Best 500 Watt Electric Bikes | How We Chose Ours?

Are you looking for a 500W electric bike with decent enough hill-climbing power?

 Maybe all you want is a mid-level e-bike with enough range to cover your daily commute; well, whichever category you fall into, this post will equip you with basic knowledge on what to look out for when selecting the best 500-Watt e-bike for your needs. 

Best 500 Watt Electric Bikes in 2022

#1. Aventon Pace 500

The Aventon Pace 500 isn't your average 500-Watt e-bike. This e-bike's rear hub motor can generate up to 750 Watts of power at peak performance; that's an extra 250 Watts of juice at your disposal.

The bike has a top pedal-assisted speed of 28 mph and also features a power-on-demand functionality that propels it to a maximum speed of 20mph using just its handlebar-mounted thumb throttle (no need to pedal).

Its 48V 11.6 Ah removable battery can power the entire bike to cover ranges up to 67 miles on a single charge (based on real-world tests conducted by Aventon themselves).

Aventon includes one 48V 3Amp charger to every Sinch order. This charger should get your e-bike fully juiced up and ready for another fun ride in under four hours.

Its 49-pound (22.3 kg) aluminum frame has a maximum payload capacity of 300 lbs (136 kg). The bike's electronic components also have casings that shield them against water splashes from every direction. 

#2. Radmission 1

This electric bike comes with a 500-Watt motor that can generate up to 50 Nm of torque and reach top speeds of 20 mph (32 km/h). Riders shouldn't face much resistance climbing up steep hills thanks to the planetary gears fitted into the motor.

The bike also offers riders the option to choose between three different riding modes; pedal-assist, throttle-assist, and pedal-powered mode. In pedal-assist mode, users can toggle between four levels of motor assistance. The first level offers the least amount of power to the rider, while the last level (Level 4) propels the motor to operate at its highest intensity.

All these settings can be accessed from the bike's control mechanism. However, unlike the Pace 500's more-advanced LCD meter, the Radmission features a pretty basic control panel that indicates battery and pedal assist levels using LED lights.

One thing I love so much about the Radmission 1 is its integrated braking system. From the brake lever, riders can engage the bike's mechanical disc brakes, but that's not all. The brake levers also feature a motor cut-off switch that kills the motor immediately the brakes are applied.

Squeezing on the brake levers automatically activates the bike's rear light, in addition to engaging an integrated bell. Powering the entire unit is a 48V 10.5Ah battery that provides up to 45 miles (72.42 km) of range on a single charge.

#3. Ride1Up 500 Series

If you're in the market for a multi-terrain 500-Watt electric bicycle, it might be a good idea to check out the Ride1Up's 500 Series. This Class-3 e-bike comes with a 500W geared Shengyi hub-motor that can put out up to 750 Watts of power at peak performance. 

The bike reaches top speeds of 28 mph in pedal-assist mode and 20 mph in throttle-only mode. Like the Radmission 1, the Ride1Up 500 also features a walk-assist option that allows riders push the bike with little help from the motor.

Still on riding modes, it's worth noting that the 500 Series offers up to nine different levels of pedal assistance. This allows for a more seamless transition between power settings.

Its front suspension forks come with preload adjustment and allow about 100mm of travel. Newer versions of the Ride1Up 500 Series come with 48V 13Ah batteries estimated to be able to cover between 25 and 45 miles of range per full charge.

Its LCD meter displays battery level, speed, mileage, pedal-assist level, and a headlamp indicator. The Ride1Up 500 Series is currently available in step-through and high-step frames. Riders also have the option to include racks and fenders to their orders for an extra $100 (for a total of $1495) on the base model's price ($1395).

You won't be needing an aftermarket headlight though as the bike comes pre-installed with one. 

What Is the Best Wattage for an Electric Bike

In most cases, riders don't need more than 250 Watts of electric power to travel from one destination to the other. However, factors like rider weight, wind strength & direction, and gradient often affect the performance of these motors during rides.

This is why it's important to only purchase electric bikes that fit your riding profile. An electric bike with a 250-Watt motor might be able to meet a lightweight rider's commuting needs on flat roads. Increase said bike's payload and the motor's efficiency will drop drastically (unless the engine is a mid-drive motor).

The same applies to riding up steep hills for extended periods. So, it's best that riders select electric bicycles according to their needs. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to finding the best electric bike power rating.

If you're a heavy rider (between 200 and 300 pounds), I highly recommend that you only consider purchasing electric bikes with power ratings above 500 Watts. Go higher, if you're going to be using the bike for heavy-duty purposes.

As mentioned earlier, electric bikes with nominal power ratings of 250 Watts should be able to propel lightweight to average-sized individuals comfortably. Just keep in mind that you might start to feel the bike's motor struggle as you travel up steep inclines (especially if you're not pedaling at all).

Is 500 Watts a Lot of Power

In general, 500 Watts of electric power is a lot when compared to the wattage an average rider generates while pedaling a traditional bike. If you were to browse through random e-bike product pages, you'd find that the minimum power rating for most of the Class 3 e-bikes (any electric bicycles with a max speed of 28 mph) available on the market today is 500 Watts.

