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Our top picks for riding around city and countryside like a Tour de France champ

From cutting down on commuting costs to the sheer, unadulterated fun of zipping around town like Brad Wiggins, there are plenty of reasons to consider an electric bike.

These ‘e-bikes’ look much like your regular manual two-wheeler, but their electric motor and battery – built into either the frame or wheels – enable power-assisted pedalling.

This amazing feature is activated by sophisticated sensors that detect how much effort you're putting in. Far from cheating, it merely takes some of the graft out of your ride, allowing you to travel further and faster, while varying assistance levels help you build up stamina if you're new to cycling, or ease back into it after injury.

Whether you’re after a lightweight, folding model to take on the train, or something more robust for charging over rough terrain, there’s an e-bike that will effortlessly ramp your cycling up a gear.

Thanks to falling production costs and expanding cycling infrastructure, the Bicycle Association expects UK sales of electric bikes to hit 500,000 per year by 2023. But they don’t come cheap just yet, with prices currently ranging from £500 to over £4,000.

That’s why we put a panel of experienced users on the case to find the best electric bikes for both leisure and commuting.

E-bikes come in all shapes and sizes, just like 'ordinary' cycles, so it should be easy to find something that suits your needs.

There are simple hybrid designs (much like racing bikes but with straight handlebars), classic step-through designs, folders, e-mountain bikes and full-on racers, should you feel the need for speed.

Even the most modern motors and batteries are still fairly hefty, so an e-bike will always be heavier than the equivalent non-electric model. The average weight is around 20kg, but some are almost three times the weight of a standard hybrid. 'Dutch-style' step-through designs, for example, can come in at 25kg or more.

If you regularly need to take your bike up steps or lift it into the back of a car, consider a lighter folding model. Some racer-style e-bikes weigh around 12kg, but these can cost a fortune.

Use your e-bike regularly to get the best performance out of its battery – they don’t take kindly to being left to run flat for weeks or months on end – and make sure you can remove it for recharging indoors if you have nowhere secure to plug it in outside. Most batteries will recharge from flat in just a few hours.

The size of the battery can dictate the range of the e-bike, so if you only need it for local trips, don't spend more money on a model that can last for ages between fuel-ups.

Most riders will find 30 to 50 miles of range plenty, but some batteries can transport e-bike and rides up to 100 miles if used sparingly.

Bear in mind that zooming about on the highest power setting can burn through even a bigger, fully-charged battery in as little as 20 miles – and it’s no fun trying to coax a heavy e-bike home on leg power alone.

Even with today’s soaring electricity prices, it costs just pennies to charge an e-bike's battery – less than boiling a kettle. However many miles you rack up over a year, you’re still likely to make huge savings over the cost of running a car.

Just don’t forget to factor in the cost of a yearly service – a heavy e-bike will go through brake pads and tyres faster than a manual cycle.

Under our laws, you must be aged over 14 to ride an e-bike. The motor can only kick in while you're pedalling and must switch off when you hit 15.5mph.

You are not required to wear a helmet, but as with a standard bike, lights and reflectors are a must if riding in the dark.

Third-party insurance isn’t a legal requirement, but it's a good idea to join an organisation such as Cycling UK to take advantage of their cover, just in case you're ever involved in an accident.

To find the best electric bikes that'll make a Tour de France champion of you yet, our panel of expert cyclists rode a range of top models over tarmac, potholed ground, dirt and gravel paths, and up and down steep hills.

They looked at battery charge time and range, gear changing, manoeuvrability and the responsivity of the brakes. They also considered the range and distribution of the gears, plus the comfort of the saddle and handlebars on different terrains.

Show your local peloton who's boss with our favourites:

Sturdily built for both roads and trails, this classic Volt with built-in racks and lights makes for a solid all-rounder. It claims to be reliable, maintenance-free and safe, with puncture-resistant tyres and hydraulic brakes.

Though chunky, our testers found it reassuringly robust on all terrains. It skipped smoothly through its eight gears and offered a welcome boost on hilly rides.

Its heavy weight made controlling stop-starts tricky in traffic, but it’s an ace leisure choice.

