E-bikes 2024: How to choose the best electric bicycle: Free e-bike e-book

This is a comprehensive look at how to choose the best electric bicycle. It is your FREE e-bike e-book buying guide, including everything you need to know about e-bikes. Getting an electric bike is a big deal, and you don’t want to make a mistake.

This article was updated in June 2024 and originally published on July 8, 2023. I will keep it as up-to-date as I find the latest information and trends.

Electric Bicycle Buyer’s-Guide

There are lots of details to get right. I will explain how to choose the best e-bike for you. This is your electric bicycle buying guide. Since it covers everything you need to know, it will be long-winded.

As a side note, I have lived in my RV full-time for seven years. You may think this article is about choosing the best e-bike for an RVer (wrong). It will include all this information, but I want you to know that this article isn’t about me or living in an RV. I will address every aspect of how to choose the best e-bike.

What is an e-bike?

An e-bike is a regular bike with a motor and battery. All the regular bicycle components are there. Every part of an e-bike other than the motor, battery, and way to control the motor power is identical to a regular bike.

Why do you want an e-bike?

You might have a more practical answer, but for me, the answer is that bikes are fun, and e-bikes are even more fun. The only thing that I didn’t like about bicycling was going uphill. With an e-bike, going uphill is just as easy as going flat ground. Going into the wind is just as fast as going without the wind. Downhill still beats flat ground, and uphill every time. Distance also seems to shrink. Smiles on an e-bike are more common, especially when going uphill.

How do electric bicycles work?

Electric bicycles are regular bicycles with the addition of a battery and a motor. The battery and motor make it easier to pedal, mainly uphill. The motor gives you a little assistance when you need it. On some e-bikes, you don’t need to pedal; they act like scooters.

Everything you need to know before you choose an e-bike.

This will be a deep dive into everything you need to know and consider before you choose the best e-bike. It intends to be comprehensive and cover the subject from end to end. I will explain the entire e-bike industry and how some companies try to maximize profit. Some do it by making the best decisions, and others by cutting corners. Also, I am going to explain which e-bike decisions are the best.

I intend to include everything you need to know before you choose the best e-bike. This will be long because the subject is enormous and has a hundred-year history.

Can’t you trust a company to make a good e-bike?

Actually no. There are hundreds of e-bike companies. Some make great e-bikes. Some don’t. How do you tell the difference? Which features are essential, and which features are only necessary for marketing? This article includes everything you need to know before you choose the best e-bike (and an excellent e-bike company).

Do your homework.

I am not endorsing any e-bikes or e-companies. Photos of e-bikes in this blog do not constitute an endorsement. I will point you in the right direction; it is up to you to do your own research.

I looked at about 100 e-bikes for three years before I decided what I wanted in an e-bike. I rejected more junk than I could ever remember, let alone recommend. Then, I had to find the e-bike with the most essential features. I will tell you the companies and features that make the best e-bikes, which e-bikes we have, and why we have them.

E-bike companies are trying to provide a product that delivers an e-bike experience to satisfy their customers and maximize their profit. Only a few companies are focused on producing top-quality, great e-bikes.

A good indicator of quality is often in the name of the bike. If the name is anything like Me-Joe-e-bike, chances are that you are looking at a minimum-quality e-bike manufacturer. (I made up the name, Me-Joe-e-bike, which is only an example of another e-bike company.)

E-bike history

In 1895, Ogden Bolton Jr. was granted a patent for an electric bicycle. It had an electric motor and battery, just like electric bicycles being marketed today. Electric bicycles are not a new invention. They are more popular than ever because battery technology has grown to allow them to travel long distances with minimum effort.

Don’t ignore the details.

I aim to give details to help you recognize a good e-bike and avoid junk e-bikes. Many people get enamored by the motor and look past the technology and parts thirty years past their prime.

FAQ and common e-bike questions that I can answer.

All links open in a new tab. Links will reload this article and jump to the article section that matches your question. After getting your answer, you can close the new tab and return to the original tab without losing your place.

