Introduction to Electric Bikes
Electric bikes are fantastic. E-bikes are easy to live with, easy to ride further and faster, and they can make your life better all round. But, which one to buy? Where does the battery go? How far can you ride one? All these questions and much more are answered below in our easy guide to e-bikes. Enjoy.
What's an electric bike for?
This is just like riding a bicycle, even better – with an electric bike you have a battery-powered motor to assist you along the way. You can ride further, you can travel faster, you can enjoy your journeys more – simply set the motor to enhance your pedal-power, and it’ll help you with every pedal of every ride.
Where can I ride my electric bike?
Whether you want to commute through the city, enjoy your new favorite byways or tackle the great outdoors, the e-bike is the perfect solution for all rides. Our e-bikes come with the latest technology made for pure enjoyment.
Why is an electric bike better?
If you’re getting back into riding bicycles, if you want to take the longer route home, if you want to ditch the car and pedal instead, or if you want to carry more, climb more and just ride more, then let the e-bike take you there. It’s so easy.
You can ride to improve your fitness, you can ride further and carry more gear, you can leave the car at home and help save the environment – on an e-bike you can do so much more and really feel the benefits. What's not to like?
How far can I go on an electric bike?
Many factors influence this answer. With a full charge of your e-bike’s battery your e-bike's range – which is how far you can ride today – varies from 35km right up to 160km. In general, the more power you want from the motor, the more energy it uses up, and this affects how far you can go on your bike ride.
Other factors that affect e-bike range are the steepness of the terrain, the road surface, the weight of the rider and kit on board, the wind conditions, and more. Think of it as miles-per-gallon in a car and being able to make the most of your range by riding economically. The tip is to optimize the power level and how you are riding while keeping an eye on the range left in your battery, which is typically shown on your bicycle’s display unit.
Just like driving a car, if your foot is hard on the accelerator all the time, naturally you'll use up more fuel.
Likewise, the harder you use the electric motor on an e-bike, the more battery power it uses. Fear not, the range on our e-bikes is impressive, re-charging is simple, and some models offer additional battery packs that easily attach right to your bike.
Which kind of electric bike motors are there?
There are two different motors, and they relate to their position on the bicycle: an e-bike will be equipped with either a hub motor, or a mid-motor.
The hub motor is in the centre of the rear wheel and is widely recommended for urban use, casual cycling, and commuter rides. The hub motor is also good for road cycling, as it’s perfect if you still like to have a sensation of performance.
An e-bike mid-motor is mounted on the frame in the crank/pedals area – this system is generally more powerful and perfect for more mountainous or off-road terrain and longer routes.
How do I charge an electric bike battery?
Charging is easy, simply plug and play. Our e-bikes come with everything you need for standard home and office charging. The right bike is matched with the right battery: the size of the battery will determine how far you can go on a single charge, and also how much power the motor has on tap to help you when you need it. Removable batteries are fully integrated into the bike’s frame, and the battery capacity is measured in Watt-Hour (or Wh).
What should I look for when buying an electric bike? And, how do I decide what’s the best electric bike for me?
First and foremost, picking the right bicycle brand means product reliability, best quality, and safety. Then you have to consider how and where you want to use your electric bike — the type of terrain, how long you want to ride, and where do you want to go. We would also recommend you visit your favorite bike shop to check out the options and speak to someone who can help size you up and pick the right bike for you. We have a wide range of electric bikes to fit your purposes – we have e-bikes for everybody.