7 Best Step-Through Electric Bikes: Commuters, Fat Tires, and Cruisers
April 18, 2024
Finding the right ebike can take a lot of research, especially since the market has grown exponentially in the last few years. If you want to find electric bikes (ebikes)—including ones that are easy to get on, comfortable to ride, and offer a versatile experience—consider this carefully selected list of step-through electric bikes.
Whether you’re looking for a step-through full suspension ebike or a commuter step-through bike for daily rides, you’ll find the perfect option here. We’ll help you navigate the market so you can better understand your options and choose a bike that fits your lifestyle—whether you need to haul the kids to and from school on a cargo bike, want an agile bike to weave through traffic on your commute, or crave an off-road, fat-tire adventure.
Here, we’ll cover what step-through ebikes are, answer common questions about choosing the right frame, and share our step-through ebike reviews. In this article, you’ll discover:
- 1. Best 750-Watt Step-Through Electric Bike
- 2. Best Step-Through Ebike for Seniors
- 3. Best Step-Through Ebike With Throttle
- 4. Best Women’s Step-Through Ebike
- 5. Best Step-Through Folding Ebike With Fat Tires
- 6. Best Step-Through Full Suspension Ebike
- 7. Best Mid-Drive Step-Through Ebike
- 8. Best Step-Through Bike Accessories
- 9. What Is a Step-Through Ebike?
- 10. Are Step-Through Bikes Unisex?
The Best Step-Through Ebikes
Ready to find the best step-through electric bikes? Here are our top picks, including several Aventon models like cruiser bikes, fat-tire bikes, and commuter ebikes.
1. Best 750-Watt Step-Through Electric Bike: Aventon Aventure
Highlighted Specs:
- ✓ Price: $1,799 MSRP
- ✓ Max speed: 28 mph
- ✓ Battery range: 60 miles
- ✓ Torque sensor: Yes
- ✓ Payload: 400 lbs
- ✓ Warranty: 2-year warranty
- ✓ Throttle: Throttle on demand
The Aventon Aventure is a 750-watt step-through electric bike with a rear hub motor. It features a torque sensor that measures how hard you’re pedaling and adjusts power accordingly. That means, the harder you pedal, the more power you generate from the motor. This can ultimately conserve battery life and extend riding range.
This step-through ebike fat-tire model with 4-inch tires, has a forged alloy seat post, and a payload capacity of 400 pounds so you can charge hard on sandy beaches or tackle gravel trails. The bike has a long range of 60 miles on a single charge so you can take on even the longest treks and more fun.
All Aventon bikes come with a two-year warranty, and there are over 1,800 bike shops you can visit to get repairs or try different models with in-person test rides. The Aventure has a regular price tag of $1,799 MSRP, and you get free shipping on all ebikes.
2. Best Step-Through Ebike for Seniors: Aventon Level
Highlighted Specs:
- ✓ Price: $1,699 MSRP
- ✓ Max speed: 28 mph
- ✓ Battery range: 60 miles
- ✓ Torque sensor: Yes
- ✓ Payload: 300 lbs
- ✓ Warranty: 2-year warranty
- ✓ Throttle: Throttle on demand
The Aventon Level is one of the best step-through ebikes for seniors and commuters, thanks to its versatility. Out of the box, the Level comes as a class 2 ebike but can be upgraded to a class 3 if desired through the Aventon app. This added power increases mobility, while safety features like built-in lighting keep you safe on the road. With two bike frame styles—step-through and step-over—you can choose the style you prefer.
Designed also as a commuter bike, this model can handle it all, whether you’re commuting to your job on a paved bike path, cruising around the block to visit your family or riding through dirt trails in the park to meet up with friends.
The Level features a Shimano eight-speed derailleur, a 750-watt motor, and an on-demand throttle, so you’ll be cruising around town without breaking a sweat. Built-in fenders keep you dry when your adventures take you down muddy paths, and the aluminum handlebars offer comfortable grip for maximum control. And a built-in LCD display makes it easy to keep an eye on your battery level, speed, and so much more.
The Level costs $1,699 MSRP, slightly cheaper than the Aventure, which is designed for more rugged terrain.