• Why do you want an electric bicycle? For me, the answer is hills. E-bikes make climbing hills easy.
• What is an e-bike? An e-bike is a regular bike with a motor and battery.
• How do electric bicycles work? Just like a standard bicycle, except it is easier to pedal, significantly easier to pedal uphill. The motor gives you a little assistance when you need a little help.
• How much do electric bikes cost? Some are very inexpensive, and others very expensive. That is why you need this guide to help you make quality decisions. Higher quality usually costs more, but not always.
• Is an e-bike the same as a motorcycle, scooter, mini bike, or moped? (no e-bikes are motor-assisted pedal bikes)
• How much does the bike weigh?  (the same as a standard bike plus the weight of the motor and battery)
• How far will it go before I need to recharge the battery? (it depends on battery size, range depends primarily on speed, and hill-climbing both decreases range)
• How fast will the bike go? (Up to 28 miles per hour on flat ground) 20 mph is fast enough. Your motor is best used to help you climb hills.
• Can you use an e-bike to go uphill? Yes, hills are much easier to climb with an e-bike.
• Does the battery charge while I am riding? (no, this doesn’t help the battery or extend the range)
• Can I ride in the rain? (yes, given that you dry off the battery after you are done riding)
• Can I ride on a bike path? (this depends on local rules)
• Do I need gears on an e-bike? (not always, it depends on the bike)
• How do I make sure I get a good motor? Pick name brands. Bosch, Bafang, and Yamaha are all very respected e-bike motors.
• How do I make sure I get a good battery? Pick name-brand batteries. Sony, Panasonic, LG, and several other brands that you will recognize are all good batteries. Do not buy an e-bike that uses generic, no-name-brand batteries.
• How big a motor do I need? To climb hills. 250 watts is the minimum size you should consider.
• What is the biggest motor I can (legally) put on an electric bike? The maximum is 750 watts, which is about one horsepower.
• Why do electric bike motors fail? Climbing hills at low speed with a hub drive motor builds excess heat, leading to many motor failures.
• How big a battery do I need for my electric bicycle? For climbing hills and a long range (up to 50 miles on flat ground at moderate speed), I recommend at least 500 watt-hours. Your mileage will vary.
• Are lithium-ion batteries safe? (yes, but only for well-designed quality batteries)
• Can I build my own e-bike? (yes, and this is one way to get a good e-bike)
• Can I kill the battery if I drain it to zero? (this can happen; keep your batteries charged to above 50% even when in storage)
• Can I store my e-bike outside? (yes, but bring the battery inside)

Seven key points to consider when getting the perfect e-bike for you.

The answer to these questions is in this article. It really is an article that is everything you need to know.

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1. FIT – The bike needs to fit you and your riding style. Get a bike you will enjoy riding. FIT
2. WEIGHT– Low (lower) weight is an indication of quality.  The best e-bikes weigh less than cheap e-bikes. Can you ride the bike without the battery installed? This probably should be your first test. WEIGHT
3. MOTOR POSITION – is the motor between the pedals or in the center of the wheel. The best e-bikes almost always have the motor between the pedals. MOTOR POSITION
4. BATTERY capacity – What good is a motor if there isn’t enough battery capacity to operate it? Get a big enough battery. You don’t want to run out of battery power before the end of your ride. BATTERY
5. MOTOR POWER – is the motor big enough to give you enough power to climb the hills you expect when you ride without destroying itself? MOTOR POWER
6. SERVICE – if you have to return your e-bike to the manufacturer for basic repairs, it is a huge sign that you may have purchased the wrong bike. SERVICE
7. PRICE – price increases with good features and quality. Be very suspicious when considering very low-priced e-bikes. PRICE

It is not just about the motor or the battery.

Three things distinguish electric bicycles from standard bicycles: the motor, the battery, and the controller. Electric motors can drive the wheel directly or via a chain. Which one is better? I will explain, or you could jump to that part. What kind of motor should I get?

The best lithium-ion batteries can store and deliver electricity to the motor for a long enough to travel a long distance. The best lithium batteries are from LG, Samsung, Panasonic, and Sony. The third critical component is controlling the electricity from the battery to the motor. You need the right amount of electricity at the right time.

The most important thing is that your e-bike needs to fit you!

Your e-bike needs to fit you and your desires. It needs to fit your body and your riding style. Make sure you are comfortable on your bike. My choice is probably different than your choice. My desires are probably different than your desires. What you want to do with an e-bike may differ from what I want. Much of this article is about how to choose an e-bike for you. By necessity, it will also have lots of information about how I choose an e-bike — for me.

About me—I remember my first bike ride—indeed, my first and only tricycle. More than six decades later, I am still riding bicycles. I have never been a “professional” bike rider. Only once have I made a single-day seventy-mile ride. I ride for pleasure, not every day but as frequently as I want.

Everything you need to know about e-bike styles

What type of electric bike should you get?

There are multiple styles of e-bikes, and one of them is going to fit your needs. Each style has different attributes, and each style even has subcategories. Some of the categories overlap. Others stand alone. Over the last decades, I have had road (racing) bikes (not an e-bike category), mountain bikes, micro bikes, and comfort “cruisers.” Besides cargo and specialty bikes, we have owned the full range of available bicycles. So, I have good insight into the styles available.

