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When looking for an electric bike, you’ll find they come equipped with one of two types of drive system: chain drives or belt drives. The latter is slightly less common, but still a very solid option that should be considered.
We’ve put together our own guide of the best electric belt drive bikes in 2023, to help you in understanding the benefits and what to look out for.
Best Belt Drive E-Bikes [Top 10]
Electric Belt Drive Bike [PROS + CONS]
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
Less wear to components | Less efficient |
Easier to maintain | Limited gears |
Easier to clean | Limited component options |
Smoother ride feel | Needs frame compatibility |
Is a Belt Drive Better Than a Chain E-Bike?
To be honest, this is a matter of opinion! Each type has pros and cons, and lends itself better to certain tasks.
For example a belt drive typically needs far less maintenance, and will outlast a chain drive. But belt drives are far less efficient, and can be limiting in terms of gearing options. Belt drives either need to be single speed, or use an internal gear box located either in the rear hub or bottom bracket.
Therefore, it depends upon the intended use of the E-bike: If you’re looking for a bike that can take you around town with ease and is low maintenance, then a belt drive is a great option. Whereas if you’re a keen cyclist already looking for optimal power transfer and easy customisation (as well as range of gears), then a a chain drive E-bike will be more suited to you.
Are Belt Driven E-Bikes Worth It?
Belt drive E-bikes are worth it if their benefits suit your needs. A belt drive will last for significantly longer than your average bike chain, with very low maintenance. Furthermore, there’s no need to worry about oily marks on the inside of you leg or trousers – belt drives require no oil or lubrication, unlike chain driven bicycles.
On the other hand, a belt driven E-bike may not be worth it for a keen cyclist looking to get in the miles at the weekend, as this system is less efficient when compared to chain driven E-bikes. As well as that, gearing options may be more limited on a belt driven E-bike. However, it will still be more than sufficient for commuting or riding around town.
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Best Belt Driven Electric Bikes [Top 10]
- Cowboy 4 [REVIEW]
- Urtopia Carbon E-Bike [REVIEW]
- TENWAYS CGO600 [REVIEW]
- Honbike UNI4 [REVIEW]
- Schindelhauer Emil [REVIEW]
- Ampler Curt [REVIEW]
- Pure Flux One Electric Hybrid [REVIEW]
- Desiknio Singlespeed [REVIEW]
- RAKEDE Boost Black [REVIEW]
- Veloretti Electric Ace [REVIEW]
1. Cowboy 4
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£2,490
-
$2,990
-
€2,790
Prices are approximate
- Weight: 18.9 kg (total weight including battery)
- Range: Up to 70 km
- Wheel Size: 27.5″
Low maintenance
Trendy colors
Removable battery
The Cowboy 4 is a strong contender for anyone wanting a city bike that’s practical and reliable but still looks the part. It’s also a bike that is perfect for any commuters wanting to go electric, as it’s easy and offers a comfortable ride.
This quirky bike is available in a range of three trendy neutral colours – black, sand and khaki. Therefore there’s a colour to suit everyone’s taste. This bike also comes with mudguards and a single ring on the front, to keep it low maintenance.
It’s fitted with a 10 Ah, 360 Wh removable Lithium ion battery, which is 100% recharged in 3hours and 20min. This bike also benefits from having fitted a custom designed 45 Nm / 250 W motor which is integrated in the rear wheel.
2. Urtopia Carbon E-Bike
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$2,800
-
€3,300
Prices are approximate
- Weight: 15 kg
- Range: Up to 100 km
- Wheel Size: 27.5″
Built-in Navigation
Anti-Theft GPS
Carbon Frame
Now this is a cool looking e-bike. It just looks fast and futuristic.
Indeed, this isn’t just an electric bike. This is a smart bike and has incredible useful features such as a built-in navigation, AI voice controls, indicators, fingerprint unlock and anti-theft GPS.
And the list of impressive features doesn’t end there. It uses a belt-drive to keep maintenance to a minimum and has an outstanding range of up to 100km (62 miles).
Urtopia have done an especially god job on the appearance – or lack thereof – of the battery pack as it is discreetly built into the frame, but it is still removable, so you can take it from the bike to charge inside.
And as you might have guessed from the name of the bike: it’s got a carbon frame. Which explains how it’s managed to pack all these awesome features into a total weight of just 15kg (33lb).
The Urtopia bike is available across mainland Europe and north America, but sadly not the UK as it stands.
3. TENWAYS CGO600
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£1,500
-
$1,800
-
€1,600
Prices are approximate
- Weight: 15 kg
- Range: Up to 70 km
- Wheel Size: 700C
Belt drive electric bike
Affordable price
36V, 7AH Lithium-ion battery with 250W motor.
Offering a smooth and enjoyable ride, the CGO600 from TENWAYS is a solid and well priced option for anyone looking for a belt drive electric bike to ride around on that won’t break the bank.
This bike comes in a range of colours to suit your personal style: Midnight Black, Sky Blue, Light Grey, Lime Green and Arctic Blue. It also comes equipped with hydraulic brakes.
Electronically, the CGO600 has a 36V, 7AH Lithium-ion battery with Samsung/LG/Panasonic cells, that’s paired with a Mivice M070 250W motor, located in the rear hub. This motor allows (in the European market) for speeds of up to 25km/h or 16mph.
4. Honbike UNI4
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£1,700
-
$1,700
-
€1,800
Prices are approximate
- Weight: 20 kg (total weight including battery)
- Range: Up to 100 km
- Wheel Size: 27.5″
Sleek minimalist design
Lightweight (20kg/44lb)
Long range (up to 100km/62 miles)
In terms of design, the Honbike UNI4 might well be the ultimate commuter e-bike.
