fine.

However, pro teams sometimes use bikes before the public launch date, and this is where a little game ensues. It’s okay, everyone is in on it.

The media wants to know about unreleased bikes because we want to tell you all about them first, and also because we’re professional nosey parkers, so we head off to races like the Critérium du Dauphiné where they’re likely to be. Once a bike is out there publicly, it’s fair game. A brand can’t very well use a bike in a big race – especially one that’s televised internationally – and then complain about publicity (I mean, sometimes they do complain, but that’s not the way the world works, is it?).

Brands know we’re going to be on the lookout, so a game within a game can ensue and things can turn a bit meta… like with the new Trek.

It’s a Madone. It’s written there in yellow letters on the top tube. However, adjust your eyes a bit and you can see that underneath the Madone name, it also says Émonda in orange/red letters.

Plus, you can see that ‘Madone’ is written on a sticker that has been added on top of the paint. Is the Émonda lettering on the same sticker, or is it written on the frame with a clear Madone sticker over the top?

This is all getting weird. If Trek didn’t want everyone to see the word ‘Émonda’, it could easily have ensured it was completely blocked out. Trek is a huge company with an annual global revenue of more than $1 billion; it could sort out a few opaque stickers or a spare Sharpie. We’re pretty sure that we’re supposed to be able to read both Madone and Émonda, so what’s going on here?

2024 Trek Madone 8th Gen Dauphine - 1.jpeg

As mentioned, the new bike looks like a slimmed-down seventh-generation Madone. No one could dispute that. Trek’s IsoFlow system has so far been unique to the Madone.

Could it be that Trek is keeping the seventh-generation Madone in the range – the one that was launched a couple of years ago – and transferring the tech in a more lightweight form to its Émonda platform? It’s a possibility. We were certainly expecting a new Émonda this year, the last update having been in 2020.

> All-new Émonda gets aero to become "Trek’s fastest climbing bike ever" – and it's disc brake-only

On the other hand, could it be that Trek is introducing a lightweight Madone just two years after the previous one? That’s also possible, although brands usually keep a top-level platform in their range for at least three years, sometimes much longer (each design needs a long enough shelf-life to offset the R&D costs). But where would that leave the non-updated Émonda? Either treading water or discontinued.

This second option is what we’d begun to think was happening, but here’s what we now reckon... Trek is merging the Madone and the Émonda platforms and going down the ‘one bike to rule them all’ route with an entirely new name.

2024 Trek Madone 8th Gen Dauphine - 2.jpeg

A few years ago, most brands had a lightweight road bike and an aero road bike at the top of the race range, right? Some never divided things up this way – Pinarello has always had just the Dogma, for example – and others continue with this two-pronged approach (Giant still has the Propel and the TCR, for instance, Merida has the Reato and the Scultura, and there are many other examples) but there has been a trend towards a single top-end road bike since Specialized launched the Tarmac SL7 in 2020.

This was a sub-6.8kg bike with as little drag as Specialized’s Venge aero bike. The idea was that we no longer needed to choose between light weight and top-level aerodynamics, and that’s hugely attractive from a consumer’s point of view. Two bikes for the price of one? Who doesn’t like the sound of that?

> New Tarmac SL7: lightweight AND super aero, says Specialized

Many other brands have followed suit and lightweight aero bikes have become super-popular over the past few years.

> One bike to rule them all: why lightweight aero bikes are now THE essential race weapon

The seventh-generation Trek Madone SLR was launched in 2022 with a frame weight of just under 1,000g, and a fork weight of just over 400g. In race bike terms, that’s a lot more than a Specialized Tarmac SL 8, which has a claimed weight of 685g in its lightest Satin Carbon colourway.

2024 Trek Madone 8th Gen Dauphine - 3.jpeg

Our guess is that Trek feels the market has shifted over the past few years to a point where people expect aerodynamic efficiency and low weight in a single bike. Offering one or the other is no longer an option, hence the merging of the Madone and the Émonda.

