The best LEGAL electric bikes for hills and steep commutes

[@Electroheads]

Electroheads: *Releases video about a hill* Old blokes from Yorkshire: "THAT'S NOT A HILL, WHERE I LIVE THEY HAVE HILLS AS BIG AS JUPITER, HILLS SO TALL THEY BEND GRAVITY. I CYCLE UP THEM WHILST DRINKING A PINT OF BITTER." Love you guys.

[@therealunclevanya]

To be fair, the hill you went up IS a speed bump compared to the hills around West Yorkshire 😆

[@majordelays4909]

Time stamp for the hill 😂

[@decimal1815]

@@therealunclevanya Yeah, that was just a 'normal road' in yorkshire. And listen to them gasping for breath. Not sure if these bikes could cope with 'proper hills'..

[@yeldarleumas1847]

One of the main reasons people buy an e-bike is to make riding a bike less physically demanding. Therefore, one would have thought that when reviewing ANY e-bike riding a steep hill would be the obvious thing to do.

[@rayjay848]

One would think. . .

[@darrenjones3681]

Yeah like find somewhere flat Devon or cornwall

[@markotrieste]

Thank you for taking care of people like me who live in hilly areas. I ride every morning up on a 20% incline, towing my son on a tag-along. My suggestions after 8 years of experience: -get a Bosch mid drive motor, either CX or Cargo line -get the lower gear ratio below 1 (eg. 46t cassette, 36t chainring). This usually implies a transmission with at least 11 speed Keep up your cadence, at least 70 RPM. Oh, and don't forget beefy brakes. If it is easy to go uphill, you get plenty of energy to dissipate on the way back. I pay more for brake pads than for electricity (no joke).

[@badabing8884]

I got a performance line motor and it’s got 75nm. Plenty for me where I live but then I don’t have 20% inclines. More like 5/6%.

[@diarmaidok]

@@badabing8884 Some of the bosch performance line have 85Nm-with that I think I'd never have to pedal with any effort again! ;)

[@simonbean1264]

The mid drive (Temple) would beat all of them up the 'really steep hill' as the motor drives through the gears. Hub drive bikes are great up to around 10-12 % and will beat mid drives until the hill becomes too steep for the motor torque. A mid drive with decent torque and a good gear range will climb almost any hill you put in front of it. It's very much horses for courses.

[@Psyopcyclops]

Especially if he wasn’t pedaling like a girl.

[@Electroheads]

If you enjoyed this video and you're interested in these bikes - then head on over to Electroheads.com for more info. Benefits of buying from Electroheads: -Keep content creators fed and watered -Get customer service that's rated "GREAT" on TrustPilot -Automatically get entered into giveaways and free prize draws -Help fund Eilis's addiction to buying new saddles for her bike www.Electroheads.com

[@longzero]

This was a great video! It's great that Electroheads has different types of video and there's no repeated formula week after week.

[@warwickshiremidlandsweathe9067]

Exactly I love these guys especially Eilis

[@longzero]

Video suggestion: How do you brainstorm to figure out what content to put? I feel this could pull in an audience of people in marketing, communications, and other content creators.

[@veilbreak5867]

I have a 2nd hand 'freego' folding bike, that cost me £250. It's great on hills. And gets me up some steep hills in South Wales, about 30 degrees. Carrying 4 panniers and a rucksack of shopping, It's a little cart horse. I haven't fallen off or come close. it's really safe. And has suspension which makes so much difference, especially with a heavy rucksak on. Im a 56 year old woman for context.

[@donaldduck5731]

So I’ve just gotten myself an e-bike (cycle to work scheme) and a wonderful thing it is too, Cycling 10 miles to work along the river Cam instead of sitting in my car in traffic (all be it in EV mode) and it only takes 15 minutes longer each way. Best bit Eilis hasn’t mentioned is it’s easy to stop off for a pint of quality beer on the way home from work, like so not possible with a car, cars are super anti-social really. Done a few 50+ mile cycle rides at the weekends too., no problem, E-bikes are the future. Plus because I’m not a moron and haven’t spent £50k+ on an old antiquated ICE SUV and it’s fuel just to impress my neighbours, work colleagues and appear middle class, (which I am not, because I’m intelligent), I have money to do stuff, hobbies and have a life.

