How we research

eBike Research matches an e-bike to the rider and the road using numbers a manufacturer published. This page is the method behind every guide on the site.

Where the specs come from

Motor watts, torque, battery size, payload, weight, rider height, tires, and class are copied from the brand's own spec list. Each product file cites that URL, and each guide links the pages it used. A sentence that quotes a weight, a torque figure, or a price comes from that page, not from a review site.

Blanks stay blank

If a spec is missing, or two official pages disagree, the table shows an em dash. We do not fill the gap with a guess, an average, or a number from a retailer that the brand did not print.

No test rides yet

The eBike Research team has not test-ridden the bikes in these guides. The site does not describe how a bike feels, and it does not present a lab or a mechanic's certification. Owner comments are used only when they appear on the manufacturer's site, and they are labeled as one person's report.

How picks are chosen

A guide starts with one question: payload, a steep grade, or a price cap. The first quick pick is the bike whose published spec answers that question most clearly. For heavy riders that is the Lectric XPedition 2.0, because it publishes a 450 pound total, a separate 330 pound rider cap, and a 300 pound rear rack. For steep hills that is the Velotric Discover M, because it publishes a mid-drive, 100 Nm rated and 130 Nm max, and an 11–46 cassette. The under-$2,000 comparison does not name one winner. The Discover 2 is the lowest checked price, the Vorsa publishes the most torque, and the Aventure 3 is the fat-tire bike. Commission is not part of that choice.

Updates and corrections

Prices on the current guides were checked October 10, 2026. When a brand page changes, send the link to hello@ebikeresearch.com. We correct the spec and the date on the guide. We do not keep a stale number once we know the source page moved.

Editorial independence from affiliates

Some product links may earn a commission after a program approves the site. Until then they point at the brand's ordinary product page. The affiliate disclosure sits above the first product link on every guide and in the footer. You do not pay extra. Commission does not change which bike a guide prefers. Rankings follow the published specs.