Rare… road-style e-bikes

There are almost no Road (racing) style e-bikes, although many comfort e-bikes may have road bike styles, including drop handlebars. My opinion is, however, that drop handlebars, while useful in a sprint, don’t help everyday bicyclists go faster and surely don’t increase comfort. The purpose of the drop handlebar is to allow for a more efficient aerodynamic position. Unless you are racing (something you don’t do on an e-bike because it is called cheating), then you don’t need racing-style drop handlebars.

E-bike styles: Micro, Compact, Comfort/Hybrid, Mountain & Cargo

This isn’t the entire list of e-bikes or bikes. In general, most e-bikes fit into one of these categories. You will probably get one of these styles of e-bikes. As an RVer, you might guess I picked my e-bike based on its small size and the ability to fold, but you would have guessed wrong.

Micro e-bikes

When I was growing up, the only people who had microbikes (that I know about) were small children. Until last year, we had never owned any bikes in the micro category. Even then, our micro e-bikes had bigger tires than many micro e-bikes.

Our micro e-bikes were super fun. They had twenty-inch tires and no pedals. They were bicycle-style scooters. Here is a link to our JackRabbit e-bikes. JackRabbit was the smallest e-bike I thought I could live with in my RV. Some bikes were smaller, but bikes smaller than a JackRabbit were not for me.

Some micro bikes have much smaller tires than our micro e-bikes, making an excellent segway to start talking about tire sizes. I will talk a lot about tire sizes because it is essential to understanding e-bikes. Small tire sizes create small bikes. Any bike with tire sizes that are 20 inches or smaller is going to fit into the micro category. However, 20-inch tires alone do not determine the bike category. Not all 20-inch tire bikes are going to be mico-sized e-bikes. Tire width also plays a huge part in creating e-bike capability.

Some fat tire e-bikes will easily handle heavy loads. If the 20-inch tire is a fat tire, these bikes could bridge into all categories except mountain bikes. It isn’t that you can’t take a 20-inch motorcycle into the mountains, but rather that they don’t excel at being mountain bikes. I will discuss the tire width and length later.

One thing that bikes with 20-inch tires all have in common is that they turn quickly. Some bikes with tires 20 inches or less might be described as twitchy.

Compact e-bikes

All bikes in this category will have 20-inch fat tires, and many popular e-bikes fit into this category. Some compact bikes fold for storage and cleverly unfold to nearly full-sized bikes. These bikes are fun, and some 20-inch fat tire e-bikes make suitable substitutes for larger tire comfort bikes.

Some (beefy frame) fat tire bikes are great cargo bikes. Nearly all the e-bikes in this category have rear hub motors. I will break down motor types later and have much to say about that subject. Most e-bikes in the United States are compact and have rear hub motors. Just because most bikes are this style, it doesn’t mean that this style of e-bike is the best e-bike or that it is the best e-bike for you. Most e-bikes offered for sale in the United States are compact rear hub motor e-bikes.

An excellent way to judge whether or not you want a compact bike is to evaluate how it rides without the motor being on. Until the availability of e-bikes, bikes with 20-inch tires were considered children’s or specialty BMX trick bikes.

Over the last 100 years, bicycles have generally evolved to tires bigger than 20 inches, and this change is based on a comfortable, fast ride using pedal power. I suggest electric motors didn’t change the comfort factor based on tire sizes. There is a reason why super big tires (Penny Farthing style) don’t exist anymore. The same is true for tiny tire bikes. Tiny tire bikes are a fad that comes and goes.

Comfort/hybrid e-bikes

Comfort bikes commonly have larger (taller) tires than bikes in the compact category. They look like standard-sized bikes. A few comfort bikes have 20-inch fat tires, which is less common than larger tire sizes. Some comfort bikes have a more relaxed frame style, and several have a step-through frame.

Sometimes, comfort bikes’ seats are low enough that many riders can put their feet on the ground while still sitting on the seat. One way comfort bikes accomplish feet on the ground while sitting on the seat is to lower the pedals closer to the ground and move the pedals further forward from the seat.

Sometimes, they also shorten the crank arm to keep the pedals from striking the ground, which lowers the seat. This change also makes the bikes longer because the front wheel must be far from the pedals to eliminate rubbing on the feet. As with anything, there are limits to these design changes.

Feet on the ground. A good idea?

Feet on the ground with your behind in the saddle isn’t an excellent way to judge bicycle fit. It was never a good way, but it did create a good way for lazy bike salespeople to sell bikes. Sadly, this fitting method persists even though we have known better for at least the last seventy years.

I once owned a bike with a low seat height and forward pedals. This put nearly all the weight on the rear tire, which made the steering unresponsive. The poor steering and braking made this bike unsafe at any speed greater than about ten miles per hour. I quickly sold it. These odd designs make their rounds every twenty years or so and keep returning even though they were never good designs.

