The best electric bikes under £1,000 represent better value now than a few years back, but you will still have to accept some trade-offs at this price point. If you think your budget could stretch a little more, or you're not entirely sure what kind of e-bike you are after, read our overall guide to the best electric bikes for a broader view of different types of e-bike at different price points.
With electric bikes increasing in popularity and manufacturing catching up to the demands by expanding facilities, there’s now more choice than ever when it comes to electric bikes under £1,000. This includes brands you'll have heard of, and not just dubious looking things that don’t appear that they’d last more than a few months. Even a few years ago you’d be hard pressed to find anything of significant quality at this price point, but with the trickle down of technology as the market matures, you’re now able to spend less and get something of value.
This is, however, the price point below which options really start to thin out. As we said above, there will likely be some trade-offs on a bike this cheap, including battery size or motor quality. If you're wondering what spending a few quid more might get you, why not take a look at our guide to the best electric bikes under £2,000.
Best electric bikes under £1,000
- Fiido D11 - best folder under £1,000 | Buy now for £911 from Geekbuying.com
- Eskute Wayfarer - best step-through under £1,000 | Buy now for £899 from Eskute
- B'Twin Elops 900 E - best city e-bike under £1,000 | Buy now for £999.99 from Decathlon
- B/Twin Tilt 500 Folding - best value folder under £1,000 | Buy now for £699.99 from Decathlon
- Dawes Arc II Folding 2020 - best multi-modal commuter under £1,000 | Buy now for £999 from E-bikes Direct
- Halfords Assist - best under £600 | Buy now for £599 from Halfords
- An e-bike conversion kit
1. Fiido D11 - £911.39 (best folder under £1,000)
Fiido’s D11 is a well-executed folder with some neat features. The removable battery means it’s more portable than many folders, and the fold itself is neat and well designed. The motor isn’t the most powerful, and the range is overstated, but this isn’t a bike for long journeys and for mixed-mode transport is a solid buy.
It’s an interestingly designed frame, if nothing else, with a single beam that looks quite classy. The folding arrangement means the battery can be removed for charging and thus takes away from the 19kg weight if you need to carry it far.
For more detail, read our review of the Fido D11.
2. Eskute Wayfarer - £999 (best step-through bike under £1,000)
Given the price tag, the Wayfarer’s performance stacks up well compared to others under £1,000. There are, of course, compromises, but it’s a pretty likeable bike – as long as it fits you. Although Eskute say it fits riders between 160cm to 200cm, even our 189cm tall reviewer found the position quite stretched out.
It comes with a decent aluminium frame, a 360Wh battery and enough accessories to get you going (think rack, lights and mudguards). It’s among the few e-bikes under £1,000 to come with a suspension fork, and while it’s not the best quality, it does help to soften the road somewhat.
For more detail, read our review of the Eskute Wayfarer.
3. B’Twin Elops 900 E - £999.99 (best city e-bike under £1,000)
This classy commuter provides you with assistance for up to 70km, with seven gears to help you up steep city streets. Mudguards and a chainguard will keep you and your bike from getting too dirty, and a sturdy aluminium frame with a suspension fork will provide you with plenty of extra comfort.
Brown tyres, saddle and bar grips give the bike a classic look, and 28mm tyres with plenty of puncture protection should soften lumps and bumps. Overall, it's a pretty impressive package for the price.
For further detail, read our review of the B'Twin Elops 900e.
4. B'Twin Tilt 500 Folding - £799.99 (best value folder under £1,000)
One of the best value electric folders out there, the Tilt 500 has a sturdy aluminium frame that folds in as little as 15 seconds, with a battery range that will take you up to 35km in economy mode and 20km in sport mode. Tough tyres with puncture protection, mudguards and lights come as standard, and it weighs in at 18.6kg.
For just under £800 you also get a six-speed Shimano grip shifter operated drivetrain and a 52T chainring. To make it even more useful as a commuter or runaround, it’s compatible with several Decathlon bike accessories, including a child trailer and a rear rack.
5. Dawes Arc II Folding 2020 – £999 (best multi-modal commuter under £1,000)
The Arc 2 not only has a 250W rear motor, it even has an additional port for charging mobile devices on the move. The sleek alloy frame sees the battery hidden inside the tubing, and you should get around 30-35km of range which should get most commuters to work and back.
The 20" wheels make the bike compact enough to store in small spaces at home and on train luggage racks, and you also get powerful mechanical disc brakes with a Shimano six-speed drivetrain. At 19.5kg it’s not the lightest of folders but it’s reasonably compact if you want to take it on public transport.