3. Best Step-Through Ebike With Throttle: Aventon Pace
Highlighted Specs:
- ✓ Price: $1,599 MSRP
- ✓ Max speed: 28 mph
- ✓ Battery range: 60 miles
- ✓ Torque sensor: Yes
- ✓ Payload: 300 lbs
- ✓ Warranty: 2-year throttle
- ✓ Throttle: Throttle on demand
Are you looking for the best step-through ebike with throttle? The Aventon Pace is a cruiser ebike featuring a throttle and four levels of pedal assist, including eco, tour, sport, and turbo. This class 2 ebike has a 500-watts of rear hub motor power and a top speed of 28 miles per hour.
Ideal as a women's step-through ebike, the handlebar stem is also adjustable so you can make the ride as comfortable as possible. The Pace weighs just 52 pounds, compared to 62 pounds for the Level and 77 pounds for the Aventure.
The Pace will cost you a low $1,599 MSRP, making it one of the more affordable ebikes on the market. For that price, you’ll get a powerful bike with added safety features, including puncture-resistant tires, integrated lights—a headlight, rear light, and turn signals—and a backlit LCD display to track all of your riding metrics and more.
4. Best Women’s Step-Through Ebike: Aventon Abound
Highlighted Specs:
- ✓ Price: $1,799 MSRP
- ✓ Max speed: 20 mph
- ✓ Battery range: 50 miles
- ✓ Torque sensor: Yes
- ✓ Payload: 440 lbs
- ✓ Warranty: 2-year warranty
- ✓ Throttle: Throttle on demand
The Aventon Abound is our top pick for women’s step-through ebikes and one of the best electric bikes for transporting cargo—especially if you’re looking for a step-through frame. With a suspension fork featuring 50 mm of travel, a seven-speed Shimano derailleur, and hydraulic disc brakes, you can carry groceries, kids, or your pets, even on rough terrain.
The Abound features a rear rack where you can add accessories like backpacks, panniers, and child seats. One of the best step-through ebikes for seniors, this frame style offers a low step through, making it easy to mount and dismount the bike.
This cargo ebike features a dropper seat post to quickly adjust your riding position for better comfort, even as the incline changes on your route. With a price tag of $1,799 MSRP, the versatility of the Abound makes it a great choice for families and people who want to ditch their cars but still be able to carry cargo wherever they go.
5. Best Step-Through Folding Ebike With Fat Tires: Aventon Sinch
Highlighted Specs:
- ✓ Price: $1,499 MSRP
- ✓ Max speed: 20 mph
- ✓ Battery range: 55 miles
- ✓ Torque sensor: Yes
- ✓ Payload: 300
- ✓ Warranty: 2-year warranty
- ✓ Throttle: Throttle on demand
The Aventon Sinch is a 20-inch step-through ebike fat-tire model designed for ease of use. Not only is it easy to get on, but it’s also completely portable thanks to its foldable frame feature. The handlebars and frame tuck neatly next to the rear tire and seat for compact, easy storage—whether you’re hopping on a bus or packing it away after a long adventure.
This step-through folding electric bike has a 500-watt motor and 4-inch fat tires so you can take the road less traveled. Fenders keep you clean and dry, and the font suspension lets you cover more ground while staying comfortable.
The Sinch folding electric bike step-through model costs just $1,499 MSRP, an exceptional deal for an ebike on today’s market—especially for one so compact and powerful.
6. Best Step-Through Full Suspension Ebike: Conway Cairon 5.7 Wave
Highlighted Specs:
- ✓ Max speed: 25 km/h (15 mph)
- ✓ Battery range: 110-120 km (68-74 miles)
- ✓ Torque sensor: 75 nm
- ✓ Payload: 130 kg (286 lbs)
- ✓ Warranty: 2-year warranty
- ✓ Throttle: No
The Conway Cairon Wave is a step-through full suspension ebike. This electric mountain bike (eMTB) makes hitting harder trails more accessible. Easily hop on the bike thanks to the low-step design and tackle uphill trails thanks to the Bosch Performance motor and lithium-ion battery.
With a RockShox Recon Silver RL front fork suspension offering 120 mm of travel, you’ll easily roll over boulders, roots, and other obstacles along the way. This step-through full suspension ebike also has a rear Fox Float DPS shock and a Tetro brake system for smooth deceleration as you navigate the trails.
