Electric Bikes 101
Why Ride an E-Bike?
E-Bikes are for everyone. Whether you are new to cycling or a seasoned cyclist, electric bikes offer an expanded riding experience allowing you to explore more terrain, see more sites, and get where you’re going with less impact on our air quality. E-bikes allow you to go further and faster so you are able to cover more distance in a shorter amount of time. Most importantly, e-bikes are a lot of fun! It’s impossible not to smile when you ride one.
Can E-Bikes Make Me Healthier?
Research shows that electric bikes prompt physical exercise and burn calories while pedaling. Cycling has long been known to induce endorphins and help with overall mental health.
According to the Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives:
E-bikers take longer trips by e-bike and bicycle, compared to cyclists.
Physical activity gains from active travel are similar in e-bikers and cyclists.
Substituting all car trips with e-bike use leads to a gain of one-third mile (550 MET) min/week.
Transport mode substituted by the e-bike is still used frequently afterwards.
"E-cycling can contribute to meeting physical activity recommendations and increasing physical fitness. As such, e-bikes offer a potential alternative to conventional cycling. Future research should examine the long-term health impacts of e-cycling using rigorous research designs."
~International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
WHAT TYPE OF E-BIKE IS BEST FOR ME?
Urban
Best for urban, recreational and commuting, urban electric bikes come in an array of different styles that can be accessorized and customized to meet your needs.
Our Top Recommendation:
Gazelle Ultimate C380
FAt BiKE
Enjoy snowy weather with more power to get through soft spots and sticky snow.
Fat biking is now even more fun!
Our Top Recommendation:
Norco Bigfoot
MTB
Best for riders who want to ride further and faster, exploring new trails while riding with buddies and enjoying all of the benefits of the descent.
Our Top Recommendation:
Specialized Turbo Levo
What Frame Style is Ideal for Me?
Regular or high-step Frame
This is a traditional top-tube style bike that offers the strongest and often the lightest frame option for riders.
Low-Step or Step-Through Frame
Low step frames offer the easiest option of getting on and off your bike. They are perfect for city rides and riders that may have challenges with balance and confidence mounting and dismounting their bike.
Which e-Bike Brands do you Offer?
We’ve curated a selection of the best brands of electric bikes on the market. When searching for a brand, we look at longevity in the market as a bike brand, which motor they are using, what functionality the bikes offer, and the brand’s warranty policies and procedures.
Frequently Asked E-Bike Questions
What are my Motor and battery Options?
All About Motors
Finding the best e-bike starts with finding bikes made with high quality motors. The motor is the central nervous system of any electric bike and its placement on the bike can affect the way that the bike rides, corners and handles. The best bike manufacturers design the motor to fit into the geometry of the frame, typically as replacement of the bottom bracket. This allows for the center of gravity to stay directly below the rider. The highest quality motors on the market are made by Specialized (Brose), Bosch and Shimano.
MID- VS HUB-MOUNTED MOTORS
Motors mounted at the bottom bracket, or mid-mounted, provide balanced, powerful propulsion that allows the bike to handle naturally and predictably. Hub-mounted motors may be placed at the front or rear hub. These motors are effective, but can often result in a bike feeling unbalanced or cause difficulty when fixing a flat. If you aren't sure which motor is best for you, come test ride the different styles!
ALL ABOUT BATTERIES
Most electric bikes come with lithium ion batteries that charge quickly and can be plugged into any 110v outlet. Charge times range from 3-5 hours depending on the battery and how depleted it is. Battery life (the number of times you can charge and fully discharge the battery before it needs to be replaced) lasts anywhere from 3-5 years depending on the size of the battery and the amount of usage.
WHAT DOES RANGE ACTUALLY MEAN?
Range refers to the length of distance a rider can get on a fully charged battery. Many factors impact range including size of motor and battery, weight of rider, elevation gains/losses, wind direction and more. For example, a 500wh battery will give you an additional 50% of distance than a 250wh battery. It is important to plan your bike ride based on the amount of mileage you can get out of the battery. Range anxiety happens when you are near the end of your battery’s charge yet you still have a noticeable distance to travel to get to your destination.
WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT BIKE WEIGHT?
Weights can vary a considerable amount depending on bike model and battery capacity. Most electric bikes are around 45Ibs but they can vary in weight from 30Ibs to more than 60Ibs. Cargo bikes tend to be heavier due to carrying capacity. Some batteries are removable, making it easier to lift the bike for storage and transportation.
Remember to consider an appropriate car rack when purchasing--we recommend a receiver hitch rack.
What are E-Bike Battery Best Practices?
E-bikes and the batteries that power them are safe when properly used and maintained. Make sure you have the Owner’s Manual and any additional literature supplied with the e-bike. In coordination with the National Bicycle Dealers Association, we encourage adherence to the following guidelines to ensure maximum safety, utility, and life of your new e-bike and its amazing power pack.
WHAT CAN I DO WITH MY OLD E-BIkE Battery?
Like most components on your bike, an electric bike battery will eventually wear out, not hold a charge, and need to be replaced. It's important to properly dispose of your old battery, and that's why we work with Call2Recycle to safely and responsibly recycle batteries!
When you purchase any new e-bike from us, we charge a $15 battery recycling fee to encourage you to return that battery back at the end of its life. You can also recycle batteries from bikes you didn't purchase from us for $15 each. This fee covers the safe packaging, shipping, and processing of your battery.
What are the Classes of E-Bikes?
Class 1
Pedal Assist 20 mph max
Class 2
(Throttle and Pedal Assist) 20 mph max
Class 3
Pedal Assist 28 mph max
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