GOTRAX Electric Bikes
There are other ways to get around on two wheels besides scooters. The GOTRAX Line Up of electric bikes has been ever changing. 2023 has introduced some of our best ebikes yet. We currently have 4 different categories that our electric bikes are spread across so take your time and find the right one for you.
All Terrain
Go where other ebikes can’t. Larger tires and motors provide better support off road
City
Tackle city streets and bike paths with ease. Pedal assist and a removable battery come in handy when running late.
Foldable
Storage is truly an afterthought now. A one touch folding frame and handlebars keep your ebike out of the way when not in use.
Compact
Taking size to a whole new level. Lightweight, easy to use and efficient. These ebikes are small but still pack a lot of power.
Adjustable Seats
Find the right level of comfort so you feel ready to ride as soon as you take a seat on every ride.
Digital Displays
Quick, clear readouts are given on our LED screens for Pedal Assist (PAS) level, Speed, Battery Life, Odometer, and more.
Product Guides
Find Your Electric Bike on our Product Guide Page and find out how to properly take care of your electric bike so it can properly take care of you.
Taking on dirt, gravel, sand and just about anything you can throw at them. Our all terrain electric bikes are meant to go where others can’t follow. When shopping for an all terrain ebike, it is best to find the one that makes you comfortable.
Suspension Type. All Terrain or Mountain ebikes feature varying types of suspension. Hardtail, front suspension only, and Rigid, no suspension, are the two most common types at GOTRAX.
Frame. Off road ebikes need a durable, lightweight frame to handle most of the heavier impacts that is why all of our ebikes are made with aluminum alloy.
Tires. Varying from bike to bike, you want to find the right ebike for your. Fat tires help with looser terrain while mountain bike tires are better suited for trails and dirt.
Take on any challenge with this ebike that features one of our most powerful battery Motor combos to date
Installation
The kit came split between two boxes. One contained the battery, wiring, controller, and display and the other had the wheel with the integrated motor. This is because during order there are a ton of options for different configurations. There are six different battery options or no battery, then you can choose between three different wheel sizes or only the battery. Among the options for wheel sizes, there is also a choice of displays.
The only confusion was from Amazon who marked the kit delivered after the first box arrived. The components box shipped from the US while the wheel came from China and they didn’t arrive at the same time. I contacted Amazon who contacted the seller, and they assured me another box was on the way and would be there soon.
Once all the pieces arrived, I opened up the boxes and got started with the instruction manuals. There are two instruction manuals with one covering the battery and one covering everything else. My kit has the 48V17.5Ah rear battery (840Wh) and a rear rack to house it and I started there. There’s a rear section that the battery connects to and locks with a key. The rear section needs to be securely mounted to the rack along with a bottom tray that guides the battery in. Once that’s attached, mount the rack like any other rack. If you go this route, first make sure that your bike has attachment points for a rack. The battery is heavy and you’ll need a solid attachment.
With that done, the first step for the rest of the kit was swapping over the front wheel. After my experience with the Swytch e-bike conversion kit, I remembered to check the tyre for a directional arrow and save some time. The wheel has a design that accommodates both disc brakes and rim brakes but for disc brakes, you’ll need a T25 tool. Once that’s mounted, you’ll need to figure out the correct washers for your application and it’s just a matter of bolting on the wheel.
Next up is the pedal-assist sensor or PAS. The kit includes two options depending on your needs. I was able to use the preferred, left side sensor which mounts as a single, compact unit. In my case, I needed a square taper crank puller tool, but once the crank arm is off, the PAS fits in and the crank goes back on.
After you’ve got the PAS sensor mounted, it’s time to make a decision about the controller box. There’s a plastic mounting box that the controller fits inside of and brackets that hold everything to the downtube or the top tube. It’s all very simple but you’ll need to decide how you want to route all the wiring. I allowed the relatively short wiring to the battery to guide my decision. The kit includes leads for extending the battery cable but I decided I’d rather leave things as they were.