[@russellprout723]

Your right. I have an electric bike and a van. I can put the bike in the van and go further afield plus park in a free area and cycle in to my destination. The van is useful for carrying those big loads but its normal use is to take the bike long distances so I can explore other areas

[@TheBlimpFruit]

Spot on, what bike did you get?

[@fazerstorm-oap]

My wife and I both have Halfords own make carrera crossfuse bikes. Bosch mid drive motors and not too heavy. Also under £2000. We have ridden all over exmoor, including 25% hills. Last ride was 40 miles, with 1250 metres of ascent and still some battery left. Thoroughly recommended.

[@majordelays4909]

Decathalon stilus has been perfection. Albeit ‘unlocked’ for off-road use

[@2e0bgb]

Excellent test, thoroughly enjoyed it thank you...Safe riding all...Andre.

[@Electroheads]

Thanks Andre, you absolute legend

[@longyx321]

That's not a hill it's a slope. Come to Wales for hills😅

[@craigharkins4669]

Lol same. I live in Scotland. My village sits at the top of a hill 800ft up.

[@logtothebase2]

or Sheffield, Bristol, Nottingham, Glasgow where huge commuter belt communities are separated from the CBD and industrial areas by long and steep hills.

[@stephenhenderson9535]

Hard to get a test on a proper hill test. Am looking a ebike that can eat hills even at the cost of range

[@mcpackard3115]

@@stephenhenderson9535 I am looking for the same type it’s bewildering to an older guy like me 🤔

[@sharonhaywood7324]

Me too I need light weight so I don’t slip a disc but can get up big hills and get me home again. Yorkshire lady living in mid wales. Hills hills and more hills and range as miles from anywhere.

[@davewalkercartoons]

Brilliant video as always Electroheads. And love comments to those who insist their ULTIMATE hill is more ULTIMATE. As a folding bike fan: I'm wondering whether the not quite a top-notch performance by the folding Estarlis is down to wheel size, or some other technological reason. Do they have a less torquey motor than some of the other bikes on test?

[@jezlawrence720]

You should do the Greenwich hill test for every review. Including the big one. That's honestly vital info.

[@narutoshippuden473]

agreed

[@redrocker1055]

I love this channel. Great hosts great editing and great bikes. Side note: That Vanture is stunning.

[@Electroheads]

Thanks! We love you too

[@RogerRamjetLips]

Thanks for the great vid! One question though, was the Honbike U4 you tested the 250w one or the 350w one?

[@ianferguson3543]

Nice video. We took our estarli E20 bikes up a really steep hill nearby. A long steep hill. We both reached the top without a stop using the power assist and the gears. Not a hill we would try on a regular bike.

[@peterreece6547]

Being an old fart of 75yrs and living in Cumbria, I have yet to be beaten by a hill in my immediate vicinity. I have a Raleigh Mutos Grand Tour with Shimano 8 speed hub gears but I don’t try to race up the hills I don’t get up and stand on the pedals I select the right power mode and gear and take my time pedalling up them.

[@FrankieLimes]

Good video, interesting. I ride a Vanmoof S5, the boost button is a breeze going up hills, no pain, no sweat, no tears, just pure enjoyment.

[@viffer94]

“The Vanpowers looks cool, is cool and . . . something else.” 😊 I might leave the presenting to Eilis. Single speed belt drives have many advantages, durability, ease of maintenance, no more chainring leg tattoos. But they do not do steep hills well. Once you lose your momentum it’s all over but the crying. You still need gears to climb long and steep.

[@AlexOnABoat]

Hang on, if either of you are going over 15.5mph then the assistance will have cut out and it's purely a race between which human can pedal up the hill faster. Go and do it all again, but stay seated and pedal no faster than 15mph.

[@Electroheads]

It's all subjective really

[@AlexOnABoat]

@@Electroheads no no, off you go, get yourself to Greenwich again, watching you two pedal up hill is the closest thing I'm getting to a workout 😉

[@misterthegeoff9767]

Even though it lost early on I was surprised how good my estarli e20 is at hills when I tried it out. I am a big bloke and have arthritis so can barely ride a non electric bike on the flat but the e20 can get my overweight self to the top of the steepest hill in my town even though I weigh more than its rated maximum weight. I certainly feel it by the time I get to the top but this is a hill where actual fit cyclists without electric assist get off and walk. I definitely made sure to get a bike with gears because I knew I needed to handle hills.

