Rich De-mystefies eBikes
It's understandable that people find it complicated trying to understand electric bikes or 'ebikes', when it comes to the sheer number of options.
When you hear people talking about electric bikes, it all sounds a bit too general. As though they are all thrown into one big category. An ebike is an ebike we hear all too often...
Refining the idea of ebikes isn't as simple as some make it sound. The first question I always ask my customers is this: 'If you can ignore the E bit, what kind of bike would you like?' Then we can start refining the answer and get where we need to go.
Road, MTB, Gravel or Commute could be classed as the main options. But infact, you can break them down into even more sub-categories so the questions need to be specific and precise. All too often, the depth of these questions isn't considered and subsequently, potential buyers are left simply going by price. That's a common mistake.
We can sell an ebike for £1500 same as the cheaper on line brands, no probs. But the reality is, that bike might not be what you had expected or it is in fact, half the bike you would have got for not that much more.
All too often we hear people ask 'how powerful is the battery? This is another common mistake that comes from online misinformation. It doesn't really mean much of anything. The reality is that people want to know how much charge the battery holds, how much torque the motor gives or
what range you can get from one charge. Knowing the capacity of the battery isn't particularly helpful as it has no context.
So lets talk specifics...
Battery Size, ranges typically from 500wh to 1000wh (watt hours). This element determines how far the bike goes on one charge, not the physical size of the battery. Don't be mislead.
Motor Torque, ranges from 30nm to 95nm (newton metres). This is the strength of the motor. Imagine you're in an arm wrestle, the bigger the torque will win. It's worth remembering, bigger is always heavier and more cumbersome. This is what large capacity motors and torque offer. Often, a smaller battery which lowers the weight, makes the bike easier to ride and more fun.
Take the new E-Ltye evo mountain bike from revered British brand Whyte Bikes, a new ligthweight eMTB with a smaller battery of 400wh, with an optional 250 extra as a range extender, but a full power motor. Best of both worlds? Maybe, but its not for everyone.
Lets talk Road and Gravel Ebikes. Dont forget, the speed is limited to 16mph assisted, so anything above this is all you. Going full torque and the biggest battery is not the answer here. Mostly you'll be getting to the limit and cutting in and out, which can be very frustrating. With these bigger heavier bikes, it can be difficult to exceed the 16mph limit, as you simply can't physically push the bike any quicker.
Take, however, the Orbea Gain or the Wilier Filante Hybrid for example.
With the newest Mahle X20 motor at only 45nm, weighing almost nothing and around 300wh of charge, this comes in at 12-14kg, rather than usual 20-25kg urban style bikes. This, super lightweight style bike, makes it super fast and easy to pedal above the 16mph limit, but as you dip below, gives you enough assist to keep with your buddies, or kick them to touch when the climbs arrive on your ride!
Ebikes are not cheap, so asking all these questions is incredibly important. That's why we're here. To ask you questions, help you to understand them so you can answer them and make smart decisions about your ebike purchase. This way it is less of an impulse and more of a treasured lifestyle choice.
Whatever you're thinking, pop down to Big Maggy's for a coffee and lets talk bikes.
Rich
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