On top of that, Trek plans to “right size” by cutting spending by 10% and reducing the number of individual products it offers by 40% over the next two years. How do we know that? Because the bossman said so. Trek’s stock-keeping units (SKUs) in the 2026 model year will be 40% lower than in the 2024 model year.

> The bike industry is "in chaos" says boss: so what do Trek’s plans to ‘right size’ mean for the industry… and you?

When we reported that back in March, we said, “We’re unlikely to see the demise of the Madone, Emonda or Domane anytime soon.”

We’ve changed our mind on that one. Merge two bike lines and you chop a load of SKUs at once. If that’s your overall goal, it makes a lot of sense.

Is the new bike a Madone or an Émonda, then? It can’t be both, but it could be neither. We notice that both platforms have disappeared from Trek's Project One custom program , adding weight to the idea that they could be on the way out of the lineup altogether. The only road bike you can now buy through Project One is the Domane.

Naturally, we checked the UCI stickers on the frames of the Lidl-Trek bikes, just in case. Unfortunately, they just said ‘prototype’. Goddam it! They’re one step ahead of us.

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that Madone, Émonda, and Domane are anagrams of one another. Maybe we’re in for another re-working of those letters, then. Daemon? Unlikely. Moaned? Definitely not.

2024 Trek Madone 8th Gen Dauphine - 8.jpeg

Could Trek smash the names together? Edmonda? Madonda? Mix it up a bit: Madonna. That’s just being silly. Madame? Equally daft. Madman? Enema? Hmm, these are all miles off the mark, aren’t they?

On the trip back from the Dauphiné, video guy Andrew came up with Trek Andromeda. You have to find an extra ‘r’ somewhere, but it kind of fits the bill. It’s our best guess at the moment.

What do you think? Are we on the right track, or do you have any other suggestions?

Whatever this new bike is called – Madone, Émonda, Andromeda, or whatever – we’re expecting a public launch this side of the Tour de France simply because it would be mad to miss that boat.

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Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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If you look again and just read what's there, you'll see it's clearly an Emmadonondae.

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since Trek first named their lightest OCLV bike after the hill where Lance tested the efficacy of his doping program. Naming supsequent models with anagrams for Madone has gotten tiresome. I wish they'd come up with something new. Interestingly, except for the H1.5 stack, they haven't changed the bike's geometry since 2008. As for the rest of the bike, well, I'm glad they finally gave up on Isospeed and fat tubes.

What ever it is, When Mas is riding it- it looks fantastic

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Brand new lightweight Trek Madone spotted: Has Trek killed the Emonda?

We get a close look at the bike that may become Trek’s one-and-only road race option

Liam Cahill / Our Media

Liam Cahill

A new, slimmed-down Trek Madone RSL has been spotted at the Critérium du Dauphiné, raising questions about the future of Trek’s road racing lineup.

The unreleased bike has been on a diet, compared to the current aero-focussed Madone – but retains the Madone name on the top tube. Trek's IsoFlow design – the hole in the seat tube – is present, too.

There are no official details on the new bike yet but, with Lidl-Trek riders using Trek's latest machine at the Dauphiné – a key Tour de France shakedown race – a release is likely to be around the corner.

One bike to rule them all?

The first notable aspect of the new bike is the slimmed-down silhouette.

Trek seems to have reduced the depth of tube shapes across the frame, suggesting the Madone has been on a diet to make it lighter.

This may mean that Trek claims the Madone can be used on all stages of a road race, be that the high mountains or flat sprint stages.

To do so, Trek will have had to take steps to retain the Madone’s aerodynamic credentials – though without wind tunnel and real-world testing data, it is impossible to decipher whether this is the case at this point in time.

What about the Emonda?

The key consideration is whether Trek has left space in its racing line-up for its current climbing bike, the Emonda .

Trek’s Emonda is currently the only bike the Lidl-Trek team has in use that can be built down to the UCI’s 6.8kg minimum weight limit. A 56cm Madone, for example, tipped our scales at 7.29kg for the existing model.

