13.03.2025 | Reading time - 18 min(s)

Best Electric Touring Bike

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Touring on a bicycle can be an incredible way to see the countryside and spend a few days getting away from the city but carrying all that extra weight in luggage can be exhausting. Using an electric bike as a touring bike can be a great option as you can load this up with extra luggage and still get around using less effort thanks to the battery and motor. So, what features do you look for in the best electric bike for touring? In this article, we will list the features to consider when choosing the best electric bike for touring.

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What Makes A Great Electric Touring Bike?
Bike Style
Luggage Capacity
Motor Power
Battery Considerations
Comfort
Gears and Brakes
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Electric Bikes for Touring
Other Electric Bikes

What features make a great electric touring bike?

There are certain features that will make some electric bikes more suitable for touring than others and this would usually depend on your individual situation - questions to ask yourself would be; how much luggage do I intend to carry? How long will I be away touring? How long will I be cycling in a day? All of these questions will determine what style of bike you require, the luggage capacity you require, the battery range, the motor power, and how comfortable the bike is. We will look at each of these in turn below to help you make the right choice of touring electric bike.

Bike Style

When choosing an electric bike for touring, you can still choose between all the different styles. This is very much personal and dependent on where you are going when you tour. Electric mountain bikes would be for off road riding, electric road bikes would be for light touring on tarmac only, electric gravel bikes would be for those that want a road bike position with some gravel thrown in and there are many variations of electric hybrid bike that can be used for touring. You can also use folding electric bikes for some light touring.

Whichever style you choose, there are some other choices to make to make it the ideal electric touring bike for you.

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Luggage Capacity

Being able to carry extra luggage on a bike is what makes a bike suitable for touring as you will usually need to carry clothes, toiletries, camping equipment, sleeping bags and anything required for a few nights away. One thing to watch out for here is the maximum capacity that the bike can carry. Some electric bikes can carry 130kg max which includes bike and rider while some electric cargo bikes will carry 200kg total. Please check this before making your decision as exceeding this can void warranties or result in injury. Assuming you have checked and the bike's capacity is suitable, it's time to think about the luggage options.

Rear rack

A rear pannier rack on your electric touring bike is a great way to carry a lot of luggage as you can equip a rack with two large pannier bags and a rack top bag giving you plenty of space for clothing, sleeping bags, and other essentials for your trip. If an electric bike does not have a rack as standard, check that one can be fitted aftermarket. Most electric bikes will come with a standard pannier rack that will carry approximately 25kg but please check this before loading it up as there are exceptions.

Front Rack

Some electric bikes come with a front rack for carrying extra items or larger items such as tents and camping equipment. You have the option of standard racks or pizza racks but not all electric bikes can accept a front rack so check that these bikes have the mounts to accept a rack. Front racks will generally be able to accept up to 15kg of luggage but again, best to check this before loading up.

Bikepacking Bags

Bikepacking bags can be a great way to carry a decent amount of equipment as either a supplement to your racks or instead of them. For light touring, a frame bag and/or a larger saddle bag will sometimes suffice as you will likely need less equipment for less time away. As mentioned, these can also be a great way to carry a bit more equipment if your front and rear pannier racks are full.

Options include saddle bags, frame bags and handlebar bags.

The Humble Basket

Viewed as rather old fashioned, the humble basket still has it's place. They are great for storing items you need close to hand such as snacks or your mobile phone and can even store a significant amount of luggage depending on the size. Not all electric bikes can take a basket so please check or ask us if the individual bikes can take a basket.

With the potential to carry so much equipment on a bike, you may need some help getting up some hills while touring. That's where having a powerful motor comes in handy.

Motor power

With electric touring bikes, you will be loading the bike up with much more luggage so this, along with a heavier bike means you could be pushing a fair bit of weight up hill. This is where the electric motor power assist comes in. Not all motors are made equal and some are more powerful than others. The number we are looking for here is the torque - measured in Newton Metres (Nm) - and the higher the torque, the easier the motor will accelerate and get you and your luggage up hill. On some of the lighter weight electric bikes, these motors will be 35 Nm while some of the most powerful will top out at 90Nm.

Our recommendation here would be dependent on how much, or how little, work you want to put in uphill - if you literally want to spin your legs up the hill with minimum effort then opt for 85-90 Nm of torque such as the Bosch Performance Line CX motor which provides ample power up to 85Nm of torque for even the steepest hills or the Specialized 2.2 Motor that comes bikes such as the Specialized Turbo Como 5.0 IGH that delivers up to 90 Nm of torque driven from the bottom bracket.

