How to Choose an Electric Bike

What to consider when buying an electric bike

Alongside other bikes, an electric bicycle (e-bike) makes for an ideal alternative mode of transportation. Commuting in town can make a hefty impact on your financial bottom line, but choosing an electric bike helps lower your costs. These bikes have many features that are ideal for most riders. Using an electric bike adds a level of coolness to the daily commute. Electric transportation has positive impacts on the environment and can work as an agent of change in helping protect the global climate. When you’re about to choose an e-bike, consider several factors before making your selection.

Know your transportation needs

There is a rising need for quality options for city commuters. Before selecting an e-bike, consider the reason you need or want one. For example, maybe you need it for work transportation, leisure or during the weekends to ride with your kids while they enjoy playing on their electric ride-on toys. It also helps to understand the distinct features of electric bikes to determine how they can best meet your specific needs. Assess your need and choose the best e-bike for your situation, such as how far your commute is, how the pedal assist works and where the battery is located.

Learn about the battery type, range and capacity

Electric bikes store power on batteries to allow you to commute stress free. The batteries on e-bikes are either external or built in and require up to five hours to recharge completely. The only difference between the two is that if you have a problem with an integrated battery on an e-bike, you either need to know how to make the repairs yourself or take it in to a bike shop for repairs. With an external battery, you simply replace the battery if there’s an issue. The key advantage of integrated batteries is that they allow extra space on your e-bike for water bottles and other accessories.

The batteries have different capacities, expressed in Ampere hours (Ah), which are a good indicator of the e-bike’s range. The higher the capacity, the longer the range. Also, e-bikes with a high battery voltage have an easier time going up hills. The higher the voltage, the more assistance from the bike you receive. Because you’re reliant on a battery to run your e-bike, you need to have a quality charger. If you go from Point A to Point B ― or even Points C and D ― you want to make sure you have a portable charger that you can carry easily or an extra battery or two. Some e-bikes allow for using two batteries at once, which lets you switch between batteries if one dies while on your ride.

Read reviews about multiple electric bikes before choosing

It’s fun and exciting to experience different electric bikes. Before deciding upon which e-bike you want to purchase, be sure to read reviews. This allows you to know what other people consider important in choosing a bike. Multiple reviews help you understand the inner workings of different e-bikes. For example, e-bikes with a mid-drive motor placement feel like riding a standard pedal bike, while e-bikes with rear-wheel, hub-drive motors let you experience a feeling of being pushed when riding. Going through several reviews allows you to know first-hand just what kind of bike suits you.

Consider the cost

Your budget is also a key consideration to the electric bike you choose. Maybe you’ve been using an electric scooter to commute, and you’re ready to make a change. It’s possible that your vehicle is in the shop, and you need something temporary that’s affordable. Alternatively, you’ve adopted a green lifestyle and are trying to minimize the use of your vehicle but still need transportation to get you to school or work. Conduct some research to understand the market price of e-bikes to make sure that the price you are considering is within the proper range. You should also consider the warranty being offered because the terms can assure you of a worthy investment. Understand how the warranty works, how long it is for and what exactly it covers. In general, manufacturers offer lengthy motor warranties to stand behind the durability of their electric bikes.

Get the bells and whistles

When choosing a bike to buy, don’t forget about the accessories and features each one comes with. Each bike likely comes with special gadgets that help separate it from models that may be similar. Besides the different classes of e-bikes that are available ― Class 1 e-bikes have a motor that runs while you pedal until you reach 20 miles per hour (mph), Class 2 e-bikes work the same as Class 1 e-bikes but also come with a throttle-powered mode and Class 3 e-bikes work like Class 1 bikes, but the motor keeps running until you hit 28 mph ― riders can choose e-bikes with various levels of pedal assist, which is essential to those who want to conserve the bike’s battery. As far as features go for e-bikes, they’re like those found on standard pedal bikes, such as lighting, racks, horns, security and frame types. However, advanced e-bikes have additional features like LCD screens, smartphone integration and multiple options for seat and handlebar styles. Ensure you have all the necessary safety equipment you need when riding your e-bike, such as a helmet.

Convenience factor

Depending on your needs, the use of an electric bike should be a fun activity. But that’s not the only consideration. For example, if you live in a small space or an apartment with stairs and no elevator, you want to have an e-bike that’s easy to carry while you are lowering your carbon footprint. When choosing an e-bike in this type of situation, consider a foldable model that’s easy to store and carry around. Although these bikes are smaller, they can reach 15 mph and have a range of up to 20 miles between charges.

To sum it up

Once you’ve read this electric bike buying guide, and before making your final choice, take enough time to review the different models of electric bikes that are available to decide which one is best for your purposes. Plus, it helps to understand your needs and the features of the electric bikes you see to make an informed decision. Once you have considered all the options, you’ll be able to find the perfect model for you and enjoy your rides.