Alright guys and gals, it’s 2018 and there are more choices for electric mountain bikes than ever before. Nearly every major brand has significantly expanded their lineups. This means that you’ll get better bikes at better price points. Still not sure if you should upgrade to an electric mountain bike? It’s the 21st century people! As the crew at Bulls says, “it’s not cheating, it’s just more fun.” The point of these bikes is not ruin other people’s fun by going at unsafe speeds, it’s to make your ride easier and your day last longer! Check out our top 10 electric mountain bikes for 2018 to see which bikes will get you out on the trails for thousands of miles.
2018 Haibike XDURO AllMtn 8.0
I’ve got to start out with Interbike’s winner of the innovation award for electric bikes. The Haibike XDURO AllMtn 8.0 is truly a great e-MTB. This year, Haibike built their AllMtn line a little more slack, so it is even more versatile than last year’s models. Mainly this means that it has increased downhill capability.
On the 8.0 specifically, Haibike sets you up with the brand new Yamaha PW-X motor. This motor comes standard with a 500 watt hour battery, Bluetooth connectivity, and 80 nm of torque out the gate. The PW-X also boasts the benefit of a dual chainring up front. This means you’ll save some battery if you’re willing to work a little harder and use those gears! Speaking of gears, you’ll get a Shimano Deore XT drivetrain. Pair that with Fox 34 Float Performance front suspension and a Fox Float DPS rear shock (150mm travel) and you’ve got a fully-capable, all-around ride.
Check out my video review below and my full review here. Current pricing listed at this link.
2018 Haibike XDURO AllMtn 10.0
While we’re on this thread, I want to go ahead and throw in the most tricked-out shred sled in the AllMtn line. Haibike spared no expense wit the XDURO AllMtn 10.0. It’s a premium bike, and here is why. A Fox Factory 34 front suspension fork with 150mm of travel and Kashima coating starts things off. That’s followed by a 20-speed drivetrain brought to you by Shimano Deore XT Shadow Plus. Then you’ve got DT Swiss rims, KS LEV-DX dropper seatpost, Magura MT7 HD brakes, and a Yamaha PW-X motor. ‘Nuff. Said.
Another really cool feature on this bike is the Haibike eConnect system. I’m not sure why, but they only seem to be offering it on the 10.0. It has been available in Europe for awhile, so I imagine we’ll see an upgrade for the other Haibikes sometime this year. eConnect offers riders a way to prevent theft on their bikes, track rides, and alert an emergency contact if it detects a crash.
And lucky you, we’ve got another video review for this one! Pricing here. Blog post here.
2018 Bulls E-Stream Evo AM 4 27.5+
Time to give some love to my dudes and dudettes over at Bulls bikes. The Bulls E-Stream Evo AM 4 27.5+ (phew, out of breath after saying that one) is an incredible electric bike for the price point. I was going to put the step down from this bike on the list, (2018 Bulls E-Stream Evo AM 3 27.5+) but I realized that this bike is only $400 dollars more. The upgrades you get for that 400 bucks are pretty remarkable.
First of all, you’ll get a RockShox Lyrik RC Boost solo fork with 150mm of travel. You don’t find this fork on many electric mountain bikes at this price point. The new Brose Drive S motor is also featured on this bike. This is great for e-MTBs because it has 5 nm more torque than last year’s Brose bikes. You’ll also get a top-of-the-line derailleur with a Shimano Deore XT 11-speed drivetrain.
I was able to ride this bike at Interbike, and it impressed me. I previously preferred Haibike’s FullSeven line to the E-stream bikes, but I think this year’s models will give a Haibike a good run for their money. Check out current pricing on this bike here.
2018 Haibike XDURO AllMtn 6.0
The Haibike AllMtn line makes an appearance again with this incredible price-point option. The AllMtn 6.0 is a nice option with entry level components but the same aggressive build as the rest of the AllMtn line. And when I say entry level components, I definitely don’t mean that as a negative. You still get 150mm of travel with a Suntour Aion 35 RC suspension fork, a RockShox Deluxe RT rear shock, Magura MT32 hydraulic disc brakes, and Shimano Deore M6000 drivetrain with 20-speeds.
The other reason this one makes the list is thanks to the Yamaha PW-X motor that comes standard. I’ve spoken to the amazing quality of this motor in this post and previously in other posts, but I’d like to reiterate that Yamaha has taken huge strides with the PW-X upgrade. This motor puts them right on par with Bosch and other top e-bike motors.
Check out the current pricing on this bike here.
2018 Haibike SDURO FullSeven LT 4.0
The LT or long travel line that Haibike is one of the most interesting developments in electric mountain biking in quite some time. I’ve chosen the FullSeven LT 4.0 because I wanted to show you another quality, low-cost option. The FullSeven line is built a little less aggressively than the AllMtn series, but still functions as a great all-around mountain bike for those riders who want to hit fire roads, and maybe the occasional single-track trail. The coolest thing about the LT line is that it costs exactly the same as the standard FullSeven line that comes with 120mm of travel. You can upgrade to 150mm on any FullSeven bike for no extra cost.
