It was undoubtedly a big year for the eMTB scene. Specialized dropped the Levo 4, Amflow with the PL Pro Carbon, and Transition tossed the Regulator CX and SX into the ring. I was lucky enough to spend time on some of the most impactful eMTBs to drop this year, and a few really stood out.
Here are my favorite E-bikes from 2025, but with some non-eMTB options thrown in, because I was also lucky enough to test out a few that fall outside the scope of dedicated electric mountain bikes. From collapsible grocery getters to wicked fast e-bikes that border on e-moto territory, these are the E-bikes that stood out during my year of testing.
Specialized Levo 4
Deven McCoy
The Levo 4 was a bike I didn’t want to love, and I didn’t at first. It was heavy, very damped, and I didn’t quite get the application. Not to mention, I saw it as a bike that escalated the eMTB arms race. After taking the Levo 4 to some steeper trails, getting the suspension dialed, and the flip chips flipped, I saw the light and ended up totally pivoting on my opinion. The Marin Rift Zone XR changed my mind about eMTBs in general, and the Levo 4 showed me the light and made me a believer in the progress eMTBs are making.
Ride1Up Revv1 DRT
Deven McCoy
This is barely an e-bike, but it’s got pedals, cranks, and a battery, so it’s technically an e-bike. But it’s also stupid amounts of fun and makes me feel like a kid again. It sucks to pedal, but to be fair, it’s not really meant to pedal. The throttle is there for a reason, and running errands has never been so much fun, especially when taking this around town during rush hour means I’m always faster than traffic.
It’s a blurry line between eMoto and e-Bikes, but the Revv1 DRT does a pretty good job at sitting on the fence, and I never got off the bike without a smile on my face.
Brompton G-Line Electric
Deven McCoy
A very different bike from others that I’ve tested this year, but because it’s such a departure, it really made an impression. Both my fiancé and I spend a lot of time riding the Brompton G-Line around. It’s tiny and gets even smaller when folded, but still has full fenders, a comfortable riding position, disc brakes, lights, and enough power to make cruising, grocery runs, or commuting a breeze without stressing about battery life or charging the lights.
The form factor aside, the Brompton Electric G-Line is also just a mighty fine bike to look at, and I had no shortage of compliments while pedalling around on it. Not to mention, I felt like I was part of a very cool and niche club of Brompton owners.
Amflow PL Carbon Pro
David Bontrager
There isn’t much I can say about the Amflow or Avinox motor that hasn’t already been said. The power availability from the Avinox motor is godly, and could even be frightening if you aren’t comfortable with the speed and torque on offer. But if you can dance with the devil and meet the system’s power, the Amflow is an incredibly dialed first attempt at a full-power eMTB from a brand that is essentially in its infancy.
While the Amflow PL Pro is amazing in many ways, it’s not perfect. It eats through drivetrain components, and since it’s the first swing at a bike from the young brand, some things will likely be refined over the next few years. All that aside, the Amflow PL Pro is a marked step in eMTB history, and a welcome development for many. It’s light, powerful, and the suspension layout is pretty bang on.
Transition Regulator
Deven McCoy
Although the Regulator SX isn’t a powerhouse like the Amflow, it’s still got a special place in my heart. The bike is absurdly well sorted, with a mechanical drivetrain, well-considered components, and in my opinion, the Bosch SX motor is one of the best on the market, even if the CX has a bit more junk in the trunk, so to speak. The Regulator SX is nimble, playful, and feels incredibly intuitive, as is the case for all the bikes Transition makes. I keep finding myself riding the Regulator SX even when I have other, more powerful eMTBs at my disposal.
I’ve ridden the Regulator SX on pro-level jump lines, loamy steeps of Southern Oregon, chundery tech of Moab, and the nerfed flow of Boise, and the bike loves whatever I can throw at it.
Ari Timp Peak
Deven McCoy
The Ari Timp Peak 2.0 is the evolution of the brand’s Timp Peak, a full-power, enduro missile, and with a new suspension layout, Bosch CX motor, and big-ol’ battery, it absolutely EATS. Long travel, supple suspension, and well-considered geometry make this a delightful big bike with gobs of power to get back up to the start of the steeps. I used the Ari Timp Peak as the baseline for many tech and aggressive trails when testing other eMTBs with a similar travel range and power output. While the Avinox system is a brute, the Bosch CX and SX motors feel much more human, which earns them a spot on my favorites list for 2025.