Speaking of motor position - this is an incredibly important consideration when considering an electric bike for touring. There are three main motor types and positions - the rear hub motor, the front hub motor and a centre driven motor (bottom bracket) - and where the motor is positioned will make a difference to how the bike performs.

Rear Drive Motor

A rear hub motor will be positioned on the rear hub of the rear wheel and many folding electric bikes have this setup. These motors are great for commuting and provide excellent acceleration in cities but maybe lack the power for full-on touring. If you do decide on a rear hub motor for touring, we would recommend only light touring and that you spread the weight of any luggage over the front and rear of the bike (slightly favouring the front). This is due to the fact that the motor adds weight to the rear of the bike and when accelerating, it can lift the front of the bike - weight on the front will counteract this.

Some of the best electric folding bikes can be a good choice for light touring and can easily be folded and stored in a tent or a room in a b&b.

Front Hub motor

Similar to a rear motor, a front motor will not have the same power as a centre driven motor and will not be suited to any gravel paths or loose surfaces as any loss of traction on the front wheel will result in the front wheel spinning. Again, if you do decide to opt for a front motor then we would recommend light touring on tarmac only.

Centre Driven Motors

You will pay a bit more for a centre driven motor but you are also getting a more powerful and natural feel too. If you are planning to fully load your bike with equipment then you will likely need a very powerful motor power for help getting you up the hills. We would recommend motor power of 85Nm or above for this scenario. If you are planning lighter touring then you can potentialy look at a less powerful motor.

A motor is only a part of the system and of course, requires a battery to make everything work. Which battery you choose will again depend on the type of touring and the range you require.

Battery Considerations

There are a few factors to consider when deciding on which battery would be best for your e touring bike and will depend on the type of touring you will be doing. These come down to the battery size (measured in Watt Hours (Wh)), the position of the battery and the removability.

Battery Size

The battery size (measured in W/h) determines how far you can go on a single charge so if you are planning for longer days in the saddle then you will require a larger battery. As the battery size goes up, so does the cost and the weight.

Some of the lightest electric e bikes can have as little as 320Wh in order to keep the weight down while some of the more substantial electric touring bikes will have two batteries giving up to 1250Wh for electric assistance for much longer battery range.

The exact range you get will very much depend on how you use the bike as using a higher assistance mode will, of course, use more battery and if you cycle more hills it will drain the battery quicker. A rough guide to how far an electric bike will go is that 100Wh equates to approximately 10 miles of range.

Battery Position

The battery position on an electric bike will affect the handling and climbing of the bike and this is only increased when the bike is fully loaded for touring. Some electric bikes have a battery on the rear rack which moves the centre of gravity higher and further back and we would recommend these for light touring only and with the weight distributed more to the front to balance the rearward balance of the battery.

Other electric bikes will have the battery integrated in the downtube for a more central and lower centre of gravity as these bikes will also have the motor in the centre. This setup makes for an excellent electric touring bike due to this weight balance.

One last, very important consideration with batteries is whether they are removable or not. A removable battery can be taken indoors to be charged without taking the whole bike and this can be really important if there is not easy access for charging. Some of the lighter electric bikes have a fixed battery in order to keep the weight down meaning you have to take the whole bike to the socket to charge it.

Comfort

Last but not least when deciding on the best electric bike for touring is how comfortable it is and what measures does it have for increasing comfort. As you will likely be taking part in longer rides while touring, you might need some extra comfort. Thankfully, there are many features to increase comfort on electric bikes. These include suspension in the fork, rear and/or seatpost as well as some accessories that can increase comfort significantly.

If you are spending a long time on a bicycle, you need that bike to be comfortable for the duration of your ride and this is especially important for touring bikes as you are sometimes riding many days in a row. It is vitally important to opt for the correct frame size in the first place but once you have the frame size sorted, there are a number of components that add to this comfort.

Suspension Fork

A suspension fork on electric bikes is a common way to increase the ride comfort as these can smooth out the rough surfaces, taking the fatigue and pressure out of your hands, arms and neck. Most people, when choosing an electric bike for touring will opt for front suspension.

There are also many different options available from those that just want some vibration damping on rough surfaces to those that are looking for more substantial suspension for off road riding.

