The most common legal definition of a Class 3 electric bike is "pedal assist only with a top speed of 28mph, and power not exceeding one horsepower (750 watts)". That's right, no throttle! However, throttles are becoming more and more popular, especially on e-bikes equipped with a cadence sensor for pedal assistance. Those sensors have a delay when starting and just aren't very responsive, so having a throttle really helps to smooth out the ride experience. Plus... throttles are fun! This is why a lot of manufacturers are including throttles on their Class 3 models, with the caveat that the throttle cuts out at 20mph so you have to use pedal assist only to get up to the top speed of 28mph. These bikes are technically a sort of Class 2/3 hybrid, but it's simpler for everyone involved to just refer to them as Class 3.
A word to the wise: many e-bike manufacturers advertise their products as Class 3, but legally, they are not! Consider these questions about an e-bike you are considering:
- Is the motor power greater than 750 watts nominal?
- Can the e-bike go faster than 28mph?
- Can the throttle be used to go faster than 20mph?
If the answer to any of those questions is "yes", then technically that e-bike is not a Class 3. Unfortunately, it's not really any class, but rather in a legal grey area that's not quite e-bike, not quite moped or scooter. I actually had one of these products, an electric moped with a powerful 2,000 watt motor that could go about 40mph. I tried to register it as a moped or scooter with the Colorado Department of Transportation, and they rejected my registration form with the response "we don't register electric bikes." I wasn't able to find any answers regarding where I could legally ride that EV, and while I never got stopped or hassled by police, I know some areas take enforcement much more seriously.
Note: Many electric bikes are capable of going much faster than Class 3 speeds, but they are locked to 28mph in the display settings. More often than not you can "unlock" these settings to enable faster riding, which is designed for off-road, private property use. Of course, many people just unlock them and use them in their normal riding areas, and honestly I can't blame them. Being able to go 30-35mph can allow you to keep up with traffic and ride in automobile lanes in areas where there is no biking infrastructure... and it obviously means you get where you're going that much faster.
The Turris has a lot of quality components that offer great value for money, especially considering the recent price drop to just $1,095 USD. This Class 3 is dubbed as an "adventure e-bike", making it a great fit for people who do a blend of city riding and off-road adventuring. With a powerful 750-watt rear hub motor and an upgraded Altus pedaling drivetrain, it's easy to reach the max speed of 28mph, and - unlike many similarly priced e-bikes - the Turris feels safe and stable while doing so. It's available in both high-step and step-thru frame styles, but can only be bought online as Ride1Up does not have a dealer network.
The Defender is purpose built for RV owners! It features an electronic anti-theft device with a loud alarm, is fully rust-proof and highly water resistant, and it's a very versatile e-bike that will perform well in just about any riding situation. Tackle off-road trails with the large (but still nimble) tires and suspension fork. Run errands in town with a rear rack, fenders, and integrated lighting. With an upgraded pedaling drivetrain and responsive torque sensor, the Defender is a ton of fun to ride and it's also adjustable to fit a fairly wide range of rider sizes.
The ultimate all-terrain adventure utility bike! The Aventure.2 is the new-and-improved version of Aventon's already-popular Aventure model, a monster fat tire e-bike that can handle any terrain thanks to all that tire air volume and a suspension fork. It works well as a utility commuter too, equipped with full-coverage fenders, a cargo rack, and a full suite of lighting and signaling accessories... although finding places to park it can be tough due to its imposing size. This is a class 2/3 hybrid capable of 20mph on the throttle, or 28mph using only pedal assistance. Pedaling should be a great experience too, because the Aventure.2 has a torque sensor, making for a much more responsive motor performance.
Lectric took the e-bike world by storm with their first XP model back in 2019 and they've been steadily improving the product line ever since! The XP 3.0 is the latest and greatest version with upgrades that include a quieter and more powerful motor, hydraulic brakes, and more, with an amazingly low price point of $999 USD. You still get the usual rack, fenders, and lighting system, and yes, it still folds down for easier storage and transportation.
How does a company that only makes cruisers manage to have so many models?! The Model A is one of their latest offerings, a classic styled cruiser with a single speed drivetrain and powerful rear hub motor. This thing has chopper vibes - especially with the giant headlight - and you can upgrade it with other accessories like a rack and fenders. That will cost more, and you can raise the price even more if you get lost in EBC's awesome paint color customization options... but these bikes are worth it. EBC has one of the best warranties in the business and they actually ship their products fully assembled, after being put together and tested by someone in the US. I don't know of a single other company that puts that much effort into their product and the quality definitely shows here.
