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Updated September 30, 2026 · CommuteCue Editorial Team

Riese & Müller vs Tern

Riese & Müller scores 9.2 and Tern 9.5 out of 10. Compare their differences and shared features below.
Riese & Müller

Riese & Müller

9.2/10
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Tern

Tern

Higher score in this comparison

9.5/10
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What sets them apart

Riese & Müller vs Tern
CompareRiese & MüllerRiese & MüllerReviewSee alternativesSee alternativesTernTernReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives
Reference modelsNevo5, Load5, Superdelite5GSD R14, Quick Haul D8, HSD P10e, Vektron P7i
Largest battery (Wh)8001,600Higher
Lightest model (kg)27.722.8Lower
Frame warranty5 years10 yearsHigher
Removable batteryYesNot confirmed
Claimed range (km)Not confirmed288
Maximum payload (kg)Not confirmed210
Battery warranty2 yearsNot confirmed

Same on both: Motor position (Mid), Assist class (EU 25), Belt drive (Yes), Sales model (Dealer), Service network (Partner).

We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.

Key differences

  • Tern scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.2.
  • Largest battery (Wh) is higher at Tern: 1,600 vs 800.
  • Lightest model (kg) is lower at Tern: 22.8 vs 27.7.
  • Frame warranty is higher at Tern: 10 years vs 5 years.
  • Founded is lower at Riese & Müller: 1993 vs 2011.
  • Bike types: only Riese & Müller offers City, Hybrid.
  • Bike types: only Tern offers Commuter, Folding.

Our verdict on each

Riese & Müller

Riese & Müller suits riders who want a belt-driven, Bosch-powered commuter built to be serviced rather than replaced, and who will buy from a dealer rather than online. The 5 years frame warranty carries the trust case, the entry price does not.

Read the full Riese & Müller review

Tern

Tern suits riders who want one maker to cover cargo, commuting and folding, and who plan to keep the bike for years. The cargo bike pairs a bosch motor mounted mid-drive with a battery of up to 1,600 Wh and a stated payload of 210 kg.

Read the full Tern review

Score breakdown

Riese & Müller vs Tern
AreaRiese & MüllerTern
Offer9.1Bosch mid motor, belt drive, removable battery and 5 years frame cover back the package.9.7HigherSold through dealers, dealer, so the price sits on the model and the shop rather than on a brand rate card.
Trust9.6Higher1993 trading history, Riese & Müller GmbH named in the imprint and a 2 years battery warranty.9.0A listed battery certification, ul 2849, a 2011 founding date and service handled by partner shops.

Choosing between them

Pick Riese & Müller if trust matter most.

Pick Tern if offer, largest battery (wh), lightest model (kg), and frame warranty matter most.

How they place

Riese & Müller vs Tern
RankingRiese & MüllerTern
Electric bikes86 of 18563 of 185
Commuter and city e-bikes63 of 14340 of 143
Cargo e-bikes31 of 6921 of 69
Belt-drive e-bikes11 of 358 of 35

By the numbers

Riese & Müller vs Tern
FactRiese & MüllerTern
Largest battery (Wh)8001,600
Lightest model (kg)27.722.8
Frame warranty5 years10 years

A third option

Eskute has largest battery (wh) at 2,160, against 800 for Riese & Müller and 1,600 for Tern.

Eskute review

Every fact side by side

Riese & Müller vs Tern
FactRiese & MüllerTern
Bike typesCity, Hybrid, CargoCargo, Commuter, Folding
Motor brandBoschBosch
BrakesNot confirmedHydraulic disc
CertificationsNot confirmedUl 2849
Legal entityRiese & Müller GmbHNot confirmed
HeadquartersGermanyNot confirmed
Founded1993Lower2011
Support channelsHelp centreNot confirmed

Where each stands against the rest

Riese & Müller vs Tern
FactRiese & MüllerTernMedian
Largest battery (Wh)800below the median1,600highest quarter800.8
Claimed range (km)Not confirmed288highest quarter138.5
Lightest model (kg)27.7above the median22.8below the median25.7
Maximum payload (kg)Not confirmed210highest quarter158.76
Frame warranty5 yearshighest quarter10 yearshighest quarter2 years
Battery warranty2 yearsabove the medianNot confirmed1 year

Median across 144 listed brands.

