We set out to find the best electric bike under 500 dollars.

Ebikes are an awesome form of decarbonized transportation. They’re becoming a more mainstream method of riding in the United States. Ebikes are often used for city commuting, school, errands, and recreation.   Most of the best electric bike under 500 dollars are compact folding ebikes. 

If you are interested in a fancier mid drive ebike, you should check out this blog.

These folding ebikes are typically smaller than a traditional bicycle. The tires on some of these ebikes are 12 and 14 inches. The standard size of tires on adult bicycles is 26 inches. 

But the compact size of these ebikes make them great for vacationing, short commutes, quick trips and assisting in uphill riding. 

One of the best features of these bikes is that they can easily be stored in your car, house, or office. 

We searched high and low for ebikes in this price range.

Keep in mind that the prices of these ebikes is constantly fluctuating and in the last few months, prices have increased.

 

Here are the best electric bikes under 500 dollars

Hiboy P10 Folding Electric Bike

This folding ebike is equipped with 12 inch wheels and a 350watt motor. This bike can be used in full electric, pedal assist or regular pedal mode.

This Hiboy is great for zooming around the neighborhood, beach, coffee shop, grocery, or even commuting to work.

The disc brakes provide powerful stopping power and this bike is actually quite comfortable to ride despite the small size!

The Electric Bicycle Sailnovo is a folding ebike that weighs 55lbs.

A 350 watt motor and 36v 10.4ah battery take this ebike to a top speed of 18.6 miles per hour.

The Sailnovo will run up to 18.6 miles on a single charge.  This bike comes with a tail light and front light.

 

The Swagtron Swagcycle EB-5 is la lightweight folding ebike. This easy to transport bike weighs 37 lbs.

The 250 watt motor is powered by a 36V4ah battery.

 

The Swagtron has a 15.5 mile range on a single charge.

This bike claims that riding uphill exerts 83% less effort.

You can pedal, throttle, or both.

 

The Ancheer an-EB5 folding electric bicycle has a top speed of 15 mph.

This 350 watt bike is powered by a 36V6Ah battery which will last for 15 miles on a single charge. Front and rear disc brakes make for powerful braking.

This electric bike is inspired by the shape of dolphins. This is more of a scooter than ebike, it doesn’t have pedals.

 No doubt ebike companies will continue to innovate, but right now the bike and battery prices are set at a higher price point. 

You could make your own ebike for under 500 dollars. But we’ll get to that later. 

What cool electric bikes do you own? Tag us in a pic on Instagram. 

 

Here are some ebikes that are just over the 500 dollar range

 

 Check out the  ancheer electric bike. This bike functions like a regular bicycle with 26 inch tires. 

This 21 speed bike has 3 working modes.  Bike, assisted bicycle, and normal bicycle. This electric cycle weighs 59 lbs and the motor is 250Watts. The top speed of this bike is 15mph and is powered by a 36V 8Ah battery. The bike is equipped with a headlight and a horn 

The Gyroor c3 electric bike is a 450 watt folding ebike that weighs in at 47.8lbs.

This cycle has a top speed of 18.6mph. The battery size is 36V 10ah. The bike is equipped with tail light and front light. This cycle is equipped with riding modes: ebike, pedal assist bike, and regular bike. 

The nakto electric cycle is a steel frame bike with a 250 watt motor.

This bike comes with a detachable 36V10ah battery. This ebike has 3 modes of operation – pure electric mode and electric pedal assist mode and pure pedal mode.

The Vivi folding electric bicycle can reach a max speed of 20 mph with it’s 350 watt motor.

The battery is 36V 10.4ah and the bike has dual disc brakes. This 57 lb ebike has multiple shock absorption settings for a more comfortable riding experience.

