Mountain e-bikes
Electric mountain bikes for off-road riding, usually with suspension and powerful mid-drive motors.
What would I save through Cycle to Work? · Compare types of e-bike
Is a mountain e-bike right for you?
Good for
- Big days in the hills with more climbing than you'd manage unaided
- Trail centres and rough tracks
- Riding with fitter friends and keeping up
Look elsewhere if
- You'll mostly ride on roads: knobbly tyres and suspension slow you down
- You need to carry it often: they're heavy
What to look for
- Hardtail (front suspension only) for lighter trails and lower cost; full suspension for rough, steep ground
- A mid-drive motor with plenty of torque for steep climbs
- A battery big enough for long days: hills drain it fastest
- Strong four-piston disc brakes for long descents
- Check a trail centre's or landowner's e-bike policy before riding somewhere new
Advice from Bike Ninja’s experience. Facts below are numbered to their sources.
Sample mountain e-bikes
Real bikes shown as sample pages: specs and RRPs from the brand, with live retailer prices to come.
Worth knowing
- A road-legal e-bike (motor no more than 250W, assistance cutting out at 15.5mph, working pedals) can go on cycle paths and anywhere else pedal bikes are allowed, but not on pavements. No licence, tax or insurance is needed, and riders must be 14 or over.[1]
- E-bikes can be bought through Cycle to Work, which spreads the cost and saves tax and National Insurance.[2]
- [1] GOV.UK: Electric bikes: licensing, tax and insurance, checked 7 Oct 2026
- [2] DfT: Cycle to Work scheme guidance, checked 6 Oct 2026