Best Electric Mountain Bikes for 2022

Electric bike technology has come a long way in the past decade. Technological advances continue to surprise and amaze the cycling community and the applications for its use are ever-evolving. E-bikes are helping us go further, faster, and are keeping the burning out factor at bay. Electric mountain bikes in particular have become very popular and are now a common sight out on the local single-track trails and mountain bike parks. Considering an electric mountain bike might be exactly what's needed to improve your next ride. In this article, we’ll cover:

• List of the Top 10 Electric Mountain Bikes
• Best Electric Mountain Bikes by Type
• How to Choose an Electric Mountain Bike
• Electric Mountain Bike FAQs

 

Top 10 Electric Mountain Bikes

Here’s our top ten list of electric mountain bikes. These are just a few of what is available so if you wish to see more options, check out our full selection of electric mountain bikes.

 

Rank	Name	MSRP
1.	Yeti 160E T-1 E-Bike	$13,000
2.	Orbea Rise M20 E-Bike	$7,399
3.	Norco Sight VLT C1 E-Bike	$8,999
4.	Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Carbon 70 E-Bike	$9,059
5.	Orbea Wild FS M20 E-Bike	$7,399
6.	Orbea Rise H15 E-Bike	$6,799
7.	Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay Alloy 30 E-Bike	$5,599
8.	Rocky Mountain Growler Powerplay 30 E-Bike	$4,199
9.	Niner WFO e9 3-Star E-Bike	$6,195
10.	Norco Charger HT VLT E-Bike	$3,399

 

1. Yeti 160E T-1 E-Bike

Type: Trail/Enduro E-Bike

• Frame Material: Carbon Fiber TURQ Frame
• Suspension: Fox Suspension System
• Gearing: Shimano Drivetrain and SRAM Brakes
• Motor: Shimano EP8 Motor
• Features: SRAM Dropper 

Yeti is known for its top-quality mountain bikes, and the 160E T-1 is an incredible creation they have brought to the e-bike market. The frame is Yeti’s legendary TURQ carbon which is stiff and lightweight. It's paired with a Fox suspension system with 170mm of travel up front and 160mm in the rear. They spec'd this build with a 12-speed Shimano drivetrain offering a wide gear range and the reliability Shimano is known for.  Stopping power provided by the SRAM Code RSC brakes.

The wheels are a set of DT Swiss EX1700 built on boost hubs, and wrapped in Maxxis tires. Then we have the motor. The Yeti 160E comes with a Shimano EP8 motor and a 630Wh battery, which is incredibly powerful and will pull you up that grade like a train.  Shop Yeti 160E

Frame Material	Battery	Motor	MSRP
TURQ Carbon	630Wh	Shimano EP8	$13,000

 

2.  Orbea Rise M20 E-Bike

 

Type: Trail/XC

• Frame Material: Carbon Fiber OMR Frame
• Suspension: Fox Suspension System
• Gearing: Shimano Drivetrain and Brakes
• Motor: Shimano EP8-RS Motor
• Features: OC Dropper

Orbea brought out some incredible bikes this year, and the Rise M20 E-Bike is very impressive. The OMR carbon fiber frame is excellent and not only is strong, but it’s very lightweight. The Fox suspension system gives you 140mm travel all round and is perfect for trail riding. The Shimano SLX Drivetrain has gears for aggressive climbing and quick descending, paired with Shimano brakes, which keeps it all uniform and performing incredibly.

The Raceface AR wheels with Maxxis tires are great for keeping upright. The Shimano EP8-RS motor produces a little less power than the standard EP8 motor, and the battery is smaller. This does make for a much lighter bike though, and even without power will still feel very agile. Orbea hasn’t stopped there, and they even equipped it with a dropper.  Shop Orbea Rise

Frame Material	Battery	Motor	MSRP
OMR Carbon	360Wh	Shimano EP8-RS	$7,399

 

3.  Norco Sight VLT C1

 

Type: All Mountain

• Frame Material: Carbon Fiber Frame
• Suspension: Fox Suspension System
• Gearing: SRAM Drivetrain and Brakes
• Motor: Shimano EP8 Motor
• Features: Oneup Dropper

The Norco Sight not only looks the part, but it performs excellently. It’s great for not just getting up a hill quickly but down a hill too. The carbon fiber frame keeps it lightweight and gives it the stiffness to transfer power well. This is equipped with Fox suspension front and rear, ready for all mountain riding with 160mm travel on the front and 150mm on the rear.

