The Best Electric Bikes for Women

In the old days, much of what differentiated a man’s bike from a women’s bike was superficial. Manufacturers used commonly held gender stereotypes to market one group of bikes to men and another to women. Sometimes this amounted to lowering the crossbar and changing the colour from dark blue to light blue.

However, manufacturers have come a long way when it comes to fine-tuning bikes to respond to the subtle average differences between a male body and a female body. So much so that it can make a big difference in how long you are able to ride before fatiguing. Of course, it’s important to note that each person is different, and they will want to find a bike that bests suits their exact body specifications. We’ve already featured the best electric folding bikes, which some women prefer, but now we’re going to take a look at full-sized electric bikes for the fairer gender.

What are the main differences between Women’s and Men’s e-Bikes?

Handlebar Width

The first thing to keep in mind is the handlebar width. On average, men tend to have broader shoulders. As such, the handlebars on men’s bikes are set to a width that allows for men to grip the handles without effort. Of course, a female rider can adjust their arms to these settings, but for most women, angling their arms out to grip the handles will lead them to tier sooner and be less comfortable. Women’s bikes default the handlebar settings to a narrower width.

Frame Size

The frame on women’s bike tends to be a little bit smaller, to allow for ease of climbing on and off. The frame size is also essential for ensuring the pedal length is optimal for full and proper extension of the legs. And while there are variations in size among both men’s and women’s bicycles, a bike geared to women will consider average size differences between the sexes from the start. 

Contact Points

As a general rule, women tend to have a lower center of gravity than men. A point that is quite important when designing a two-wheeled vehicle that relies heavily on the rider’s balance. Quality manufacturers use detailed technical data to adjust the frame’s contact points to suit the average rider they are expecting. Of course, because real people vary in actuality, it’s essential to get proper adjustments made to any bike you purchase by a qualified professional.

With that in mind, we’re going to delve into some of the best electric bikes explicitly designed with women in mind.

The compact electric bike that doubles as a sport utility vehicle, this Tern can carry pretty much whatever you need to haul. The Bosch® Active Line Plus motor with Purion display provides pedal assist power up to 20 miles per hour, meaning that extra bag of groceries or the local steep hill are all manageable without breaking a sweat. The Bosch PowerPack 400 battery offers a range of up to 69 miles, and the Shimano hydraulic disc brakes deliver consistent, powerful braking, even in wet conditions. A feature that may be extra important if you decide to attach the Thule® Yepp Maxi, Yepp Nexxt Maxi, or Bobike® GO Maxi child seat to your e-bike. Each of these can be connected with no additional adapters, making this an excellent e-bike option for young families on the go.

If you’re a casual rider looking to cruise around town, the Aveny is a brilliantly sophisticated electric bike. And, while it was designed with a low step-through, standard on most women’s style bicycles, it’s a perfect e-bike for women or men and can pretty much eliminate the need for a second car for urban dwellers.

The Aveny comes with both pedal assist and a throttle, meaning you can use the 500-watt hub-motor to help out on the hills or simply twist the handlebar accelerator and let the bike do all the work. The stock 48V/14Ah Samsung battery gives you a range of up to 45 miles per charge, and it’s easily removed if you want to take it with you to plug-in at the office. The Tektro disc brakes on this e-bike are also top-notch, not to mention the on-board computer automatically cuts the power when it senses you’re brakes engage to help bring you to a quick stop. The tires are built strong using anti-puncture Kevlar (the same Kevlar in bullet-proof vests), yet its fine lines never look anything but high-fashion.

Of course, probably the best part of this e-bike, if we had to choose just one, is the Blix Assist Technology. All managed from a pop-up display, this easy to use feature lets you control your entire ride from a touch screen. You can choose pedal assist power (between 1 and 5), check your battery life, current speed, and trip distance. And, as an added bonus, charge your phone or other USB devices from the bike battery on the go.

If you’re looking for something a little sleeker, a little quicker, and a little less gentile, then this is a great choice. The Turbo Vado 3.0 is a 250-watt, pedal-assist belt drive motor that rockets you through city streets effortlessly. The entire design process focused on getting more speed out of this ladies two-wheeler. Everything from the weight of the materials, to the power of the 460Wh battery, to the Shimano Deore RapidFire Plus, 10-speed shifters was selected to get moving faster. With the possible exception of the Shimano BL-M315, hydraulic disc brakes with resin pads which are meant to bring all that speed to a halt rather quickly. Of course, while speed is an excellent raison d’etre, it’s also essential that this e-bike function well in the real world. With that in mind, the team at Specialized Bicycle Components Inc. has devised the incredible Turbo Vado Mission Control App. This Bluetooth connected smartphone feature allows you to adjust the entirety of the bike’s riding options. Select your battery power usage setting, monitor your speed, and map your trips for efficiency. As a wholly integrated management system, you have full control over everything on the go.

