It is World Bicycle Day, and to celebrate that, we are giving you this guide to help you narrow down your electric bike choices.
E-bikes have been more and more popular these days. With the COVID pandemic, the importance of having a healthy body has become our utmost priority. These bikes are also a great alternative for people looking to reduce their carbon footprint; for people who would opt to bike rather than use a car.
This guide will also be useful for those who are looking to get started in cycling, whether competitively or just for leisure. Buying an electric bike can get overwhelming, but here are a few tips to help you choose the best suitable one for you.
How To Buy an E-Bike
Electric bikes have motors and batteries. Usually, the power provided by the motors of the bike is regulated depending on the country or state you live in. For example, in Europe, it is 25 km/hr. The support provided by the motor is also called "al assassist," which makes pedaling easier.
The motor delivers power; it can raise power by more than 250w for short bursts. In Europe, it's 25km/h. Pedal-assist makes pedaling simpler. Some manufacturers state assistance as a percentage or in watts.
The percentage range is usually between 50% and 300%. When buying your e-bike, the term "torque" is also frequently measured.
A torque is a force that rotates an axis. This is perhaps the most important part of an e-bike since, in essence, it creates the acceleration you experience when pedaling.
Lastly, watt-hour is also mentioned. This describes the e-bike's battery capacity.
Your Intended Usage
First, decide how you'll utilize your bike. Is it for recreational activities, casual exercise, or for athletics? Will you plan to take it to the trails, to the mountains, or just around your neighborhood? Those are defining questions you need to ask to start narrowing your choices.
If you want to get in shape while also having fun, an electric mountain bike could be the perfect option for you, especially if you want to ride your bike in challenging off-road terrain.
Furthermore, an electric road bike may be of interest to you if you are a road biker who is interested in getting a boost to get up steep hills. However, if you merely plan to ride on easy dirt roads or trails, the additional cost of elaborate suspension systems and modern components might not be essential.
Pedal Assist
According to Cycle Volta, there are three different legal categories that electric bikes might be placed into in the United States. Class 1 electric bicycles provide a pedal assist that is limited to a maximum boost of up to 20 miles per hour before the motor is turned off. Class 2 bicycles similarly have a maximum assist speed of up to 20 miles per hour. However, they come equipped with a thumb or twist throttle that enables users to accelerate without pedaling.
Class 3 electric bicycles, sometimes known as "speed pedelecs," have no throttle but can provide pedal assistance up to 28 miles per hour.
The laws and regulations that regulate electric bicycles are different in each country and state. Some countries might have abundant regulations and laws regarding biking, and some might not.
Size and Weight
Electric bikes are usually on the heavier side, weighing over 50 pounds. Although lightweight variants are available on the market, they have shorter ranges and less power due to hefty batteries and motors, which require stronger frames. When it comes to storing your bike, its size and weight also need to be considered.
You might want to choose a bike that you can confidently carry its weight. This might be useful when you want to go to mountainous areas with your friends. You need to consider if it fits in your car or garage, or if it will be flexible enough to be taken outdoors using public transportation.
Battery
The battery life or the range of your electric bike is also something you need to consider. E-bikes that have motors located in the wheel hubs will often be heavier than those with mid-drive motors since they require a more substantial battery to attain the same level of range.
More power will be consumed when climbing hills, as well as when utilizing the Turbo mode or increasing the aid level. It is also important to note that your ability to get a certain amount of mileage out of your battery is also impacted by the topography of the area around you as well as the quantity of pedal assist that you make use of.
According to Cycling Weekly, the larger the bike will be, proportionately speaking to the size of the battery capacity. For this, the batteries used in e-gravel vehicles and, to a much greater extent, e-road vehicles, tend to have a lower capacity.
Price
Price is also a great determining factor for purchasing your own e-bike. When the price is too high, it might get too costly in the long run since maintenance can also add up to the cost. However, you should also be wary of buying bikes that are extremely affordable. Some of it might be poorly made. You might want to buy something of quality to assure that your bike will be capable of safety functions down the road.
You get what you pay for with complicated consumer goods. Buyers in flat locations or who simply want an ebike for bike routes can save money by getting a single-speed or three-speed model. On the contrary, bikers who want to explore the mountainous areas should prepare by buying gears that will be necessary for their activity. Since we are celebrating World Bicycle Day, maybe you can spot yourself a good deal online or in stores.