[@MrPstapleton]

The e20 lost by a small distance to the overall winner so pretty impressive! I'm torn between the e20 and ADO Air

[@misterthegeoff9767]

@@MrPstapleton One thing I like about the gearing on the e20 is in the highest gear you are pedalling pretty fast to hit 15mph so the gearing is really designed to complement the motor. There's no higher gears to allow you to pedal much faster than the motor assists at but a ton of lower gears to get you up steep hills without getting off and walking.

[@mandalorian1310]

Gutted the ADO Air 20 wasn’t in this test as I’m torn between getting this or not purely for its ability up a steep hill near mine

[@mandalorian1310]

@@MrPstapletonwhat bike did you get in the end?

[@MrPstapleton]

I did get the ADO air :) it's a nice bike, and zero maintenance ...getting up the hills is fine (you do require some effort) the Estarli will be better for hills

[@mattus1gig]

As your in London. Go to Archway, by the underground and ride up Highgate hill to the top. 😂

[@shaundocherty96]

Init these are virtual flat hills 😂my E-bike flies up actual mountains!

[@edtuckerartist]

Some of the hills around Cardiff are up to 20% gradient, wonder if any of those bikes would manage that?

[@stanley3647]

Living on the edge of Peak District - 20% is not steepest I've been ;) Curvy downhill, can burn brakes as well :P

[@chipkhalifa4138]

Only the mid drive motor can eat steep hills for breakfast

[@bonzobanana1]

@@chipkhalifa4138 Only some mid-drives though as some more road/casual models have low power motors and not very low gearing. Bosch motors start at 40Nm and they lose power through the chain a bit plus those models don't have very low gearing. Those models are typically weaker up hills than most hub motors. Hub motors range from about 30-65Nm plus they don't restrict the use of 2x or 3x cranksets for a wider gear range. It's really the mid-drive e-mountain bikes that deliver the best hill climbing ability they have more powerful motors and lower gearing. I think the only hub motors that can compete with that are hub motors with windings for torque fitted to a 20" wheel and those can get up to about 95Nm effective torque. You get about a 50% torque boost fitting the same hub motor in a 20" wheel compared to a 700c/29" wheel because of the smaller circumference but of course you lose speed with it.

[@ickledotco]

Thank you for listening! Not sure how it compares with my hills but certainly a good guide. Think I’m after the Estarli E20.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Just picked up the City Vanture- it’s SO quick. Great for city riding.

[@aeonturnip2]

Great video, but it would have been a better comparison doing it with only one person, and setting some ground rules like no standing. I would personally want to see how each did by barely putting any effort onto the pedals.

[@hawthornselitelevel1220]

chap in orange spot on with that advice re gears, My 1000w 700c 27 spd Raleigh Hybrid flies up steep hills!

[@Electroheads]

That's probably because it's 1000 bloody watts!

[@2e0bgb]

Try a Honda Fireblade, it goes up hills quite well😂

[@majordelays4909]

And half the price 😂

[@michaelmartin4383]

Mostly if you have a good bike you don't need a motor for cycling on the straight or going downhill, but it sure helps when going uphill, but most e-bike manufactures are shy to show e-bikes climbing hills. 10% is an angle of, 5.7 degrees or 10:1 hill. 15% is an angle of 8.5 degrees. This is impressive for 250 watt e-bike motors.

[@heywhotsgoinon8286]

Rubbish test. If you have to stand out of the saddle to get up the hill in a race, defeats the point of an ebike. Sorry.

[@Electroheads]

I stood out of the saddle because we were racing and it was fun. Lighten up!

[@Simcore999]

Your needs are either range or hill, if you can walk hills it's much more efficient above 5% when considering what type to take!

[@itsjustme9578]

Any chance of testing the Tenways 600 pro on a hill ?

[@SidMercutio]

THANK GOD!! IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!! lets see if i get the estarli or not

[@adamosman2142]

Something I'd love to see, cargo bike price and functionality comparisons! I'd love to see a week of using a cargo bike for a family!