An easy riding trail bike, this Townie is perfectly at home, roaming the countryside or cruising through city streets. So while you can totally gear up in your sweats and go for a workout, this casual e-bike suits jeans and a good pair of docs just as easily. The Townie features a 250 watt Bosch Performance Line motor, integrated 500-watt battery, SmartphoneHub controller, hydraulic disc brakes, and Electra’s patented Flat Foot Technology®, which always allows the rider to maintain an upright, relaxed seating position with full leg extension. The Townie effortlessly hits a top assisted speed of 20-miles per hour, with sensors monitoring torque, speed, and acceleration to ensure it can all be done with ease. With the Bosch Smartphone Hub Display, riders have a secure place to connect their phone and manage their trip setting using the COBI.bike app. And, because the Townie is MIK compatible, you can outfit it with any number of MIK-made accessories that simply click into place, making this e-bike incredibly versatile.

So you’ve been captivated by the rugged yet charming looks of the Electra Townie, but you thought, maybe I don’t need the full-on abilities of a 10-speed gearbox for the trail traipsing around town that I have in mind. For just that reason, San Diego based Electra launched the 5i version. It has many of the components familiar to the 10D, like the Flat Foot Technology®, the Bosch performance line 250 watts motor, and the Bosch PowerTube 500 watt battery. And yet it’s all managed through a state of the art Shimano Nexus 5-speed twist shifter with an optical display. It’s a lovely adaptation of an old favourite.

One of the best things about the Parkway is simply that it’s not overdone. This gorgeous city e-bike gets you around stylishly with well-made components. However, it feels somehow charming with its old-school look. Sure, the wiring is not contained in an extra-thick frame, and it doesn’t come with matching fenders, but it is well driven with Bosch’s Active Line system. This drivetrain includes a 400-watt battery pack and a 250-watt motor that will pedal-assist you in getting up to 20-miles per hour. The Parkway design team decidedly set out to make a beautiful bicycle that could be electrified, instead of the usual plan of starting with an e-bike and then trying to make it look smart. As a result, the handlebars are wonderfully uncluttered, and aside from the battery attached to the frame, the Parkway really does look like a classic bicycle. It’s a perfect way to tour about town and makes for a lovely office commuter.

The EQ in the name stands for equipped, and this Cannondale is undoubtedly that. The convenient front rack and full-coverage fenders mean that right out of the box, this e-bike is going to make your life just that little bit more convenient. Not only is it comfortable and powerful, but it’s also capable of carrying a load. The motor is a rear-hub MAHLE ebikemotion X35 250-watt, and it comes with a 250-watt Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery in the down tube, tucked out of the way. When it comes to the pedals, they used deck tape instead of teeth for a comfortable grip that won’t tear up a pair of flip-flops. BMX inspired the Cruise Control handlebar puts you in just the right position for control while cruising, which is neither too upright nor too forward. The best thing about the Treadwell is that they’ve thought through all the little details, so you can just enjoy it.

If you’re looking for a fitness-based e-bike, that makes you work but can support you in getting over the particularly challenging hills, this is your bike. The SyncDrive Pro motor provides a natural yet powerful E-bike experience, while the bike’s Smart Assist Technology automatically adjusts the support level based on your pedalling input. The Thrive E+ Pro uses six sensors to communicate precise measurements about your riding, allowing the motor to add the perfect amount of power at just the right time for an exquisite ride quality. And, with the sleek EnergyPak Smart battery, most people won’t even know you’re riding an e-bike. Liv’s design team paid special attention to fit with the Thrive E+ Pro. All elements of the e-bike are built specifically for women, especially in its frame geometry and contact points.

The Pace 500 is quite simply a fun, easy to ride, low maintenance e-bike. It’s lightweight (at 49 lbs) and packs easily into most cars, but comes with enough power that it can pretty much take the place of a second vehicle for many families. All that, and it’s one of the more affordable e-bikes on the market today. The Lithium-ion 48V battery will give you a range of between 25 and 40 miles, depending on how hard you push the throttle. Of course, being able to choose between pedal-assist and throttle, depending on the type of ride you’re on, is another great feature. The Pace 500 can get up to 28 miles per hour on pedal-assist and will do up to 20 miles per hour when using the throttle alone. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s well styled and looks great on casual rides or when you’re dressed for a day at the office.

The perfect women’s adventure bike, the Rove E+, was made for city streets and backcountry trails. With a 62 mile range, this e-bike was made to go places. Strictly a pedal-assist set-up, the system can add 50 to 300% to the rider’s effort, meaning it does not lack any get-up and go when a large hill presents itself. And with Tektro M275 hydraulic brakes, it’s amazing how quickly this e-bike comes to a complete stop. The EnergyPak 400 watt side-release battery is elegantly integrated into the Rove’s lightweight and durable ALUXX SL-Grade aluminum frame for a bike with plenty of pep on longer adventures. With the SyncDrive motor technology, any bumps along the way are effectively smoothed out, and the RideControl ONE makes it easy to access and use on the handlebar switches to select pedal-assist functions and view the battery levels.