A folding electric bike might be the ticket to escaping a difficult commute or exploring farther afield in your spare time.
The battery-powered motor unit will also provide assistance when needed, adding strength to your pedaling and taking the sting out of any steep or long uphill stretches on your path.
How do we choose these bicycles?
Almost every e-bike-specific bike manufacturer these days will almost certainly feature at least one foldable bike in their product portfolio. Folders are now one of the most popular kinds of e-bikes on the market, but with so many varieties, how can you know which one is best for you? We’re here to assist you.
Many of the bikes on this list have been tested and are well-known to us, but others have been included based on their reputation and because so many of our readers rave about them. The bikes we evaluated were put through a slew of tests, including a braking test, a hill test, a range test, and numerous more. Our expert panel then deliberates to determine which bikes should be included on this list.
We compared foldable e-bikes using a few essential characteristics, namely:
How easily does it fold?
Making a metal (or carbon fiber) bicycle fold is a difficult undertaking. As a result, the folding mechanism must be robust and secure. Furthermore, it must be useful and simple to use.
Components and extras: As previously said, bikes in this category are often on the lower end of the price range (barring a few exceptions). Is the bike still equipped with high-quality components and accessories like racks, lights, and fenders?
Range and speed: We want to ensure that the engine is safe and that the speed is appropriate for the bike’s design and major user group
We’re not going to pretend that this is an all-inclusive list of the finest folding e-bikes, particularly because there are so many various sorts of folders and so many inventive ways to utilize them. Let us know; we’re constantly looking for the next trendy e-bike.
1. XP 2.0 Lectric
We’re certain to find a Lectric XP parked outside an RV or campground.
I’m not exaggerating when I say we see them everywhere. It’s by far the most frequent e-bike we’ve seen out in the wild. The Lectric XP is so popular for many reasons: it’s inexpensive, it works, and it’s a lot of fun to play with. The Lectric XP, designed in Arizona, is an extremely inexpensive fat foldable e-bike powered by a 500W motor and a 48V, 9.6 Ah (460.8Wh) battery.
2. Flex Blix Vika+
Best Electric Folding Modular Bike
The Vika+ Flex is a popular e-bike from Santa Cruz-based Blix with a uniquely European style. The Vika+ Flex, with its 500W motor and 48V, 12.8Ah (614Wh) battery, has enough power to flatten slopes and keep you rolling all day – it reminds us of a snappy little go kart.
According to Blix, the Vika+ Flex was created with adaptability in mind. It’s a small folding bike that can function as a light-duty utility bike with the correct accessories. It has a rear pannier-style rack, lighting, and the option to add Blix’s modular racking system to enhance storage space.
3. RadExpand 5 RadPower Bikes
The Rad Power Bikes RadExpand 5 is the definition of a wonderful e-bike made better. It is one of the greatest folding electric bike of the year.
The handlebars are one of the notable alterations. Because virtually all folding e-bikes fold not only at the frame but also at the handlebar, most manufacturers opt for a unique handlepost design that is small and flat. Rad accepted the engineering challenge and equipped the RadExpand with a short stem and BMX-style handlebars that nonetheless fold down easily. The handlebars improve handling and, in our view, also improve the look.
Summary
Other factors to consider are folded size and ease of folding. If you’re planning a journey that incorporates public transportation, you’ll want a foldable ebike that folds up tiny enough to get aboard crowded trains or up tricky stairs on buses.
That’s where a design with an integrated battery comes in, as it won’t obstruct the fold. Brompton’s approach of a separate battery pack works well here as well. Despite the addition of a second piece of equipment, the folding mechanism and tiny folded size remain unaffected.
