Best Electric Mountain Bikes: 7 Picks Compared
If you want the short version: most “electric mountain bikes” on Amazon are trail-look bikes with a throttle, fine for dirt roads and gravel and not built for real singletrack. If you want a proper e-MTB, the Canyon Grand Canyon:ON 7 is the one we’d buy, with a Bosch mid-drive motor and real trail parts. If you want something cheap for fire roads, the Jasion EB5 has more owner ratings than anything else in the category.
There are two kinds of bike in Amazon’s e-MTB category. A small number are genuine mountain bikes with a mid-drive motor, a torque sensor, trail geometry and suspension from names like RockShox. The rest are hub-motor bikes with knobby tires and a suspension fork. They cost a fraction as much and they’re great fun on gravel, but they’ll struggle on rooty, rocky trails and most come with a throttle that keeps them off the trails where e-bikes are allowed.
We’ve included both, and we’ve been clear about which is which. The class of the bike matters as much as the parts, because where e-bikes are allowed on singletrack at all, it’s usually Class 1 only.
abouteBikes is reader-supported. We research products from their published specifications and owner feedback rather than testing them ourselves, and the links on this page are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. How we choose what to feature.
Best for what
| Best real trail hardtail | Canyon Grand Canyon:ON 7 | See on Amazon |
| Best full suspension | Canyon Torque:ON 7 | See on Amazon |
| Most proven budget pick | Jasion EB5 | See on Amazon |
| Best fat tire | Funhang 26″ Fat Tire | See on Amazon |
| Best budget full suspension | ESKUTE M200F | See on Amazon |
| Best from a big name | Schwinn High Timber | See on Amazon |
| Best for smaller riders | VARUN 24″ All-Terrain | See on Amazon |
Three things that separate a real e-MTB from a trail-look bike
Motor watts tell you almost nothing off-road. These three tell you a lot.
- Where the motor is. A mid-drive motor sits at the cranks and drives through your gears, so it climbs steep, loose ground well and keeps the weight low and central. A hub motor sits in the rear wheel. It’s cheaper and fine on fire roads, but it makes the back wheel heavy and it can’t use your gears on a steep pitch.
- How it senses you. A torque sensor measures how hard you push and adds power to match, which gives you control on technical climbs. A cadence sensor switches power on when the cranks turn, which can surge on loose ground. Of our picks, only the two Canyons use torque-sensing motors.
- Class and throttle. Where e-bikes are allowed on singletrack, the rule is usually Class 1: pedal assist only, cutting out at 20 mph. A throttle makes a bike Class 2, and anything that goes past 28 mph isn’t in the three classes at all. Our e-bike classes guide explains what that means for where you ride.
The seven picks
01
Best real trail hardtail
Canyon Grand Canyon:ON 7
A proper 29″ trail hardtail from the German brand Canyon, sold on Amazon. It has a Bosch Performance Line CX motor, a 625Wh battery built into the frame, a RockShox fork and a Shimano Deore 12-speed drivetrain. It has 12 ratings at 4.1 stars.
Motor
Bosch CX, 85Nm
Battery
625Wh
Fork
120mm RockShox
Weight
64.9 lb
Key features
- Bosch Performance Line CX mid-drive with torque sensing
- 120mm RockShox Judy Silver fork
- Shimano Deore 12-speed
- SRAM DB8 four-piston disc brakes
- Tubeless-ready wheels
What stands out
- The only hardtail here built for real trails
- Pedal assist only, with no throttle listed
- 6-year warranty on Canyon’s own parts
What to watch
- The spec table lists the battery as 33.3Wh. It’s 625Wh
- Listed as a 2023 model. Check which frame size the listing is for
- Only 12 ratings, so there’s less owner feedback to go on
02
Best full suspension
Canyon Torque:ON 7
A long-travel full-suspension e-MTB with 180mm of travel up front and 175mm at the back, built for steep, rough descents. It uses Shimano’s EP600 motor and RockShox suspension at both ends. It has 7 ratings at 3.7 stars.
Motor
Shimano EP600, 85Nm
Battery
504Wh
Travel
180mm / 175mm
Gears
12-speed
Key features
- Shimano EP600 mid-drive
- RockShox ZEB R fork
- RockShox Super Deluxe Select R shock
- Low-slung frame with progressive geometry
- Pedal assist only
What stands out
- Serious suspension from a serious brand
- Torque-sensing motor for technical climbs
- Same 6-year warranty on Canyon parts
What to watch
- 3.7 stars from only 7 ratings. Read them before you buy
- Far more bike than most trail riders need
- The spec table says 36Wh. The battery is 504Wh
03
Most proven budget pick
Jasion EB5
Ranked second in Amazon’s electric mountain bike category when we checked, with 2,547 ratings at 4.1 stars. It’s a light, simple 26″ bike with a front fork and a UL 2849 tested electrical system. Think fire roads, gravel and park trails.
Motor
750W peak (see below)
Battery
360Wh
Top speed
20 mph
Weight
49.6 lb
Key features
- UL 2849 tested
- Front suspension fork and mechanical disc brakes
- 7-speed gears
- Throttle, 3 assist levels and walk mode
- 26″ puncture-resistant tires
What stands out
- By far the most owner feedback in the category
- Lightest bike on this list
- 20 mph limit keeps it a Class 2 bike
What to watch
- The title says 1,000W peak, the bullets say 750W peak
- High-carbon steel frame and a basic fork, so keep it off technical trails
- The throttle keeps it off Class 1-only trails
04
Best fat tire
Funhang 26″ Fat Tire
A 26 x 4″ fat-tire bike for sand, snow, mud and loose gravel, with 254 ratings at 4.6 stars. It has a 624Wh battery, a rack rated for 60 lb and turn signals, and the electrical system is UL 2849 certified.