The last pieces are the controls. You’ll need to mount your display, the control for the display, the throttle lever, and the replacement brake levers. My kit included the P850C display and I mounted it over the stem. None of the pieces were difficult to mount, just take your time and work through everything one task at a time.
With all of the pieces mounted, the last task is routing the wiring. I’ve never been much good at finishing details on any project and I actually found this to be one of the most challenging tasks. There’s a wiring harness that connects to each of the items at the controls, all colour coded, and takes them to the controller and it’s long. There’s also a generous length of wire that connects the motor to the controller and in both cases I didn’t come up with a good solution for making it look great. I was able to use zip ties to route it safely and out of the way but it’s definitely visible.
Performance
The assembly process took me about six hours. A lot of that time was doing things and re-doing things because I’m not a fantastic bike mechanic. I had to stop part way because I didn’t have the crank puller for the crank and I had to order new torx bolts for the disc brake rotors after stripping one of them. None of it was hard but I worked slowly until I plugged in the last wire, lifted the front wheel, and hit the throttle to see that everything was working.
The assembled bike is heavy because the battery is big. Ebike range ratings are tricky to start with and in this case there’s no mention of what you can reasonably expect. There are other bikes available that have a similar battery and motor though. Quoted range tends to be 60-100km (30-60 miles) so if that’s more than you need, a lighter battery will make things easier. If you’ve got the big one, it’s easy to remove the battery to tackle a flight of stairs. I only have a few stairs to get to the street and found it manageable even with the battery installed.
Standing on the street it was time to see how it worked. I turned on the display with a long press and the big display greeted me with a yellow hello screen. A double click on the remote for the controller enters the settings and I swapped things to imperial units before setting my assistance level and heading off.
The system handles like every inexpensive electric bike I’ve ever tested. It’s powerful and picks up quickly, and being cadence based means you’ll want to use the gearing on your bike to turn the pedals lightly if you’d rather not work much. You can also just push on the throttle and not bother pedaling at all, but of course, bear in mind that the existence of a throttle will make the system illegal in many countries, and push it into the higher e-bike classes in the USA.
No matter if you are pedalling or using the throttle, the assistance level sets the top speed. I was able to get up to a little above 25mph at the max assistance level but I find that speed somewhat unpleasant to cruise at. You could pedal a bit and let off, allowing your speed to go up and down as you feel comfortable, or just drop down to the second or third assistance level. If you hit the brakes the motor will shut off rather than attempt to fight the brakes.
One of the advantages I found about this system was the base bike I was using. It’s an inexpensive city bike and the gearing is a 3×7 system. That’s a lot of gearing and much more than most inexpensive electric bikes. Finding a gear that lets you pedal without working much is a lot easier even when a hill slows things down a bit.
The P850C is a gorgeous colour display that’s easy to see even in bright light. It also shares a ton of info but if you decide to try out a kit, I’d probably recommend a cheaper display. The price difference isn’t much but there are simple black and white displays that have all the info you need and it’s even easier to read.
The only problem I experienced with the BAFANG Front Hub Motor Electric Bike Conversion Kit was my own fault. The battery pushes into its storage spot and feels secure. Given that on my first ride I wasn’t planning on stopping, I never locked the battery and after a few miles the bike shut off. Even though everything is waterproof I suspected that the rain was an issue. Instead, the battery had just shaken itself loose. I pushed it back in and continued on my way. With the battery locked to the bike I never experienced another issue.
Verdict
Low end electric bikes have really dropped in price, and you can actually find bikes priced relatively close to this kit, but that doesn’t mean the BAFANG isn’t worth considering, since those bikes represent the low end of the electric bike options and they are still more expensive than the most expensive version of the kit. The bike you bring to the equation might also have advantages. In this case, the extended gearing isn’t something you’d find on those low-end e-bikes.
