What a touring e-bike is
A Bike Equipped for Long Days
A touring e-bike is built for range and load: a stiff frame that carries panniers, a rack rated for luggage, lights and fenders fitted at the factory, and room for two batteries. It suits multi-day trips, long commutes and riders who ride every day in all weather.
The type is strongest in Germany and the Netherlands, where trekking bikes are the main adult bike. Riese & Müller, Kalkhoff, Gazelle and CUBE build most of them, nearly all with Bosch mid-drives.
Several German makers have pulled back from the US: Riese & Müller left the US market in 2026 and Kalkhoff has suspended US sales, so their touring bikes are mainly European products.
Variants
Four Kinds of Touring E-Bike
| Variant | Defining trait | Suits | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trekking | Mid-drive, suspension fork, rack and lights | Daily riding and day tours | Kalkhoff Endeavour 3, CUBE Kathmandu Hybrid |
| Dual-battery | Two packs for long range | Multi-day tours without charging | Riese & Müller Charger5 |
| Comfort touring | Step-through frame, upright position | Riders who want easy mounting | Gazelle Ultimate T10 |
| Speed touring | HS version assisting to 28 mph or 45 km/h | Long, fast commutes | Riese & Müller HS models |
Drive and equipment
Bosch Mid-Drives and Large Batteries
Touring e-bikes use mid-drives, mostly the Bosch Performance Line, because they climb well under load and work with derailleurs, internal hubs or Enviolo stepless hubs. Belt drives from Gates are common on premium models because they need little maintenance on long trips.
Range is the defining spec. Most touring bikes take a frame-integrated battery, and the premium models offer a second pack for double the range. See Batteries & Safety and Drive Systems.
Rules and standards
Pedelec Rules, With Speed Pedelecs as Mopeds
In the US a touring e-bike is a Class 1 or Class 3 e-bike under state law. Class 3 models need a speedometer in many states and are barred from some multi-use paths.
In the EU a standard touring bike is a pedelec under EN 15194, limited to 250 W and 25 km/h. An HS speed pedelec that assists to 45 km/h is an L1e-B moped under Regulation (EU) No 168/2013 and needs type approval, a plate, insurance and a helmet. See e-bike laws by state.
Representative brands
Four Touring E-Bike Makers
One representative model per brand. The hero chart shows each brand's lineup figure from the EbikesX brand dataset; brands with no recorded figure are left off the chart.
| Brand | Model | Variant | Legal class | Drive | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riese & Müller | Charger5 | Dual-battery | Class 1 | Bosch mid-drive | Germany |
| Gazelle | Ultimate T10 | Comfort touring | Class 1 | Bosch mid-drive | Netherlands |
| Kalkhoff | Endeavour 3 | Trekking | Class 1 | Bosch mid-drive | Germany |
| CUBE | Kathmandu Hybrid | Trekking | Class 1 | Bosch mid-drive | Germany |
Core brands with touring models
| Brand | Country | Drive | Battery (Wh) | Representative model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addmotor | United States | Bafang (some models); others unnamed, rear hub, front hub | 960 | Triketan M-330F |
| CUBE | Germany | Bosch, mid | 400-800 | Kathmandu Hybrid |
| Gazelle | Netherlands | Bosch; Shimano, mid | 400, 500 | Ultimate C380 |
| Giant | Taiwan | Giant SyncDrive (Yamaha-built), mid | 400, 500, 625 | Trance X E+ |
| Kalkhoff | Germany | Bosch, mid | 400, 500 | Endeavour |
| Orbea | Spain | Shimano; Mahle; Bosch, mid | 630 (plus 210 extender) | Rise |
| Riese & Müller | Germany | Bosch, mid | 400, 500 | Load 75 |
Archive brands still selling touring models, with specs from 2020: ANCHEER, Atala, Haibike, Head, Hercules, Kettler Alu-Rad, Luna Cycle, Magnum, MOD Bikes, Mondraker, Raleigh, Raymon, Steppenwolf.
Every brand on file is in the brand directory.
Record
Sources
- Brand data
- EbikesX brand dataset, brands_2026 and type_page_brands, checked Q4 2026
- Standards
- EN 15194; Regulation (EU) No 168/2013; UL 2849
- Last verified
- Q4 2026