9 Best Electric Mountain Bikes

  /  Reviews  /  9 Best Electric Mountain Bikes

OLIVER L. Author

Published: October 28, 2020

Oliver has been mountain biking for over 20 years, raced downhill nationally and is part of several mountain biking clubs and communities. He currently owns five bikes... and they all get used (as he reminds his girlfriend regularly) Read More

If your looking for a change with mountain biking and something with some thrills, it is often best to find an electric mountain bike. The best electric mountain bikes are not completely electric, but it offers some assisted pedaling. The assisted pedaling will reduce the strain on the user and make it much easier to reach your destination.

Top Electric Mountain Bike

Finding the right electric mountain bike is one of the toughest things you can do. There are tons of these mountain bikes on the market today, which makes it harder to find the right one. While there are many cheaper brands, we have decided to focus on the top brands to ensure that you get the best value for your money.

 BatteryDrivetrainBrakesPriceRating
Santa Cruz Heckler MX Carbon CC S504wh Energy SRAM GX EagleSRAM Code R Hydraulic Disc$$$$$★★★★★
Scott Electric Genius eRide 920PowerTube 625Wh12-speed ShimanoDual Disc Brakes$$$★★★★★
Specialized Turbo Levo Expert700Wh Battery Pack11-speed SRAMDual Hydraulic Disc Brakes$$$$★★★★★
Cannondale Montera Neo 1Bosch 625Wh Battery12-speed SRAMDual Hydraulic Disc Brakes$$$$★★★★★
Canyon Spectral: ON 9.0504Wh Battery12-speed ShimanoDual Disc Brakes$$$★★★★
Giant TRANCE E+ 2 PRO500Wh EnergyPak Battery12-speed ShimanoDual Disc Brakes$$$★★★★
Bulls E-Stream EVO AM 4650Wh Battery Pack12-speed ShimanoDual Hydraulic Disc Brakes$$$$★★★★★
Diamondback Response e-bike500wh Battery EnergyShimano Deore M6000Hydraulic Disk$$★★★★★
Himiway Cobra Full Suspension Eletric MTB750whShimano 14-28THydraulic Disk$$$★★★★★

Top 8 Electric Mountain Bike On The Market Today

Before we look at some of the main features, we have thought it would be best to look at the top mountain bikes with an electric motor. The following mountain bikes are by no means cheap and you can find a few mountain bikes that are much more affordable. However, they will make your life easier with cycling:

Top Pick: Santa Cruz Heckler MX Carbon CC S e-Bike

When it comes to the best, we chose the Santa Cruz Heckler MX. Santa Cruz makes quality bikes and they put a ton of quality into the Heckler. The reason this sits on the top of the list is because of the options it offers. The mixed wheel size to the high end suspension makes the heckler a beauty.

E bikes can be pretty heavy but with the carbon frame it takes a ton of the weight off. The weight comes in right around 46lbs which keeps it as one of the lightest e-bikes in its class. They designed the heckler to mimic the Bronson due to the popularity.

Pros:

  • Lightweight: Weighting in around 46lbs makes the Heckler one of the lightest electric mountain bikes available.
  • Suspension: Fox Float Performance Elite DPS rear shock and RockShox Pike Select+ front fort both at 140mm of travel.
  • Rear Derailleur: The SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed is one of the best derailleurs available for any mountain bike.

Cons:

Price: With the best components and top quality parts makes the bike very expensive and out of reach for many.

Best Overall Electric Mountain Bike: Scott Electric Genius eRide 920

Scott is one of the top brands on the market today and the Scott Electric Genius eRide 920 is one of the first bikes that we had to include on the list. The bike features a PowerTube 625Wh battery capable of generating up to 1100-watts of power. It is fitted with a 12-speed Shimano drivetrain and ergonomic pedals.

Best Electric Mountain Bike

The bike has a disc brake setup, which has been proven to give you the maximum stopping power, while the Kevlar tires can be considered some of the most durable tires on the market today. It might be one of the most expensive options currently available, but with a 20MPH top speed you have decent speed and range to go with it.

Pros:

  • Disc Brakes: Since these bikes can be very fast, it is always helpful to have a set of disc brakes for stopping power.
  • Top Speed: The bike does not exceed top speed recommendations for riding an electric bike on the road.
  • Drivetrain: With the assistance of Shimano, you have one of the most effective drivetrains for ultimate riding.

Cons:

  • Heavy: Unfortunately, it is one of the heaviest electric bikes on the market weighing in at a whopping 125-pounds.