Along with the savings comes a project and that’s the part you will want to consider. There are advantages to this, especially if you want to build something unique. It would make a great option for a cargo bike as an example. It can also save you money by trading your time for money paid. At the same time, it is a process that will require a fairly significant time investment. As long as you are on-board with the process, you’ll end up with a high-quality electric bike. You can take pride in having built it and it’s going to cost less than off the shelf.
Best electric bikes | 17 top-rated ebikes for every type of rider
The best electric bike for you will depend on the type of riding you want to do, so in this guide we’ll cover the whole range of different electric bike types and recommend some of the best we’ve tested.
Electric bikes – or ebikes as they’re commonly known – are bicycles with an electric motor and battery that provides assistance as you pedal. There are many benefits to riding an electric bike. Electric bikes make riding up hills easier and will enable most riders to travel at a higher speed over longer distances without arriving at their destination covered in sweat.
Despite common misconceptions, you can still ride an electric bike for fitness. Electric bike laws limit the power of an ebike motor, so you still need to pedal – there’s no twist-and-go throttle here. There is an electric bike for every type of riding. Electric folding bikes and electric hybrid bikes are great choices for cycling to work, the best electric mountain bikes will help you get to the top of the next trail so you can enjoy more descending and the best electric road bikes and electric gravel bikes will enable you to take on longer adventures. Making sense of how an electric bike works and how to choose the right one for you is a daunting task. Luckily for you, BikeRadar’s team of expert testers have put in hundreds of hours riding more than 175 of the best ebikes across all categories. Our testing is 100 per cent editorially independent, so you can always trust our recommendations. In this in-depth buyer’s guide to choosing the best electric bike for any rider, we’ll talk you through the things you need to consider for each category of ebike. We also highlight the best ebikes we have reviewed, as selected by BikeRadar’s expert team of tech editors, for each type of ebike, with links to our detailed buyer’s guide for each category. We also have a general buyer’s guide to electric bike tech at the bottom of this article that answers common questions. For even more information, take a look at our ebike FAQs. There’s a lot to cover here, so use the links below to skip to the section you need, or read on for every detail.
Best electric hybrid bikes
Like a non-assisted hybrid bike, electric hybrid bikes feature an upright riding position, flat bars and stable handling. They’re often the least expensive entry point into ebikes.
With lots of mounting points for accessories such as pannier bags and mudguards, electric hybrids are great if you’re planning to commute to work by bike, ride around town or want to go for leisurely rides on bike trails or through parks.
Electric hybrid bikes can be quite heavy because they tend to use less sophisticated motor systems and the bikes are built for robustness. This is worth bearing in mind if you need to carry them up stairs.
Below is a selection of four of the very best electric hybrid bikes as tested by our senior road technical editor, Warren Rossiter. For more recommendations, check out our full round-up of the best electric hybrid bikes.
Specialized Turbo Vado SL 4.0
- £2,600 / €2,999 / 3,500 as tested
- Pros: Well-tuned power delivery; low weight
- Cons: Lower-torque motor means you have to put in more work
Specialized makes two electric hybrid bike ranges. Whereas the standard Turbo Vado is a heavy-duty ebike, the Vado SL uses a less powerful motor with 35Nm of torque. This reduces the weight to under 15kg, but the flip side is that you have less assistance than with the Turbo Vado, which could be a problem on hills.
The other advantage of the lower output is clean looks, with the concealed battery giving a sporty appearance. Specialized fits lights to all models and includes mudguards and a luggage rack on pricier models.
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Canyon Pathlite:ON 5
- £2,499 / €2,699, as tested
- Pros: Great handling and confident off-road
- Cons: Heavy versus its rivals
The Canyon Pathlite:ON 5 is a powerful electric hybrid bike that handles and rides commendably. Our testing found the Canyon’s 100km claimed range to be true, but there’s no denying the bike is heavy at 23.5kg.
Where the Pathlite:ON 5 truly stands out is off the tarmac, where it rivals electric mountain bikes with confidence-inspiring chunky tyres and a shock-absorbing suspension fork.