Key specs Type of motor: 250w Spintech with Bafang motor Number of speed options: 4 Number of gears: 8 Weight: 21.5kg Range on full charge: 60 miles Frame size: Not given, but one size Suspension: Front Brakes: Hydraulic

This model from high street giants Halfords must be one of the most popular e-bikes on our streets. Our testers loved the combination of a comfortable saddle and reliable ride. It tackled everything from roads through to smoother bridleways, making it a great versatile choice.

You can swap between three levels of motor assistance depending on how your legs feel, and there’s an LCD display for data such as speed and remaining charge.

On the downside, we found the mechanical disc brakes not quite as powerful as hydraulic ones, and there's nowhere to hold a water bottle. It can, however, be fitted with a luggage rack and mudguards.

Key specs Type of motor: 250w, rear hub Number of speed options: 3 Number of gears: 9 Weight: 19.6kg Range on full charge: 50 miles Frame size: S/M, M/L Suspension: None Brakes: Mechanical

Let’s make something clear– step-through bikes like this aren’t just for women. Head to the continent and you’ll see similar designs everywhere because they're really easy to get on or off. Plus, features such as the covered chain and hub gears mean you won’t have to worry about getting oil on prized garms.

This Cube's suspension forks, hydraulic brakes and fat tyres made for a plush, safe ride for our experts. They found it surprisingly easy to manoeuvre, but the display did seem to over-estimate the battery life.

It came with a European-style plug and mostly German instructions, but it didn’t take too long to get moving.

Key specs Type of motor: Bosch mid-mounted Number of speed options: 1 Number of gears: 8 Weight: 27.8kg Range on full charge: 32 miles Frame size: XS, S, M, L Suspension: Front Brakes: Hydraulic

Bringing a touch of California with its US beach cruiser vibes, this relaxed ride is perfect for exploring or holiday fun.

Those big 'balloon' tyres offer amazing comfort but come with more drag than with other bikes in our list. Happily, that’s not much of a problem, thanks to the powerful Bosch hub-mounted motor.

Our testers loved the sleek frame and the LED display showing how much juice remains, but they weren’t quite so struck with the twist-grip gear changer. This isn't a bike for commuting or powering about on, but it's ideal for enjoying lazy summer days on two wheels.

Key specs Type of motor: 250w, rear hub Number of speed options: 3 Number of gears: 7 Weight: 21kg Range on full charge: 65 miles Frame size: M Suspension: None Brakes: Mechanical

Commuters, meet you new best mate. If you're short on storage space or need to take your e-bike on the train, this compact Brompton folds down in roughly 20 seconds.

The motor is built into the front wheel, while the battery sits in a holder at the front and can easily be removed for charging. Our testers loved the upright riding position and smaller wheels that made it nimble in traffic.

It’s expensive, but it comes with lights and mudguards and you can tailor the assistance so you hardly know it’s there.

Key specs Type of motor: 250w, front hub Number of speed options: 2 Number of gears: 2 Weight: From 15.5kg Range on full charge: 45 miles Frame size: One size Suspension: Polyurethane block built into frame Brakes: Brompton caliper

The most specced-out model in the Motus range, this e-bike is targeted at both new and experienced riders. It has versatile power assistance – coast and chill if you want to – and its battery claims to get you from London to Nottingham (that's 110 miles).

Our testers found this Raleigh a powerful treat to ride both in town and on smooth roads. Slightly uncomfortable saddle aside, they liked its size and style and welcomed how easy it felt to manoeuvre, making it a trusty family pick.

Key specs Type of motor: Bosch Active Line Number of speed options: 4 Number of gears: 8 Weight: 28.5kg Range on full charge: 100 miles Frame size: 41cm, 46cm, 51cm, 53cm, 56cm, 57cm Suspension: Front Brakes: Hydraulic

Ideal for those up to 6ft, this good-looking Angell is extremely light if you ever need to carry it.

Techy features abound, including integrated indicator and brake lights, GPS, anti-theft tracking and a touchscreen on the handlebars that navigates you to your destination.

Our testers felt ‘very cool’ riding it, and with all those flair specs, who wouldn’t? Just note that the lack of gears limits how fast you can go.

Key specs Type of motor: 250w, rear hub Number of speed options: 4 Number of gears: None Weight: 15.9kg Range on full charge: 44 miles Frame size: 155-185cm (Angell /S), 165-195cm (Angell) Suspension: None Brakes: Hydraulic