Best Carbon Fiber Electric Mountain Bike: Specialized Turbo Levo Expert

In the world of cycling, the carbon fiber and titanium bikes are considered to be some of the most expensive. However, these bikes come with tons of great features. The Specialized Turbo Levo Expert features a full carbon fiber chassis, which has been combined with aluminum to form part of the rear of the bike.

The bike has a 700Wh battery capacity that should allow the rider to attain longer distances, and it could make pedaling a lot easier. Both the front and the rear brakes are hydraulic disc brakes, which gives the bike the best stopping power available. It should also reach a top speed of around 25MPH with the 250-watt motor.

Pros:

  • Hydraulic Disc Brakes: Compared to normal disc brakes, hydraulic disc brakes are more effective in all weather conditions.
  • Carbon Fiber Frame: The carbon fiber frame is lightweight, but retains a lot of durability with the combination of aluminum for the rear.
  • Powerful Battery: Compared to many of the other brands, the 700Wh battery has a longer running time.

Cons:

  • Price: Since the bike has all the best features, it is expected to be one of the most expensive as well.

Best Electric Mountain Bike: Cannondale Montera Neo 1

In the world of cycling, you cannot go wrong with the Cannondale brand. The brand has been around for many years and with the Cannondale Montera Neo 1, they have made inroads to the best Ebikes. The bike features a carbon fiber frame, which is powered by a 625Wh battery. This Bosch performance unit has been highly regarded among experts.

Best Electric Bike

Much like the other top bikes, it features dual hydraulic disc brakes, which features ideal stopping power. The 12-speed SRAM drivetrain will give you tons of versatility and it is among the best drivetrains on the market today. In terms of the price, this bike is well-priced to its competitors from other brands.

Pros:

  • Battery Power: It might not have the strongest battery, but the bike features a useful battery for your needs.
  • Disc Brakes: You will notice that we place a lot of emphasis on the hydraulic disc brakes for their excellent stopping power.
  • Drivetrain: Once again, SRAM is at the forefront as one of the leading drivetrain designers on the market today.

Cons:

  • Replacement parts: Unfortunately, it can be very expensive to find the right replacement parts for this bike.

Best Electric Mountain Bike For Climbing: Canyon Spectral: ON 9.0

If you are an avid climber, you will have to consider looking into the Canyon Spectral: ON 9.0. The bike features the Shimano steps battery of 504Wh, which means that it has a decent output. With the powerful motor, it can give you up to 250-watts of power and the battery will have an IPX5 waterproof rating.

Best electric Mountain Bike For Climbing

Two Shimano disc brakes form the bulk of the stopping power, which should ensure that your bike can stop immediately. The tire is tubeless, which means that you don’t need to worry about running into punctures. The 12-speed Shimano drivetrain is one of the best currently available at an affordable price for the budget buyer.

Pros:

  • Waterproof: The entire bike is completely waterproof, which means that you can travel in all weather conditions.
  • Drivetrain: Compared to SRAM, the Shimano drivetrain is much more effective to save you a couple of bucks.
  • Disc Brakes: The bike has hydraulic disc brakes that will ensure you have ultimate stopping power.

Cons:

  • Lacks Shock Absorption: The bike lacks shock absorption, which means you will have issues with going downhill.

Best Trail Electric Mountain Bike: Giant TRANCE E+ 2 PRO

The best trail mountain bikes are often stacked with high-end features. It does make the mountain bikes more expensive, but the Giant TRANCE E+ 2 PRO is one of the cheaper options on the market today. The bike is one of the best when it comes to offering the rider control and features the patented RideControl ONE remote located near the handlebars.

Best Electric Trail Bike

The unit features an EnegryPak battery, which combines with the powerful motor to give you 80NM of power. It should allow the unit to reach decent top speeds, while also ensuring that the 27.5-inch wheels are large enough for all riders. You can control all the components on the bike using the Giant E-bike app.

Pros:

  • Ergonomics: The bike is designed for ergonomics and it will ensure that you can comfortably take on every challenge.
  • App Compatible: You will have complete control over the motor with the use of an application on your mobile.
  • Beginner Friendly: If you are new to the world of electric mountain bikes, this one is top of the list to get started.

Cons:

  • Complex Setup: The only downside is that all of these features need to be set up, making it complex to get started.

Best Battery Capacity Electric Mountain Bike: Bulls E-Stream EVO AM 4

One of the best-looking bikes on the market today is the Bulls E-Stream EVO AM 4. It has one of the largest battery capacities currently available. The bike features a massive 650Wh battery, which is more than 30% that of the other competing bikes and should give you a much longer range to ride at higher speeds.