Tern Quick Haul P9
- £3,100 / 3,299 / AU4995 as tested
- Pros: Great fun to ride and versatile
- Cons: Official add-ons are fairly pricey
The Tern Quick Haul P9 looks like a cargo bike at first glance, but its compact design means it isn’t much longer than a typical electric hybrid.
With the option to fit a huge array of useful add-on accessories both front and back, our tester described the Quick Haul P9 as a “genuinely viable car replacement”.
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Best electric folding bikes
Commuters who travel by public transport or are short on space are catered for too. Oliver Woodman / Immediate Media
If you want to cycle to work or are just pressed for space to store your ride, a compact electric folding bike could be the answer.
Folding ebikes often have the battery hidden in their frames, or they may come with a removable battery to make carrying them on and off public transport a bit easier.
A removable battery also means you can take it somewhere where it’s easier to charge (at your desk, for example, if you use the bike to ride to work).
But the extra weight of the motor and battery means carrying a folding ebike on and off public transport, and up and down stairs, will be harder. The available range can be quite limited in some models too.
For more product recommendations, check out our round-up of the best folding electric bikes.
Brompton Electric
The Brompton Electric adds a front-hub motor to the iconic folder. Russell Burton / Immediate Media
- £2,725 as tested
- Pros: Very compact fold; smooth power delivery
- Cons: Quite heavy; two pieces to carry
A front-hub motor adds electric power to the classic Brompton folding bike, giving you a range of around 40km. The battery sits in a separate pack, which can be removed from the bike for carrying.
Since we tested the Brompton Electric, the standard bike has been redesignated the C Line Explore. It’s been joined by the P Line, which uses lighter frame materials and components to chop almost 2kg off the C Line’s 17.4kg claimed weight.
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GoCycle G4
- £3,999 as tested
- Pros: Larger wheels ride more smoothly; stylish design
- Cons: Expensive; doesn’t fold as small as some ebikes
While pricey, the GoCycle G4 is a folder, commuter and electric bike in one. The ride and handling are far more assured than most folding bikes on- and off-road, thanks to the meaty tyres and larger wheels.
The bike folds in half at its centre, making it easier to roll than to carry and the removable battery in the front of the frame is accessed via the fold. At over 17kg, it’s quite heavy though.
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MiRider One GB3
The GB3 is an upgrade on the original MiRider One, with an accompanying price rise. David Caudery / Our Media
- £2,495 as tested
- Pros: Very compact
- Cons: Price has increased significantly from the original bike
The MiRider One GB3 is an upgrade from the original model we tested a few years ago. Unfortunately, that’s resulted in a significant price hike, but the ebike is still a compact, nippy city commuter.
The belt drive is cleaner and lower-maintenance than a chain, there’s good adjustability, and built-in rear suspension and wide tyres add comfort.
The GB3 design has three speeds, adding flexibility over the singlespeed predecessor, and you can change gear while stationary. We achieved a range of up to 50km.
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Best electric mountain bikes
Electric mountain bikes can be great on the climbs, but handling on the descents can take a bit of getting used to. Ian Linton
An electric mountain bike will get you to the top quicker, particularly on technical, steeper climbs, and with more energy to enjoy the descents. Plus, getting up the ups more easily will give you extra range to explore further.
Recent improvements in eMTB performance mean handling is approaching that of the best mountain bikes without a motor, providing heaps of flat-out riding fun.
But, nevertheless, the extra weight can make handling more tricky on particularly technical sections, so it’s a good idea to ease off a bit until you’ve got the feel of the bike
This is a small selection of the best electric mountain bikes we have tested, as selected by our expert team of mountain bike tech editors, Alex Evans, Robin Weaver and Tom Marvin.
Focus JAM2 SL 9.9
- £7,499/€8,499/AU14,499 as tested
- Pros: Powerful and efficient motor; high levels of performance
- Cons: Inadequate tyres specced; ride remote feels cheap
The Focus JAM2 SL 9.9 is on the lightweight end of the electric bike spectrum, using Fazua’s Ride 60 motor, which provides the bike with 60Nm of torque.