One key feature of a good comfort bike is that it will typically have higher handlebars, a more upright seating position, and less stress on the shoulders and hands. Most comfort bikes also have more comfortable saddles than other bikes. Higher handlebars also move overall balance towards the rear tire, affecting handling. Some excellent handlebar and stem designs are adjustable to your comfort.

Mountain e-bikes

Mountain e-bikes take their styling from mountain bikes and typically don’t have 20-inch tires for one good reason. The smaller the tire, the less capable it is of rolling smoothly over obstacles. Most skilled riders on a mountain bike can usually roll over a six-inch rock or log, and many can do this without jumping the tires off the ground.

Whereas comfort bikes may have larger tires, mountain bikes will nearly always have 26″ to 29-inch knobby tires. Putting knobby tires on a 20-inch compact bike gives it an off-road look and better off-road traction, but this doesn’t make a 20-inch tire bike a mountain bike.

Mountain bikes have evolved to be some of the most effective designs and, in terms of handling, are some of the best natural riding styles on uneven terrain. E-mountain bikes are either tremendous or sometimes just cheap bikes with electric motors and are not suitable for riding off-road.

Cargo e-bikes

I almost didn’t include cargo bikes as a category, but I nearly settled for a 20-inch fat tire cargo bike as my only bike. Cargo bikes excel at carrying (go ahead and guess) stuff. There are many cargo bike designs, but in terms of cargo-capable bikes, one thing stands out on every cargo bike. They are all heavy. This fact is the reason I don’t have a cargo-style e-bike. They are too heavy.

Cargo-style e-mountain bikes, outfitted with large (tall) knobby tires and powerful motors, can haul massive loads and have been adopted by hunters and outdoorspeople as a new way to get far into the backcountry without walking or riding a horse.

The one thing that steered me away from cargo bikes is that they are heavy even before you load them with cargo. Some cargo bikes focus on moving stuff in the city rather than the woods. They are still heavy and heavy-duty but don’t usually sport knobby tires.

I didn’t buy a cargo bike because I didn’t want to lift extra-heavy bikes onto my bike rack. E-bikes are heavy enough, including the battery and motor, and lifting my bikes off the ground and onto the bike rack on the back of my RV was too hard.

Everything you need to know about bicycle tires

Tire pressure

Always keep your tires close to the pressure printed on them. You should check the pressure before you ride. Low tire pressure can lead to decreased range and problems, including flat tires. The only reason to ride on low tire pressure is for shock absorption and riding in the sand or snow. Pump your tires back up to full pressure when you are no longer in sand or snow.

What about flat tires?

I have had every type of bicycle flat tire over the years. You may be able to use an internal sealant that leaks out of your flat tires and then plugs the hole. This sealant will thus reduce the number of thorn-based flat tires. There is no way to prevent all flat tires.

I carry a small pump while riding to pump up the tire during a ride and then make it home with good tire pressure. I also took a new bicycle tire tube with me and replaced the tube many times during a ride when I got a flat tire. It is painful, but it is much better than walking. When replacing your tires, look for ones that have puncture-resistant belts as part of the tire construction.

What size of tires should you get?

Tire width

Extra width causes more effort to overcome rolling resistance on any size tire. Any bike with a tire width of less than 2 inches is more suitable for the road than for dirt. Any bike with a tire width of only one inch is only ideal for hard surfaces. Dedicated mountain bikes will have a tire width of about 2.5 inches. A width of more than three inches is where the fat tire bikes begin, although three-inch wide tires are unsuitable for sand, loose gravel, or snow. To ride in sand, loose gravel, or snow, you need tires that are about 4 inches wide.

Balancing traction and friction

Smaller and fatter tires have more rolling resistance (friction) than taller and narrower tires. This is all about ground contact—the more ground contact, the higher the friction. More ground contact and friction also equate to more traction. Balance here is achieved when traction is sufficient and friction is minimized. Knobby tires are always less efficient than smooth tires—you get the trend—more work. Wider tires always have more rolling resistance than narrower tires.

Everything, however, needs to be in balance. Narrow tires don’t work well unless on smooth surfaces, and there is a balance to how narrow tires can be. Ice skates have very narrow blades and are super efficient on ice, but just as obvious is that they only work on ice.

Tire Efficiency

Efficiency is a description of effort versus results. In an e-bike, you want to maximize the result of a given effort. Bicycles are some of the most efficient machines in the world. Efficiency still matters on an e-bike. It matters to me. One of my most immense joys in cycling is coasting. I love coasting without pedaling. Coasting is like having the wind at your back. Coasting and the wind at my back puts a smile on my face. Some e-bikes don’t coast freely but instead use the motor to regenerate power back to the battery. I wouldn’t like this.

