Hybrid E-Bikes: Everything You Need to Know about All-Terrain Electric Bikes

Extremely powerful, rideable on most ground and yet comfortable – hybrid e-bikes are the all-in-one of the electric bike world. The claim is easily proved: with their specific, multifunctional design, hybrid e-bikes combine the advantages of conventional e-bikes with those of a mountain bike. This makes them extremely versatile when it comes to their area of application – no matter whether you are looking for a pedelec for your daily commute or a bike for tours through the woods on the weekend. In principle, hybrid e-bikes are robust, full-suspension and very often roadworthy e-bikes that combine the functions of a electric bikes for the city and trekking e-bikes as well as those of an e-mountain bike.

The strengths of a hybrid e-bike lie primarily in its versatility and robustness – this is also evident in the bike’s equipment. Thanks to their powerful motor and off-road capable components, hybrid e-bikes are ideal for sporty cyclists who like to ride off the beaten track. At the same time, however, hybrid e-bikes also appeal to urban cyclists who like to get their speed-up in comfort with more motor power. It is not for nothing that many manufacturers draw parallels to the car sector and refer to hybrid e-bikes as SUV bikes. And commuters are also a typical target group for hybrid e-bikes. Thanks to the support of the electric motor, you can finally cover longer distances with an electric hybrid bike. These bikes make getting stuck in traffic jams on the way to work a thing of the past.

• You can use a hybrid e-bike in many ways and ride it on a wide variety of ground surfaces.
• Most electric hybrid bikes come with a powerful motor.
• This type of pedelec often has a very long range as well.
• Despite its sporty aspirations, the hybrid e-bike still offers a comfortable seating position.
• The hybrid e-bike is perfect for commuters looking for a sporty alternative to the car.

Hybrid e-bikes differ from classic e-bikes in a few ways. For one thing, hybrid e-bikes usually have a more powerful motor. On the other hand, hybrid e-bike wheels and tires are designed for off-road use. This means that the special e-bike tires are often somewhat wider and more profiled than on an e-bike for the city. E-hybrid bikes are also usually equipped with suspension and disc brakes to give you top off-road performance. Hybrid e-bike brakes are also larger. All these features make this type of e-bike your ideal choice if you like to keep all your options open – and if you want to be able to use your electric bike in as many ways as possible.

Please note: Despite their all-terrain capabilities, e-hybrid bikes still cannot compare to e-gravel bikes or e-mountain bikes. E-gravel bikes and e-mountain bikes are completely designed for off-road use and are primarily aimed at sport cyclists. They also come equipped with the matching components: compared to the e-hybrid bike, these bikes have, for example, drop handlebars (e-gravel bike) or more spring travel (e-mountain bike). The tire tread is also usually more pronounced on these wheels. Hybrid e-bikes, on the other hand, are more in the midfield: suitable for the road and for easy to moderately difficult terrain – but not for extremely demanding terrain.

• In terms of its equipment, the hybrid e-bike lies between the city bike and the mountain bike. This means it is at home both on and off the road.
• In contrast to the mountain bike, the hybrid e-bike is designed more for everyday use. This means that most models have a wide range of mounting options for lights, mudguards, side stands or pannier racks.
• Many models even come with features such as pannier racks, lights or mudguards ready-installed as standard.
• Hybrid e-bikes are almost always equipped with disc brakes.
• Hybrid e-bikes have lugged tires that even provide grip on gravel.
• In terms of drive, a mid-drive motor is usually used. This is due on the one hand to the high power of mid-drive motors and on the other hand to their even distribution of the centre of gravity.
• The seating position on a hybrid e-bike is somewhat sportier than on a typical city bike or trekking bike. However, it is not as sporty as a mountain bike.
• Hybrid e-bikes are also called SUV bikes or crossover e-bikes by some manufacturers.
• In principle, there are stark differences when it comes to hybrid e-bike features – depending on the rider’s personal preferences. That’s why BIKE24 offers a large selection of different hybrid e-bike models.