The slimmed-down tubes suggest weight savings.

Specialized killed off its Venge aero race bike, replacing it with the Tarmac SL7 and later refining the design with the current Tarmac SL8 . Pinarello, meanwhile, is among the brands to also offer one race bike, sticking steadfast to the Dogma for Team Ineos-Grenadiers.

If Trek has reduced the Madone’s weight to get closer to the UCI's minimum limit, it would be hard to see any racer opting for the less aero Emonda.

IsoFlow...lite

Mads Pedersen's 2024 Paris-Roubaix Trek Madone SLR

Trek sent the cycling world into a minor meltdown when it introduced the previous Madone in 2022 .

The IsoFlow seat tube hole and cantilevered seat post divided opinion, to put it mildly, but the design is back on the latest Madone, which comes only two years after the original release.

Mads Pedersen's Trek Madone with IsoFlow seat tube hole

Back in 2022, IsoFlow replaced the IsoSpeed ‘decoupler’ system, which had been a feature of the Madone since it went all-in on aero with the 9 Series in 2015 .

Trek claimed IsoFlow allowed the Madone SLR to match the compliance of the previous IsoSpeed system on its stiffest setting. It was also said to improve the aerodynamic performance of the frame by “around 3 watts”, while saving weight.

It is unclear whether Trek has refined the IsoFlow system in any way. As a result, we’ll have to wait for word from the brand about drag reduction.

Aero water bottles

While the standard shape of a water bottle is ideal for fitting any bottle and cage to your bike, their tubular profile is not exactly aerodynamically optimised.

Some brands, such as Pinarello, make an effort to smooth the airflow onto the down tube bottle by recessing the mounting points into the tube.

Others, such as BMC, design proprietary bottle cages that sit flush with the down tube and seat tube.

Trek appears to have taken a different approach, creating a bottle and cage system that, at first glance, is specifically designed for the Madone SLR.

It’s a measure that we often see on time trial bikes, but with racers requiring several bottle hand-ups throughout a stage, it hasn’t yet been a common sight on the road.

Given that the new Madone has been seen with specific aero bottles, we would expect Trek to admit this plays a key role in keeping the Madone SLR as fast as the outgoing bike, if not making it faster.

When will we find out for sure? Well, there's no official news yet, but we'll bring it to you when Trek's ready to announce this new Madone.

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Lectric XPeak: An Affordable, Powerful, Off-Road Electric Bike

It’s hard to go anywhere these days without seeing someone on an electric bike. This is not without good reason. Ebikes are an economical way to get around without needing to hit up the gas pump. And while cycling purists might disagree, you can still get decent exercise on one if you so choose. But oftentimes, even fat-tire electric bikes are limited to roads due to smaller wheels without much tread. Suspension (or lack thereof) is also an issue when riding off-pavement, making what could be an exhilarating ride turn into an exercise in bumpy frustration.

There are plenty of off-road electric bikes to choose from, and even trail-ready mountain bikes that come with a motor. But the problem here is in price, and the cost often climbs far above most people’s budgets. That’s why after getting to test out Lectric’s new Xpeak Ebike ($2,126 list, $1,399 sale price) , I got excited with the prospect that many people will be able to afford something that can handle all types of terrain but costs less than many others with similar features. The bottom line? While it’s not a super high-performance off-road bike, it could handle quite a lot I threw at it without letting up. Let’s look a bit further into why this bike just may be the electric bike you’ve been looking for, and for more options, here’s our guide to The Best Fat-Tire Electric Bikes.

Lectric Xpeak : First Impressions

Payload: 330 lb

Range: 20-55 miles (depending on PAS level)

Class: 1, 2, 3

The Lectric Xpeak arrived mostly assembled in a large box. The first thing I noticed when opening it up was the lack of plastic packaging. This is a huge win for an industry notorious for wasteful packaging. Most of the padding is cardboard and paper, which of course means it’s recyclable. That is a big plus for consumers wanting to offer less impact to the environment in their purchasing.

