With the cost of living rising and bikes and components costing more than ever before, there’s a reason more people are interested in saving their cash and looking for cheaper e-bikes. At this price, there are quite a few options, thankfully, and they’re a significant step up in quality than those under £1,000 (for the most part). If you want to get the lay of the land and see how much all kinds of e-bikes cost, then read our overall guide to the best electric bikes which covers all budgets.
For e-bikes under £2,000, you’ll likely see hub-drive motors and lots of folding bikes – although more and more brands are producing flat bar style hybrids and commuters too. Curly bars and mid-drive motors usually come at a premium, but if you’re after a hard-wearing commuter or simply something to get you from A to B, these e-bikes will do you well.
Best electric bikes under £2,000
- Carrera Subway E - best under £1,200 | Buy for £1,034.10 from Halfords
- MiRider One - best folder | Buy for £1,595 from MiRider
- Decathlon Rockrider E-ST900 - best e-MTB | Buy for £1,899.99 from Decathlon
- Honbike Uni4 - best belt-driven e-bike | Buy for £1,799 from Honbike
- Raleigh Stow-E-Way - best folder under £1,500 | Buy for £1,259 from Tredz
- Estarli e20.7 Original Pro - best 20" wheeled folder | Buy for £1,350 from Estarli
- Tenways CGO600 - best city bike | Buy for £1,499 from Tenways
- Dallingridge Malvern - best trekking e-bike | Buy for £1,349 from E-Bikes Direct
- Tenways CGO800S - best step-through | Buy for £1,899 from Tenways
- Juicy Bikes Ticket - best looking urban e-bike | Buy for £1,799 from Electric Bicycle Company
1. Carrera Subway E - £1,149 (best under £1,200)
When we reviewed it back in 2019, the Carrera Subway E cost under a grand. It’s gone up a couple of hundred pounds now, but still represents excellent value. The motor system and level of equipment it’s fitted with help to fit this bill, but it’s also fun to ride. You’ll find Suntour’s HESC rear hub motor and a 317Wh battery powering this bike, and both impressed our reviewer.
Torque sensing allows the motor to more intelligently apply power which means assistance feels more natural and it should also prove a bit more efficient battery-wise. Reviewer Dave reckoned you could easily exceed Carrera’s 40km stated range if you only rode on the flat, although it fares a little less well on the hills. It’s got nine gears, which offer a decent range, although you’d perhaps want another one for steeper stuff.
For more detail, read our review of the Carrera Subway E.
2. MiRider One - £1,595 (best folder)
Funky looks and a single-speed drivetrain define this e-folder. It’s not the lightest at 17.6kg but it’s easy enough to get in and out of a car boot. It’s also really nippy thanks to a powerful rear hub motor.
The MiRider One is intuitive to use and quick to fold and the latest model offers increased efficiency and range on its predecessor - although the 187Wh battery is perhaps smaller than you’d like. It’s great value though, and comes in plenty of colour options so you can let your personality shine through.
For more detail, read our review of the MiRider One.
3. Decathlon Rockrider E-ST900 - £1,899 (best e-MTB)
Fun to ride and capable enough over fairly technical terrain, the Rockrider is a real winner in our eyes. The Brose mid-motor is exceptional given the price tag, while a wide range of assistance levels and a 500Wh battery means you should be able to get a proper long ride out of it.
With 70Nm of torque it’ll provide more than enough kick for you to tackle the trails. So if you enjoy getting out and about off-road and you’re happy enough with more traditional mountain bike geometry, you really need look no further.
For more detail, read our review of the Decathlon Rockrider E-ST900.
4. Honbike Uni4 - £1,749 (best belt-driven e-bike)
New for 2023, the Honbike Uni4 is another distinctive urban e-bike, this time with no downtube, and very few spokes. The asymmetric frame isn’t all this bike has going for it, however, as a range of up to 50 miles means it’s ideal as a commuter bike that you won’t need to charge every day after work.
A 250W rear hub motor helps to propel the bike, while a belt drive keeps everything neat and tidy – which is surely a must if you’re buying a white bike. It’s certainly a head turner, and great value for what you get.
For more details, read our review of the Honbike Uni4.
5. Raleigh Stow-E-Way - £1,399 (best folder under £1,500)
The Stow-E-Way doesn’t have the world beating practical fold of the Brompton but it is a little more bike-like on the road – and will leave less of a hole in your pocket. The TranzX R15 rear hub motor looks neat and small and its stated weight of 2.5kg is pretty light.
The bike’s weight is also kept down by the 1.55kg, 245Wh battery. If you are looking for an e-bike that rides well, can fold if needs be and can carry a decent amount too, then the Stow-E-Way should certainly be on the list.
For more detail, read our review of the Raleigh Stow-E-Way.