500-Watt motors pack a lot of punch in them. How efficiently they perform under different situations depends solely on their integration with the bike's drive.

How Fast Does a 500W Electric Bike Go in MPH?

On average, 500W electric bikes can go as fast as 20mph (32.2 km/h) in throttle-assist mode and 28mph (45 km/h) in pedal-assist mode. However, don't expect them to overcome resistance (headwinds, rolling resistance, rider weight, etc) the same way higher-powered electric bikes do.

On flat roads, e-bikes with 500W motors will accelerate at much slower speeds than 750 or 1000W electric bikes.

Is 500 Watts Enough for an E-bike

As a general rule, 500 watts is enough for the majority of ebike riders, however, you want to be careful when browsing through e-bike product specifications. Not all electric bikes with a 500W rating are suitable for heavy duty usage.

A good rule of thumb would be to look for 500-Watt electric bikes with 36+ Volts battery packs. Any e-bike with a battery system lower than that — 12V or 24V — will most likely not be able to deliver more than 350 Watts of power - at peak performance.

How Far Can a 500W Ebike Go

On average, 500W electric bikes can cover up to 35 miles (56km) on a full charge. Nevertheless, mileage can be extended by switching to more energy-conserving riding modes.

For example; an electric bike's lowest pedal-assist level delivers minimal mechanical power to the rider and as such consumes less energy from the battery. Switching to this level could extend your bike's range by up to 10 miles (16km).

Can a 500W Ebike Climb a Hill

In general, A 500W e-bike should provide enough power to climb steep hills. However, the bike's performance while traveling uphill will rely more on the type of motor it's equipped with than on how much power that motor is able to generate.

Mid-drive systems generally perform better at hill-climbing than hub-drive systems. This is because mid-drive motors integrate with a bike's gear system.

So, even when you're not pedaling (using the throttle), you can switch to a low gear and trade speed for torque. This isn't something you can do on an e-bike with a hub motor.

Hub motors have only one speed/gear ratio. Unless you pedal, if a hub motor can't propel an electric bike all the way up an incline, it can't!

What Is the Highest Watt Electric Bike

The strongest electric bike on the planet is the Stealth B-52 Bomber. This e-bike generates up to 6200 Watts (6.2KW) of power at peak performance.

It has a top speed of 50mph (80km/h) and can cover up to 60 miles (97km) on a full charge. The bike's 'City' mode limits its power and ensures that it can be ridden as a Class 2/3 e-bike.

500W vs 750W E-bike

An electric bike with a 750-Watt motor will undoubtedly perform better at climbing hills than one with a 500-Watt motor. Such e-bikes will reach top speeds faster and will be able to overcome resistance better.

500W vs 1000W E-bike

Any motorized cycle with a power rating above 750W (1 Horsepower) isn't considered an 'electric bike' in the U.S. These kinds of bikes are prohibited from cruising where normal and lower-powered e-bikes ride.

So, if we were to make a comparison, a 1000W e-bike is basically a 500W e-bike on steroids - 2X more power, superior hill-climbing ability (even if it's a hub-drive system), increased torque, insane acceleration, etc.

Juiced's Hyperscorpion is a perfect example of an e-bike with a 1000W motor. This bike easily exceeds Class 3's 28mph in 'race track' mode.

Best 500 Watt Electric Bikes (Affordable Options)

1) Velowave 27.5'' Mountain E-bike

Thanks to its 500W brushless hub motor, this e-bike can reach speeds of 25 miles per hour.

Responsive front and rear disc brakes ensure the e-bike can be brought to an immediate halt even when it's traveling at high speeds.

In terms of battery capacity, the Velowave 27.5'' Mountain E-Bike is rigged with a 48V 13Ah lithium-ion pack that can power the bike up to 50 miles (80km) on a full charge.

It's also equipped with hydraulic front forks that can be adjusted to adapt to any terrain. This makes it suitable for riding on almost all kinds of terrain.

2) Heybike Mars

If you're looking for a high-performance all-terrain 500W electric bike, you might want to check out Heybike's Mars. This 66-pound (30Kg) fat-tire mountain e-bike can attain speeds of 20 miles per hour.

What's most surprising about this budget e-bike is its maximum load capacity. Mars can support up to 330 lbs (150kg) of rider + cargo weight.

This feature isn't something you'll easily find on e-bikes that aren't specifically designed to transport cargo (even higher-powered e-bikes).

Some of its other cool features include

3) Overfly Hummer

This commuter e-bike is equipped with a high-speed brushless Bafang hub motor that can provide up to 500 watts of continuous power. It is limited to a top speed of 20 mph and can cover up to 50 miles on a full charge.

Multiple riding modes let riders choose between five different levels of pedal assistance and fully electric, throttle-activated mode. Thanks to its collapsible frame, the Overfly Hummer comes 95% assembled.

You don't need to be a gearhead to attach the remaining components as the pack contains a manual and a set of tools.