The motor is very frugal, being one of the best for power consumption, with the 430Wh battery lasting longer than other bikes we’ve tested.
Focus has given the JAM2 SL an adjustable geometry, with the frame featuring two flip chips in the linkage and the chainstays enabling the bike to be set up longer, lower and slacker.
While the bike only features 150mm of rear travel, we found it spanned both trail and enduro riding well, which added to enjoyment on gnarlier trails.
The only let down was the slightly cheap-feeling Fazua remote and underwhelming lightweight tyre choice.
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Orbea Wild M-Team
The Orbea Wild M-Team impressed us with its modern geometry and powertrain. Olly Bowman / Our Media
- £9,207/9,844/€9,727/AU17,429 as tested
- Pros: Bosch motor and battery combo performs well; feels capable on all trails
- Cons: Priced at the top end of the market
Winning our Electric Mountain Bike of the Year award for 2023, the Orbea Wild M-Team impresses with a balanced geometry that feels dominant whether the trail is going up or down.
The Fox Factory 38 fork features 170mm of travel, while the 160mm of rear travel is controlled by a Fox X2 Factory shock that does a great job of gobbling up rough terrain and finding grip on technical sections.
The punchy nature of Bosch’s Performance Line CX motor gives the bike great climbing ability, with assistance feeling constant up until the cut-off speed.
Alongside the great spec list, Orbea has fitted the bike with downhill casing tyres, which means you can push the Wild M-Team to the extremes of it’s geometry with little worry.
Best for Commuting
Swytch Universal eBike Conversion Kit
Daily riders will love this easy-to-install, lightweight e-bike conversion kit. It is compatible with most mountain, road, hybrid, and step-through bikes, and disc brakes.
It’s as easy to install as swapping out your front tire. The controller and battery are combined into a 34.2-Volt power pack, which is included in the kit and mounts to the handlebars. That makes it easy to remove and keeps thieves at bay, but our tester did miss having the use of a handle bar basket. The battery pack is fitted with indicator lights that tell you how much juice remains and what assist mode you’re in. Once the system is set up correctly, you’ll be able to top out at 15-25 mph.
In general, I love it. It makes my ride easier without feeling like I’m riding a giant bulky e-bike. It’s got a phenomenal amount of power for such a little machine and seems like it has a good battery life too. ~ Treehugger Tester
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Ebikeling Waterproof Ebike Conversion Kit 36V 500W 700C Geared Electric Bike Kit
Do you want to go farther or faster? You can do both with this setup from Ebikeling, with its 500-watt motor. Ebikeling makes it easy to buy different compatible batteries and other accessories in an a-la-cart way. There are seven different batteries that come in different shapes (bottle, triangle, rectangular), so that you can pick the one that suits your bike and needs best.
The double-walled rim and motor are ready to install right out of the box—just swap them out for your original bike tire. An LCD screen is included to help you stay within your town’s speed limit. You can choose between a front or rear mount, as well as a thumb or half-twist throttle.
Price at time of publish: 390
Most Powerful
AW 26×1.75 Rear Wheel 48V 1000W Electric Bicycle Motor Kit
Thanks to a 48-volt, 1000-watt battery, the AW wheel E-bike conversion kit satisfies anyone with the need for speed. A thumb throttle makes speed control simple. This kit is available as either a front wheel or back wheel conversion option. It fits any 26-inch bike frame with a 3.9 inch front dropout spacing (for a front wheel conversion) or 5.3 inch rear dropout spacing (for a back wheel conversion). The rear wheel kit weighs 24.7 pounds, the front wheel kit weighs 23.5 pounds.
The aluminum frame offers durability and stability, which is essential when you’re rolling at top speeds of 28 miles per hour. Hand brakes turn the motor off automatically to both improve safety and conserve battery power.
Price at time of publish: 300
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