The electric bike guide

The most common kind of e-bike by a wide margin. Flat bars, upright position, usually mudguards and a rack, and often a step-through frame so you don't have to swing a leg over anything. Built to be ridden in work clothes.

This is the bike that turns a 12km commute you would never do into one you do four times a week. The appeal is that you arrive without needing a shower, and that hills and headwinds stop being a reason to drive.

What to look for: a rack and mudguards fitted from the factory, a battery you can remove to charge inside, and lights wired into the main battery. Hub-drive motors, which sit in the rear wheel, are cheaper and fine for flat cities. Mid-drive motors, at the pedals, cost more and are noticeably better if you live somewhere hilly.

Watch out for: weight. A 25kg bike is fine to ride and awful to carry up a flight of stairs. If your bike will live in an apartment, check this in person before anything else.

A stretched, reinforced frame built to carry serious weight, typically two kids or a full grocery shop. Without a motor these are hard work. With one they can replace a second car for most trips, which is a large part of why they cost what they cost.

Two shapes dominate. Longtails stretch the back of the bike and put the load behind you, so they ride much like a normal bike and fit through normal gaps. Front-loaders, sometimes called bakfiets, put a box between you and the front wheel so you can see the cargo. Better for small children, though the steering takes about a week to get used to.

What to look for: a mid-drive motor is close to mandatory, since you are asking it to move 100kg or more from a standstill. Check the rated payload rather than just the seat count, and look for hydraulic disc brakes. Stopping a loaded cargo bike is a real job.

Watch out for: parking. These run 2 to 2.7m long and rarely fit a normal bike rack, a lift, or a standard garden shed. Work out where it will live before you buy rather than after.

A full mountain bike, with suspension, grippy tyres and proper brakes, plus a mid-drive motor. What you get out of it is climbing. Gravity already handles the descent, but the motor means you can get back to the top three times in the time it used to take you once.

They come in the same flavours as regular mountain bikes. Hardtail e-MTBs, with suspension at the front only, are cheaper, lighter and simpler, and plenty for fire roads and smoother singletrack. Full-suspension e-MTBs add a rear shock, which is what you want for rough, steep, technical trails.

What to look for: battery size in watt-hours, because climbing drains a battery much faster than commuting does. Look for 600Wh or more if you are doing long days. It is also worth checking trail access, since some parks and reserves restrict e-MTBs.

Watch out for: running costs. A full-suspension e-MTB is a high-maintenance machine, with suspension servicing, drivetrain wear accelerated by the motor's torque, and eventually a battery replacement.

The smallest and least understood category. These are road or fast-hybrid bikes with a deliberately small, light motor and battery, aiming for a bike that still feels and weighs like a road bike but with enough assistance to flatten the hills.

Two groups tend to buy them: riders who want to keep up with a faster group, and riders who have had an injury or an illness, or simply a few more birthdays, and want their old rides back.

What to look for: total weight, which is really the whole point. A good one is 12 to 15kg rather than 25kg. Expect a smaller battery of 250 to 450Wh, and a motor tuned to add a modest amount rather than shove you along.

Watch out for: range claims made at the lowest assistance setting. If you ride in the top mode on a hilly route, expect roughly half the advertised number.