Motor
500W, 66.6Nm
Battery
48V 624Wh
Top speed
20 mph
Tires
26 x 4″
Key features
- UL 2849 certified
- Front suspension fork
- 180mm disc brakes front and rear
- 7-speed gears
- Rear rack, headlight and turn-signal tail light
What stands out
- Joint-highest star rating on this list
- Big battery for the money
- Fat tires give grip where normal tires sink
What to watch
- No bike weight given, and fat-tire bikes are heavy
- Fat tires feel slow and vague on hardpack
- Throttle makes it Class 2
05
Best budget full suspension
ESKUTE M200F
A 27.5″ full-suspension bike with a big 998Wh battery, for 88 ratings at 4.3 stars. It’s the cheapest way on this list to get rear suspension, which helps on washboard gravel and rough trails.
Motor
1,500W peak
Battery
48V 998Wh
Top speed
31+ mph (claimed)
Suspension
Front and rear
Key features
- Front and rear suspension
- Low-mounted removable battery
- 27.5″ tires
- NFC card to start
- 12-month warranty
What stands out
- Longest range here by a distance
- Rear suspension at a budget price
- Battery low in the frame helps handling
What to watch
- 31 mph puts it outside the three e-bike classes. In many states that makes it a motor vehicle
- No weight given, and a 998Wh battery is heavy
- Only 7 gears
06
Best from a big name
Schwinn High Timber
Schwinn’s electric version of its long-running High Timber mountain bike. It’s a gentle, entry-level 27.5″ bike with a 350W motor, a 375Wh battery and SGS certification to UL 2849. It’s new, with only 2 ratings.
Motor
350W
Battery
375Wh
Top speed
20 mph
Wheels
27.5″
Key features
- Aluminum frame
- Throttle and 3 levels of pedal assist
- Front suspension fork and disc brakes
- 7-speed gears
- Removable battery, about 5 hours to charge
What stands out
- A brand with a big US dealer and parts network
- Sensible 20 mph limit
- Aluminum frame rather than steel
What to watch
- Only 2 ratings so far
- Just 3 assist levels
- Throttle makes it Class 2
07
Best for smaller riders
VARUN 24″ All-Terrain
A smaller all-terrain bike with 65 ratings at 4.6 stars. It names both UL 2849 for the bike and UL 2271 for the battery, which is rare at this end of the market.
Motor
500W peak
Battery
36V 281Wh
Top speed
20 mph
Warranty
Not stated
Key features
- SGS tested to UL 2849 and UL 2271
- Front suspension fork and dual disc brakes
- 7-speed gears
- Throttle and pedal assist
- Accessory pack included
What stands out
- Both UL standards named
- Strong star rating
- Smaller frame suits shorter riders and teens
What to watch
- The title says 24″ but one bullet says 26″ tires. Check the size
- Small 281Wh battery
- Fork travel is given as “55NM”, which isn’t a travel figure
All seven, side by side
| Bike | Best for | Motor | Battery | Suspension | Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon Grand Canyon:ON 7 | Trail hardtail | Bosch mid-drive | 625Wh | 120mm fork | 12 |
| Canyon Torque:ON 7 | Full suspension | Shimano mid-drive | 504Wh | 180/175mm | 7 |
| Jasion EB5 | Budget | Rear hub | 360Wh | Fork | 2,547 |
| Funhang Fat Tire | Fat tire | Rear hub | 624Wh | Fork | 254 |
| ESKUTE M200F | Budget full sus | Rear hub | 998Wh | Front and rear | 88 |
| Schwinn High Timber | Big name | Rear hub | 375Wh | Fork | 2 |
| VARUN 24″ | Smaller riders | Rear hub | 281Wh | Fork | 65 |
Four things to know before you buy an e-MTB
Check the trail rules before you check the bike
E-bike access to singletrack varies by land manager, not just by state. Many trail systems allow Class 1 bikes, some allow none, and very few allow throttles. Find out what your local trails permit, then buy a bike that fits. A throttle bike you can’t take where you want to ride isn’t a bargain.
Budget bikes are for dirt roads, not drops
A hub-motor bike with a basic spring fork is great on gravel, towpaths and fire roads. It isn’t built for jumps, drops or fast rocky descents, and the forks and wheels on cheap bikes are the first things to fail. Ride it for what it is.
Weight shows up on the trail
Most e-MTBs weigh 50 to 65 lb. That’s fine going up with a motor, and hard work if the battery runs flat miles from the car. Plan rides at about half the claimed range until you know your bike, and read how to get more range for the habits that stretch it.
Mud is harder on an e-bike
Wash it gently with a hose, not a pressure washer, keep water away from the motor seals and connectors, and dry and lube the chain after every muddy ride. Our maintenance checklist covers the rest.
The bottom line
If you’re going to ride real trails, buy the Canyon Grand Canyon:ON 7. The Bosch motor and trail parts are in a different league from everything else here, and it’s pedal-assist only, which keeps more trails open to you. For gravel, dirt roads and park paths on a budget, the Jasion EB5 is the proven choice, and the Funhang fat-tire bike is the one for sand and snow.
Whichever way you go, check your local trail rules first. They’ll narrow the list faster than any spec sheet.
How we choose
We don’t test every product on this site. What we do is read the specification properly (motor type, sensor, suspension, brakes, class, certification, warranty) and set it against what owners consistently say once the bike has been in use for a while. Where a claim looks optimistic, we say so.
That makes these pages a shortcut through the spec sheets, not a substitute for trying a bike yourself. Buy from somewhere with a returns policy, and use it.
