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A folding electric bicycle is an incredible device that can turn your cycling and commute around town into a fun and leisurely activity. E-bikes provide a wonderful combination of portability, convenience, and the extra power that can really bring a lot more to your cycling hobby.
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While folding electric bikes are simply great, not all of them are made equal. Whether we’re talking about range, power consumption, or anything else, some of them are undoubtedly going to be better than others.
That’s why I put together this article to show you all there is to know about folding e-bikes. Below I have a review section of seven great folding electric bikes as well as some informative sections including a buyer’s guide and what you personally need to consider before choosing your own e-bike.
Once you’re finished reading this article you will be completely prepared to finally select which folding e-bike to buy for yourself. Excited? Then let’s get started!
These are the best electric folding bikes you can buy right now.
Range
19 miles
Speed
18.6 mph
Weight
42.3 lbs
Power
350 Watt
Verdict:
The Swagtron EB7 Elite Plus is a stylish and comfy folding e-bike perfect for hilly paths and urban places.
Pros:
Cons:
The Swagtron EB7 Elite Plus is a smaller bike with 16-inch wheels making it an ideal choice for short or mid-range urban commutes. It can go 20 miles off of a single charge and can go as fast as 19 mph.
One of the best things in my opinion about the EB7 Plus is the Shimano 7 Speed gear cycle. You can manually adjust the max speed with this multi-gear system with an easy button press so you will always have precise control over your speed shifting.
The EB7 Elite Plus is very stylish, very comfortable, and very handy. Its charge time isn’t too long, and it even performs pretty well on 25-degree inclines. This would be an excellent choice for anyone who is looking for their first-ever folding electric bike as it just nails so much about what makes a folding e-bike good in the first place.
Range
15.5 miles
Speed
15 mph
Weight
37 lbs
Power
250 Watt
Verdict:
The SwagCycle EB-5 Pro is surprisingly versatile despite its small size.
Pros:
Cons:
The SwagCycle EB-5 Pro has a very good adjustable seat so that it can be properly used by people of varying heights. If you plan on buying an e-bike for multiple people in your family, this one will do just fine. Teenagers and adults can both use this bike easily.
SwagCycle is small even by folding bike standards. The wheels are only 14 inches high, which means you should avoid mountain biking trails when using this bike. However, it is a perfect choice if all you plan on using it for is urban commuting.
I also have to mention just how portable this thing is. Even in its unfolded state, the EB-5 Pro already feels very portable, but once it is folded up it really becomes simple to bring around with you.
This is also a great bike for anyone who wants to do as little pedaling as possible. The EB-5 Pro has a water-resistant plug, charging port, and a power assist mode that provides an extra boost. This means that if all you want to do is have a relaxing cruise, even while going as fast as 15mph, this folding electric bike is a no-brainer.
Range
28 miles
Speed
18.6 mph
Weight
50 lbs
Power
350 Watt
Verdict:
The Sailnovo is a folding e-bike that is big and powerful. This e-bike also includes an adjustable seat for height riders with a maximum load of 120kg.
Pros:
Cons:
If speed and low-cost foldable E-bike are what you are looking for, then you’ll be happy to hear that the Sailnovo goes as fast as 18.6 mph for its affordable price. It has a dual brake, headlight, and taillight to control during the day and even night riding. Plus, its LCD control panel perfectly gives you a great riding experience more safety.
The one con I will say about this folding e-bike you wouldn’t expect is that it is quite heavy but that doesn’t matter though, as it is durable and more stable. With a long range of 28 miles and a fast speed of 18.6mph, it makes it worth it. If you need a folding electric bike that will still keep you secure and comfy for an off-road journey, this bike is right for you.
Range
13 miles
Speed
15.5 mph
Weight
41 lbs
Power
350 Watt
Verdict:
The Jeston Bolt E-bike is a great quality for its affordable price. You would love to ride this comfortable e-bike as it runs smoothly, good for novice and outdoor use.
Pros:
Cons:
Jetson Bolt is good for someone looking around to get around town swiftly and safely. I will say that I personally love the look of this bike, as it is easy to fold and carry. Plus it has front and back disc brakes that are responsive and dependable.
One neat and unique feature of Jetson Bolt, it has a replaceable battery so you can easily change it. Jetson Bolt also has a lithium-Ion battery, excellent on both the throttle handles and the seat, making it one of the most comfortable folding electric bikes I’ve ever ridden.
Combine all this with its double disc brake, a reasonable battery charge time, pedal assist mode, comfy seat, and as it runs smoothy, you have yourself a guaranteed winner.