Tires, smooth or knobby

Even though knobby tires have been and continue to be an attractive selling point, smooth tread designs will create plenty of traction on all road and packed dirt surfaces at moderate speeds. Mountain bikes benefit from knobby tires when the surface is unpacked. Smooth tires also benefit from lower rolling resistance and much less riding noise. Your only option for fat tires on snow or sand is knobby tires.

Guide to tire style, size, and width

Unless you ride in the snow or sand, avoid fat tire designs because of extra friction based on maximizing traction. If you are going to ride in the snow, then knobby fat tire designs will be the ticket. Except for use in sand or snow, bicycles should have tires no wider than three inches. Mountain Bike designs should have tires in the neighborhood of 2.5 to 3 inches. Comfort bikes should have a tire width of 1.25 – 2.5 inches. Tires of less than one inch are exclusively used on smooth surfaces.

Tire sizes

Tire sizes affect performance, weight, and efficiency. Get the tire size right, and other details fall into place. E-bike designs with internally geared rear hub motors benefit from fat tire designs initially designed for biking in snow and sand. Before these fat tire designs came on the market (focused on riding in the snow), almost no one purchased fat tire bikes due to the extra rolling resistance. Fat tires allowed for more space than higher wattage internally geared rear hub motors needed.

20-inch tires and smaller

Any bike with tires less than 20 inches tall is only suitable for adults who don’t care to go fast. They are best at slow speeds on smooth surfaces. They excel, however, in compact folding designs. A typical car trunk can easily hold two folded bikes with 16-inch tires. Tires under 20 inches tall do not allow much room for the motor and spokes. Motors on 16-inch tire bikes are typically underpowered for anything other than flat terrain.

20-inch fat tires

20-inch fat tires couple nicely with e-bikes due to the above comment about internally geared hub motors. The 20-inch size also allows for smaller frame designs, enabling bikes to take up less space, especially when folded. Without motors, the fat tires suffer from rolling resistance (significantly when underinflated) to the point that walking the bike is easier than pedaling it.

26-inch tires

This tire size was the standard for mountain and cruiser-style comfort bikes. Some mountain bikes now have increased tire sizes, but cruiser-style comfort bikes nearly all still have 26-inch tires. The first fat tire bikes had 26-inch tires. 26-inch tires offer a balance between rolling over obstacles and lower weight compared to larger tire sizes. Usually, the most oversized fat tires are 26 inches tall. Most people will find 26-inch tires an excellent choice.

27.5-inch tires

The 27.5-inch tire is typically chosen by cyclists who think the 29-inch tire is too tall but want a slightly taller tire than the more popular 26-inch tire. I like the 29 and 27.5 tires, but I think the 26 is too compact. However, I had years and years of riding mountain bikes with 26-inch tires. Tami didn’t like the 29-inch tires but is fine on the 27.5. I don’t know of any bikes with fat 27.5 tires. Most 27.5 tires are 2 inches wide. Be careful picking a bike with an odd tire size; finding replacement parts may be difficult.

29-inch tires / 700 mm

This tire size is the standard for bikes ridden on the road. Twenty-nine inches is the same as 700 mm, and the 29-inch tire’s name is associated with mountain bikes. 700 mm is associated with road bikes. Typically, the 700 will be followed by a C, indicating that the tire is mounted to the rim as a “Clincher.” The terminology is generally written as 700c. Whereas the 26-inch mountain bike tire is standard, some significantly taller people prefer the 29-inch tires. 29-inch tires offer the highest obstacle clearance.

Everything you need to know about e-bike weight

What to look for in regards to weight.

E-bikes weigh more than other bikes because they are e-bikes. At a minimum, you must add the battery and motor to the bike’s weight. Battery weight is directly associated with range and uphill power. Motor weight is associated with power. The more extended range your bike has, the further you can go between charging the battery. The bigger the motor you have, the better your bike will maintain speed while climbing unless you run low on battery power.

Anything that increases weight has to be overcome by power. Extra power to overcome extra weight has to come from somewhere, and when your bike is heavy, power comes from the motor or you.

Lighter bikes are always more efficient than heavier bikes. Motors have to overcome weight, aerodynamic drag, and friction. It doesn’t matter if I am the motor or the electric motor is doing the work on an e-bike. Lighter bikes are always more efficient, and thus, they are easier to ride. Heavy designs will require more work.

Everything you need to know about e-bike motors

What kind of motor should you get?

There are two choices for e-bike motors: a rear hub motor or a mid-drive motor. The most expensive e-bikes almost always use a mid-drive motor, while e-bikes with rear hub motors are usually lower-cost. For some riders, it doesn’t make a difference. Both motor styles have one thing in common: They work and are fun. The advantages of mid-drive motors are extensive, with one exception: They cost a little more than hub motors.

If a bicycle has a motor, doesn’t that mean it is just a motorcycle?