[@ArnauViaM]

So either I am an idiot, or there is no way to know if the estarli is better than the ampere. I honestly value a lot design but I have at least 2 sections which I think are around the same steep gradient on my way back home. Taking into account that I consider the ampere horrible looking and love the estarli, would you still consider the ampere a better option? Cheers!

[@warwickshiremidlandsweathe9067]

Always look forward to ur videos!!

[@Electroheads]

Aww thanks!

[@dudleyhardial2273]

That Honbike is very aesthetically pleasing.

[@wander_boi]

Any chance on the incline of the last hill ? thank you in advance

[@coder543]

In the "meet the contenders" section with all the specs on screen, it would have been really nice to have the name of the bike also written out. Otherwise, a fun video!

[@ayasolaris4971]

im really impressed by the estarli e20! It was just a couple seconds behind the winner

[@muzwot9603]

Is the Aventon Pace 350 poor on hills?

[@thalesofmiletus2966]

Reviewing the bikes in different gears and different PAS levels? Incidentally stating the battery Wh or Ah would have been helpful.

[@JasonTaylor-po5xc]

LOL, I'm considering riding up Pikes Peak (Colorado) - perhaps I'll look at a bike with 100 nm of torque instead of these. Not your typical use case. Granted, the entire point of e-bikes is for the pedal assist on uphills.

[@darrenquinn007]

It would be good if you could test higher quality E-Bikes like Riese & Muller or Gocycle?

[@alastairpullan]

Next on the list will be bikes that are allowed on the trains … found out today that as of June 1st that are banning all E-Bikes, E-Skateboards and all e-Scooters on all trains. This is coming from National rail and the London fire brigade. Guess my nice MATEcity bike will be left in the shed now.

[@Electroheads]

More knee-jerk reactionism from those in charge. 10 years ago the Daily Mail was making out that phone batteries were going to set fire to the whole of London, now it's e-bikes, in 5 years it'll be something else.

[@SidMercutio]

How did i miss that the Honbike was tested here? LOL...... I have to say, you guys have done a splendid job covering these bikes. I keep coming bike.. I guess its official that y'all are the defacto online source for e-bikes...Kudos Now lemme watch this honbike again...

[@aldod8167]

The Honbike looks amazing but I would prefer the handlebars from the classic.

[@keving4081]

😅What am I missing? If you want to see how well it climbs you don't peddle. Like "Happytails" does on all of his test rides. This comparison is about the peddler's not the bikes. Please correct me if I am wrong. If the drive won't engage without peddling then one person should test each bike.

[@unitedstaites]

i hope the silver shiny one wins because it looks so cool. fingers crossed!

[@JohnS.Kourouvacilis09]

The Van Powers(Crome) is a real looker.

[@Electroheads]

It really is. I hope it proves to be reliable over our full testing period

[@JahBlessd]

Was this a men's event or women's?

[@Monahmed2086]

Great video, please visit Oldham they have just spent/wasted £3million on a cycle lane on top of a hill near the Civic Centre.

[@howardcornwell9841]

UK laws on power is ridiculous 😠

[@michevanessen]

Now I’m curious if the honbike can breeze up the monster hill slower but easier

[@Electroheads]

Looks like we're going to have to go back to Greenwich...

[@seanweirdbeard]

For me The Estarli 28 looks best as its the lightest...

[@steveaustin6219]

Wanna test hills. Try cycling in plymouth lol. Cheers guys. Great vid. ❤

[@paulbry754]

Love your videos but I honestly thought that was the road to the hill not the hill pretty sure they'd blow up on the hills I live around the quantocks some of them are 30% I struggle on a mid drive

[@Electroheads]

Wow, very cool!

[@colincampbell4261]

Learning to use the right gears would help on the wee orange bike.

[@terrybater5241]

When your comparing 250w motors is really bout what bout you the faster up a hill or that left feeling less breathless at the end of the the if you was doing a track there all doing 15mile so really it should be about how light it feels in the pedals

[@robertsmme]

Good video, but Eilis needs to fix the way she where a helmet. She would hit her forehead before the helmet would hit.

