Electric bikes will change your life
Get back in the saddle
Haven’t ridden in a while? The smooth, powerful boost helps you get out for exercise, enjoy the outdoors, and feel that kid-like freedom you only get while riding a bike.
Say goodbye to your car
Take on longer commutes, carry more groceries, and pedal across town quickly. All while getting exercise, enjoying fresh air, and avoiding traffic jams!
Discover more possibilities
Go ahead. Take the hard route home or explore that road or trail you’ve never ridden before. E-bikes amplify your ability to go farther and faster than ever before.
Electric bike anatomy
1 Electric bike motors
All of our e-bikes are designed with mid-drive pedal-assist motors that are located in the same area as your pedals. They feel natural while pedaling, are easy to shift on hills, and provide a boost of smooth, consistent power with every pedal stroke you take.
2 Electric bike displays
E-bike displays (also known as controllers) are what you use to see and control your e-bike’s settings. You can change your level of assist, see your speed and distance, and check out how much battery power you have left. Our e-bike displays are super intuitive to use, and are conveniently mounted right at your fingertips.
3 Electric bike batteries
E-bike batteries are the biggest contributing factor to how far your e-bike can go. The higher watt hour (Wh) your battery is, the more power capacity it has. Batteries can be mounted in lots of different places, but those mounted on the downtube or integrated into the downtube itself provide the best center of gravity for better balance.
How pedal assist motors work
Electric bikes work by using an electric motor and battery to help you power your bike. On pedal assist e-bikes, you can control the amount of power the drive system provides and the assist only kicks in when you pedal. The motor amplifies the power behind each of your pedal strokes, providing a natural riding feeling that makes it seem like your legs are supercharged!
Some manufactures make e-bikes that use a twist throttle to engage that drive system. With these bikes, you don’t have to be pedaling for the motor to be engaged. This can be dangerous, since it’s easy to get out of control if you’re not paying attention. We only make pedal assist e-bikes, because they feel the most like a regular bike and help riders feel more in command of their ride.
Pedal assist motor
Depending on the model, your e-bike’s electric motor has a power output between 250 and 350 watts, and assists up to 20 or 28 mph. And you can go faster than that without feeling much resistance from the motor.
Integrated battery
You can charge your battery on or off the bike using a charging cable that functions just like your laptop’s. Plus, our Removable Integrated Battery (RIB) system makes it easy to take your battery with you for on-the-go charging.
Easy to use display
All of our displays show you critical ride info like range, assist mode, speed, and battery level. Select displays take things to a step further by integrating with your phone for on-bike access to music, apps, turn-by-turn directions, and more.
How do electric bikes work?
Electric bikes work by using an electric motor and battery to help you power your bike. The battery powers the motor, and you control the amount of power the system outputs using the controller. There are two main methods by which power is transferred from the drive system to your bike, and those are pedal assist and throttle control.
Pedal assist electric bikes
On pedal assist electric bikes, you control the amount of assist the system gives you and the assist only kicks in when you pedal. The motor amplifies the power behind each of your pedal strokes, providing a natural riding feeling that makes it seem like your legs are supercharged!
Electric bikes with throttles
These bikes let you use a twist throttle to engage the drive system. When the bike is in this mode you don’t have to be pedaling to be powered by the electric motor. Throttle bikes can be dangerous, as it’s easy to get out of control if you’re not paying attention. E-bikes with throttles are only allowed in certain areas, so be sure to check your local regulations before purchasing one.
How fast are electric bikes?
Electric bike speed is dependent on the capability and construction of the motor, and maximum electric bike speeds are regulated by law. Most e-bikes in the US will assist up to 20 mph. You can go faster than that, like when you’re zipping down a hill, but the motor will stop assisting once you reach 20 mph. At speeds lower than 20 mph, your speed is dependent on what gear you’re in, how much you’re pedaling, and what level of assist you choose. Different levels of assist will help you move faster by providing more power. For example, turbo mode provides the highest level of assist, and would help you go your fastest.
Fast electric bikes
Speed electric bikes or speed pedelecs have special motors that assist up to 28 mph in the US. These bikes are favored by commuters and avid riders who want to go a long distance in a short amount of time. This kind of e-bike is only allowed in certain areas.
What are electric bike classes?
Electric bikes are divided into three main types or classes based on what sort of motor they have, whether or not they have a throttle, and how fast they go. It’s important to know which classes of e-bikes are legal in the areas where you’ll ride.
Class 1 electric bikes (low-speed pedal-assisted electric bicycle)
A bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches 20 mph.
Class 2 electric bikes (low-speed throttle-assisted electric bicycle)
A bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle, and that is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches 20 mph.
Class 3 electric bikes (speed pedal-assisted electric bicycle)
A bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches 28 mph.
Trek makes only Class 1 and Class 3 electric bikes (no throttle) as they provide the most natural ride feel, promote exercise, and help to keep you in control while you’re riding. See local electric bike laws & regulations
How far can e-bikes go?
Electric bike range is dependent on several factors and can be very complicated to calculate. Some factors you can control, and some you can’t. Controllable factors include the size of your battery, the efficiency of your motor, the level of motor assist you select, and how much weight you’re carrying. Uncontrollable factors include wind, weather, temperature, and terrain.
How batteries affect range
The bigger your battery, the more capacity you have to go farther or go faster. Battery power is measured in watt hours (Wh), the higher the Wh the bigger the battery capacity.
How motor efficiency affects range
The efficiency of your e-bike’s electric motor impacts how much of your battery’s energy it uses. A high-quality, efficient motor will draw less energy from your battery, while an inefficient motor will draw more energy and reduce your overall range.
How level of pedal assist affects range
What assist mode you select directly affects your range. For example, eco mode provides the least amount of assist, and draws the least amount of power from the battery. Turbo mode provides the most assist, and draws the most power from your battery. Therefore your range in eco mode is longer than in turbo mode since turbo will drain the battery more quickly.
Long range electric bikes
Long range e-bikes are e-bikes designed for long-distance rides and trips. They typically have large capacity batteries, such as 500Wh or 625Wh, and efficient motors that help you maximize your range. Some electric bike companies offer the ability to add on a second battery so you can double your range.
The general range estimate for an e-bike varies from 20-100 miles on a single charge. Yes, it’s really wide! That’s because there are so many factors that can determine your range. We recommend using Bosch’s range finder tool to help you figure out a more accurate range estimate for your e-bike.
What kinds of electric bikes are there?
There’s an e-bike for almost any type of riding you want to do, including mountain biking, road riding, touring, commuting, city riding, and more.
Electric hybrid and commuter bikes
These e-bikes give you the extra power you need to go farther, carry more, cut down on car trips, and have fun riding with friends.
Electric road bikes
Electric road bikes let you ride with faster groups and push yourself to go a few extra miles. Plus, they give you a strategic boost when climbing hills.
Electric mountain bikes
Electric mountain bikes give you the power to explore more trails and hit more laps than ever before. You can power up climbs and be your own shuttle.