The SRAM Eagle X01 Eagle groupset is hill crushing, and the SRAM 4 piston code brakes will stop the rider on a pin. It has that legendary EP8 Shimano motor giving 85nm of torque. With this bike, you pick the battery you want so you can go long distance or short distance, depending on what you want to spend. You have the DT Swiss 29” E-1700 strengthened wheels with Maxxis tires to help control the power, and the dropper post helps you get nice and low.  Shop Norco Sight VLT

Frame Material	Battery	Motor	MSRP
Carbon	Options	Shimano EP8	$8,999

 

4.  Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Carbon 70

 

Type: All Mountain/Enduro

• Frame Material: Smoothwall Carbon Fiber Frame
• Suspension: Fox Suspension System
• Gearing: Shimano Drivetrain and Brakes
• Motor: Dyname 4.0 Motor
• Features: Raceface Dropper

Rocky Mountain has been making bikes since 1981, and there’s a reason they are still doing it because they are incredible. The smoothwall carbon fiber is excellent and the frame gives a solid performance, and you have adjustable geometry with this too. The Fox Factory suspension is designed for All Mountain and Enduro with 170mm travel on the front and 160mm on the rear. You get the excellent Shimano XT high-performance gearing and the brakes to match, which run a 4 piston system.

The WTB ST i30 TCS tubeless wheelset with Maxxis tires is excellent and keeps the trail in check well. Unlike the other bikes on this list, you have a Dyname 250w motor with a 720Wh battery, which is a very powerful system. Another great feature is the RaceFace dropper which can really help your ability.  Shop Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay

Frame Material	Battery	Motor	MSRP
SMOOTHWALL Carbon	720Wh	Dyname 4.0	$9,059

 

5.  Orbea Wild FS M20

 

Type: All Mountain/Enduro

• Frame Material: Carbon/Aluminum mixed frame
• Suspension: Fox Suspension System
• Gearing: Shimano Drivetrain and Brakes
• Motor: Bosch Performance Motor
• Features: OC Dropper

The second Orbea on this list is very Wild, as it says in its name. The frame is interesting with being a mix of a carbon front triangle and aluminum rear triangle. You have 160mm all round from the Fox suspension system, and this is going to help you tackle the rough stuff. The Shimano XT/Deore mixed groupset is perfect for the bike and paired with Deore brakes, which are great for stopping power.

This bike uses a Bosch motor, and you will see these on many E-Bikes. They are reliable and powerful. This will easily take you all the way up to 20mph. It uses the 29” RaceFace AR wheels sporting Maxxis tires and an OC dropper post to improve your performance and make those challenging drops easy.  Shop Orbea Wild

Frame Material	Battery	Motor	MSRP
Carbon/Aluminum	625Wh	Bosch Performance CX	$6,999

 

6.  Orbea Rise H15

 

Type: Trail/All Mountain

• Frame Material: Aluminum Frame
• Suspension: Fox Suspension System
• Gearing: Shimano Drivetrain and Brakes
• Motor: EP8-RS Motor and 540Wh Battery
• Features: OC Dropper

The Orbea Rise is an excellent bike and is ready to perform on the trails. The frame is full aluminum, and although it might not be carbon is very light and agile. The suspension system gives you 150mm travel on the front and 140mm on the rear, which is ideal for all mountain and trail bike riding. The gearing and braking system is Shimano SLX, and you get 12 speeds and a lovely range on the rear cassette, making challenging climbs very easy.