Putting an e-bike motor on a bicycle does not make it a motorcycle. This is because of the limited motor size and capability. The largest (street legal without a license in the United States) e-bike motors are less than one horsepower. The smallest motorcycle motor (50-cc moped size) typically creates more than three times the horsepower of a typical e-bike. Gasoline also has much higher potential power (per pound) than electric batteries. The place where the electric motor wins is torque.

At most, you can say that an electric motor creates a power-assisted bicycle. E-bikes on flat ground accelerate faster than bicycles without motors. E-bikes going uphill are handicapped and slow unless they are also pedaled simultaneously. Without pedals, e-bikes have limited performance. Speed restrictions, which are required on all e-bikes, limit top speed. Without pedals, your e-bike is classified as a scooter in most jurisdictions.

Heat is the enemy of electric motors.

Electric motors are great at creating low RPM torque, but this causes heat buildup inside the motor. Reduced motor speed and the related increase in heat will decrease your motor life span. Your e-bike must allow the motor to operate at an ideal speed to minimize heat buildup. All other things being equal, an electric motor that spins fast will have a longer life than a motor that lugs at low speeds.

E-bike motor sizes

Motor sizes are expressed in terms of watts, like a lightbulb. The bigger the motor, the more watts the motor will consume. Bigger motors consume the battery faster. Rear hub motors drive the rear wheel of the bike directly. Rear-hub drive e-bikes have the biggest and heaviest motors.

However, heavier motors don’t directly translate to more effective motors. A mid-drive e-bike motor that is one-third the wattage and weight of a rear hub motor will consume about one-third of the battery power but develop the same amount of energy to the rear wheel because it takes advantage of the gearing.

Wattage is the common term for motor battery consumption; torque is a better term to describe the ability of a motor. The best e-bike motors have lower battery consumption and higher torque and use gearing to accomplish a given task. The highest-rated e-bikes do not have the largest motors in weight or watts, but the best motors all have high torque. Torque is what takes you up the hill. Hub motors at low speeds consume at least twice the wattage for a given torque compared to a mid-drive motor in the correct gear.

High-wattage hub motors are the heaviest motors you can put on an e-bike. Hub motors weigh much more than mid-drive motors for a given performance. Mid-drive motors are almost always lower in weight and wattage when compared to hub motors.

How big a motor do you need?

More bigger is more better! No one ever complained that their motor was too big until they tried to lift it.

Bigger is better is not true with e-bike motors. You need a motor that is big enough, but having a bigger one that you never use to full capacity is just extra weight. Mid-drive e-bike motors can be smaller and have the same performance as hub-drive e-bike motors, so the answer isn’t as easy to get as you might think. One advantage of a large motor is that it will not build up heat as fast as a smaller motor that you are running at full throttle. A large motor with minimum torque will outlive a small motor with maximum torque.

Battery size and motor size have a significant effect on the price of the bike. Bigger and more capable will drive the cost of the bike up.

For a mid-drive e-bike motor, the most miniature motor you should consider will be 250 watts of continuous current. Motors smaller than 250 watts are rare and would only be enough if you only ride on flat terrain. For a hub-drive e-bike motor, the smallest motor you should consider should be 500 watts of continuous current.

The maximum size should be big enough to help you climb the steepest terrain. On a hub-drive motor, 1000 watts might not be large enough to climb the steepest hill. For hill climbing, you should instead look at high-torque (100 – 180 Newton meters is a good range) mid-drive motors geared for climbing. Mid-drive motors with proper gearing and 120 nm of torque climb very well.

Rear-hub or Mid-drive motors

Should the motor be inside the wheel?

If the motor location is in the center of the wheel, you are looking at a hub motor. Electricity applied to the motor makes the wheel move. A hub motor e-bike doesn’t need pedals or a chain. If the motor location is between the pedals, you are looking at a mid-drive motor. If the chain is removed on a mid-drive motor e-bike, even if the motor is on, the bike doesn’t move; you must get off and push it.

The location of the motor has a significant effect on the weight distribution. Ideally, the weight on any bike should be balanced between the tires. Extra weight positioned lower on the bike is better than higher. If you have a hub motor, the weight is shifted towards the rear tire. If you have a hub motor and carry the battery aft of the pedals, then even more weight is shifted aft of the center. If your battery is above the rear tire on a hub motor e-bike, you have all the extra weight on the rear tire, which is also shifted higher on the bike.

Weight distribution affects bicycle handling. The most significant weight on the bike is the rider. Extra weight on an e-bike (primarily the motor and battery) can adversely affect the bike’s handling. Avoid bicycles that have extra weight aft of the pedals.

Everything you need to know about e-bike gears

Does the rider help the motor, or does the motor help the rider?

