Love them or hate them, electric bikes are here to stay. Between 2019 and 2023, electric bikes represented 63 percent of the growth in dollar sales of all bicycles. Translated to actual numbers, the US ebike market was valued at $1.98 billion in 2022. It’s expected to grow by 15.6 percent from 2023 to 2030.
Some electric bike customers haven’t been on two wheels since they rode a Schwinn Stingray with a banana seat; others are lifelong cyclists who want a little extra oomph to flatten the hills. Still others are urban commuters, and then there are the enduro and downhill mountain bikers looking for a faster way to lap big terrain. There’s an ebike for every need. But there are also many factors to consider before making the big purchase, which can cost anywhere between roughly $1,500 and $15,000.
We tapped two experts: Cory Oseland, manager at The Ski Hut, a premier Midwest bike and ski shop, and Kevin Lau, a sales specialist at REI. “There are some very firm commandments to buying an ebike,” says Oseland, who has been selling electric versions for the past 14 years.
Updated July 2025: We added more information on third-party safety certifications, tariff purchasing advice, and updated links and products.
What Is an Ebike?
Photograph: Trek
There are three classifications of bikes with an electric motor. Class 1 ebikes are pedal-assist only, with no throttle. They have a maximum assisted speed of 20 mph. At 20 mph, the motor will cut out and the cyclist will have to pedal the bike to reactivate it. Class 2 ebikes have a maximum speed of 20 mph, but are throttle-assisted. The cyclist doesn’t have to pedal the bike to activate the motor. Class 3 ebikes are pedal-assist only and have a maximum assisted speed of 28 mph, making them illegal to ride on dirt trails or bike paths.
For the purposes of this story, our experts are mostly referring to Class I ebikes. Class I ebikes have two kinds of motors: hub-based or mid-drive (what others might call crank-based). There are advantages and disadvantages to each. A crank-based motor is integrated into the bike’s frame, making it more expensive to design. But it also feels more natural to ride, like an acoustic bike.
Hub-based motors, which are laced into the rear wheel, are generally less expensive because bike manufacturers do not have to engineer the frame around the motor. They are also generally less powerful on hilly terrain and can wear out more quickly. On the flipside, they are also easier to replace.