Best Budget Electric Bike

Speaking of speeds, the bike can reach up to 15MPH, which makes it one of the fastest that stays within the traffic laws of most Western Countries. With 250-watt power output and the 12-speed Shimano drivetrain, you should have more than enough versatility. Additionally, the suspension is great for downhills.

Pros:

  • Downhill: One of the best features of the bike is the ability to absorb shock when going downhill at speeds.
  • Battery: As mentioned, it has one of the largest battery capacities currently on the market today, which makes it great for distance.
  • Comfortable: You will notice that all of the components can be changed and adjusted to give you the maximum level of comfort.

Cons:

  • Weight: Unfortunately, it is one of the heaviest bikes currently on the market today, which makes it tedious for smaller riders.

Best Budget Electric Mountain Bike: Diamondback Response E Bike

A budget e-mountain bike is not very budget friendly but in the world of E bikes this is. Diamondback has a long reputation and have stepped it up in recent years. The Diamondback Response E Bike is a great choice if you want a quality low cost electric mountain bike.

The response bike is great for commuting and comes stock with smooth tires meant more for pavement or gravel. If trail riding is your goal you will want to change out the tires. One of the great things about this bike is that it can hit a top speed of 28mph with it’s 350wh motor.

Pros:

  • Price: For the price of this electric mountain bike you get a quality bike that will be far less than the other leading brands.
  • Motor: This bad boy comes with a 350wh motor that can get you up to speeds of 28mph while riding.
  • Strong Brakes: The bike comes stock with strong Magura brakes to provide tons of stopping power.

Cons:

  • Tires: Unfortunately this bike comes stock with smooth tires and you would have to replace them if you want to ride more trails.

Best Electric Bike for Hunting: Himiway Cobra Full Suspension Mountain Bike

The Himiway Cobra Full suspension mountain bike is a powerful electric bike that is perfect for the outdoorsmen. The four-bar linkage represents a four-sided polygon: the chain stay, seat stay, rocker, and seat tube.

These specialize in absorbing both rear-upward force and vibrations, while the coil suspension ensures front stability. Both suspensions guarantee your safety in the toughest riding conditions.

Pros:

  • Fat Bike: Not only an electric bike, this is a full suspension fat tire bike which we think is pretty cool.
  • Range: The battery can get you around 80 miles per charge which is fantastic compared to others.
  • Carrying Weight: The cobra can hold up to 400lbs.

Cons:

  • Weight: Like most e-bikes, they are heavy. This Cobra comes in around 79lbs.

Key Features To Consider When Buying The Best Electric Mountain Bike

If you have not found the right one for your needs, you might find the following guide helpful. The guide should make it easier for you to see which features we considered to be the best. While there are not many top-end electric mountain bikes on the market, you can use this guide as your criterion for finding the right one:

Battery

One of the first things one will need to consider is the battery. Not every bike has the same battery and each manufacturer is making its own batteries. Aside from the battery output, you will need to look at the capacity. For most of the top electric bikes, we would recommend a battery in the range of 500Wh to ensure distance.

Motor

The motor that propels the bike forward when you activate the bike. However, you will need to have an ideal motor that will help you propel the bike in a forward motion. Each country has its laws that govern these motor regulations. However, a motor under 500-watts is more than enough for most commutes.

Size

Regardless of the bike you choose, the size is one of the most important aspects to consider. You need something comfortable, with the correct ride height for your needs. Fortunately, you can look at the tire sizes of these bikes to ensure that you have the ideal size for your needs. The 27.5-inch bikes are the most common.

Control

When it comes to an electric bike, control is one of the most important things one needs to look at. Nowadays, you can find a remote control that will activate the system and attach it to your handlebars. However, Giant has designed one of the top bikes that features an application to enable remote control from your mobile device.

Drivetrain

Finally, we had a deep look at the different drivetrains of these bikes. Even with the motor, you will need to pedal to ensure you use the bike for what it is made for. Shimano and SRAM are two of the best on the market today. For electric bikes, you only need 12-speeds, as you will find in most of the common options available.

Wrap-Up

The best electric mountain bike is designed to make pedaling easier and allow you to reach your destination with minimal effort. While these cannot replace the traditional trail bike, they will make cycling easier. Let us know in the comment section if you have found the right electric mountain bike for your needs.

Below is a Pinterest friendly photo… so you can pin it to your Mountain Bike Board!


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