Range
12 miles
Speed
12 mph
Weight
26.5 lbs
Power
350 Watt
Verdict:
Ancheer's own smartphone app feature is so distinct from other folding e-bikes that it will completely blow your mind!
Pros:
Cons:
Many people complain about the weight of folding or electric bikes, but the Ancheer E-bike is here to put a wrench in those complaints. Astoundingly, this e-bike only weighs 26 pounds with 12-inch wheels and still manages to have a 265-pound weight limit.
This folding e-bike also has its own smartphone app which you can control motor locking, recording your mileage and time riding, and activate certain speeds while in cruise control. The app is extremely handy and it blows my mind that more e-bikes don’t have this feature.
The wheels, albeit rather small, are extremely well designed. They are water-resistant so they work excellently in puddles, and they have great traction and shock absorption. This is undeniably a very portable and very comfortable folding electric bicycle that I simply cannot recommend highly enough.
Range
118 miles
Speed
15 mph
Weight
60 lbs
Power
350 Watt
Verdict:
The long-range is such a great surprise that it can take you on town trips in a whole week on a single charge! It may look like the most eccentric-looking bicycle but it handles well and is made out of very sturdy materials.
Pros:
Cons:
The uses a dual-disc braking system meaning that you can stop your bike very responsibly even when going as fast as 15mph. It also has 14-inch tires meaning that it will be a little more comfortable during long trips compared to other folding e-bikes designed for urban commutes.
Arguably the best thing about the is its incredible 118-mile range, meaning that you can ride this baby for 7 hours at max speed before running out of juice. For anyone looking for a balance of urban commuting and long-range rides, this is the bike for you.
Range
12 miles
Speed
15 mph
Weight
44 lbs
Power
250 Watt
Verdict:
This stylish is loaded with some unique features you can’t find in other folding e-bikes.
Pros:
Cons:
First off is its USB charging port that allows you to charge your phone or mp3 player while riding. It only uses up a little bit of the bike’s battery and is ultimately an amazing feature to have in case your cell phone is on the verge of dying in the middle of a trip. I found it super convenient while using it.
The is also equipped with dual disc brakes, a Shimano gear-shifting set, and a removable battery for easier charging. It even comes with a digital LCD screen that displays not only a speedometer but an odometer and your remaining battery life, not unlike an automobile!
It’s comfy, it’s reliable, it’s efficient and it’s stylish. That is why the 250w folding electric bike is one of my favorites of all time.
Range
20 miles
Speed
18 mph
Weight
43 lbs
Power
450 Watt
Verdict:
The sports a unique style, and its portability is simply unmatched. It’s also much more comfortable to ride than it looks, making it a great choice for riders of all ages.
Pros:
Cons:
has a long list of interesting products but their folding electric bike might be the most interesting of them all. It has many of the necessary features you might expect from an e-bike, but it’s folding mechanism and unique looks make it seem more special.
Let’s get started with the basics: the Gyroor Folding E-Bike comes with two very useful lights. The white headlight and the burning red tail light make this a good option for people who enjoy nighttime rides.
The LCD display is very handy and you’ll be using it often on every single ride you use, thanks to its big and bright images of both your speed and remaining battery life.
When it comes to stats, the has 14 inch tires and a battery that claims to go up to 25 miles per charge, though in my experience it wasn’t able to always reach past 20 miles.
The top speed is 18.6 mph, which is a great sweet spot that can attract both casual and more experienced riders. It’s also particularly comfortable, especially for shorter riders.
Even at first glance, you can easily tell that the is not your usual electric bike. The curvy design is certainly eye-catching, but it’s not just there for show. That semi-circle is what allows the Gyroor to be one of the most portable e-bikes available.
Because of its curved designed, both wheels will fit neatly within the semi-circle gap when the Gyroor is in its folded shape. This makes it extremely easy to store just about anywhere, including in vehicles.
Even more impressive is that there are two smaller carrying wheels located on the shaft, allowing you to use it like a portable suitcase by dragging it by the handlebars. This is one of the most creative designs for portability I’ve seen for any kind of electric bike, scooter or otherwise!
Range
48 miles
Speed
20 mph
Weight
66 lbs
Power
500 Watt
Verdict:
The Heybike Mars is a best of both worlds option. Its affordable price range makes it a great fat tire option for first-timers.
Pros:
Cons:
The Heybike Mars uses a 500w motor and is designated Class 2 for its speed. It has a max range of 48 miles per battery charge, allowing it to cover a lot of ground in just a couple of hours.
The Heybike Mars accessories include an electric horn, genders, and LED lights that are installed in the front and in the rear.