Pros and cons

Riese & Müller

Pros

  • Bosch mid motor in mid position, the layout most e-bike service workshops already handle
  • Belt drive and a removable battery cut the parts that normally wear first on a commuter
  • 5 years on the frame, longer than the 2 years on the battery

Cons

  • Support runs on help centre alone, with no phone line or live chat listed
  • Sales run through a dealer model, so there is no direct route to buy around the shop markup
  • 27.7 kg for the lightest bike is heavy for a stairwell or a train platform

Tern

Pros

  • One maker covers cargo, commuter and folding, so a household can run a cargo bike, a commuter and a folder without changing brands.
  • The cargo bike pairs a battery of 1,600 Wh with a claimed range of 288 km, driven by a bosch motor.
  • A payload of 210 kg on that cargo bike carries shopping and school kit in a single trip.

Cons

  • The lightest bike listed is 22.8 kg, so stairs and platform lifts work against these machines.
  • Buying runs through dealers, dealer, so the entry price is set shop by shop rather than by the maker.
  • Servicing is handled by a partner network, so a repair depends on which partner covers your area.

Who each suits

Riese & Müller

Who it suits

  • Commuters covering a long daily distance on a bike they plan to keep for years
  • Households replacing an unreliable bike once and wanting belt drive instead of a chain
  • Riders who prefer a dealer purchase with a local workshop on hand

Who should look elsewhere

  • Buyers wanting the lowest entry price in the €8.73 to €7,774.27 spread of listed e-bikes
  • Riders who need phone or chat support, since help centre lists a help centre only
  • People who plan to lift a bike into a flat or a train, given 27.7 kg

Tern

Who it suits

  • Households that need a payload, since the cargo bike is rated to 210 kg for shopping and children in one trip.
  • Riders who want the drive in the frame rather than a wheel, with listed placement of mid on a bosch unit.
  • Daily riders who want hydraulic braking, since brakes listed for the range are hydraulic disc.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Riders after fat tyre or eMTB shapes, where HK Beirui Trade Co. covers fat-tire and eMTB through commuter, folding and fat tire and Tern lists cargo, commuter and folding.
  • Buyers wanting city, hybrid and step-through frames, which Kalkhoff lists in city, hybrid and step through while Tern's range is cargo, commuter and folding.
  • Riders on town and step-through trips rather than loads, since iSinwheel's commuter, city and step through adds city, step-through and eMTB alongside commuter and folding.

Questions about each

Riese & Müller

How much does a Riese & Müller e-bike cost?+

Entry prices for listed e-bikes start at €8.73 and run to €7,774.27, with €876.09 as the middle. The bikes themselves are sold through a dealer model, so the figure on a dealer's list is what you pay rather than a website checkout.

Why do these bikes cost more than other e-bikes?+

Part of the premium buys a Bosch motor in mid position rather than a hub motor, which is the less common layout among listed brands. Part buys belt drive, which is a higher-cost build than a chain. The rest is dealer servicing and a 5 years frame warranty.

Tern

What does a Tern cost to buy?+

Each bike in GSD R14, Quick Haul D8, HSD P10e, Vektron P7i is sold through a dealer, so the price is set per model and per shop rather than listed centrally. Across the e-bike brands compared on the site, entry prices span €8.73 to €7,774.27 and the middle sits at €876.09.

What does the warranty cover after the sale?+

Tern states a frame warranty of 10 years. Bought through a dealer, dealer, the bike is then looked after through the partner service network, so the workshop that handles warranty work is one that fits your area. Worth confirming the terms with the dealer at purchase.

Other options to compare

Riese & Müller

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Tern

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