We believe that while the market has many great offerings for budget e-bikes under £1000, the £1000 to £2000 range is the sweet spot for a premium, durable e-bike, with named parts (not generic) for durability, reliability, and value for money.
In the age of social media ads that are too good to be true, and the deluge of cheap imports with stickers pasted over them, we have distilled our picks for the finest e-bikes in the £1000 to £2000 range.
What are we looking for?
The compliance checklist: while UL 2849 (2771 possibly) and EN 15194 compliance is usually a given, we found a few bad apples without those certificates. So, beware of a bike without those safety compliances. Similarly, we expect all bikes that ship to or are sold in the UK and the EU to be EAPC 15194 compliant, which limits their speed to the legal limit of 15.5 mph (25 kph).
We expect a minimum waterproof rating of IPX4, but would prefer IPX5 or higher to protect against wet and snowy weather, especially in the £1000+ range.
Finally - parts. We would love an e-bike built with only name-branded parts, but that isn’t realistic at this range. We’ll settle for at least one of the battery or the motor, but definitely name-brand the gears (if present) instead of generic ones.
The Flagship Pick: Raleigh Motus Series
Raleigh’s Motus series offers flagship comfort and quality while keeping it affordable. Depending on which model you pick, the Motus series ranges from £1799 to £2299. We’ve chosen the baseline Motus instead of the Tour or Grand Tour models to stay within our £2000 budget.
The Motus comes equipped with 3 named parts: the Bosch Powerpack battery, which stores up to 500 Wh of energy and powers your Motus for up to 70 miles; the Bosch Performance Line motor, which delivers up to 75 Nm of torque; and a 9-speed Shimano gear system.
Both the Bosch motor and battery are compliant with UL 2849 and 2771. Further, the Motus is IP-65-rated, which means it is dust-tight and water-resistant. However, all the features and top-end hardware come with a hefty weight. This e-bike weighs a massive 27.5 kg, nearly as much as some eMTBs; apartment dwellers, beware of hauling this up and down the stairs.
The Premium Lightweight: Tenways CGO600 Plus
Tenways’ lightweight urban offering, the CGO600 Plus, also comes in a single-speed carbon belt model, the CGO600 Pro. However, since our maximum budget is £2000 and the more advanced Plus costs £1699, which is well under our budget, we have chosen to pit the CGO600 Plus against the other offerings on this list.
Tenways’ own 250 W motor powers the CGO600 Plus and delivers 45 Nm of power. The entire rig draws its power from a 360 Wh battery and can run for up to 100 km on a single charge. The bike tops out at 25 kph due to local restrictions; pure muscle power will get you to higher speeds.
The CGO600 Plus also features an 8-speed Shimano gear system and dual hydraulic disc brakes. The entire frame is made of lightweight “aerospace” grade aluminium, as is the front suspension. The e-bike weighs 20 kg and supports a maximum payload of 140 kg.
Users love the lightweight stature of the CGO600 Plus, making it easier to haul up and down stairs or push uphill in some cases. Tenways’ app offers excellent integration and makes it easy to monitor your e-bike. However, several users pointed out that the saddle is a bit uncomfortable, and some need to upgrade.
Premium Off Road: Lectric XPeak2
As with any Lectric bike, the XPeak 2’s set-up is customisable. We’ve chosen the upgraded model with a long-range battery. This model will set you back $1599. For that price, you get a 750W motor that delivers 85 Nm of torque. We’re counting the Bafang motor as a name brand here, because all of Bafang manufactures these motors to spec, instead of sending generic motors off the manufacturing line.
The Xpeak’s motor is UL2849-certified, and its 960 Wh battery is UL2771-certified. The semi-integrated removable battery runs your bike at 28 mph for up to 80 miles, local restrictions permitting.
This eMTB also features front suspension that travels up to 80mm, and the 8-speed Shimano gear system works alongside the PWR+ system and torque sensors to deliver power based on the force of your pedal stroke. The heavier e-bike also has massive hydraulic disc brakes that deliver immense stopping power quickly.
This bike faces all the downsides of being a bulky fat-tire MT; it is heavy at 75 lbs, and the chain slap can get rough and loud on extremely rocky trails. Further, users have reported a shorter range than advertised.
A Premium Commuter: Aventon Level 4 REC
The Aventon Level 4 REC will set you back $1999 and has been heavily featured in several best-of lists in the past year, and for good reason, too.