The EP8-RS motor is powerful but very light as well. It’s paired up with Orbea’s 540w internal battery to give it an excellent range. The wheels are RaceFace AR 30’s and are tubeless-ready to go with Maxxis tires giving excellent grip and strength for the times you read the trail wrong, and you also have an OC dropper for anything too sketchy.  Shop Orbea Rise

Frame Material	Battery	Motor	MSRP
Aluminum	540Wh	Shimano EP8-RS	$6,799

 

7.  Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay Alloy 30

 

Type: Trail/All Mountain

• Frame Material: Aluminum Frame
• Suspension: RockShox Suspension System
• Gearing: Shimano Drivetrain and Brakes
• Motor: Dyname 4.0 Motor and 720Wh Battery
• Features: Toonie Dropper

The Rocky Mountain Instinct is the second Rocky Mountain on this list and also the second full aluminum bike we see here. The first thing to mention is that it looks excellent, is designed for some serious trail routes, and has RIDE-9 adjustable geometry. The bike is complimented with RockShox full suspension system, and you get 150mm travel on the front and 140mm on the rear, which is great for mixed fast trails.

The groupset is the Shimano Deore, and this is the 11-speed model, which still gives a good range, just one less option than other bikes on this list. You also have Shimano hydraulic brakes that are excellent. The motor is a Dyname 250w with a 720Wh battery, so it is excellent for power and distance. On top of all this, you get for a great price you also get the Rocky Mountain Toonie dropper post.  Shop Rocky Mountain Instinct.

Frame Material	Battery	Motor	MSRP
FORM Alloy	720Wh	Dyname 4.0	$5,599

 

8.  Rocky Mountain Growler Powerplay 30

 

Type: Trail/XC

• Frame Material: Aluminum Frame
• Suspension: Suntour Front Suspension
• Gearing: Shimano Drivetrain and Brakes
• Motor: Dyname 3.0 Motor and 643Wh Battery
• Features: Toonie Dropper

The first hardtail on this list is the Rocky Mountain Growler Powerplay 30. It’s incredible value for money, and we can’t wait to tell you about it. Firstly the lightweight aluminum frame is excellent for XC and trail riding. You have a lovely Suntour XCR34 on the front giving 130mm of travel, and it is a fairly light front fork. It is equipped with the Shimano Deore 12-speed groupset and brakes to match, which is really going to help with climbing and descending.

The Dyname 3.0 motor provides an incredible 102nm of torque and is paired up to a 643Wh battery which will take you all the way up to 20mph with ease. The wheelset is 27.5” WTB ST i35 tubeless keeping the bike agile and also quick on acceleration. We love that it has the Toonie dropper and feel it’s just unbelievable value for the money.  Shop Rocky Mountain Growler.

Frame Material	Battery	Motor	MSRP
FORM Alloy	643Wh	Dyname 3.0	$4,199

 

9.  Niner WFO e9 3-Star

 

Type: All Mountain/Enduro

• Frame Material: Aluminum Frame
• Suspension: RockShox/Fox Full Suspension System
• Gearing: SRAM Drivetrain and Brakes
• Motor: Bosch Gen4 motor and 625Wh battery
• Features: KS Lev Si Dropper

Niner are not shy when it comes to making a mountain bike, and the WFO e9 is just a next level off-road machine. It’s one of the most capable bikes on this list and is a force on very rough terrain. The frame is aluminum and made for control and comfort, and it will perform. It is paired with RockShox Zeb R giving an incredible 180mm of travel on the front and a Fox coil shock on the rear.

The SRAM drivetrain is the 12-speed SX eagle and will give you enough gears for anything you might come across. These are equipped with the SRAM guide RE brakes to help stop you fast. The wheelset is a tubeless Stans Notubes and is a mixed 27.5” and 29”, giving incredible handling ability. The Bosch Gen4 motor is excellent and comes with a 625Wh battery to keep you getting up the climbs quickly, and when coming down, the KS Lev Si dropper will help you get super low and stay in control.  Shop Niner WFO.