The reason there isn’t a lot of different options in the under $500 range is the cost of the three components of an ebike:

 A new 26 inch bike generally costs $300-$5,000

An electric motor for an ebike can cost $150-$3,000

A rechargeable lithium Ion Battery is in the price range of $200-$1,000

Purchasing these three items separately might cost you  a minimum total $650. These three components are hard to get down in price, because you don’t want to sacrifice quality and when traveling at quick speeds. This is why the trend of lower priced ebikes is folding and compact bike frames. 

 

Here is another option for best electric bike under 500 dollars

This is an electric bike that you can make yourself! 

 Here is an ebike I made for under $500 using my childhood mountain bike. 

I’ve enjoyed riding this bike for hundreds of miles. The top speed is 28mph. 

 There is not a single commercial ebike under 500 dollars that can match the speed and distance of this ebike. For performance, this the best electric bike under 500 dollars. 

An electric bike conversion requires two main components:

1. An electric motor
2. 2. A lithium ion battery

Here is the kit that I’ve installed on several bikes.

The 1000Watt Voilamart Rear Hub Conversion Kit 

This is the lithium ion battery that will power the 1000Watt Voilamart Motor. 

The Unit Pack Power 48V 13Ah Battery 

Here is a torque arm that needs to be installed as a safety feature to keep the motorized wheel on the bike  

 

The total amount spent for this ebike was 500 dollars.

 If you own a bike with 26 inch tires, you can convert it into a powerful electric cycle.

 By putting on a rear hub bike motor and battery, you will create a high performance 1000 watt ebike.

 This is four times the motor wattage than many folding ebikes. This motor can propel most bikes and riders at a speed of 28mph. 

 

You can also get a powerful battery if you go the DIY route. You can get a 48V 13 Amp Hour battery. This will allow you to ride longer distances than a 36Volt battery with 4-10 amp hours. I am typically able to ride 20-25 miles without pedaling.  40-45 with pedal assist.

 

How to pick out a bike to make electric

If you don’t have a bike with 26 inch tires, you can purchase a used one from OfferUp, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace.  (Bike Tire size is written on the rubber tread of tire)

I recently purchased a $150 bike from Offer Up.  In order to purchase this bike I searched “26 inch bike disc brake.”

 Make sure to get a bike that has multiple gears.  (18,21,24 or 27 speed). This speed of bikes typically have the 5.12 inch space required to fit an electric wheel motor.

 Test the brakes to make sure they have good stopping power. ( I typically recommend a bike that has disc brakes.  You need to have confidence in your brakes at quick speeds!

 Inspect the frame for any damage or dents

 Check to make sure the gears shift smoothly. (If not, it might not matter. I rarely shift gears on most of my conversion bikes)

 Once you have a bike I can show you how to easily make the best electric bike under 500 dollars.  Check out this step by step ebike build. 

 

Here is another example of the best electric bike under 500 dollars. 

 . 

My friend visited and I was excited to take a ride and show him these powerful ebikes. We had such a blast riding 45 miles in two days that he wanted his bike made into electric.  Check out the blog and video here

 

We used his current 26 inch tire mountain bike. 

 

We added the 1000 Watt Ebike kit and 48V13Ah battery 

 

The total price for this conversion came to- $500 

 

He did purchase some extra tools such as hex keys and adjustable wrench to keep up with the maintenance of his bike. 

 

The conversions that I’m showing you today are all hub or wheel conversions.

The motor comes attached to a wheel rim.  You will need to know how to change a bike tire tube. I show you exactly how in this blog. 

  It’s possible to get the best electric bike under 500 dollars by creating it yourself.

 It just depends on the level of performance you are searching for in your bike. It also depends on your willingness to tinker and create.

Building an ebike is like assembling an ikea bookshelf. It can bring challenges, but none that you can’t overcome. And having a finished ebike is much more exciting than a bookshelf.

 It may be possible in the future that there are many more contenders for best electric bikes under 500 dollars. 

For now I’ve posted the best options in this blog.  Enjoy your ebike for all the possible usages.

What are you using your ebike for?

Are you are commuting, headed to school, running errands, or riding recreationally?

Let us know in the comments 

 

Ride Safe