On an e-bike, you have two choices for motors. If you have an e-bike with a rear hub motor, you will assist the motor in creating a given performance. If you have an e-bike with a mid-drive motor, the motor will assist you in creating a given performance. Both choices work for most riders, and the differences are subtle but real.

On a hub motor e-bike, the rider helps the motor until the bike is up to speed. On a mid-drive e-bike, the motor helps the rider until the bike is up to speed. This difference is why I prefer mid-drive e-bikes. I want the motor to help me, not the other way around.

Hub motor e-bikes are a lot like scooters. Push the throttle and go. The rider does not have to think about which gear the rear hub is. On a hub motor e-bike, the bike moves without the need for the rider to change gears; if you have a throttle, even if the chain or pedals are removed, many hub motor e-bikes with a throttle will still move along just like a scooter.

Gears on a hub motor e-bike

A rider only changes gears on a hub motor e-bike to change the speed of the pedals as they are rotated. It doesn’t matter to the motor if the rider changes gears. The only benefit of pedaling is that it helps the motor at low speeds. The rider’s effort on a hub-motor e-bike helps the motor. On a hub-motor e-bike, it doesn’t matter what gear the rider is in at any given time except to help the motor.

Hub motor means the motor only has one gear.

On a hub motor e-bike, the motor only has one gear. How would you like a car that only had one gear? The rider may have multiple gears, but the motor only has one gear. If you have a hub motor e-bike, it doesn’t matter how many gears are on the bike; gears are for the rider.

If you have a hub motor e-bike, your motor only has one “gear” and one gear ratio. For each revolution of the motor, the wheel makes one revolution. Hub motors are like cars with only one gear — stuck in the second gear; the only advantage here is that electric motors can create good torque at low speeds. Gasoline engines only create good torque at higher RPMs.

Gears and motor heat

To allow the motor to spin fast and keep heat build-up low, the e-bike designer needs to allow the motor to spin at an ideal speed and dissipate torque-created heat. The motor on a hub motor e-bike varies in speed with bicycle speed. If you ride your hub-motor e-bike slowly, you will be riding the bike at a low motor speed. When at low speeds and high torque is needed, a hub motor e-bike will always build up more heat at low speed than when it is at a lower torque and higher speed.

Advantages of hub motor e-bikes

Hub motor e-bikes cost less than mid-drive motor e-bikes, and the lower production cost creates lower consumer prices. There are no engineering advantages of hub motor e-bikes. To the rider, riding a hub motor e-bike is easier because of the few options that affect performance. On a hub motor e-bike, you change gears only considering what the rider wants; the motor does not benefit from a gear change.

Perhaps the most significant advantage of a hub motor e-bike versus a mid-drive e-bike is that hub motor e-bikes are more straightforward to operate. They don’t require nearly the number of gear shifts to achieve the ideal range and are more forgiving of the rider’s mistakes.

Hub motor e-bikes only have a 1 to 1 gear ratio.

If you have a hub motor e-bike, regardless of the number of gears they might have on the chain, you have a single-gear ratio bike. To vary the speed of a hub motor e-bike, you change the amperage from the battery delivered to the motor. On a hub motor e-bike, you cannot vary the gear ratio.

The hub motor only has one gear ratio to work with. The chain has nothing to do with its operation. Once the motor is assembled at the factory, the only way to adjust the gearing is to put it on different wheel sizes. Motor revolutions will always be one revolution per wheel revolution.

On a 20-inch tire, this means that for each motor revolution, the motor will move the bike forward 62 inches. The same motor on a 26-inch tire will move the bike forward 81 inches. The same motor on a 29-inch tire will move the bike forward 91 inches. Given the above three examples, the bike with the smaller wheel will climb better and have the lowest maximum speed.

Multiple gears on a hub motor e-bike are for the rider, not for the motor. On a mid-drive e-bike, the multiple gears are for both the motor and the rider.

Caution

Hub motors have a history of breaking spokes. This is because they can apply torque directly to the wheels (via the spokes) and loosen the spokes. The loose spokes eventually break. All spokes on a wheel should be about the same tension. Check your spokes every one hundred miles to ensure they remain at the same tension. You can squeeze them together in pairs or tap them lightly with a small tool like a screwdriver. As you tap them, they should all create a similar tone. If you find a spoke that produces a lower tone, then that spoke is loose.

Advantages of mid-drive motor e-bikes

A mid-motor e-bike’s first advantage is lower weight and better weight distribution because the weight is between the tires. All mid-drive e-bikes (that I know about) have multiple gears on the rear hub.

A mid-drive e-bike is more like a motorcycle than a hub-motor e-bike. The power from the motor is delivered through the chain to the wheel.