The only real downside to a suspension fork is that it will add a fair amount of weight to the bike.

Rear Suspension Shock

Rear suspension will make the ride quality significantly better as this will smooth out the rough surfaces through the back end of your bike. A rear shock will also allow you to ride off road on rougher terrain which is almost essential for some trail riding.

Choosing a bike with rear suspension will add weight to the bike and will also increase the cost. For those that would like some rear vibration damping without the cost, there is another option.

Suspension Seatpost

A suspension seatpost is perfect for those that are looking for some rear end comfort without the expense and weight penalty of a rear shock. A suspension seatpost will reduce the impacts and juddering caused by going over rough or uneven surfaces and will make any ride more comfortable whether on rough terrain or dodgy tarmac.

Ergonomic Handlebar Grips

It is amazing how much a simple accessory can improve the comfort of a bike. An ergonomic handlebar grip will spread the weight or your hands on the handlebars over a larger area removing pain from the hands onlonger rides. If the bike does not come with these a standard, they are really easy to add on aftermarket.

Tyres

Opting for wider tyres can be a great way to improve comfort and also grip on loose surfaces. Wider tyres are more comfortable due to having more air between you and the road. Another tip for more comfort is to run your tyre pressures a little lower as this can improve comfort too (please just be careful not to run them too low and risk pinch punctures).

Groupset and Braking Choices

The final consideration when choosing electric touring bikes is to do with gears and brakes. There are a number of different options when it comes to the gearing and two main choces when it comes to brakes. We will cover these now.

Gears

There are two main types of gears to choose from when looking at electric bikes for touring. These are derailleur gears or internal hub gears. We will look at the pros and cons of each below.

External, or derailleur, gears are your standard gears you will find on many bikes. These operate with a cassette and chain and are shifted by a derailleur. The benefit of this type of system when used for touring is the simplicity when removing the rear wheel. This can be especially important if you have to change a rear puncture and get the rear wheel off easily.

The downside of this type of gearing is the required maintenance and the wear. A bike works best if it's chain and cassette are kept clean and lubricated. The second is the wear and tear - a electric bike will be especially harsh on chains and cassettes due to the increased power going through the drivetrain. This means more cost in replacement too.

With internal hub gears, this maintenance and replacement cost is vastly reduced as all the gears are internal and away from the dirt and grime of the roads and paths. These internal gear systems are often accompanied with a belt drive system that requires the minimum maintenance and will outlast many chains.

The downside of the internal gear system is the comlication of removing the rear wheel in the event of a puncture. It would take a high degree of knowhow and technical ability to remove the rear wheel roadside to get yourself back moving. One tip when running the internal gears is to opt for a highly puncture resistant tyre on the rear to reduce the amount of punctures.

Brakes

The choice of brakes on an electric bike is incredibly important and moreso on a electric bike used for touring. With the bike at at least 20kg, you and your luggage, that's a decent amount of weight to be travelling downhill at speed. You need brakes that will stop you and your equipment.

The choice is between rim brakes, disc brakes and hydraulic disc brakes. Hydraulic disc brakes would be our recommendation as these offer the best stopping power in the wet or dry but you could consider other options if you are doing light touring or are not coming down any major hills.

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Electric Bikes for Touring Frequently Asked Questions

It's time for our favourite nbit of the blogs - looking up the top questions thrown up by search engines.

What makes an electric bike specifically suitable for touring compared to regular e-bikes?

A good electric touring bike will have ample luggage capacity, a powerful motor and a battery that is capable of giving you the range you require for your daily ride. Other factors to consider would be suspension for a more comfortable ride and accessories such as ergonomic grips.

How many miles/kilometers can I expect to travel on a single charge when touring with luggage?

The answer to this question would depend on quite a few variables such as the total weight of bike, passenger and luggage, how large the battery is and how an individual uses the bike.

A standard electric bike would be expected to go approximately 10 miles (16km) per 100Wh of capacity it has. This would mean that a bike with a battery capacity of 500Wh would go approximately 50 miles (80km). We would therefore expect to get less than this from a fully laden electric touring bike.

What kind of motors work best for loaded touring on varied terrain?

Between the three motor types available (front hub, mid drive or rear hub), the best performing motor for a fully loaded bike on varied terrain would definitely be a mid drive motor. These are more natural, more powerful and provide excellent balance and traction when on loose surfaces and gravel. They are a touch more expensive but we would advise that this is worth the extra expense - especially when loading up your bike.

