E-Bike Overview
Technology moves ever forward, sometimes producing something truly cool, and other times seemingly always promising ‘soon this will be great’ and never getting there.
The good news is that e-bikes, or bicycles powered by a battery and electric motor, have actually been around for a while and are becoming mature products, which is great for consumers or those thinking about purchasing one.
Ebikes can let a fit person go faster and further than ever before, or let older folks get out and about in ways not otherwise easily possible, and even be used for delivery and taxi service!
Orbea Wild FS - an e mountain bike
Who are they for + what problems do they solve?
It depends on the individual. People who are aging, have health problems or are older can use them to become more active, improve their health even with the added assistance offered, some can replace their cars for work commutes or shorter trips, those with knee or other injuriies who used to be active riders can continue to ride, and well - others can simply have fun, whether it’s on an e-mountain bike, beach cruiser, or other type of e-bike.
As battery densities and/or motor efficiencies and subsquently ranges continue to improve over time, I expect to seetheir use continue to increase world-wide, including as a more carbon-friendly form of transportation (and fun!).
I rode and still own motorcycles, including off-road, while my wife hadn’t ridden a bicycle of any kind since probably in her teens. We have slightly different types of e-bikes, but both like getting out together and just going for a ride!
There are all kinds of e-bike types and ss - just like bicycles...
EBC Model S - A hub motor mid-priced ebike
How do they work?
Ebikes in general, are fairly simple, and most of their components are exactly like those seen on various mechanically-powered, ‘analog’ or what we think of as ‘normal’ bicycles - they have a frame, wheels, tires, brakes, handlebars, brakes, a seat and pedals and some form of gearing in most cases.
There are some which are closer to ‘battery-powered motorcycles’ like the Sur-Ron which have pegs instead of pedals, as well as some specialty types for e.g. taxi or delivery use, but more or less - they look like bicycles.
What’s different is they also contain an electric motor, one or more batteries to power the motor, and a few additional cables and sensors, along with some kind of display to show speed and other information, and a means to power the bike on and to select between different available power levels or levels of ‘assitance’ a given bike may offer.
There are different power ratings of motors and different types of assistance, which we’ll dig into further detail on but in short, the added power from the motor can help you go further, faster, and more easily - as long as you have battery power remaining, just like battery-powered tools..
What do they cost?
Well, somewhere from ‘pretty cheap’ to as much as some cars, and everywhere in-between.
Budget e-bikes can be found on Amazon, through various US, Canadian and EU companies, as well as ordered ‘direct from China’ on sites like AliExpress and alibaba.
More expensive bikes can be found by ‘the big bike brands’ in their own stores or local bike shops as well as in places like REI.
Used bikes can also be found, which can sometimes be a deal and provide a way to get a higher quality bike at a lower cost. As of this writing in 2022, we’re still in the middle of the COVID pandemic, where both the global supply chain and ‘just in time’ model has run into serious challenges and slowdowns as well as more and more people looking for options to just get outside/out of their homes and apartments, so availability and selection may be limited depending on what you’re looking for, or you may have some time to wait before orders arrive.
Cutting to the chase, ebikes can run from $1500 USD on up to over $10000USD. There are also kits available to convert existing cicyles with some caveats and limitations as to motor types that can easily be retrofitted.
What constitutes a ‘quality’ ebike can be a source of never-ending debate. For some, they seem to think it’s only a $10000 Specialized e-mtb which cuts assistance beyond 20km/H. For others, it may be a ~$2000 hub-drive bike. As we cover the different types and places to buy them, I’ll try to give some general pricing and quality guidance.
What types of bikes are out there?
Anything from beach cruisers, hunting bikes to road race and mountain bikes - and everything in-between
The reality is - nearly any kind. There are even folding e-bikes with fat tiresfor beach riding or to throw in a trunk to bring with you on travel or on a picnic.
There are e-mountain bikes with front and rear suspension, and tandem ebikes for two, bikes meant to pull or carry a lot of weight and even trailers or baby trailers.
There are bikes that can be purely throttle driven as well, although most require at least some form of pedaling.
What should I consider before buying?
This is a personal choice for everyone, but all those considering ebikes should at least ask themselves the following:
What is my realistic budget?
Besides the basic ‘this is what I think I can spend,’ consider shipping and taxes, as well as some level of ongoing maintenance. Quality ebikes in general don’t have much more maintenance than normal bicycles, but there is some. Consider what is and is not covered under warrantee. Most bikes will be warranteed for at least 2 years (some longer), but always check what is and what is not covered. The most expensive parts of an ebike generally are the motor itself and the battery. These can run $500 or more for replacements with some being much more.
What kind of riding do you expect to really be doing?
Try to be honest on this one. Some of us may see ourselves as suddenly biking up Mt Everest when in reality are more likely to just do an on-road neighborhood loop, or use for a 5 mile commute to work.