This all-terrain step-thru electric bike comes in at 4,799.95 euros MSRP—that’s a huge price increase from the Aventon models, which will save you around $3,000. Even compared to Aventon’s eMTB (the Ramblas), the Cairon Wave is 77% more expensive.
7. Best Mid-Drive Step-Through Ebike: Avadar C5
Highlighted Specs:
- ✓ Max speed: 20 mph
- ✓ Battery range: 60+ miles
- ✓ Torque sensor: 80 nm
- ✓ Payload: 300 lbs
- ✓ Warranty: 2-year
- ✓ Throttle: None
The Avadar C5 mid-drive step-through ebike has a small 250-watt motor and 16 dual-chainring gears. With five modes of pedal assist and a mid-drive motor that increases stability and center of gravity, it’s designed to make biking easier.
Additional specs on this step-thru ebike include a spring suspension with lockout, hydraulic disc brakes, and automatic headlights that adapt to lighting conditions like a car. Instead of integrated lights, it has a prism-based reflector on the rear to improve visibility.
The MSRP of the Avadar is $2,280, but you’ll sacrifice power since the motor is just 250-watts compared to the Aventon models, which are typically 500 or 750-watts. And you’ll still pay over $400 more compared to even the most expensive Aventon model.
The Best Step-Through Bike Accessories
With these step-through electric bike reviews, you can choose the right bike for your riding style and preferences. Once you choose a bike, don’t forget to look into bike accessories that can make your riding even more comfortable. Here are some of our favorite accessories for step-through bikes.
Aventon Phone Holder
Enjoy a ride through town or on the trails, without having to dig into your pockets for your phone to check for directions. Use the Aventon Phone Holder to quickly attach your phone to the bike handlebars. A 360-degree rotation and quick-release bracket make it easy to operate the phone while riding or when taking a break.
Thousand by Aventon Heritage Helmet
Stay safe whether you’re new to riding bikes or getting older and trying to take better care of your noggin with the Thousand by Aventon Heritage Helmet. Featuring a classic style and comfortable fit, this helmet has an adjustable dial for better fit, seven vents, and an integrated anti-theft feature.
Aventon Foldable Hitch Rack
Take your bike anywhere to discover new adventures and tackle new trails with the Aventon Foldable Hitch Rack. The 2-inch hitch bar is compatible with most vehicles, and the quick-hook adjusting system makes for easy loading and faster securing.
What Is a Step-Through Ebike?
Step-through bikes—also known as step-thru frames—don’t have a top tube or top bar. This makes it easier to get on and off the bike, without having to lift your leg as high as on traditional bikes. Compared to step-over bikes, step-through bikes typically offer better ease of use, have a more upright riding position that’s ideal for carrying cargo, and often provide greater stability.
Step-through ebikes offer versatility for riders based on riding experience level, age, and comfort preferences. These bikes are a great option for people who are new to riding bikes, those who prefer a more comfortable posture while riding, and older individuals or those with mobility issues who may appreciate easier mounting and dismounting. Step-through ebikes are also ideal for people who commute to work—or head out for a night on the town—and need to wear tighter-fitting suits, dresses, or skirts.
There are several different types of step-through ebikes including pedal-assist step-through electric bikes and options for step-through ebikes with throttles. Pedal-assist bikes provide a little extra boost, delivering power every time you pump the pedals. On the other hand, step-through ebikes with throttles provide power and speed, even when you aren’t peddling, making it easier to travel faster and further with less effort.
On the market, you’ll also find step-through bikes in several different styles. These include off-road mountain bikes, commuter bikes, fat-tire ebikes, folding ebikes, and cargo bikes. Each one is designed for a different type of riding, so look for a step-through bike that best fits your preferences.
Are Step-Through Bikes Unisex?
Yes, step-through bikes are unisex. With this bike style, you don’t have to search for a ladies’ step-through electric bike or a men’s version. They’re designed to fit all sexes, and they’re a great way to improve mobility for people with physical limitations or weight restrictions.
No matter who you are, the step-through design makes it easier to mount and dismount the bike. That means you can hop on even if you’re wearing a dress or if you need a lower bar that’s easier to lift your leg over.