6. Estarli e20.7 Original Pro - £1,350 (best 20” wheeled folder)
Reviewer Stu recently had an e20.7 Original Pro for about six months, and was impressed with its power delivery and confidence-inspiring handling. As the name suggests, this folder uses 20” wheels, while the ‘7’ part of the name refers to its 7-speed Shimano drivetrain.
The bike weighs 18kg, so it's not the lightest, but if you want something that will give you confidence in traffic jammed city streets, on gravel tracks or canal paths, the e20.7 is worth considering.
For more detail, read our review of the Estarli e20.7 Original Pro.
7. Tenways CGO600 - £1,499 (best city bike)
If you're looking for a single-speed, the Tenways CGO600 is simple and affordable, offering high performance and low maintenance. It’s a very slick package and it’s not easy to spot that it’s an e-bike at first glance. You get a lightweight alloy frame with super smooth welds, a rear hub motor and a 250Wh battery that’s fixed inside the down tube.
Strikingly for a bike of this price, it doesn’t have a chain but instead a Gates carbon belt drive. Belt drives last longer than chains, don’t need lubricating and are all but maintenance-free. For now Tenways are a direct to consumer brand, which means you will be dealing directly with them for any after sales queries or problems. However, they’re pretty new and may establish a UK dealer network in time.
For more detail, read our review of the Tenways CGO600.
8. Dallingridge Malvern - £1,349 (best trekking e-bike)
The Malvern is affordable bike brand Dallingridge’s take on an e-trekker. It comes with a Far Eastern geared rear hub motor with a 12-magnet cadence sensor, cable-operated disc brakes and a 6-speed Shimano groupset. It’s designed for riders who want a slightly sporty riding position, and is available in one frame size: 18”.
Our reviewer tested the bike over hilly countryside terrain and found the motor system performed nicely, even making it up a 20% incline with ease despite about 12kg of tools on the back. A nice trekking or urban package at a decent price, the Malvern is hard not to recommend.
For more detail, read our review of the Dallingridge Malvern.
9. Tenways CGO800S - £1,899 (best step-through)
The slightly more expensive step-through sibling of the CGO600, the Tenways CGO800S is a high-quality city bike at a reasonable price. As well as a larger price than the CGO600, it also comes with a larger battery, a rear rack, and integrated lights front and rear, making it a pretty complete city bike package.
It’s on the heavier side at 22.7kg, but it’s purposefully designed and comes with everything you need to get on and ride comfortably in an urban environment without splashing out for accessories. If your budget can stretch this close to £2k, then it’s certainly one to consider.
For more detail, read our review of the Tenways CGO800S.
10. Juicy Bikes Ticket - £1,865 (best looking urban e-bike)
Although we reviewed it in 2018, this is a bike that has stood the test of time. The Juicy Ticket, is a light (16.5kg), nimble, stylish bike that you can ride some of the time without power and add assistance when you fancy it. The Ticket is built around an Aikema motor which performs better than most hub motors.
Given the small size of the battery at 280Wh, the range is decent too. Juicy claims 18-36 miles which is credible. You can also upgrade to a 375Wh battery for another £150.
For more detail, read our review of the Juicy Bikes Ticket.
How to choose the best electric bike under £2,000
Which cheap electric bike is best?
This depends on a few variables. What is classed as ‘cheap’, and what kind of e-bike you want. With advancements in technology and trickling down of this tech onto more entry-level bikes, you are more likely than ever to be able to pick up a decent e-bike at any price.
We’ve picked some of the best under £2,000, but if your budget doesn’t stretch that far, have a read of our guide to the best electric bikes under £1,000.
What type of motor is most common on electric bikes under £2,000?
Many of the bikes on this list use rear hub driven motors as they are generally cheaper to manufacture and easy to install – you don’t necessarily need to redesign your whole bike frame around them.
More expensive bikes come with mid-drive motors, and also some on our list like the Decathlon Rockrider E-ST900. However, you’re unlikely to find big-brands like Bosch on any bikes in this price bracket. If you want to learn more about motors, have a look at our guide to the best electric bike motors which goes into some of the ins and outs affecting performance.
How much range can I get on an electric bike under £2,000?
Quite obviously, more range is better – but then more range tends to mean a bigger and more expensive battery, so it’s not quite that simple. If you’re only pootling around doing short trips, a huge, expensive battery probably isn’t going to be doing much for you.
Range is probably the hardest thing to compare when you’re looking at different bikes because it will depend on your own effort, the level of assist you select, the terrain you ride and how fast you go. The combined weight of you and the bike will also have an impact.
All of this means that the manufacturer’s stated range is woolly and often a bit of a best-case scenario. Battery capacity – as measured in Wh – may well be a more useful number to look at. Either way, range typically works out somewhere between 25 and 75 miles.
