Step-Through Electric Bikes
A step through electric bike drops the top tube so you walk into the frame rather than swinging a leg over 34 kg of bike. That sounds like a small thing until you are holding a bike upright at a junction in work clothes. Some listings spell it step thru electric bike, which is the same frame and the same idea. This page holds the Specialized Turbo Como 4.0 at $3,999, and there are four more step-thru frames elsewhere in the range, listed below.
Price range: $3,999
- 1-year warranty on frame, motor and battery
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2 bikes
What a step-through frame actually solves
The problem is not getting on the bike. It is getting off it, in a hurry, with the bike loaded, on a camber, wearing something that does not stretch. An e-bike weighs 22 to 40 kg, and swinging a leg over the back of one while it wants to fall away from you is where most low-speed drops happen.
A step-through frame removes that motion entirely. This is why the design shows up in every query about an electric bike for seniors or an electric bike for women, and why both of those searches really mean the same thing: a bike you can get on and off without a gymnastics routine.
The trade is frame stiffness. Without a top tube the frame flexes more, which you notice as slight vagueness at speed or under a heavy rear load. On a city bike that is a fair swap. On a cargo bike carrying 200 lb it matters more, which is why cargo longtails brace the frame differently.
An upright electric bike is the other half of comfort
A comfort bike sits you upright, with the bars high and the saddle wide, so your weight goes through your hips rather than your wrists and neck. Over an hour that difference is the whole ride.
The Turbo Como 4.0 pairs that geometry with 70 Nm, a 710 Wh battery and a published 145 km range, at 27.6 kg. The range figure is the highest of any bike we sell, which is what a big battery on an efficient upright frame buys you.
It is $3,999, and that is a lot for a comfort bike. If the upright position is what you are after and the price is not, the step-thru models below start at $1,399.
The five step-thru frames across the range
Only one bike sits in this category, so here is the honest list of every step-through frame we sell, cheapest first. The Lectric XPress 2 at $1,399 is the cheapest way into the design. The Velotric Discover 2 at $1,699 adds a bigger battery and a more finished spec.
The Lectric XPeak 2 at $1,499 is the off-road one, with 85 Nm and a 720 Wh pack. The Serial 1 Rush/CTY Step-Thru at $2,999 is the premium commuter version. And the Turbo Como 4.0 on this page at $3,999 is the comfort-first one.
If a step-through frame is your requirement rather than your preference, start with that list rather than with this page. We would rather send you to the right bike than the right category.
Straight answers
What is a step through electric bike?
A bike with a low or absent top tube, so you step into the frame rather than swinging a leg over the saddle. It is the single most useful feature on a heavy e-bike, and it has nothing to do with who is riding it.
Is a step-thru electric bike less stable?
Slightly less stiff, not less stable. Without a top tube the frame flexes a bit more, which you might notice at speed or under a heavy rear load. For city and comfort riding it is a fair trade for being able to get off the thing safely.
Is a step-through the best electric bike for women?
It is the frame most often recommended, but the design solves a weight and mobility problem rather than a gender one. Plenty of riders pick a step-thru frame simply because the bike weighs 30 kg and they would rather not hurdle it in the rain.
What is the best electric bike for seniors?
A step-through frame, an upright riding position, and a torque sensor so the power comes on smoothly rather than lurching. All three matter more than motor size. The Turbo Como 4.0 has all three; so do the cheaper step-thru models listed above.
How far does a comfort electric bike go?
The Turbo Como 4.0 publishes 145 km, the longest of anything we sell, on a 710 Wh battery. Real-world range is lower and depends on rider weight, terrain and how hard you lean on the assist.
What if the frame size is wrong?
Drop us a line before you order. Step-through sizing is more forgiving than drop-bar sizing, but standover height still matters, and we would rather get it right first time.