[@alistairbarclay3116]

With the greatest of respect that is not a hill, more like along gentle slope. You need to come to Bristol and try your bikes on some real hills.😮

[@Electroheads]

Nah we're ok

[@kevinwilliams8502]

I got a tsdz2 conversion kit on a planet x fat baz, no problems going up any hill inc 25% devil's staircase in wales

[@SubaruWRC1996]

I've ordered an ebike with 565 watt motor but it's pedal assist and I think that motor watt law is ridiculous. If I am stopped I'll say its 250 watts

[@MrCreative3]

I just hook a test ride on a Pedibal Navigata CitE, fantastic value and performance at £1,000. Nothing to touch it at this price. Please Eilis do review it.

[@sraxler]

Is the estarli e16 no good? 2:31

[@mark-1rc502]

Why didn’t you put the E28 against the Tourer .

[@MegaStrl]

all bikes was gear off?

[@MrPstapleton]

Great video! :)

[@rhiantaylor3446]

Must admit, I thought the mid-drive would win

[@MrCreative3]

MiRider 1 vs Mirider Gb3 and other folders in a hill test?

[@keithdeley7236]

All manufacturers claim how far these bikes go take no notice it all depends on how heavy the rider is how many hills you go up if you're on tarmac or rough ground and don't forget the wind factor and tyre pressure basically when the manufacturer tells you the bike that you have bought does so many miles on a fully charged battery take it with a pinch of salt.

[@The1trueDave]

3:14 that saddle looks way too low for Rich! Also, I'd assumed you would take turns on each bike and average out the times or something. Unless you are both very evenly matched this test is quite prone to the 'luck of the draw', literally!

[@T77489]

I’ve noticed a lot of e-bikes on KZbin are ridden with the seats low meaning they are losing the full power of their legs

[@Electroheads]

Hey - Rich here. I typically have my seating position very high, which annoys everybody in the office, because we all ride all of the bikes often. A bugbear I have with e-bikes v.s. classic bikes is that the seat posts are often only adjustable via allen key, which means you need to have a tool on your person to change seat height. That said, I do think the saddle height on an e-bike matters way less than on a normal bike. The bike is doing the vast majority of the work for you, especially on a bike with a cadence sensor. So the need for 100% physical efficiency is reduced. That said TAKE 2. I do find it mad that my colleagues want to have the seat low, sit bolt upright and barely extend their legs, they're all idiots.

[@The1trueDave]

@@Electroheads Thanks for replying! Practically all my bikes have allen key seat clamps since some bastard nicked my saddle, post and saddlebag some 20 years ago 😞 I suppose you could keep a bunch of QR seat collars around the office for when you do multi-rider test days. Or just carry a 5mm allen key :-) I can see the point about physical efficiency perhaps not being paramount on an ebike but you can risk knee injury having your saddle too low. I would definitely take the time to set my own saddle height if I had to share a bike with other riders but then I'm quite long in the leg at a 34" - no way am I putting up with the saddle height of someone who's a 29" 🙂

[@T77489]

@@The1trueDave Yep I got my front wheel nicked from the car park of the factory I used to work in , I lived miles away and finished work at 10 at night

[@The1trueDave]

@@T77489 Aw, that sucks! I suppose it depends how you use your bike. If you just ride for leisure, from your front door or loading in and out of a van, I guess QRs are pretty convenient if you puncture. If you're leaving them anywhere public then they're not worth the risk IMO...

[@richardajoy79]

The hills in my town in Kent would prob kill the motors of those bikes and even with gears, i'd prob die.

[@SteveL11]

Is the Honbike a reliable e-bike?

[@Electroheads]

We've only had it for a few weeks, so hard to tell at this stage. But we'll have full videos coming soon, and if it does prove to be reliable, we'll sell it on our shop.

[@roberttruman8444]

Are e-bike conversion kits any good at hill climbs? I've been getting popup adds for the 'Switch' conversion kit which looks good and saves me from having to ditch my very capable Ridgeback that I've travelled thousands of miles in over the past decade and is still in remarkable condition. However I have just moved to North London in between Muswell Hill, Hampstead Heath, Primrose Hill etc and I'm going to lose my sh%t Basil Fawlty style and I really don't wish to subject the local residents to the sight of a middle aged man shouting insults at gravity and the wind.