Speed is activated via the thumb throttle when using the electric riding mode settings. You can use the included pedal-assist feature if you want some light exercise or are concerned about running low on battery life.
Most bike tires are only about 1.25 inches thick but in classic fat tire fashion, the Heybike Mars folding fat tire bike uses 4 inches instead. The wheels are also 20 inches tall, making it a little bigger than your average electric bicycle.
I think this is a great option for someone looking to get their first-ever fat tire bike for an affordable price. The folding portability feature is icing on the cake.
Now that I’ve shown you seven wonderful examples of a folding electric bike, it’s time to go over the criteria of what makes a folding e-bike worth purchasing in the first place. It’s one thing to be told what a good bike is, but it’s another thing entirely to be able to figure out for yourself how to spot a high-quality folding e-bike. That’s why reading this folding electric bike buyer’s guide will come in handy.
The first thing you should always keep in mind is why you want a folding electric bike. Is it meant to be a replacement for your regular bicycle? Are you going to be using it for commuting to the store or to work? Will it be mainly for leisure or for exercise? You should also think about how often you plan on using the bike, whether that’s just once or twice on the weekend or every single day.
Different folding electric bikes will have different properties, be that the wheels or the batteries, and some of them will be better suited for urban commuting whereas others will be the better pick for mountain biking or downhill cruising. Once you know what you’ll be using it for, this will narrow down your choices to one that truly fits your needs. Now let’s discuss the properties of the bike itself.
One of the most important things to keep in mind is the battery. The general consensus is that you want a battery that is at least as good as a lithium-ion battery. Lithium-ion batteries are durable and very rarely leak, plus they have a longer shelf life than many other batteries.
If you really want an e-bike that has a lot of energy then you will have to shell out more cash to get either a more powerful battery or one that supports more than one lithium-ion battery. However, these can raise the price of the product substantially. Also, make sure that it’s made by a reputable manufacturer such as Samsung or Sony.
After considering the battery you should think about the range you want your folding e-bike to have. An e-bike’s range is dependent on many things but the battery is arguably the most important one. One good tip is to get a folding electric bike whose range is a little higher than what you may actually want. This is because an e-bike’s range will decrease over time due to wear on the battery.
If you are mostly using your folding electric bike for commuting then you won’t need the bike with the highest range. However, if you plan on using your e-bike a lot or even primarily for off-road cycling then you will probably want something that can go about as far as 20 miles.
While you don’t need to buy the most expensive folding e-bike on the market, it is still a good idea for the most part, to spend decent money so you can get a great bike that will be comfortable, have a good battery, and provide many years of use. Luckily, many great e-bikes, like the ones I discussed above, don’t need to cost $1,000 to be great choices.
But like with any spending decision, it’s necessary to take stock of your budget so you can get the best bike possible for yourself. In other words, it is much better to buy a great folding electric bike that costs a few hundred dollars which will provide many years of high-quality service than it is to buy a cheap one that won’t last very long and probably won’t be as comfortable or as useful either.
Many motorized or electric devices have become quite popular over the past couple of years. Whether we’re talking electric scooters or hoverboards, these devices are spreading like wildfire and folding e-bikes are no exception to this.
There are several reasons why folding electric bikes are so popular, but the number one reason is that they are extremely convenient.
Think of it this way – taking a bicycle onto a subway car or a bus can be a little awkward or clumsy due to how much space it takes up. But a folding bike takes up a lot less room and makes these moments so much easier to deal with.
We also need to take into account how far technology has come in the past few years. Folding electric bikes are not as heavy as they used to be, and they are in fact only slightly heavier than regular bikes these days. An extra 20 pounds of weight may seem like a lot but it becomes negligible once you actually engage the motor for the extra power and speed.
And perhaps most importantly of all, folding e-bikes are fun to use. It doesn’t matter whether you are cruising down the street or blasting your way through a mountain trail. The extra speed that e-bikes provide is considered a massive improvement to many people and is one of the main reasons why folding electric bikes are increasing in popularity.
The question of whether folding bikes are slower than regular bikes is two-fold. Because folding bikes have some extra mechanisms that make them heavier and therefore make it more difficult to reach a top speed under the same conditions (the gear in use, the terrain, the rider’s physique, etc.). However, this story changes entirely if we are talking about folding electric bikes.
Folding electric bikes are no doubt heavier than regular folding bikes but because they are powered by a motor and a battery, they are undeniably faster should you choose to engage them at a high speed.
