What is an Electric Bike?

According to The Guardian, electric bikes are going to revolutionize how people ride.

They are going to make commuting cheaper than before. E-Bikes will also reduce congestions and air pollution in major cities.

If you’re keen about enjoying such benefits, then you’ve every reason to get an e-bike. For some people, this can be a new thing. The first thing they imagine is an electric motorcycle or scooter.

Well, that’s not the case. In this post, we’re going to cover the essential question: what is an electric bike?.

Let’s discover more!

What Is It?

At the most basic level, an electric bike is a bicycle that features a battery and electric motor. These features assist you when you’re pedaling. This means you won’t need to use much effort as before to hit your desired speeds.

Electric bikes make going uphill easier and longer commutes fun. They offer the experience of an Olympic athlete. You don’t need to possess advanced cycling skills to keep up with your enthusiastic friends when riding.

How Do e-Bikes Function?

As noted before, e-bikes have a motor that assists the bicyclist by boosting their pedaling motions. They can have several gear settings, including turbo, sport, touring, and economy modes.

These modes represent the level of support that riders can get from the motor. They are great when riding in headwinds, terrains or other situations. You can simply select the appropriate mode depending on where or how you’re riding.

Keep in mind that e-bikes function without the motor, too. You can do this by simply switching to the economy mode. This allows you to save power or ride motorless when your battery has no charge.

The Motor

You’ll find the motor in the wheel’s hub or inside the crank (mid-drive) that turns the pedals. Motors that are usually inside the crank tend to be high-end options that offer a seamless ride. This is because their location doesn’t interfere with tire changes.

As such, this makes e-bikes with mid-drive motors more expensive than others.

E-bikes with motors in the wheel hub are usually lightweight and cheaper. This location means additional work during tire repair or replacement. The design impacts how the wheel is connected to the bike.

In this case, the motor can be on the front tire or the rear tire.

The Battery

You’ll need to charge your e-bike’s battery to enjoy the rides. A fully charged battery can give you about 35 to 100 miles of riding before a recharge.

The battery life different depending on your riding habits, the motor, and the battery itself. For example, a 400 watt-hour battery powering a 200 watt-hour motor can power your e-bike for about 2 hours in maximum power mode.

High capacity batteries can last up to 6 hours before needing a recharge. Some bikes are usually plugged directly into a power outlet to charge the battery. Others have rechargeable battery packs, which you can easily remove to recharge.