Many of the quality bikes can do several things ‘well enough,’ but for example, a carbon-fiber framed e-MTB is not ever going to be able to attach lots of racks to or add a child seat in back (although it might pull a trailer with seat). Knobby tires are not silent nor meant for smooth road/asphalt riding and will ‘hum’ as well as wear more quickly than road tires. Having said that, with alternate tires and a backpack, one could make a decent enough commuter as long as your expectations are realistic, althouh there are some valid arguments on ‘full suspension’ (rear shock and front suspension fork) being ideal for urban environmentiding on/off-road motorcycles, I’m used to having suspension front and rear.
If the goal is to use primarily as a commuter - both consider ia backpack is sufficient or you’re going to need to add or purchase with added racks. Most aluminum-framed e-bikes, including those with full suspension, can have racks added to them, while carbon fiber framed bikes are generally lighter but nearly always do not have the ability to add racks.
If you live at a coast with beaches and sand or plan to do a lot of winter riding in snow - fat tired bikes can be a lot of fun, and are much better over both surfaces than any road-oriented bike tires, while also adding some additional suspension ‘cushiness’ especially of a bike is a hardtail (one without rear suspension). The fat tires will ‘hum’ a bit on the road like knobby mountain bike tires do - whether or not that will bother you is up to you.
Are you mechanically inclined and competent or able to learn?
If not, warrantee from a known brand bought at a (good) local bike shop may be the best option. This will usually increase the price, but brands like Trek, Giant, Scott, Specialized, REI and others should both ensure your bike is 100% when you pick it up as well as be there for both warrantee and non-warranty servicing.
Buying a ‘small’ or unknown brand from some local shops may also be an option in some cases as more bike shops get into the business, but some shops may refuse to work on bikes not sold by them or if they’re not from a well-known brand. YMMV here - my local Trek dealer came through with an obscure hub part I needed for a hub conversion on a set of wheels I was putting on my ebike and when I showed them a picture of my bike he mentioned they do work on most or all kinds there.
If you don’t buy locally, then just be aware ‘white glove service’ isn’t really an option. Some online brands like Luna Cycle and Biktrix have pretty good online knowledge bases (Luna’s and Biktrix’s) or forums and support via email, while others may leave you at the mercy of other users and online user forums for help.
A local warrantee or shop willing to work on your bike can remove some of the potential for problems, or to help with any upgrades or advice you may while for those able/willing to work on their own bikes, there are tons of videos on YouTube and elsewhere along with articles covering a majority of bike maintenance items.
A basic bike maintenance kit isn’t very expensive - most fasteners on bikes are Allen head 2.5-8mm or a Torx T15/T25. The cassette removal tools shown to the right can be hand for < $40. Will cover tools in a separate article, but either way - you should be aware of your own skills and inclinations going into it, and cosnidering as part of your purchase decision.
Range/Distance of rides
Because ebikes are battery-powered, the further you go, or the more assistance/power used, the batteries charge will be lower. Various ebike manufacturers and sellers will make all kinds of claims for mileage, but many of those numbers are generated with someone probably lighter than you, in the lowest (easiest/slowest) gear, on a perfectly flat surface, and on the lowest assistance level. In other words, not real-world use. Some are certainly better than others in their claims, but if unable to rent or demo a bike for a day, it may be worth searching for other owners who can give a better idea of real-world range.
Europe in general is further ahead on ebike usage and ownership numbers compared to the US, while they sadly also have some over-reaching unreasonable (to me) limitations on ebikes, generally not allowing assistance over 20-25km/H(~15MPH) and limiting motor power to 250W. This is somewhat poor considering that many ‘analog’/normal bike riders can exceed this speed completely human-powered, and hopefully we see these change over time.
The US is a bit more liberal in their regulations, which is at the state level with some states having no power limits and/or saying an ebike can be ridden anywhere a normal bicycle can, although most are more or less converging onto similar regulations of no more than 750W power (vs EU 250W), with some instituting ‘classes’ 1, 2 and 3, with 1 and 2 being assisted up to 20mph without or with the use of a throttle and 3 being assistance up to 28mph. Specific details for each state can be found here and should be considered unless of course rdiing on your own private land which is - unrestricted.
The EU motors aren’t a peak output of 250W, however - many of them peak or provide limited assistance up to 750W, sometimes higher, so it’s a bit of a shell game, while the speed limits are hard-limited.
Most ebikes offer the rider a ‘mode selection’ - for many bikes, they may be Eco, Touring, Sport (or eMTB) and Turbo modes, or numbers from 1-3, 1-5 or 1-9, with the higher numbers or modes giving a higher level of assistance(power). While it can be great fun riding around in Turbo mode or on ‘level 9’ - batteries drain quite a bit quicker than when in lower levels, while climbing up hills or carrying heavier loads will also have an effect on battery life. Riding purely by throttle on bikes so equipped is usually the least efficient option range-wise, although it can be a lot of fun!
You’ll see numbers thrown out there talking about aH (Amp Hours), WH(Watt Hours), as well as voltage levels like 36v, 43v, 48v or 52v on various bikes. The short version is - the higher the AH or WH rating, the further the range - for that specific motor/bike. Some bikes can take an optional second battery while others aren’t able to, at least not from the factory/without modifications. Bear in mind, ebikes are generally some 15-20# heavier than their non-assisted counterparts as the motors and battery or batteries all add additional weight. When riding, it’s not noticeable in most cases on flat ground, however.