So long story short, non-electric folding bikes will probably seem slightly but noticeably slower than regular bikes, but electric folding bikes are where it’s at if you want speed and convenience.
When it comes to range, folding bikes are actually a great choice if you are going on a long-distance trip. This is of course partially due to the fact that they can fold up, so their portable size makes it easier to store away when taking a break or not in use for any other reason.
What really matters whether a folding bike is good for long-range is the same thing that matters for regular bikes – the wheels. Just like regular bikes, folding bikes with the largest wheels are considered the best for long rides.
If you want a folding bike that will be able to keep you going for a few miles and then some, all you have to do is grab one that has wheels that are at least 20 inches large and you are good.
Folding bikes can be just as comfortable as non-folding bikes. What ultimately determines their comfort levels has nothing to do with the folding mechanism of the bike and far more to do with the other components that are found on any other bicycle.
For example, if you want a bike that will be comfortable even after a couple of hours or more of riding, then you will likely need to get a bike that has large wheels and a very well-padded seat. These are aspects that can be found on any kind of bicycle – folding, electric, or otherwise.
One should keep in mind that the reason why many of these misconceptions exist about folding bicycles is that admittedly, many of them are designed for shorter commutes. That’s why many people who buy their first folding or electric folding bicycle opt for a cheaper one which typically has smaller wheels and whatnot.
These sorts of bikes work great if you are just riding into town to do some shopping and plan on taking breaks from riding, like walking around indoors or using public transportation.
However, these kinds aren’t designed for long trips down biking or hiking trails. As I discussed in the Folding Electric Bike Buyer’s Guide, you need to purchase a bike that will be compatible with your needs and how you plan to use it.
If you want a folding bike that will be comfortable during a 3-hour trek into the woods, make the smart purchase and get a folding bike that has wheels capable of lasting such a long journey.
Different folding bikes will have different maximum weight limits, just as is the case with regular bikes. There really is no one limit that applies to all bikes, folding or non-folding. One can expect many of them to have a weight limit of around 250 pounds but some will have a larger weight limit if the bike itself is also larger.
Long story short, the range of weight limits for a folding bike is more or less the same as regular bicycles. If your current bike supports you just fine then you can most likely expect the same thing to be true with your new folding bike. If you want to be extra safe then all you have to do is check the weight limit of the product you plan on buying – much like you would do with a regular bike, anyway!
While I am of the opinion that folding bikes are better than regular bikes, I still have an obligation to present as objective and unbiased a view of these vehicles as I can. So to summarize everything I’ve mentioned in this article, allow me to present what I believe to be the pros and cons of folding electric bikes.
The Speed – easily one of the best things about electric bikes is the freedom they give you. Being able to cruise down a road at over 15mph without having to pedal your legs off is a wonderful feeling. It’s relaxing and exhilarating all at once, and it is a feeling that you simply cannot get from regular bikes.
The Portability – whether you need to fold up your bike to make room in the trunk of your car, the storage room in your basement, or on a public bus, being able to fold your bike is a very handy feature that you will be taking advantage of all the time. Bikes can feel great while riding them but they can feel clunky when carrying them around and maneuvering them through tight spaces. Being able to fold up your bike to a much smaller size is a wonderful feature.
The Power – with the power provided by the electric motor, folding electric bikes makes it easier to go up tall hills with high angles. This makes them a great choice for mountain biking as you’ll be able to go farther without using up all of your own personal energy.
Environmentally Friendly – folding e-bikes are cheaper and healthier than using a car or a motorcycle. E-bikes do not produce pollution and they are much less expensive to maintain.
The Price – there is no denying that folding electric bikes can be considerably more expensive than their regular counterparts. This is, in my opinion, the worst thing about folding e-bikes, and I am confident that many people would agree with me. Don’t get me wrong, folding electric bikes are worth the entry price, but you will end up spending a few hundred dollars or more in order to receive one that is not only high quality but will last you many years.
Charging the Battery – another annoying thing about electric bikes is that you will probably have to end up charging them every single day. While charging devices these days is a common part of all of our lives – whether it be cell phones or what have you – it will seem like an inconvenience having to do this every day when your old, regular bike never needed to be plugged into a wall. It’s something you get used to, thankfully.
Folding electric bikes, or e-bikes, are extremely convenient. And since the technology has progressed quite a bit in the past few years, they’re lighter, faster, and last longer than ever before.
If you’re looking for a new way to commute or even something to ride that is fun but doesn’t take up a ton of space, e-bikes are definitely a good choice. They’re environmentally sound and very economical, so their initial costs could even out over time.
Last update on 2023-11-18 at 02:36 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.