83rd of 188 we've scored in Electric Bikes

83rd of 188 in E-Bikes

Tern NBD S5i Low-Step Electric Bike

Class 1
401-600 Wh
61-80 mi claimed
301-350 lb max load

SVT Score, Mid

Usability4.5/10Social7.0/10The SVT Score is placed on its category's range

Versus

SVT SCORESRead review

The NBD with a stronger Bosch motor, a larger pack and a belt drive on an ultra-low step frame, at a higher price.

$3,899

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SKU: 12-91-06 Category: Electric Bikes Brand: Tern

Usability

4.5 out of 10

Battery3500 Wh Bosch PowerPack on the commuter ladder (Wh printed, V and Ah not)

Range: 32-74 mi claimed

Better on batteryAventon Level 4 ADV Commuter EbikeThe Level 4 ADV carries an 800 Wh battery. $2,799Scores 7.0

Motor465 Nm Bosch Performance Line mid-drive

Better on motorHimiway A7 Pro e-bikeMid-drive is rated at 130 Nm of torque. $2,499Scores 10.0

Ride Hardware6hydraulic discs, rigid fork, torque sensor, puncture-protected tires

Seatpost: air-sprung RideEasy seatpost, not rear suspension

Weight651.6 lb as listed by Tern

Features4removable battery, lights, rack and fenders

Better on featuresVelotric Discover 3 commuterA removable battery. $1,999Scores 10.0

Verification4Bosch ETL UL 2849 system listing only; SGS AU EPAC approval names EU NBD S5i

Searched: Intertek SGS Certipedia UL TÜV SÜD CPSC Health Canada
Record: Intertek ETL, ANSI/CAN/UL-2849 (Electrical Systems for eBikes), none: drive-system listing, does not name any Tern bike, ROBERT BOSCH LLC - Foothill Ranch, CA
Record: SGS, not printed (Recognised External Approval/Certification Scheme; EPAC, EU-spec model codes), NBD S5i 2PxEU25, Quick Haul P9 2PxEU25, LEVA Group Pty Ltd

Better on verificationAventon Level 4 REC Commuter EbikeUL certifies this model to UL 2849 under certificate UL-US-2557601-3. $1,999Scores 6.0

Warranty & Support5two years from Bosch on battery and drive unit (Tern excludes Bosch parts)

Frame: Tern frame, fork and handlepost five years, ten with Tern Care; other Tern parts one year

Price

Edition: Airstream NBD S5i in satin aluminum, $4,099.00

Strengths

Ultra-low step-through frame
Belt drive needs little upkeep
Comfortable upright ride
Strong hydraulic brakes
Frame lock keyed to the battery

Drawbacks

Range drops in cold weather
No suspension fork
Basic monochrome display
Pricey for a commuter
Only five gears for hilly rides

Verdict

A comfortable low-step belt-drive commuter, but pricey and short on cold-day range

Social score

7.0 out of 10

RedditProduct-line7 out of 10

r/terngsd (Aug 2024): a new NBD owner calls it a beautiful, well-designed bike with a great finish in first impressions

Google7 out of 10

Liked

balanced handling
comfort
equipment

Complaints

cold-weather range

Read the full summary

BikeRadar (unit source not stated) found the NBD S5i balanced, comfortable and well equipped, with limited range in cold weather (updated Jun 2026)|WIRED (unit source not stated) rated it 6/10, calling it very easy to ride (Oct 2022)

YouTubeBrand-level7 out of 10

ElectricBikeReview.com, which takes manufacturer testing fees, has video-reviewed several Tern cargo bikes and called the GSD S10 Gen 3 the best cargo e-bike it had tested (Dec 2025)

AmazonNot scored

The Amazon pool is blank: the search turned up no Tern e-bike sold on Amazon by Tern or an official Tern store (October 2026).

User reviewsNot scored

The retailer pool is blank: none of Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Costco, Dick's Sporting Goods, REI, Home Depot or Lowe's lists the NBD S5i (October 2026).

Reviews

Trustpilot shows one review of ternbicycles.com, from October 2022, for a TrustScore of 3.2.
That single review is one-star, so the page is 0% five-star and 100% one-star.
The Trustpilot page is unclaimed and has no history of inviting reviews (October 2026).

Track record

The BBB holds no business file for Stile Products in Lakewood, California (October 2026).
CPSC and Health Canada list no recall of a Tern e-bike (searched October 2026).
Stile Products recalled Tern Link, Verge and Eclipse folding bikes for frame cracks in 2013, 2014 and 2016.

Not countedExcluded

Not counted in any pool: the brand's own store reviews, its YouTube channel and Facebook page, and dealer pages and dealer videos.

Specs

TypeCommuter
E-Bike ClassClass 1
Battery401-600 Wh
MotorMid-drive
Top SpeedUp to 20 mph
Claimed Range61-80 mi
Weight41-55 lb
Max Rider Load301-350 lb
BrakesHydraulic disc
SuspensionNone
FoldingDoes not fold
CertificationsClaimed only
Warranty2 Years

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At a glance

Gates CDX belt and Nexus 5
Folding handlepost
Airstream edition $4,099

Company

Stile Products, Inc. of Lakewood, California operates that store.
The brand is owned by Mobility Holdings, Ltd. of New Taipei City, Taiwan, which also issues the warranty.

Where it sells

Tern e-bikes are sold in the US through Tern Store USA at store.ternbicycles.com.
Every e-bike ordered online ships to the nearest authorized Tern dealer, or to a certified shop where no dealer is near, for assembly and pickup.
Authorized bike dealers across the US also sell the range, from ultra-low-step city bikes and compact folders to fat-tire longtails.
The search turned up no Tern e-bike sold on Amazon by Tern or an official Tern store (October 2026).
The store takes returns within 30 days of purchase.
Of the eight major US retailers, only REI sells Tern e-bikes, and no Tern listing there reaches ten reviews (the Quick Haul P9 Sport leads with 7); Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Costco, Dick's Sporting Goods, Home Depot and Lowe's carry none (October 2026).

Description

The Tern NBD S5i is an ultra-low-step e-bike with a Bosch Performance Line mid-drive rated 65 Nm and a 500 Wh Bosch PowerPack 500; Bosch prints watt-hours only. The standover is 15.4 in, and the handlepost folds down for storage.

It has Magura MT4 hydraulic disc brakes, a rigid fork, an air-sprung RideEasy suspension seatpost and Schwalbe Big Apple tires with puncture protection on 20 in wheels. Tern lists 51.6 lb, a 308.6 lb maximum gross vehicle weight and a 264.6 lb rider limit, with 60 lb on the Gaia rack.

It assists to 20 mph with no throttle, and Tern claims 32 to 74 miles. A Bosch Intuvia display, a Shimano Nexus 5 hub with a Gates belt, lights, fenders and a frame lock keyed to the battery are fitted. The Airstream NBD S5i ($4,099.00) is the same bike in satin aluminum.

Every order ships to a Tern dealer for assembly and pickup.