I never know what to expect when people switch industries to start making electric bikes. E-bikes are hot right now and everyone wants a piece of the pie! However, in the case of motorcycle racer Eric Buell, the resulting e-bikes are simply excellent. I got to test ride a prototype of the 3S in the summer of '23 and even though it was a little rough around the edges I was blown away by the quality. The 2S is the "so long range it's extreme" variant, rocking dual batteries for a whopping 2,000 watt-hours of total capacity. Combine this with the responsive and efficient mid-drive motor from VALEO and you've got an insane amount of range potential. These Class 3 e-bikes can easily cruise at 28mph, and feel safe even on congested city streets thanks to a certified motorcycle-grade loadout of lights, signals, and mirrors - rare in the US but legally required for such a powerful e-bike in Europe. Kudos to the FUELL team for keeping those high standards on both sides of the pond!
I never know what to expect when people switch industries to start making electric bikes. E-bikes are hot right now and everyone wants a piece of the pie! However, in the case of motorcycle racer Eric Buell, the resulting e-bikes are simply excellent. I got to test ride a prototype of the 3S in the summer of '23 and even though it was a little rough around the edges I was blown away by the quality. These bikes have mid-drive motors from VALEO, a French company I hadn't heard of before. I love these motors! They're incredibly powerful and their responsiveness rivals that of high-end Bosch systems; they have an "auto mode" that intelligently adjusts not only the motor power output (which is fairly common) but also automatically shifts the gears of the internal hub. It's an incredibly elegant system; just turn on the bike and ride, and never fiddle with controls. Electronics aside these are kitted out to motorcycle specifications with surprisingly bright lights and a full suite of signaling controls, plus the usual fenders and sturdy rear rack, and even a rearview mirror!
It's all aboard the electric minibike train for the e-bike industry! The Core has an eye-catching design with tasteful branding colors, and it's a bit more comfortable than the average minibike thanks to full suspension and raised BMX-style handlebars. The 1,000 watt rear hub motor is incredibly fun to ride on, but a bit too powerful to legally call this an electric bike in some jurisdictions (sorry Californians). The extra-long banana seat can hold two passengers easily with the help of foot pegs, though riding two up will seriously affect your handling.
Denago was on to a good thing with the City Model 1 and they've added some improvements for the Model 2 that include wider tires and a sleek integration of the battery. The Model 2 is also rocking a step-thru frame, much more approachable for riders of any ability to jump on and go. This is a Class 2/3 electric bike which means you can get up to 20mph on the throttle, or 28mph with just the pedal assist. Denago has gone the extra mile to UL certify their products, and the Model 1 also has quality components not usually seen at this price range: hydraulic disc brakes, and an 8-speed drivetrain with a nice wide 11-32 tooth range.
While I haven't officially reviewed this bike I did get to spend some time riding it and I was seriously impressed: it's comfortable, it's fast, and it's SMOOTH. Some of this is from good electronics that are configured well, but underneath Cyrusher has built a quality bicycle that feels good to ride without the electric assistance. This is an e-bike made for adventuring, with nary a fender nor a basket in sight, though you do get an integrated headlight to cover the basics. The fat tires provide traction and comfort on any terrain, the full suspension gobbles up bumps, and the 750 watt rear hub motor can climb even the steepest of hills thanks to the 52 volt battery platform and spicy 25 amp controller.
The Reindeer is a well balanced utility bike, choosing to be good at a lot of things without putting too many points in one skillset. It is equipped with a sturdy rack, fenders, and integrated lights - plus good visibility from reflective sidewall striping - so it's ready to hit city streets as a commuter. The fat tires combined with a front suspension fork provide good comfort for long rides and exploring trails, but you should invest in some puncture protection as the tires don't include any by default. This is a Class 2/3 hybrid with both throttle and pedal assist with a top speed of 28mph.
It's electric, and it's a mountain bike! A little bit too traditional of a mountain bike for our my tastes, if I'm being honest; it's rocking a 27 speed Shimano drivetrain, but the reality is that no electric bike needs to have that many gears, so it's just extra weight and complexity. The TX19 is rocking a 500 watt rear hub motor, which is undoubtedly fun to cruise around on, but again it's not a great fit for a mountain bike; most MTB trails don't allow a motor that powerful, and hub motors are just not great at climbing, which of course is something mountain bikes have to do frequently. Still, it is full suspension with hydraulic brakes, and should perform pretty well provided you can find good places to ride it.
Lot's of modern e-bikes have a dual battery option for a lot of extra cheddar, but the HAOQI Antelope Cargo has two included by default! That allows for some serious range of between 40 and 80 miles depending on how much you're pushing the motor, but take that with a grain of salt as we haven't actually tested it ourselves yet. The Antelope Cargo is a thick-framed step through with 20x4" fat tires and a full set of commuting must haves; lights, fenders, and all that jazz. This style of e-bike has been wildly popular in 2023, though one thing that sets the Antelope Cargo apart is the very high carrying capacity of 400 pounds, due in part to the extremely sturdy cast alloy wheels. That combined with the dual battery setup will definitely make this an attractive e-bike for delivery drivers!