E-Bike Brands Founded in CA and Why They Stand Out

Written by: Rémy Rossi | February 28, 2025 | Time to read 6 min

California has been a hot spot for bicycle brands for decades and the growth of e-Bikes is only the latest chapter. Check out the top e-Bike brands with roots in the Golden State.

More about the Author: Remy Rossi

Rémy Rossi is a bike writer, mechanic, and educator who got his start in community-based bike shops and co-ops. With a decade in the industry, he still wrenches on bikes when he can and plays bike polo on a fixie.

California boardwalk with cyclists and pedestrians

Growing up in Northern California, I thought riding a bike was just something that everybody did. The well-maintained trails, large parks, mountains, and bike paths made it easy to enjoy cycling and take it for granted. The fact that my dad is an avid cyclist boosted my interest, but all my friends biked around and rode to school on two wheels, too. In many ways, California is a cycling paradise so it makes sense that so many great bike brands have their roots in the Golden State. As they say… West Coast, best coast.

Table of Contents

Introduction

What’s so special about CA bike brands?

Best California-founded e-Bike brands

What’s so special about CA bike brands?

It’s as simple as walking out your front door and you’ll understand why so many bike brands have popped up in California. Well, maybe it’s a different story if you live in the middle of the asphalt barren that is downtown LA, but even then, there’s a certain appropriateness for urban e-Bikes.

The diversity of coast routes, mountain trails, and bike paths means there are tons of cyclists around— and that means plenty of bike shops and bike nerds. It’s these bike shops and geeks that have typically been the founders of the popular brands we know today.

California brands can test their bikes in their backyard and take advantage of the rich cycling community in the state. And there’s a certain stylish flair and laid-back attitude to CA bike brands that come from the West Coast lifestyle— the birthplace of skateboarding, cool jazz, and Levi’s jeans.

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Best California-founded e-Bike brands

In this blog, I’ll walk through some of the best electric bike brands that were founded in California and continue to be headquartered there (although most bike production happens overseas these days). The selection of brands featured below is by no means a comprehensive list. I’ve selected most of the largest CA-founded e-Bike brands and Upway frequently has models from these brands in stock.

Legendary Northern California brands like Santa Cruz and Marin also manufacture top-quality electric bikes, but not many of their models are coming through the UpCenter’s doors at the moment. And there are tons more smaller brands that got their start in the cycling-obsessed Golden State. But what is the best electric bike? Pick out your favorite used electric bike from Upway!

Specialized

The largest California-based bike brand is Specialized, founded in Morgan Hill back in 1974. The company originally focused on manufacturing bicycle tires but gradually expanded to other components, arriving eventually at its game-changing moment in 1981: the debut of the Stumpjumper mountain bike. That model was one of the first mass-produced mountain bikes and launched Specialized’s path to producing all types of bikes.

Today, Specialized stands as a powerhouse in the cycling industry, boasting a global presence, professional team sponsorships, and an expanding lineup of both traditional and electric bikes. Specialized came into the e-Bike scene in 2009 when it introduced the Turbo model. The e-Bike family expanded with models like the Tero, Levo, Vado, Creo, and Como. Some of Upway’s top best-sellers include the Specialized Turbo Tero electric mountain bike and the Turbo Vado hybrid e-Bike.

Aventon

Aventon is about as So-Cal of a brand as you can get. Its stylish approach to electric bikes is perfect for boardwalk cruising and urban riding and actually comes from the brand’s roots as a fixed-gear bike manufacturer. Aventon was founded by a California State University, Long Beach student amid the 2010s fixie craze— and if you thought fixies were big in your city at that time, they were an absolute phenomenon in California (where I lived at the time).

The brand eventually pivoted, rolling out its first electric model, the Pace 500, in 2018. From there, Aventon fully embraced the e-Bike movement, expanding its lineup to seven models, with most featuring powerful rear-hub motors and a throttle mode for an extra boost. I recently wrote about the top reasons to ride an Aventon e-Bike. And while Aventon may have left its fixie roots behind, its commitment to eye-catching design still reflects the fashion-forward spirit of its early days. Aventon is headquartered in Brea, California.

Electra Bicycle Company

The Electra Bicycle Company— or simply Electra— specializes in comfort and hybrid bikes. You may recognize it as related to the Trek brand since, as of 2014, Electra is a subsidiary of the bike giant. Electra was founded in Leucadia, California back in 1993 by Benno Baezinger who wanted to focus on lifestyle bicycles rather than bikes used only for sport. That recreational and fun attitude inspired a popular line of cruisers and brightly colored bikes.

Electra is well known for its popular Townie model (also available as an e-Bike) with crank-forward geometry that they call Flat Foot Technology. This allows riders to comfortably plant their feet on the ground when stopped, removing worries about balance when coming to a stop. Electra is now headquartered in Encinitas, California.

Pedego

Pedego was founded in 2008 in Huntington Beach, California, with models initially marketed toward the older generations of cyclists who may be interested in electric bikes. A bit like Electra, Pedego focuses on comfort or hybrid styles of electric bikes rather than high-performance machines.

Some popular models include the City Commuter, Element, Interceptor, and foldable Latch e-Bikes. Pedego e-Bikes are some of the most affordable models on the market for all riders looking for a relaxed and pedal-assisted ride. For an even better deal, purchase a 2nd hand e-Bike for sale on Upway!

Yuba

Yuba exclusively makes cargo bikes. I first hopped on a Yuba cargo bike back when I worked at a bicycle non-profit in Boston in 2016 and we traveled (by bike) to farmer’s markets across the city. And they are well-built, ultra-practical machines. That one was pedal-powered but Yube makes excellent cargo e-Bikes for added oomph. The brand was founded in Sausalito, California in 2006 and is currently based in Lake Forest, CA. Some of their most popular models include the Spicy Curry and Mundo with a generous maximum carrying capacity of 400 to 440 pounds.

SUPER73

SUPER73 makes those motorcycle-inspired electric bikes you’ve probably seen around, and it has become the leading brand in that niche. SUPER73 was founded in Orange County, California in 2016 after a successful Kickstarter campaign and the brand skyrocketed in popularity thanks to some clever marketing and celebrity collaborations. There are a handful of SUPER73 models that stand out because of their classic moped-inspired look and stylish details, and plenty of power, too.

Key Takeaways

California’s Cycling Culture Breeds Innovation: The state’s diverse terrain and strong biking community have made it a hub for top e-Bike brands.
Homegrown Brands Dominate the E-Bike Scene: Specialized, Aventon, Pedego, and others have evolved from traditional bikes to leading the electric revolution.
Style Meets Performance: California brands blend cutting-edge tech with trend-setting designs, from SUPER73’s moto look to Electra’s laid-back cruisers.

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