Trek stars: The best electric touring bikes 2025 | electric bike reviews, buying advice and news

Whether you’re planning a multi-day adventure, a weekend escape, or you just want something that can cope with panniers and potholes, a good e-tourer can change how (and how far) you ride. In this guide, we’ve picked out seven of the best electric touring bikes we’ve tested here at ebiketips.

Touring bikes need to be comfortable, durable and capable of carrying whatever stuff you need for your trip.

In the absence of a motor, they’ll tend to have drop handlebars to make long days riding into the wind that little bit less arduous. A motor changes things though. Aerodynamics become less of a concern and so does the increased rolling resistance brought by wider, more capable tyres.

It’s the nature of touring that you’ll be venturing into unfamiliar territory so that kind of off-road capability combined with a powerful mid-motor that can get you up any unexpectedly steep inclines will offer reassurance.

> What’s watt: A beginner’s guide to e- bike motors

The upshot is that electric touring bikes tend to be a little more versatile than unassisted touring bikes and therefore better suited to taking on slightly more ambitious routes.

> Hub motor v mid-motor – what’s the difference?

At the same time, the flipside of touring on an e-bike is of course the finite capacity of your battery. Even if you plan a route that will allow both you and your bike to recharge at cafes, a bigger one is still probably desirable.

You can tour on any bike, of course, but these are some of the characteristics we’ve looked for when putting together the selection below.

> How we review e-bikes

Price: £2,179

Motor: Neoassist (80Nm)

Battery: 522Wh or 630Wh

Buy for £1,693 from Ecobike Company

It may not be a familiar name, but French firm Neomouv has been making e-bikes for almost 20 years. If you’re after a value-packed entry into electric touring, the Neomouv Adonis 2 delivers a lot for your money.

The spec is practical – mudguards, rear rack, lights, and a choice of battery capacities – but the big selling point is a powerful 80Nm mid-motor, which gives it serious pulling power for loaded riding – strikingly good, in fact, at this price. It won’t rival a premium trekking bike in finish or finesse, but for leisure touring, rail trail rides, or pannier-loaded commuting, it’s a solid budget pick.

Best for: Budget-conscious tourers and leisure riders

Read the full review on ebiketips

Price: £2,750

Motor: Shimano EP6 (85Nm)

Battery: 630Wh

Buy for £2,750 from Merida

When we tested the clunkily-named Merida e.BIG Tour 400 EQ in 2019, we found it was at home about town, but quite capable of heading a good way off the beaten track. It’s had a bit of an overhaul since then, but most of the changes seem to be positive, while the price has slid.

Most significantly, the motor has been upgraded from Shimano E7000 to EP6, while the default battery has gone from 500Wh to 630Wh with a 750Wh also available. The gearing has also changed from Deore to Cues. At £2,750, this looks really good value. We’ll try to get hold of the updated version for a full review.

Best for: Riders who want a versatile all-rounder

Read the review of the previous version on ebiketips

Price: £2,800

Motor: Specialized 2.0 (70Nm)

Battery: 710Wh

Buy for £2,599 from Bike Shed

The Turbo Vado 4.0 is a refined, high-tech tourer with serious road presence. We gave it 8/10 when it was £4,000 and now it’s £2,800.

The Vado 4.0 features Specialized’s own mid-motor, which delivers smooth, responsive power with natural-feeling assistance. With its wide handlebar and chunky tyres, it handles well and it’s well-specced for long days with that sizeable 710Wh battery.

Best for: Commuters who want weekend touring potential – with premium polish

Read the full review on ebiketips

Price: £3,099

Motor: Specialized SL 1.2 (50Nm)

Battery: 520Wh (plus optional range extender)

Buy for £3,099 from Specialized

A very similar name, but a slightly different bike. A fair bit heavier than its SL predecessor and no longer fully justifying its ‘superlight’ label, the Specialized Turbo Vado SL 2 4.0 is nevertheless a more manageable option than the non-SL listed above. At just over 20kg, it’s among the lighter mid-motor hybrids you can buy and while there’s a cost to that in terms of the torque on offer, it’s still a surprisingly capable system thanks to the smooth power delivery and fast-rolling tyres.

The SL is a good fit for riders who want an assisted touring experience rather than full-on electric grunt. A couple of things worth noting though: you probably wouldn’t want to go beyond light off-roading and the battery is not removable (although you can more easily top up the optional 160Wh range extender, if you opt for that).

Best for: Tourers who want a lighter bike and more subtle motor assistance

Read the full review on ebiketips

Price: £3,799

Motor: SyncDrive Pro 2 (85Nm)

Battery: 800Wh

Buy for £2,999 from Giant

Giant’s Explore E+ Pro is a classic trekking e-bike with proper range, strong motor power, and serious load-hauling credentials. The Yamaha-developed SyncDrive Pro motor is an absolute joy and Giant says the 800Wh battery will give you up to 250km on its lowest setting in perfect conditions. (You’re unlikely to achieve that, obviously, but it’s undeniably a big battery.)

The Explore E+ Pro 1 GTS rides confidently on roads or gravel, and the spec includes pretty much everything you need: rack, mudguards, lights and a sturdy alloy frame. The geometry is also a nice balance of sporty and upright.

Best for: Riders tackling varied terrain with full loads – ideal for UK backroads and beyond

Read the full review on ebiketips

Price: from £4,259

Motor: Fazua Ride 60 (60Nm)

Battery: 430Wh (integrated)

Buy for £2,799 from Wheelbase

Another relatively lightweight option, Riese & Müller’s UBN 5 Touring employs the Fazua Ride 60 mid-motor system, which provides a sleek look and a sporty ride. It’s an urban-focused take on the touring concept; minimalist to the point that the standard pannier rack might even escape your notice.

While the 430Wh battery is the smallest in this list and the upgrade option only gets you to 480Wh, it’s an efficient system and, unlike the Turbo Vado SL, the battery is removable to make for easier charging at café stops.

Best for: Light tourers or riders who want touring capability in a sleek urban frame

Read the full review on ebiketips

Price: £9,339

Motor: Bosch Performance Line CX (85Nm)

Battery: 1125Wh (dual batteries)

Buy for £7,000 from e-bikebarn.com

The price is stratospheric, but so is the capability. The Superdelite Mountain Rohloff is built for expedition-level riding, with full suspension, dual batteries (the bog basic Delite only has one), 14-speed Rohloff hub gears with electronic shifting, the option of a rear and/or front rack, water bottle mounts, brake lights and front full beam lighting.

At the heart of it all is the Bosch Performance Line CX mid-motor which is super-responsive to pedal pressure and offers enough oomph to eat up any incline it encounters. It’s also worth saying the Rohloff-belt drive combo has outstanding low maintenance credentials.

Best for: Riders planning serious adventure touring, multi-day expeditions, or long-distance bikepacking

Read the full review on ebiketips