[@jasonkrantz8946]

When the hill part?

[@MegaStrl]

Guys can anyone help me to make final decision im interesting in Vanpowers City Vanture EU version but im not sure if its very big problem with up hills with this model? can someone share their experience?

[@Liquid_Eagle]

Hi, I have this bike and its amazing on flats and slight inclines. If you live in a very hilly area like me, you probably should go for a mid motor ebike. The city vanture can take you up the hill but as its single geared, it requires effort, albeit, less then a normal bike. Other than that, its very fast on flats (22ish mph if you reprogram the speed limit) and around 15mph on slight inclines if you ghost pedal.

[@diarmaidok]

No mountain bikes? Decent mountain bikes have really good gearing for hills and 85Nm of torque like the bosch performance line.

[@Joseph-jy5lz]

when did km become a usable distance for the UK?

[@markotrieste]

Since 1965

[@Joseph-jy5lz]

@@markotriestemiles in the UK not km, no road signs use km in the UK

[@soundwave6769]

with a 10kw mid drive motor you can climb a dam spill way going 45mph 😀

[@jasonpenny978]

Try the hills in torbay that would be interesting

[@thalesofmiletus2966]

I’ve got three e-bikes. All legal. An Eskute Netuno. A Carrera Vengeance. A Hitway BK16. I’m surrounded by hills. Steepest at 25%. All the bikes handle it with ease at 12mph. But the BK16 motor groans. The Netuno doesn’t like anything over 20%. The Vengeance is the best but has the shortest range. The truth is there is no perfect bike. They all have their foibles.

[@TheAegisClaw]

Completely wrong outcome because you didnt take the only mid drive bike up the steeper hill.

[@richardcrouch356]

surely they all should start of in the same gear

[@robbyroyal10000]

Are ebikes and scooters still illegal with throttle's 250 watt etc...me and Greta would like to know has its really going to help the environment but no one wants to ride because of the police etc 🔋🌞🔋🌞🔌🌏🌎🌍

[@KeithMadden-cp1xp]

Keep on blowing my controller with the hill I got to get up every day

[@majordelays4909]

7:28 how much security was needed for that gaggle of bikes to not be taken by a road man

[@Zim___]

Can you ship ebike to any SE Asian countries?

[@Electroheads]

Unfortunately not at the moment Zim, but we are working on it!

[@papalegba6796]

No Bosch performance line? Not a good test.

[@mai-deum3731]

U should test throttle bikes on hills

[@edtuckerartist]

Wonder if there are any sub £301 electric bikes?

[@mattus1gig]

AliExpress but it will take a month to turn up.

[@markotrieste]

Pay cheap pay twice

[@mattus1gig]

@@markotrieste I will admit £301 is at the very low end but my first ebike a ffido d3 was under £500 and after probably 1500 miles it’s still running fine.

[@hawthornselitelevel1220]

On Gumtree lol

[@silbernersurfer8264]

I like Eilis!

[@Electroheads]

Harsh on Rich

[@silbernersurfer8264]

@@Electroheads Well, I like Rich too!😍

[@TheEulerID]

Either that Temple has way too low gearing or the rider doesn't know how to use the gears. He was simply spinning out. In any event, where I am in the Cotswolds, that first "hill" is more or less flat. It's no test at all. There are much better hills to test on in London. How about somewhere like Highgate, Hampstead or Crystal Palace. The final one was much more of a test, and shows how poor single speed bikes are for anything remotely serious in the way of hills.

[@dugfriendly]

Scully & Mulder 😜

[@pinkfloydhomer]

Mid drive would beat them all

[@sethvoll]

Why would the heavier person ride the smaller bike. A better comparison would havbe been to have her ride the smaller one instead.

[@westscape2]

Probably the least scientific test you could have devised.

[@Electroheads]

Thank you!

[@Wabbit0789]

BHT has threatened me with eviction if I want to keep my E-bike on the property

[@flitsies]

Degrees you can have a percentage of a degree but from what you said it's Degrees.

[@E6MND]

BMW Active Hybrid eBike has 90nm of Torque

[@Nial_Q]

I can’t use my hair as earmuffs because it disappeared down the sink many years ago. 😳😳