Crossover e-bikes are sporty all-rounders that combine the features of city, trekking and e-mountain bikes and thus close the gap between road and off-road cycling. This definition alone shows how big the world of e-hybrid bikes is. There are e-hybrid bikes that could be described as off-road city e-bikes. Then there are e-hybrid bikes that could be characterised as city-suitable e-mountain bikes. And then there are the e-hybrid bikes with features that appeal to sporty touring riders whose adventures take them on both asphalt and gravel and who want to be able to bring as much luggage as possible.

Before buying an e-hybrid bike, there is a crucial question: how are you going to use your bike? The answer to this question then determines what equipment your perfect hybrid e-bike will need – and which models are suitable for you. We have listed different purposes below to make your choice a little easier. First things first: at BIKE24, we offer you countless different e-bikes, so you are sure to find the right electric bike here.

You regularly commute to work in the city: In this case, we recommend a fully equipped e-hybrid bike with a comfortable geometry. Its equipment should include a pannier rack, mudguards, side stand and a roadworthy lighting system. However, the range is not so important here, as you can recharge the bike in the evening if necessary. The tire structure depends on your commute. However, a light profile is sufficient for most commutes on asphalt cycle paths.

You want to use the hybrid e-bike on the way to work as well as on tours: In this case, we recommend a similar setup to the commuter e-bike mentioned above. With one difference: for touring riders, e-bikes with a longer range make sense. We also recommend a slightly deeper tread to the tires if you tend to ‘sprinkle in’ a few gravel tracks from time to time on your tours. The pannier rack is essential on these bikes so that you can mount touring bags. A front rack is also an option.

You want to use the hybrid e-bike as an all-round sporty bike: In this case, road-safe equipment is helpful, but may not be all that important – unless you ride at night. For sporty weekend tours, however, it makes sense for your hybrid e-bike to be equipped with a powerful motor, a decent range and puncture-proof, lugged tires.

A question that is also frequently asked in connection with hybrid e-bikes is about the differences between women's and men's models. The big difference here lies mainly in the frame shape. In addition to the classic diamond frame, many manufacturers also offer frames with a so-called wave shape, which is somewhat more comfortable. The frame dimensions also differ due to women’s smaller average height, the distance from the handlebar to the saddle – also called reach – is smaller on a woman’s bike than on a man’s bike. If this is not the case, the sitting position can be too stretched out – and thus lead to back and neck problems in the long term. You can find out more about ergonomics in our BIKE24 Ergonomics section.

Regardless of whether you are looking for a women's or men's model: if you really want to go fast, we recommend an e-gravel bike or an e-mountain bike. The e-gravel bike is the sportiest variant of the e-hybrid bike, with a shape and equipment that comes very close to the classic gravel bike or even the racing bike. But the e-gravel bike also has an auxiliary motor that supports you off-road and on climbs. The same applies to the e-mountain bike, which is the motorised twin of the classic mountain bike.

Caution: E-gravel bikes and e-mountain bikes often have very reduced equipment. This means that many models will not have a pannier rack fitted as standard. When buying an e-gravel bike, we therefore recommend that you find out about the equipment and mounting options of the respective model in detail. Caution: E-gravel bikes and e-mountain bikes are designed as sports equipment for off-road use. This means that most models will not have pre-mounted lights.

Now we come to the accessories for e-hybrid bikes. In principle, the same accessories are available here as for classic e-bikes. If your bike does not come with a factory-installed light system, you will find a large selection of e-bike lights also powered with batteries at BIKE24. For commuters and city cyclists, we also recommend a bell. If you want to make your e-hybrid bike sportier, some dedicated off-road e-bike tires may be sensible. And if you want to use your hybrid bike for touring, bikepacking or touring bags are often a useful addition. At BIKE24, we offer you a large selection of corresponding e-bike parts and accessories for your e-hybrid bike.

• Hybrid e-bikes are the ideal choice for sport cyclists who want to get around off the beaten track as well.
• Hybrid e-bikes also appeal to city cyclists who like to ride with more motor power and more comfort at the same time.
• It is not for nothing that hybrid e-bikes are also called SUV bikes. And commuters are also a typical target group for hybrid bikes.
• E-hybrid bikes usually have powerful motors, a good range and equipment suitable for off-road use.
• Many models also have city-suitable components such as pannier racks, lights and mudguards.