The assembly directions were easy enough to follow, and the bike was fully operational in a matter of minutes. You just need to assemble the pedals, front wheel and fender, and it’s ready to go. Being that it came shipped partially charged, it was time to ride.

As soon as I got out on the bike, the first thing I noticed was how smooth the ride is on uneven terrain. The large fat tires and front suspension can tackle the bumps of a dirt road with no worries, and as soon as I took it even further off-road, I could tell that this bike would be fun in the mountains. Even steep inclines were a breeze to ride up, and I rarely felt any jitters from the undulating terrain. It quickly became clear that this bike is happy going places where less-capable ebikes seem to falter.

Notable Features of the Lectric Xpeak

The big selling point for the Lectric Xpeak compared to others in its class is the motor. At 750W, it’s in the sweet spot for power, but can handle over 1300W peak if you need a bit of extra juice for a big hill. I could feel it really engage as I took it up steep inclines, and while it does end up affecting the range, it’s a welcome treat to get where you need to go faster. That extra juice never felt jolt-y or overpowering, but on tough hills the extra power is certainly noticeable.

The components, while not quite top-of-the-line in comparison to higher-priced ebikes on the market, were enough to see that Lectric cares about the finer details. Hydraulic disc brakes come in handy, especially with a heavier e-bike, and the stopping power that they provide was certainly appreciated on this bike. Another nice component of the bike is the RST Renegade fork. At 80mm of travel, it’s not the beefiest suspension out there, but it’s not some cheap knockoff that will fall apart within a year. I took the bike over several small logs without getting bucked, so it’s safe to say that the fork (along with the large wheels) did its job here.

The price is another point to mention. While the bike has a list price of $2,126 (a bit higher than the price-point of similar ebikes such as the Aventon Aventure.2 ($1,799) or the Ride1Up Rift ($1,795) , we have yet to see it on the Lectric website for any more than the sale price of $1,399, which feels like a steal given the features and quality it provides. Similar to other bikes in its class, the Lectric Xpeak is offered in both a step-over and a step-through version, with the step-through being a great option for smaller-framed riders or city users who will be using the bike for groceries and other errands.

The Xpeak is a large bike. It’s meant for handling all sorts of terrain, and with that, you have a burly bike to deal with. As such, it’s probably not the best choice for city-only riding. That’s not to say it can’t handle well in an urban setting, but there are other bikes more well-suited for an urban environment that fold up, have a smaller frame, etc. With this bike, the biggest issue is transporting it to the trail if you don’t live close – in which case you’ll need a vehicle that can transport it. You won’t be taking this bike around in a Honda Civic, sorry to say. It’ll need an SUV, truck, or a bike rack strong enough to handle the 67 pounds it weighs to get this bike around.

The display is also fairly rudimentary. It does offer what you need such as the speed and battery life, but you won’t find advanced features that are in other more premium bikes such as trip logging and added security features. You’ll have to decide if the lower cost is worth it to not have those extras. I did notice that when engaging the motor up long hills, the battery meter went down significantly, but came back up on level ground. This isn’t necessarily a drawback, but something to be mindful of so you don’t let the battery indicator make you turn around prematurely. Ultimately it’ll take a few rides to really get to know the range, and factor in the amount of pedal assist needed to get you where you need to go.

Final Thoughts

The Lectric Xpeak is a fun electric bike that can handle basically anything that I threw at it. I didn’t take it on true downhill mountain bike trails, and might be cautious doing so since it lacks rear suspension. But for fun off-road trails it could handle pretty much everything I tested it on – which says a lot considering I was testing it on the backroads and trails of the Coast Mountains in British Columbia. If you’re looking for a fun, affordable ebike that can handle rough terrain, and is well-constructed to handle plenty of use and abuse, this is a great ebike that clocks in at a surprisingly low price.

Check Price on Lectric

Editor’s Note: To see how this bike stacks up to the competition, check out our guide to The Best Fat Tire Electric Bikes . For more gear reviews and features on The Inertia, click here .