Frame Material	Battery	Motor	MSRP
Aluminum	625Wh	Bosch Gen4	$6,195

 

10.  Norco Charger HT VLT

 

Type: Commuter/Trail/Adventure

• Frame Material: Aluminum Frame
• Suspension: Suntour Suspension
• Gearing: Shimano Drivetrain and Brakes
• Motor: Shimano Steps motor E8035 Downtube Battery
• Features: TranzX Dropper

As far as value for money electric mountain bikes go, the Norco Charger hardtail is well up there with the best. The aluminum frame is strong and comes with a Suntour XCM32 fork with 120mm travel. This is going to make this bike great for a commute, a trail, and even a fun adventure. The Shimano Altus 9-speed groupset will give you enough options to get uphill, but if you struggle, you have the motor to back you up and keep it in check. The hydraulic brakes will be perfect and make stopping easy.

The Shimano Steps motor is great for range and distance. It’s easy to use, and the E8035 battery will give you years of enjoyment. The Alex MD25 wheels are 29” and super strong, equipped with WTB Ranger Comp tires. Although this bike might not be as capable, I love that Norco has also included a TranzX dropper and made it an excellent all-rounder.  Shop Norco Charger.

Frame Material	Battery	Motor	MSRP
Aluminum	504Wh	Shimano STEPS E700	$3,399

 

 

Best E-MTB by Type

Best Beginner Electric Mountain Bike

Orbea Rise H30

 

The Orbea Rise H30 is perfect for beginners as it is such a good all rounder to learn on. It’s

A great all-rounder that is going to work well on a mix of different trials. It is comfortable to ride and is going to be a great bike to learn and improve your skills.

 

Best Full-Suspension E-MTB

Norco Sight VLT

 

The Norco Sight VLT C1 is an absolute animal. Not only does it look incredible, but it backs it up with its ability. It’s very powerful, it’s light, it looks great, it’s fun to ride, and handles like it is on rails. If you’re looking for a bike that is going to perform this is it.

 

Most Powerful E-MTB

Norco Range

 

The Norco Range is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to power and very few bikes can match it. The Shimano EP8 motor is known as one of the best on the market and just performs. Pair this with one of Norco’s large batteries and you have a very powerful e-bike.

 

Best High End E-MTB

Yeti 160 T1

 

The Yeti 160 T1 is just about as good as it gets.  Every component down to the bolt is top notch and although it may have a high price tag, it’s totally worth it if you’ve got the budget to splash out on it. You definitely are getting what you’re paying for with this rig.

 

Best Value E-MTB

Rocky Mountain Instinct

 

The Rocky Mountain Instinct is an incredible value bike, and for the money you're spending you just get so much. It’s a great frame with incredible geometry, the gearing is great, and the suspension is silky smooth. You get so much for such a low cost here.

 

Fastest E-MTB

Rocky Mountain Altitude

 

The Rocky Mountain Altitude is a very fast E-MTB that is a lot of fun and that’s why we rate it as one of our top electric bikes. The combination of everything put together just makes a very agile responsive bike which is ready to perform.

 

 

How to Choose an Electric Bike

When it comes to picking an electric bike, it can be very challenging as there’s a lot to think about. In this next section, we will tell you a few things to look out for.

 

Motor: A Motor from a well-known brand may be more expensive, but they are much better.

Battery: If you want to go further, get a bike with a larger battery.

Frame: Carbon is lighter and stiffer than aluminum but does cost a lot more.

Gearing: Having more gears does help but always check the range on the rear cassette.

Brakes: Don’t settle for anything apart from hydraulic disc brakes for mountain biking.

Wheels: 27.5” is typically better at acceleration and control, and 29” is better for max speed rolling over obstacles.

 

Best Electric Mountain FAQs

What are the best Electric Mountain bike brands?

Going with a well-known brand is always a good idea. Some of our favorite brands are Orbea, Niner, Rocky Mountain, and Norco.

Is an Electric Mountain heavier than a mountain bike?

Yes, they have to be heavier due to the motor and the battery, but the power you get makes up for it. The best electric mount bike isn’t always the lightest.

Is riding an Electric Mountain bike challenging?

It’s like riding a normal bike. Electric bikes assist you more than anything. It’s not like a twist and go moped. You still have to pedal as these are the best pedal assist mountain bikes.

Are Electric Mountain bikes for beginners?

They are perfect for beginners because they are easy to ride. They give you a good amount of assistance and help you keep up with more experienced riders.