How do I plan for battery charging on multi-day tours in remote areas?

This is definitely one of the main considerations when planning a multi-day tour on your electric bike. We would advise that the first thing to do would be to research your route as there are some areas of the UK that now have chargers available at certain locations. Another option to counter this is to take a spare battery with you that you can change when the first one runs out. Hopefully this will be enoough to get you to a chargeing point in a cafe or a b&b.

If you are staying in a bed and breakfast or a hotel, be sure that the battery on your electric bike can be easily removed so you can take it indoors to charge. Some electric bikes do not have removable batteries.

What's the ideal battery capacity (Wh) for weekend touring versus week-long adventures?

This is a tricky one to answer as there is really no 'ideal battery capacity' as it will change depending on circumstances. For weekend touring - assuming on night away - we would recommend a 750Wh battery to eliminate range anxiety while week long adventures would take a large 750Wh battery or two and careful planning of where you will charge the batteries as you will definitely need to.

How much weight can electric touring bikes safely carry in luggage while maintaining stability?

The issue here is not the stability but being conscious of the bike's maximum carrying capacity. This can be found in manufacturer's user manuals or we can happily help with this in store or online.

Some electric bikes have a maximum capacity of 130kg which includes the bike weight, rider weight and any luggage added. This is important because an 80kg rider of a 25kg bike will only have 25kg left for luggage - a number that could easily be exceeded when touring. Other electric bikes have a capacity of 170kg while some electric cargo bikes will take up to 200kg. Each bike is different so do please check this.

Are step-through frames better for touring than traditional diamond frames?

The choice of frame shape does not affect how good an electric bike can be for touring. The shape of the frame is a personal preference call but bear in mind, you can't fit bikepacking frame bags to a step through. That's really the only difference.

What tyre width and type is best for electric touring bikes on mixed surfaces?

A wider tyre with a width of at least 35c would be the minimum for this type of riding but going even wider (if your clearance allows) will add more traction and comfort to your ride. Electric mountain bikes will come with really wide tyres for off road riding while electric road bikes will have skinny tyres for tarmac only riding.

How do weather conditions affect battery performance when touring?

The temperature will have an effect on battery performance as very low temperatures will make the battery run out quicker and while there is a maximum operating temperature, we will never exceed this in the UK. If you are heading somewhere really hot for touring on an electric bike, please get in touch and we can advise of the maxmum operating temperature for your battery and motor.

What essential accessories should I consider for my electric touring bike (beyond panniers and racks)?

I assume this question isn't talking about pants and socks... but seriously though, some sort of navigation device such as a GPS or even your phone, your bike charger, spare tubes and pump, basic tools... the list does really go on and this would be a blog in itself. Get in touch if you need any assistance with this.

Now that we have covered electric bikes for touring, we will look at some of the best electric bikes.

Best Electric Bikes

Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative was one of the first UK bicycle retailers to supply electric bikes and that means we've racked up years of experience and expertise. E-bikes can be a big investment, so it's important to be confident in your purchase by finding the best electric bike and frame size for you. There are now nearly as many e-bike types are there are bikes: electric hybrid bikes, electric folding bikes, electric mountain bikes and electric cargo bikes. This handy guide gives you our ten best electric bikes, although we should say that all our e-bikes have been carefully selected, and what we would consider a ‘great buy'.

Top bikes for battery size

Tern GSD S10 LX Electric Cargo Bike

The Tern GSD S10 LX is a full cargo bike that comes equipped with a 500Wh battery. The reason this bike gets into our "top bikes for battery size" section is that the GSD range all have the capability to accept another 500Wh Bosch battery making this machine able to accept up to 1000W/h making the bike suitable for all day cycling.

Specialized Turbo Tero X 5.0 29 2023 Electric Bike

The Specialized Turbo Tero X 5.0 is the perfect e bike touring hybrid for when you are planning on taking on some rough off-road sections in perfect comfort supplied by full suspension - front and rear. This electric bike features in this section as it comes supplied with a 710Wh battery for increased range and efficient performance.