The Best Fat-Tire Electric Bikes of 2024

Rad power bikes radster trail electric bike review.

This article may contain affiliate links that Microsoft and/or the publisher may receive a commission from if you buy a product or service through those links.

Lectric XPeak: An Affordable, Powerful, Off-Road Electric Bike

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The Domane+'s TQ motor system delivers assistance smoothly and runs quietly, making for a bike that feels at home on any kind of road ride. The bike's biggest downside is the very high price ...
Your Guide to Trek Electric Bikes
The Trek Domane+ LT can give you an authentic road bike experience, thanks to the quality carbon frame, tires suitable for road and gravel, and hidden electronic drivetrain system. The Trek Allant+ is a powerful, versatile, and capable electric bike perfect for speedy commutes, sweat-free errands, and off-road adventures.
Trek Electric Bikes Overview: The 2024 Model Lineup Reviewed
Trek Bikes provides only the best bike products available! Ranging from road and city bikes to mountain bikes. No matter what type of biker you are, there's a Trek Bike out there for you. Features Trek Bikes' e-bikes are artfully designed and carefully crafted by top class artisans to ensure premium quality bikes. With the e-bikes' price range of $2,000 to $9,000 Trek Bikes are accessible for ...
Trek Verve+ 2 Low-step Ebike review: A well-behaved city ebike
Compare, for example, Trek's Domane+ ALR, which is a more serious distance road bike that starts at $5,049.99 and the Townie Go 8D EQ Step-Over bike for Sunday beach bathers that starts at $2,449.99.
Lightest Trek road/gravel ebike makes e-assist as natural as tailwind
The Domane+ SLR e-road bike starts at $8,499. Another factor that makes the Domane+ SLR Trek's most intriguing electric road bike is its power. The TQ system has three separate modes that offer ...
Best electric road bikes
Best electric road bikes | 10 e-road bikes for a helping hand on climbs.
Trek releases two new lower cost electric bikes with 70 mile ranges
The Dual Sport+ is essentially an electrified version of Trek's existing Dual Sport line; the bike is available in a step-over format (Dual Sport+ 2) or a step-through version (Dual Sport +2 ...
Trek FX+ 2 Review: The Complete Ebike Commuter Package
Maybe the best way to get people on an electric bike is the same way you get people on a regular bike—by making it fun, light, and easy to ride. Trek FX+ 2 Rating: 8/10
11 Best Electric Road Bikes of 2024: Ride Faster & Farther
The State Bicycle Co. 6061 electric road bike combines a lightweight 250W motor with a single-speed drivetrain to deliver a versatile flat-bar road bike. Paired with the motor is a 360 Wh battery that is fast-charging and long-lasting, so you can expect up to 100 miles of range in PAS 1, or 18-24 miles of range in PAS 5.
Trek Electric Bikes
Sizes: XL. Trek Powerfly FS 4 500 2022 Electric Mountain Bike. £3,499.00. £4,250.00. Sizes: S, XL. Discover our range of Trek Electric Bikes online at Evans Cycles. Shop online or in-store for some of the UK's favourite products.
Trek's new road bike: what is it and what do we know so far?
Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run.
Brand new lightweight Trek Madone spotted: Has Trek killed the Emonda
Brand new lightweight Trek Madone spotted: Has Trek killed the Emonda ...
The Trek at Tehaleh Mountain Bike Park
14998 170 th Avenue East Bonney Lake, WA 98391 (). About the Park. The Trek at Tehaleh mountain bike trails were designed and built by Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance starting in 2018. The bike park spans 204-acres on wooded slopes overlooking the Orting Valley, the Carbon River and the Puyallup River in unincorporated Pierce County.
Lectric XPeak: An Affordable, Powerful, Off-Road Electric Bike
The Lectric XPeak is a classic fat-tire electric bike with plenty of power and high-quality construction for a reasonable price. Here's our take. The post Lectric XPeak: An Affordable, Powerful ...