6. Halfords Assist – £599 (best under £600)
If you’re on a really tight budget, the options are undoubtedly limited. However, the Halfords Assist stands out. The removable external battery sits neatly under a rear rack, while the 250W motor is in the front wheel hub.
It comes with 20” wheels, and the frame is quite compact so it’s easier to store than a full-sized e-bike. You get a max range of about 20 miles, which isn’t a great deal, but enough for a few short trips to the shops or work.
7. An e-bike conversion kit
E-bikes are more expensive than unassisted bikes because you're effectively buying a whole ordinary bike and then a whole load of electrical componentry on top of that. Here's a thing though: you don't necessarily need to buy both together.
If you've already got a bike you love and you're game for at least some amount of tinkering then you could instead invest in an e-bike conversion kit. Half of those included in our guide to the best e-bike conversion kits cost less than £1,000 so this could potentially get you a better e-bike at lower cost.
How to choose from the best electric bikes under £1,000
What kind of frame will an e-bike under £1,000 have?
At this tight of a budget you won’t have as much choice when it comes to frame type. There are unlikely to be any worthy mountain bikes, for example. Instead, you’ll find a lot of city bikes and folding bikes at this price point. Folding bikes are great for multi-modal commutes or for those who have less storage space, while city bikes are also great for commuting as well as running errands around town in a more relaxed riding position.
More expensive e-bikes might have carbon frames, and although steel-framed e-bikes are less common, they do exist and will usually cost more than a grand. Cheaper e-bikes (and their components) will also be heavier than more luxurious models. An electric hybrid or e-mountain bike will most likely weigh considerably more than 20kg, which is something to consider if you might have to carry your bike in and out of the house/wherever you store it regularly.
Is an electric bike worth buying?
Absolutely! Although which bike you buy will depend on what you will be using it for. A cheap electric bike like the ones listed above can be good starting points for those on a very tight budget. As e-bike technology develops and e-bikes become more widely adopted, the price of them tends to drop.
Where a few years ago you’d be looking at a few thousand pounds minimum, you can now get some for under £1,000 as we’ve listed above. If you want something a bit more reliable and more premium, there’s plenty of options to choose from – have a read of our guide to the best electric bikes 2022 to see some across several categories and budgets.
Which company is best for buying an electric bike?
This depends on what bike you’re buying. If you are purchasing a direct to consumer bike from a brand like Canyon, then you can only buy from them directly. If you are buying an e-bike that is distributed through shops and online retailers, then it’s best to buy from somewhere reputable where you can go back if you have any problems.
This is why so many people advocate for their local bike shops. You may not be able to get the best deal on price, but for a little extra you get local customer service and often a discount on the first service for your bike.
What kind of brakes are on e-bikes under £1,000?
For maximum stopping power, hydraulic disc brakes are the golden ticket nowadays and are almost guaranteed to feature on any e-mountain bike or hybrid costing over £2,000. In our price bracket, you're going to have to compromise. Some even feature V-brakes. These are less hassle to adjust than a cantilever, and a cheaper option than all-in-one caliper rim brakes.
Mechanical disc brakes feature on numerous e-mountain bikes and hybrids in Decathlon's B'Twin and Rockrider ranges and also on the Carrera Subway E and Crossroad E, but on super budget e-bikes you're mostly going to get rim braking. They're perfectly fine for most types of riding and have been the brake type of choice for years up until recently; they're just not as powerful as disc brakes which can be noticeable on a heavier bike.
What type of motor is most common on cheaper e-bikes?
On e-bikes under £1,000, you're all but guaranteed to find the motor in either the rear or front hub (usually the rear). Mid-motors are pricier, starting on e-bikes from around £1,500 up. The maximum sized motor you're going to get is 250 watts of continuous power that cuts out at 25km/h, regardless of how expensive your bike is. The motor might not feed your assistance in quite so smoothly as on more expensive variations when you pedal, but you're still technically getting the same average amount of assistance as you would get on e-bikes that cost ten times as much.
How much battery range can I expect on an e-bike under £1,000?
With pricier e-bikes lasting up to 100km before needing to be charged nowadays, you're looking at around half of that on e-bikes at this price point. For example, a 310Wh battery will give you about two to three hours of riding at medium levels of assistance; although bear in mind for road and city riding you won't need the assistance so much, so you'll probably get quite a bit more out of it. On the trails you're going to be using that assistance a lot more, so bigger batteries are desirable.
Can I expect many included accessories on an e-bike under £1,000?
Some higher end e-bikes are equipped with built-in lights, fancy displays and storage options, but if you're spending £1k you're not going to get as many extras, if any. Some of our suggested buys do include racks, mudguards and lights, but they’re more of an exception than the rule.