Kalkhoff Endeavour 7.B Advance+ (750Wh) 2022 Step Through Electric Bike

An incredibly comfortable and capable electric bike that can be loaded up with luggage for touring or daily commutes. Supplied with a whopping 750Wh integrated battery for all-day range and the powerful and reliable Bosch Performance Line CX 85Nm motor for getting you up hills with much less effort. A kalkhoff bike perfect for commuting and leisure.

Gazelle Ultimate C5 HMB 2023 (625Wh) Low-Step Electric Bike

As we recommended earlier, a 625Wh is probably the minimum battery size you would want for electric touring bikes and that's exactly what you get with the Gazelle Ultimate C5 HMB. You also get the ultra reliable Bosch Performance Line motor (75Nm) and plenty of space for luggage on the rear rack and the potential to put on a bar bag too for extra capacity. A truly excellent electric Gazelle bike.

Other Electric Bikes

We only stock the best brands of electric bikes such as.

SPECIALIZED TURBO VADO SL

It's a great electric bike because

First and foremost - Specialized Turbo Vado SL are very lightweight bikes considering they have a battery and electric motor and gives you assistance for a bit of help up the hills or into a stiff headwind. High quality components such as hydraulic disc brakes and quality gearing for smoothness and reliability. Kitted out with mudguards, rear rack, kickstand and integrated lights for a bike that is ready to go. An amazing Specialized e bike.

Gazelle Chamonix C7 HMS E bike (500 WH)

It's a great electric bike because

Gazelle have ensured that the Chamonix C7 HMS 500Wh electric touring hybrid bike has an upright riding position is as comfortable as possible. Wide tyres, ergonomically shaped handlebar grips and suspension fork for optimal comfort. A unique adjustable handlebar stem with integrated cables ensures the correct and most comfortable sitting posture for every rider.

Internal hub gears mean less cleaning and maintenance and powerful hydraulic disc brakes make stopping easy considering the extra weight of the bike. A motor power assistance of 50n/m will give you a boost when you need it. This model also comes with a 500wh or a 630wh for a battery range of approximately 50 miles (500wh) or 65 miles (630wh)

Riese & Muller Culture Mixte Touring 400wh 2024 Electric Bike

IT'S A GREAT ELECTRIC BIKE BECAUSE

A modern look and natural riding experience: meet the Culture Mixte Touring. Its pastel colour frame with its striking bend in the lowered top tube is guaranteed to immediately grab attention in and around town. Sustainability was a real priority in its frame construction.

Its raised headset with curved handlebars provides for excellent comfort - so now you can leisurely cycle around town for hours on the Culture Mixte. And do so with a clear conscience: about 50% of the frame is made of recycled aluminium.

You'll also be cruising around the streets in style with its lightweight and efficient Bosch Performance Line SX motor and 400 Wh battery. Just take the Culture Mixte home to charge it - it's guaranteed to look good there too.

Brompton Electric

It's a great electric bike because

It a folding e bike! It is notoriously difficult to make a folding electric bike and still ensure that it folds down to a manageable size but Brompton Electric have managed.

What makes this one of the best examples of a folding electric bike is that the UK's best-loved folding bikes brand takes everything that makes their folding bikes popular and basically adds a motor and battery to turn it into one of the best folding electric bike that you can buy.

You can find a Brompton bike store in Canonmills, Edinburgh; Bruntsfield, Edinburgh, Leeds and Aberdeen.

Author

Ross Howieson

Content Creator

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Best Electric Touring Bike

What features make a great electric touring bike?

Bike Style

Luggage Capacity

Rear rack

Front Rack

Bikepacking Bags

The Humble Basket

Motor power

Rear Drive Motor

Front Hub motor

Centre Driven Motors

Battery Considerations

Battery Size

Battery Position

Comfort

Suspension Fork

Rear Suspension Shock

Suspension Seatpost

Ergonomic Handlebar Grips

Tyres

Groupset and Braking Choices

Gears

Brakes

Electric Bikes for Touring Frequently Asked Questions

What makes an electric bike specifically suitable for touring compared to regular e-bikes?

How many miles/kilometers can I expect to travel on a single charge when touring with luggage?

What kind of motors work best for loaded touring on varied terrain?

How do I plan for battery charging on multi-day tours in remote areas?

What's the ideal battery capacity (Wh) for weekend touring versus week-long adventures?

How much weight can electric touring bikes safely carry in luggage while maintaining stability?

Are step-through frames better for touring than traditional diamond frames?

What tyre width and type is best for electric touring bikes on mixed surfaces?