We here at WIRED are big fans of bikes, electric bikes, bike accessories, and any vehicles, policies, or infrastructure that advance active transportation. Getting people more active as they go about their daily business provides exercise, builds resilient, close-knit, mixed-income communities, and helps develop safer streets. As Portland, Oregon, school teacher and bike advocate Sam Balto once told me in an interview, active transportation rules. “It’s the shit! It’s the best!”
There are some great deals on electric bikes for Black Friday, meaning this is the perfect time to order your new ebike (or upgrade your existing one) and get started on your new commute plan after the holidays. Don’t see anything you like? Check out our Best Early Black Friday Deals and Black Friday Outdoor Deals lists, as well as our Black Friday shopping tips for advice.
WIRED tests products year-round and handpicked these deals based on the actual discounts, not just the discounts retailers claim to offer. Products that are sold out or no longer discounted as of publishing will be crossed out. We’ll update this guide through November.
Electric Bike Deals
Photograph: Specialized
We tested the premium version of this bike (8/10, WIRED Recommends) and loved it. The best way to describe it is that it’s one of Specialized’s cushiony, comfy mountain bikes that has been given a motor and some adjustments to make it an all-around quiver killer. This will be the most-used bike you own.
This is our best all-around affordable electric bike. Propella’s 7-speed bike (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of the lightest, most efficient, and most comfortable in this category.
This is one of our favorite affordable electric cargo bikes. My husband rides this bike, and it’s powerful enough for me to ride on the back behind him without feeling wobbly or struggling up hills. It’s comfortable and astonishingly affordable for the specs. Every model that Lectric makes is on sale; my colleague Julian Chokkattu also likes the XP 3.0 (7/10, WIRED Recommends).
We’ve tried several Aventon models and appreciate the high level of quality for a relatively low price point. (The accessories are better than Lectric’s, too.) This fat-tire ebike (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is affordable, versatile, and has built-in commuter essentials. We also like the Soltera.2 ($999), and the Abound ($1599) is one of our favorite family cargo bikes. Both are also on sale.
Rad Power Bikes is one of the first direct-to-consumer ebike companies, and as such it has been the subject of some painful lawsuits as the market has grown. However, it’s still a very popular bike, very affordable, and very fun and easy to ride. All of their bikes are on sale, but most people I know ride the basic RadRunner, which is insanely powerful for the price, if a little unwieldy for smaller riders.
Photograph: Jackrabbit
There are now two different versions of our favorite micro ebike (7/10, WIRED Recommends), which is endlessly useful and fun for puttering around your neighborhood. There is no discount on the bike itself, but an extra battery extends the time between charges.
This is the affordable, DTC version of the now defunct VanMoof (8/10, WIRED Recommends). You get a stylish aluminum frame with a Bafang motor for not a lot of money. All of Wing’s bikes are currently on sale.