While the bike features a generic 750 W motor, it delivers a consistent 80 Nm torque, rising to 96 Nm in boost mode. The whole rig runs on a removable, integrated 36 V 20 Ah LG battery that takes 5 hours to charge fully. On a full charge, the bike can run for up to 75 miles.
The entirely aluminium frame features a front suspension fork that travels 80 mm and dual hydraulic disc brakes. The bike also features an 8-speed Shimano gear system and a throttle to keep you going without pedalling. Plus, it features both cadence and torque sensors to work simultaneously and ensure seamless power delivery.
Finally, and possibly the most innovative feature on this list: the Level 4 REC has regenerative braking. This feature ensures your battery never dies completely and that you have enough juice to get you home, even if that's in the lowest pedal-assist mode.
Users have been thrilled with the Level4 and all these features. However, they weren’t so keen on the heft. At 70 lbs, this is our heaviest bike featured here, and users don’t love that extra weight, or having to haul it up and down staircases, or even onto vertical bike racks.
Premium Daily Driver: Ride1Up Prodigy V2
Priced at $1795, the Ride1Up Prodigy V2 features a German-made Brose TF Sprinter motor that can generate 90 Nm of torque. A 36V 14Ah Samsung battery powers it for up to 50 miles on a full charge.
The bike also features a 9-speed MicroShift gear system, torque sensor, and 100 mm of suspension to help smooth out your rides. Its electrical components are UL-certified, and the bike is IP-65-rated for water resistance.
Users appreciate the value of the features this bike offers: 3 name-brand components and suspension that's hard to come by at this price point, but Ride1Up’s users notice a compromise in range. The Prodigy V2 also features a rear rack, which urban users appreciate.
Some users reported ranges as low as 30 miles, while others reported up to 50 miles. While there isn’t an exact range figure on Ride1Up’s page for the Prodigy V2, the 30 to 50-mile range may be considered standard.
All-Round Class: Velotric Discover 3
Yet another staple of best-of lists over the past year, Velotric’s Discover 3 is one of the best-reviewed bikes of the year. It costs $1999, and users and publications love it and rate it highly across the board.
Velotric’s in-house-engineered 750W motor delivers 75 Nm of torque and runs off a 48V 15.2 Ah battery. The Samsung/LG battery is IPX7-rated and comes with UL 2771 certification. The bike comes with front and rear lights, 5 pedal-assist modes, torque and cadence sensors, and connects to your existing tech suite, like Apple or Google.
The torque and cadence sensors work hand in hand with a Shimano 8-speed gear system and a Fremont suspension fork that travels 80 mm to ensure a smooth ride across all terrains. Velotric estimates that the bike can travel 8 miles at 20 mph with pedal assist. As a purely throttle bike, it can run 65 miles.
Users love the dual-sensor set-up, the comfort, anti-theft, and safety measures. However, a key downside is the bike's weight. At 61 lbs, this is on the heavier end of the bikes we’ve listed here and can be a pain to load onto car racks, up the stairs, or onto vertical bike racks.
Flagship Comfort at Premium Prices: Wisper Tailwind Comfort
Wisper’s comfort commuter offering, the Wisper Tailwind, comes as either a full-throttle or pedal-assist bike. Both models come with a standard 360 Wh battery, or you can upgrade to a 540 Wh battery. In the interest of staying within our budget, we chose a 540 Wh pedal-assist e-bike. That said, a 540 Wh pedal-assist Tailwind will set you back £1899, per Wisper’s website.
The bike features Wisper’s own 250W motor, which can propel you up to 25 kph in pedal-assist mode. A generic 540 Wh Li ion battery can keep you going for 70 miles on a full charge. The bike also features an 8-speed Shimano gear system that works with a torque sensor to smooth your ride. This bike is designed primarily for urban commuting, and therefore has no suspension.
Users have noticed the lack of front suspension on a bike that costs this much, and have noted an uncomfortable ride compared with similarly priced bikes. Some users have even experienced chain-slaps and rough gear noise on slightly abrasive terrain, so this bike is certainly not designed for even mildly off-road use.
There you have it. If you’ve read this far, you’ve seen all 7 of our picks for an e-bike within a £2000 budget. Like what you saw, but don’t want to spend 2 grand? We have similar guides for bikes under £1000 too, so go check that out!