A Yamaha PW-SE motor powers this bike. The PW-SE is a slight upgrade from the PW system, offering slightly more torque and new Bluetooth functionality for connection with activity trackers and apps.
A SRAM NX 11-speed drivetrain provides solid shifting capability. Tektro hydraulic disc brakes provide enough stopping power for most intermediate mountain bikers. And a Suntour Aion LO-R suspension fork with lockout keeps you comfortable.
Check out current pricing here. Upgraded options that I’d recommend are the Haibike SDURO FullSeven LT 9.5 or the Haibike SDURO FullSeven LT 8.0.
2018 Riese & Muller Delite Mountain
Definitely not a downhill option, but still great for mountain camping, fire roads, loose and packed dirt, and trail commuting, the R&M Delite Mountain definitely makes the list. This is a mountain bike version of the very popular full-suspension commuters offered by Riese & Muller. The main reason that this bike makes the list is thanks to it’s 1000 watt hour battery potential with a dual battery system.
R&M also provides only top-of-the-line components. You’ll get a Shimano Deore XT Shadow+ 11-speed drivetrain, Shimano Deore XT brakes, and a Fox Float 34 Performance Boost suspension fork with 120mm of travel. You can even upgrade to a 14-speed Rohloff drivetrain. If you’re using it for camping, you can include a rear rack to carry up to 60 pounds of gear along with you.
Check out current pricing here and our video review below.
2018 Bulls Six50 Evo AM 4
Super stoked on this baddie. The 2018 Bulls Six50 Evo Am 4 leads the fleet of full suspension mountain bikes that Bulls is offering with the new Bosch PowerTube. The other models (the 2018 Bulls Six50 Evo AM 3 and Bulls Six50 Evo AM 2) are slight steps down, but still excellent options.
On the AM 4 you get 150mm of travel via a Fox Factory 36 Float fork, 11-speeds from a Shimano Deore XT drivetrain, and Magura MT-Trail hydraulic disc brakes. They also don’t gip you on the dropper with a wonderful, wonderful KS Lev. In terms of geometry, the build is pretty dope. It’s a nice slack feel, so you can do some solid downhills. A DT Swiss wheelset along with Magic Mary tires give you a lightweight and smooth ride.
We’ve only gotten to try these at Interbike since the PowerTube hasn’t been approved for sale in the States yet, but when that happens, I’m sure these bikes are going to be gone quickly. See how you can preorder one here.
2018 Haibike XDURO DwnHll 9.0
We’ve got to give you a Haibike downhill option considering their excellent history with downhill and enduro models. Downhill models are traditionally incredibly expensive, but the DwnHll 9.0 offers a slightly lower price point for a top mountain bike. The build is incredibly slack so you can rip downhill in ideal positioning. The PW-X motor makes climbing much more enjoyable as well.
Top specs on this bike: RockShox Boxxer RC suspension fork with 200mm of travel, Magura MT5 hydraulic disc brakes, and Shimano ZEE M640 10-speed drivetrain. This model also features a better-integrated display so that riders don’t need to worry about shearing it off during a fall or drop.
Check out pricing here.
2018 Haibike SDURO FullSeven 10.0
The final appearance of both the FullSeven and the Yamaha PW-X on the countdown. This top notch 27.5″ wheeled shred sled is another perfect fire road rider for the intermediate rider looking to step their game up. One thing I didn’t mention before but I wanted to let you all know is that I think the FullSeven geometry this year allows the bikes to be more accessible to riders of all sizes. Traditionally, most companies offer one or two options for female riders. Haibike does offer the FullLife models, but the FullSeven series by and large offers better components and a very similar geometry. I think that’s great.
Anyway, soap box over. You get 20-speeds from a Shimano Deore XT M786 Shadow+ drivetrain, 120mm of travel with a RockShox Revelation RC fork with lockout, and up to 20 mph of assistance.
2018 Bulls E-Core Di2 FS 27.5+
Certainly very excited about this e-MTB. Bulls has decided to make use of the super powerful Shimano Steps E8000 motor. With a 500 wH battery and a 250 watt motor, this bike will assist you up incredibly steep hills but not burn too much of the battery. Bulls also sets this bike apart by setting it up with Shimano Di2 electronic shifting and a Deore XT drivetrain for precise and quick shifting. The other specs are about what you’d expect from a ride in this price range. Magura MT5 hydraulic disc brakes, RockShox suspension with 150mm of travel, and Rocket Ron tires on tubeless ready rims let you take on any mountain trails.
This is an incredibly spec-ed out all around e-MTB for any rider. Grab this bike if you’re looking for one of the most powerful and tech heavy bikes on the market.
Top 10 Electric Mountain Bikes for 2018
Those are our choices for the top eMTBs this year. There are loads of great options as battery life continues to improve and motors provide more assistance than ever before. Electric bikes are primed to move heavily this year. It’s the only bike market that continues to grow every year. The more units that sell, the better the bikes become. That’s great for consumers and the bike community in general!
Cheers!