It has a sleek minimalist design, tonnes of handy features, weights just 20kg (44lb) and have a mammoth range of up to 100km (62 miles). That’s right: up to 100km between charges.
And the features are certainly plentiful. There’s built-in lights, disc brakes, a sturdy kickstand, splashguards as standard and, of course, a belt-drive to ensure minimum maintenance requirements.
What more could you want from an electric bike for commuting?
The Honbike UNI4 has an uber stylish minimalist frame, which needs to be seen in full view to appreciate and is available in black or white.
Indeed, it’s so sleek, it’s not even clear that it’s an electric bike to the untrained eye as the battery is actually built into the frame. Obviously there are pros and cons with such a design: on the plus side it looks sleek and won’t draw as much attention from thieves, but on the downside, you need to bring your bike inside (or your electric cable outside) to charge it up.
5. Schindelhauer Emil
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£3,720
-
€4,400
Prices are approximate
- Weight: 18.3 kg (6-speed)/18.6 kg (9-speed)
- Range: Up to 80 km
- Wheel Size: 27.5″
Electric belt drive system
Mineral Grey paint job with tan sidewall tires and saddle
MAHLE ebikemotion 250-Watt motor and 250Wh-battery.
A bigger budget option is the Emil, which has the option between either a 6 speed or 9 speed version. This electric belt drive system bike is a more luxurious choice for those wanting quality and style.
This bike has an undeniably classy aesthetic, which in part is thanks to its Mineral Grey paint job coupled with tan side walled tyres and saddle. It’s also fitted with mudguards, hydraulic disc brakes and kickstand.
This model from Schindelhauer benefits from the MAHLE ebikemotion 250-Watt motor (which is located in the rear hub) and an integrated 250Wh-battery
6. Ampler Curt
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£2,650
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$3,480
-
€3,190
Prices are approximate
- Weight: from 14.4 kg
- Range: 50 to 100 KM
- Wheel Size: 700c
Minimalist
Hydraulic disc brakes
Electric belt drive
Thinking of style, sophistication, something minimalist yet practical? The Ampler Curt ,complete with hydraulic disc brakes, ticks all of those boxes. It’s an electric belt drive single speed, which is perfect for commuting.
In addition to its chic good looks (coming in all matte black) this bike also benefits from having useful accessories such as a front light and mudguards.
The Curt has an impressive range of up to 100km is thanks to its 336 Wh battery capacity, which takes 2.5 hours to fully charge. The bike is fitted with a 250W hub motor.
7. Pure Flux One Electric Hybrid
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£1,100
Prices are approximate
- Weight: 17.5kg
- Range: 40 KM
- Wheel Size: X”
Single speed
250W battery
Fast charging
The hybrid electric single speed by Pure Electric is a perfect all round choice, especially for those working on a budget or looking for an e-bike to get fit on. Coming in at just £1,099.00 it’s hard not to appreciate the value for money.
The bicycle does have a nice understated look to it which is perfect for minimalist-look lovers.
This bike is fitted with a 250W battery as well as a 252Wh battery, with 5 hours needed to fully recharge. Alternatively, 3 hours will charge the battery up to 80%.
8. Desiknio Singlespeed
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£3,900
-
$5,120
-
€6,700
Prices are approximate
- Weight: Around 13.5 kg
- Range: 50 to 100 KM
- Wheel Size: 700c
High-end option
Integrated battery in stem
250W hub motor and 250 Wh battery
On the other end of the price spectrum, we have the very suave looking Desiknio Singlespeed. This high end option would make the perfect weekend single speed electric bike, and maybe even a highly sophisticated commuter.
Aesthetically this bike has to be one of the best looking. It has a minimalist vibe which is helped by the battery being integrated within the stem, keeping everything streamlined and neat.
Regarding the electronics, this electric single speed benefits from a 250W hub motor as well as a 250 Wh battery. A full charge for the bike will take between 2 to 3 hours.
9. RAKEDE Boost Black
-
€2,000
Prices are approximate
- Weight: Around 15kg
- Range: 40 to 70 KM
- Wheel Size: 700c
Electric single speed
Visually striking
250W brushless hub motor
The RAKEDE Boost Black is another solid electric single speed option, which is also budget friendly. Although it’s still expensive for a bike, for an e-bike it’s a reasonable price tag, and you get a lot for your money.
This bike is without a doubt visually striking. This is mainly thanks to the matte black frame being paired with stylish tan sidewall tyres. It comes complete with mudguards and hydraulic disc brakes.
This bike is fitted with a 250W brushless hub motor. The neatly hidden battery is fully charged after only 3 hours.
10. Veloretti Electric Ace
-
€2,500
Prices are approximate
- Weight: 27 kg
- Range: Up to 120 KM
- Wheel Size: 27.5″
Bafang 36v 250W motor
Samsung Removable Smart Battery
Hydraulic brakes
Next (available in only EU countries) is the Electric Ace from Veloretti. This is a great mid range belt drive electric bike. It would without a doubt make the perfect stylish commuter.
In their own words, the Electric Ace is a bike with a clean design without any fuss. It comes in three minimalist colours, Ace Graphite, Ace Jet Black and Ace Matte Black. Hydraulic brakes are also fitted.
The motor on this model is a Bafang 36v 250W with a maximum torque of 65 Nm. It’s has been paired alongside a Samsung Removable Smart Battery / 36V, 510 WH which offers a 60KM to 120KM range.