My wife’s Gazelle T10 with a Bosch motor seems to run nearly forever compared to by fat tire bike, even though the battery on the fat tire bike is bigger. Meanwhile, riding my Luna X2 in reasonable power levels, I can easily ride 20 miles and can probably get to 40 miles or more, although I’ve yet to push it to full empty. Sadly, each bike, motor and battery combination, is different.
The best thing you can do here is look for experiences from other riders, or rent a bike for several hours and ride normally on that ride best you can (it will be challenging for most to not go into top power assist mode for the first few rides…).
Are you looking for transportation or to get a workout?
This is one area where different people want very different things. To get the simplestr case out of the way - those wanting to ride-by-throttle shouldn’t bother looking at any of the Bosch or Shimano motor-powered offerings - no Trek, Giant, Scott, Specialized etc. as these all currently have no throtltle nor provision to add one at this time, being throttles are not allowed in the EU, and currently that market is far more established and bigger (more $) than the US market. I have had a throttle on my bikes, but except in very rare circumstances - I never use them. YMMV.
If you’re looking primarily for transportation and can at least move the pedals a bit, you can find a hub-driven or mid-drive ‘cadence sensing’ ebike. Hub drive bikes still have bike gears and shifter, but the motor is inside the rear wheel and doesn’t use them. They’re not great at hill climbing, and can’t leverage the bike’s gears to do more work. Some of them may have a limited set of internal gears. They are ok for throttle or pedal driven general transportaiton, but are not great in most cases for extended hills or anything off-road other than a flat trails. One advantage of a hub motor is if your chain breaks, you can still get home under power.
Mid-drive motors sit where a bike’s bottom bracket is - between the pedals, and uses the gearing of the bike just as your feet do.
Cadence-sensing bikes (most hub drives, some mid-drives) basically look for pedal movement, sometimes based on the speed of pedaling, then engage power to a pre-determined level for the currently selected power mode. This can lead to the feeling of ‘ghost-pedaling’ meaning the motor is assisting so much that no matter how fast you pedal, you don’t feel any resistance on the pedals - more like pedal as the ‘on’ switch. This can be overcome to a point, by selecting a higher gear and/or lower power mode level, if desired. Cadense-sensing bikes generally may also take longer (more pedal movement) totrigger assistance than torque-sensing options, but are also generally less expensive when purchasing.
Torque-sensing motors are more ‘refined’ feeling over their hub-drive counterparts in most cases, and work by sensing how much pressure is being applied to the pedal, and assisting accordingly. They have the same or similar modes for power regardless of hub or mid-drive, but the feeling of a good torque-sensing motor (and controller/electronics, comes with the bike) is more like ‘you, but stronger.’ If you are looking for a more natural feel of riding a bicycle, but ‘more’… a torque-sensing mid-drive motor is your best choice. Note that on higher power levels, you’re still not ‘ghost-pedaling’ but with the right gears selected, hills you thought un-climbable - may even become easy.
You can also find some mid-drive motors, or conversion kits, which are cadence-sensing. These make sense for things like delivery services or where someone is unable or unwilling to put in the additional power/exercise, but still want somewhat of a normal bicycle experience, or have to climb a lot of hills, so can benefit from the gear selection of the ebike (versus hub drives which don’t use the bike’s gears).
We’ll cover where to buy in subsequent articles..
Cadence-sensing bikes (most hub drives, some mid-drives) basically look for pedal movement, sometimes based on the speed of pedaling, then engage power to a pre-determined level for the currently selected power mode. This can lead to the feeling of ‘ghost-pedaling’ meaning the motor is assisting so much that no matter how fast you pedal, you don’t feel any resistance on the pedals - more like pedal as the ‘on’ switch. This can be overcome to a point, by selecting a higher gear and/or lower power mode level, if desired. Cadense-sensing bikes generally may also take longer (more pedal movement) totrigger assistance than torque-sensing options, but are also generally less expensive when purchasing.
Torque-sensing motors are more ‘refined’ feeling over their hub-drive counterparts in most cases, and work by sensing how much pressure is being applied to the pedal, and assisting accordingly. They have the same or similar modes for power regardless of hub or mid-drive, but the feeling of a good torque-sensing motor (and controller/electronics, comes with the bike) is more like ‘you, but stronger.’ If you are looking for a more natural feel of riding a bicycle, but ‘more’… a torque-sensing mid-drive motor is your best choice. Note that on higher power levels, you’re still not ‘ghost-pedaling’ but with the right gears selected, hills you thought un-climbable - may even become easy.
You can also find some mid-drive motors, or conversion kits, which are cadence-sensing. These make sense for things like delivery services or where someone is unable or unwilling to put in the additional power/exercise, but still want somewhat of a normal bicycle experience, or have to climb a lot of hills, so can benefit from the gear selection of the ebike (versus hub drives which don’t use the bike’s gears).