Looking to get rolling for under £2k? While there are one or two cheaper exceptions, £1,000 to £2,000 is realistically the ‘entry level’ price bracket for e-bikes. Certain high end tech will of course still be out of reach at these sorts of prices, but there shouldn’t be any need to compromise on the fundamental stuff.
- Dallingridge Malvern – £1,349
- EBCO Adventure 3R – £1,399
- MiRiDER 16 – £1,595
- Tenways CGO600 Plus – £1,699
- Engwe LE20 Passenger – £1,720
- Estarli e28.X – £1,895
- MiRiDER 24 – £1,995
You aren’t going to get a high-end Bosch motor at this price and you aren’t going to get a full suspension electric mountain bike or a high end e-road bike, but if you’re after a solid and enjoyable electric bike for leisure rides or commuting, you can find some really good options.
And yes, you can actually get an e-cargo bike for this money.
General use e-bikes and folders are the order of the day though really, the vast majority of which will employ hub motors.
All of the bikes listed below have been thoroughly tested by our team and all scored at least 8/10. Here’s a bit more information about how we review e-bikes.
You’ll find a lot more detail about each bike if you click through to the main reviews.
Dallingridge Malvern – £1,349
Buy now for £1,149 from Ecobike Company
Best for: Hybrid commuting and light touring
Highlights: UK support and good motor power and electronics for a budget system
With its crossbar frame, front suspension, and rack, the Malvern is ideal for riders after a comfortable all-rounder. The rear hub motor and integrated battery deliver smooth power, and while it uses a basic cadence sensor and 6-speed drivetrain, we found it tackled hills quite confidently in testing. A standout feature is the solid UK-based support network – always something to look out for, but a real win at this price.
Read our review of the Dallingridge Malvern
EBCO Adventure 3R – £1,399
Buy now for £1,399 from Halfords
Best for: Leisure riding and light trails
Highlights: Mid-motor, decent off-road handling and an unmatchable price
A mid-motor at this sort of price is a very rare thing indeed. This is, in fact, the only mid-drive in this list. Here’s the lowdown on hub motors v mid-motors if you want to know more about why that’s significant. The long and short of it is that the Adventure 3R offers a bit more rugged capability for those venturing beyond smooth asphalt. You don’t get Bosch-level components, but it’s responsive, smooth and virtually silent. A suspension fork, wide tyres and relaxed geometry reflect a bike built with both comfort and versatility in mind.
Read our review of the EBCO Adventure 3R
MiRiDER 16 – £1,595
Buy now for £1,595 from MiRiDER
Best for: Folding convenience and city hops
Highlights: Compact size, throttle control
Compact, quirky, and cleverly engineered, the MiRiDER 16 (aka the MiRiDER One) has won plenty of fans for its smooth ride and folding practicality. It’s a manageable weight to carry when folded (partly due to its small battery), but rides like a bigger bike with its punchy motor and mid-frame elastomer suspension. While it’s only a single-speed, moderately hilly country should hold no fears, while its lively handling and keen braking make it an excellent option for urban errands and short commutes. The throttle is particularly good for nipping about in traffic.
Read our review of the MiRiDER 16
Tenways CGO600 Plus – £1,699
Buy now for £1,699 from Tenways
Best for: Hilly commuting
Highlights: Smooth and nippy with eight gears
It’s easy to get lost with Tenways’ various CGO600 options. They also do a Classic Edition and a New Edition, as well as a Pro with which this Plus model (somewhat confusingly) shares a product page. To put it simply though, the CGO600 Plus is the one with gears and this makes it a more versatile bike. Sleek, quiet, and responsive, it employs a torque sensor to deliver smooth, proportional assistance. It looks like they’ve started throwing in the rear rack for free as well.
Read our review of the Tenways CGO600 Plus
Engwe LE20 Passenger – £1,720
Best for: Carrying cargo on a budget
Highlights: Incredibly cheap for an e-cargo bike, absolutely colossal battery
It’s not often you see a sub-£3,000 cargo bike , let alone one for under £2,000, yet Engwe’s LE20 delivers genuine load-carrying potential. That’s the base model pictured above, but the price listed here is for the ‘Passenger’ setup with a bench seat, handrails and footboards. You can set it up for other types of cargo too – although you aren’t going to get the range of accessory options you would from other brands. Nevertheless, with fat tyres, a sturdy frame, a perfectly adequate mid-motor and a frankly gargantuan 922Wh battery, it shapes up as a tempting proposition if you need a utility e-bike without the premium price tag.
Read our review of the Engwe LE20
Estarli e28.X – £1,895
Buy now for £1,895 from Estarli
Best for: Stylish, everyday commuting
Highlights: Dead easy to operate and look after
Blending modern design with practical features, the e28.X from UK brand Estarli is a straightforward e-bike that’s very easy to get along with. It comes with mudguards, lights and a belt drive for a smooth, fuss-free ride, but the centrepiece is the two-speed automatic gearing that’s integrated into the rear hub motor. Two gears doesn’t sound like a lot (and it would be hard to argue that it is), but it’s actually all you need on an e-bike in a lot of places given the motor’s there to pick up the slack. There’s one gear to get you going and the other for riding near the 15.5mph assistance limit where you’ll spend the vast majority of your time.
Read our review of the Estarli e28.X
MiRiDER 24 – £1,995
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Buy now for £1,995 from MiRiDER
Best for: Anyone looking for an easy introduction to e-biking
Highlights: Super-comfy and faff-free with a handy throttle
A step up in practicality from smaller-wheeled MiRiders and offering more off-road capability too. At the same time, it’s still simple to use, easy to store and offers the same responsive, low-maintenance experience. The riding position is upright and handling is very stable and predictable, much like bigger bikes, but the MiRider 24 is simply more manoeuvrable thanks to the smaller wheels and shorter wheelbase. If you’re planning to tackle steep hills, you’d be better off with the three-speed MiRiDER 24 GB3, but unfortunately for this particular guide, that’s a good deal more expensive.
