E-bike brands: You should know these manufacturers
While the e-bike was considered an absolute niche product a decade ago, it is now more in demand than ever. Interest in e-bikes runs through every age group and group of people, because electric bicycles are not only suitable for leisure excursions, they are also popular everyday companions on the way to work and when doing bulk shopping. Therefore, it is no wonder that the market for e-bikes and e-bike brands is growing steadily. There are now almost 400 different e-bike manufacturers – it's easy to lose track of them. To ensure that you are still well informed about e-bike brands, we will show you in this guide what makes a good e-bike manufacturer and present the most famous e-bike brands.
What distinguishes a good e-bike manufacturer?
Due to the high speeds that an e-bike reaches, motor-driven bicycles are exposed to significantly greater loads than normal bikes. This places high demands on the frame, brakes, fork and shifting components. Thus, flawless workmanship and the use of only high-quality materials are essential. But in addition to the high quality standards, e-bike manufacturers also have to meet other conditions. For example, there are customer requests for innovation and convenience. Thus, a good e-bike brand should always bring new models with optimized technology to the market. This can be better lighting, a more powerful motor or an ergonomically adapted frame. The following criteria of e-bike brands have proven to be particularly important:
- Many years of experience in e-bike development and production,
- attractive design,
- good value for money,
- regularly appearing innovations,
- good support and satisfactory quality management,
- low error rate and complaint rate,
- easy availability of spare parts,
- positive image of the brand.
We present: The current best e-bike brands
Since the list of all available e-bike brands is extremely long, we will limit ourselves in this article to the currently most popular and proven e-bike manufacturers. In the following sections you will find a brief overview of the e-bike brands that you should definitely know:
Riese & Müller
Riese & Müller is a German e-bike manufacturer that offers bikes in the premium segment. The company specializes exclusively in the production of electric bicycles and was the first e-bike manufacturer to offer bikes with Bosch's Dual Battery System. The e-bike brand is mainly known for its high-performance trekking e-bikes as well as its cargo bikes such as the Packster.
Cannondale
The e-bike manufacturer Cannondale has almost 50 years of experience with two-wheelers. The company is now one of the largest bicycle and e-bike manufacturers in the world. The e-bike brand can count innovations such as the single-sided suspension fork and the entire integration of the rear suspension in the frame among its achievements. Cannondale now mainly produces e-road bikes as well as e-trekking bikes and e-mountain bikes.
GIANT
The vehicles of the e-bike brand usually stand out with their shrill colors and an unusual design. That's why GIANT's eMTBs have an enormously high recognition value.
Behind the e-bike brand Cube is a German company that was founded in Waldershof in 1993. This is the largest bicycle manufacturer in Germany, which was able to sell 500,000 bikes worldwide in 2015 alone. Cube was able to introduce one of the first series-produced e-road bikes ever and continues to shine with new achievements in the field of e-mobility.
Electra
The e-bike brand Electra comes from the USA and stands for young lifestyle and a casual riding experience. The e-bike manufacturer has been selling its motorized bikes for over 20 years and has since become the market leader in America. The unique look and deep saddle of the bikes, also known as flat-foot technology, has become increasingly popular in Europe in recent years. This is because the practical technology allows you to place your foot on the ground without having to get off the saddle.
Kettler
Kettler is a traditional German company with headquarters in the Sauerland region. The brand was founded in 1949 and became known for the legendary KETTCAR. Later, the manufacturer was able to make headlines with the first production-ready bicycle made of aluminum and inspire with various innovations in the bicycle as well as sports and leisure sectors. The e-bikes from Kettler combine classic-looking bicycles with the advantages of a modern electric drive and are very popular, especially in this country.
Husqvarna
Husqvarna once started as a motorcycle brand and has gradually established itself as an e-bike manufacturer. To this day, the e-bike brand mainly produces sporty pedelecs and e-mountain bikes. The brand is known for particularly high-quality components that can withstand heavy loads, which is the be-all and end-all for off-road tours. But electric city bikes and e-trekking bikes are also part of the e-bike manufacturer's portfolio.
Diamond
Especially the older generation should be familiar with the Diamant brand. It has been in existence since 1885. The company is still based near Chemnitz and started producing bicycles more than 100 years ago. In the meantime, the company has been affiliated with the American group Trek. Despite all this, the e-bikes still bear the Diamant name and are still manufactured in Hartmannsdorf near Chemnitz. Due to the annually changing badge on the head tube, Diamant e-bikes now have a real cult status.