E-Bike Buyer’s Guide: Everything to Know

E-Bike Buyer’s Guide: Everything to Know

April 13, 2019 0 By smithdviolet

With the ever-growing number of people in cities and all over, people are becoming more conscious of their transportation choices. One of the leading choice for transportation is cycling and for good reason.

Cycling is good for your health and overall fitness. Aside from that, it is an environmentally-friendly choice. Thus, there is a growing interest in cycling today. Speaking of growing interest, e-bikes are a popular choice in the cycling community.

If you have an interest in cycling and wanted to try out e-bikes, then read on through this guide. Find out everything you need to know before you buy yourself an e-bike.

Choosing A Brand

Before you choose an e-bike to purchase, one of the first things to look at is the brand. There are many e-bike brands out there but what you should be considering when choosing which one to buy from is their quality and their commitment.

A lot of e-bike brands have different approaches to how they manufacture their bikes. Read reviews from customers to better know which brands and which type of e-bike suit your needs the best.

The internet is a great place because you can cross-reference the reliability and quality of an e-bike brand. If you’re planning to buy from online retailers, make sure that they are from reliable sources.

Ideally, you should be buying your e-bike from a physical store so you are sure of the quality of what you’re buying. Plus, you will have people and a place to return to should you have problems with your purchase.

Motor Types

Another important thing to take into account before purchasing e-bikes is their motor type. There are different varieties to e-bike motors. However, the main three motor types are Hub motors, Mid-Drive motors, and Friction Drive motors.

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Hub motors are the less expensive choice and also the most popular one and they’re often located either at the front or the rear wheel. This kind of hub motor requires less maintenance but they aren’t very good for hill climbing.

Mid-drive motors are smaller in size than hub motors and are better than Hub motors for hill climbing. However, they do have one disadvantage. Mid-drive motors can do heavy work on your bike chains so you will have to own a higher quality e-bike or bike chain to make this work.

Lastly, Friction Drive motors have a lot of advantages. They’re easier to install which is great for people who don’t know much about e-bikes. Aside from that, they are compatible with more bike wheel sizes. Unfortunately, Friction Drive motors are bad for rainy weather so if you live in a rainy area, this may not be the choice for you.

Choosing A Battery

Much like the e-bike motors, there are also many types of batteries for your e-bike. When choosing your e-bike’s battery, what you should be looking for are their Watt Hours. Watt Hours are the gas level indicator equivalent in e-bikes.

There are many kinds of batteries for e-bikes. The consensus, however, is that the best battery type is the Lithium Ion batteries for your e-bikes, although they may cost more than other e-bike battery types.

If you want your batteries to last longer, there are several things you have to keep track of. Try to reduce the weight of your bike because weight affects the range of your battery. Smooth biking technique is also a great way of prolonging battery life.

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Assistance Levels

Assistance levels for an e-bike are a measurement of how much your electric motor is aiding your pedaling. Most types of e-bikes have three to five levels of assistance but choosing how much electric assistance levels your bike should have depended on different factors.

If you are only planning to casually use your e-bike for short trips and you are mostly cycling on paved and smooth roads, then a single speed e-bike is good enough for your needs. On the other hand, three to five assistance levels are best for cyclists that plan to use e-bikes for commute or training purposes.

It is important that you shift from one level to another depending on the situation of your ride. This will help increase battery life and give you better control of your bike. Plus, you will have a smoother ride overall when you better manage your assistance levels.

Choosing the Style

There are many different kinds of e-bikes in the industry so choosing which style works for you can be intimidating. To choose the style of e-bike you should buy, consider a couple of factors first to aid your decision.

First, consider your preferred riding style or position. If you are going to be using the bike for commuting or training, then consider the riding style that is most comfortable and familiar with you.

Aside from riding style, consider the frame type of your e-bike. Some e-bikes can look clunky while some can look more streamlined. When choosing the frame type of your e-bike, make sure to look at the e-bike’s size chart to find the one that’s best for your height.

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Maintenance

You might be wondering how much maintenance you have to do when you own an e-bike. The answer is not a lot. As e-bikes are just like any traditional bicycle except they have motors and batteries to assist pedaling, the maintenance procedures are just about the same.

After every ride, charge your batteries so they last longer and you should also clean your e-bike. If you are wondering about maintenance for your motor, then you don’t have to worry as these don’t require much maintenance.

When washing your e-bike, don’t use pressure washing techniques as these can end up damaging your bike. Using a hose that is not pressurized, however, will not damage your e-bike so you can safely do this without any repercussions.

Understanding Bike Components

E-bikes are just like any old bicycle, except for its electronic parts. Maintenance for these other parts of your e-bike is similar to a normal bicycle. Thus, you can get service for your e-bike from any bike shop and you should be fine.

If you use your e-bike frequently, then you should have it checked twice every year to keep it running well for a long time. By checked twice a year, it should be the experienced mechanics who do the job, of course. A quick scan for needed repairs will not be sufficient.

For e-bike buyers, it is important that they are equipped with the right information before they purchase an e-bike so they can have the best experience possible with their bike of choice.

With this guide, you should have an excellent fundamental understanding of an e-bike and everything involved in it. Hopefully, this can help you make the right purchase and get you pedaling on the streets with an e-bike soon!