Long Range Electric Bikes

Every number on this page is a best case. Manufacturers measure range on the lowest assist setting, on flat ground, with a light rider, no luggage and no wind. Ride the same bike on high assist up a hill with a full pannier and you will commonly see half of it.

That is not a scandal, it is just how the figure is produced, and it is produced the same way by everyone. It means the number is useful for comparing bikes against each other and close to useless for planning a specific trip. Halve it, then decide.

What actually moves range is battery capacity in watt-hours first, then how efficiently the motor spends it. A torque sensor draws only what your legs ask for, so it stretches a pack further than a cadence sensor that shoves at a fixed rate whenever the pedals turn. Our guide to what an e-bike costs to run covers what a bigger pack costs to buy and to replace.

6 of these clear 100 miles at the top of the manufacturer’s figure: Lectric XPedition 2 Long-Range at 170 miles, Tern GSD S10 at 122 miles, Harley Serial 1 Rush/CTY Speed at 115 miles, Gazelle Ultimate C380 at 115 miles, Harley Serial 1 Mosh/Tribute at 106 miles and Aventon Current ADV at 105 miles.

The one worth understanding is the Lectric XPedition 2 Long-Range. It reaches 170 miles by carrying two batteries rather than one enormous one, which is the more practical answer: you can charge them separately, replace them separately, and leave the second at home on a short day instead of hauling it. It is also $1,999, which undercuts most of the bikes below it on this page.

Nine out of ten riders over-buy range, and it is the most expensive mistake on this site because you pay for it three times. Once at checkout, once in weight you carry on every ride, and once again when a bigger pack takes longer to charge.

The rule of thumb: work out your longest regular trip, double it, and buy for that number. A 12 km commute does not need 145 km of battery. If that describes you, the commuter range is a lighter, cheaper and better bike for the riding you actually do, and the lightweight guide explains what the extra kilos of battery are costing you.

Buy long range if you genuinely tour, if your commute is 40 km each way, if you cannot charge at the other end, or if you are carrying loads that flatten a normal pack. Those are real reasons. “More is better” is not one, and the cheapest bike here at $1,299 outranges plenty of bikes costing three times as much.