On a mid-drive motor e-bike, the motor assists the rider in creating the desired performance. All the effort to the wheel is delivered via the chain. To limit stress on the drive train (gears and chains), the rider must be in the proper gear for a given task. For climbing and initial acceleration, make sure the gear ratio is small. Then, gears are changed to achieve a larger gear ratio as the terrain changes and the speed increases.

Multiple-gear, mid-drive e-bikes

Motor effort on a mid-drive e-bike goes through the chain and the gearing. To make it easier for the motor, you can choose different gears to change the gear ratio. When designed properly, the changes in gear ratios on a mid-drive e-bike act as a power multiplier (at low speeds) or speed multiplier (at high speeds). The torque the motor produces is limited, and the gearing can create better results for a given motor size.

The more gears you have and the more extensive the gear range on a mid-drive e-bike, the more potential you have to be in the best gear for your bike and your motor. If you are not concerned with the correct gear ratio, you might get a less expensive hub-motor e-bike. While at it, you might as well get an e-bike with only one gear. Single-gear hub motor e-bikes are less complex and weigh less than any other combination of multiple-gear bicycles.

Caution

High-power mid-drive e-bikes have a history of breaking chains. Do not start from a standing stop at a high power assist level, especially if you don’t start from a high pedal assist level and stand on the pedals. Instead, start riding at low power assist levels in lower gears. The same holds true for climbing hills; here, high power assist levels are good but change your gears to climbing gear before you start up the mountain.

The best e-bike motor designs for climbing hills

E-bikes make climbing hills easy. The best e-bikes for climbing hills have the biggest motors. Since you are choosing a big motor, you should match the big motor with a big battery.

Here is a basic outline of motor sizes and types associated with climbing hills. For mid-drive motors, you should choose a motor size of 500 watts or larger. You should choose a motor size of 750 watts or larger for hub-drive motors. The reason that you can use a smaller motor on mid-drive bikes is that the motor is aided by the gearing. Gearing allows the motor to spin faster when in a low gear and thus creates less heat build-up. Heat is the enemy of electric motors.

For mid-drive e-bikes, choose a battery with more than 500 watt-hours. For hub-motor e-bikes, your battery size will be substantially larger. Here is a direct link to battery sizing. Everything you need to know about e-bike batteries: The link will open in a new tab.

Everything you never knew that you needed to know about gear ratios.

What gear ratio is best for me?

On the rear hub, the smallest number of teeth you can have is eleven. This is because the gear needs to be round. An eleven-tooth rear gear is a little larger than 1 inch. On the rear hub, the largest number of teeth you can have is about 42; this gear is more than four inches. The tooth count between the two gears creates the gear range. This rear hub would be called an 11/42. Gear range is limited to shift easily between gears and collect all the unneeded chain length when using the smallest gear.

The smallest number of teeth on a front chain ring is about 30. Usually, the smallest number of teeth on the front chain ring is about 40. If your gear ratio is wrong on the climbing side, a sudden burst of power may raise the front wheel off the ground. Very large front chainrings are possible but rarely used. Large chain rings on the front can create much higher speeds but poor climbing.

E-bike gear ratio examples

For example, let’s say you have two gears at the rear wheel (I have ten at the rear wheel). And at the pedals, you have a 34-tooth front gear. At the rear wheel, you have a climbing gear with 34 teeth and a “high speed” gear with 11 teeth. The 34-tooth front gear with a 34-tooth rear gear creates a one-to-one ratio (a low-speed climbing gear).

The 34-tooth front gear combined with an eleven-tooth rear gear creates a gear ratio 1/3.09. This means that the rear wheel will rotate 3.09 times for each motor revolution. The 34/11 combination will increase speed faster than the 34/34 combination per motor revolution.

The above discussion about wheel size could be multiplied by either 34/34 (1), and a 20-inch wheel will travel 62 inches per motor revolution, or it could be multiplied by 34/11( 3.09); thus, the 20-inch wheel would travel 194 inches per revolution. On a 29-inch wheel, this means a forward travel of 281 inches per motor revolution. Inches traveled with numbers less than 100 would be suitable for climbing, whereas numbers near or above 300 would be tough to climb with.

A bike with a 1/1 ratio would be biased for climbing steep hills with higher motor RPM, delivering lower battery consumption (while climbing) and lower heat buildup. Since the bias is to make the bike climb steeper hills, it would not have a high top speed. To change the bias to a higher speed, the designer needs to increase the number of teeth on the front chain ring or decrease the number of teeth on the rear wheel.

Everything you need to know about e-bike motor and gearing choices

Why did I want a mid-drive motor?

About my bike motor and gearing. My mid-drive Bafang M 600 e-bike motor is rated at 500 watts continuous output, 850 watts peak output, and 120 nm torque. My motor has a 44-tooth front chain ring with ten available gears at the rear hub. The torque number is the critical number.

The gear teeth range from 11 teeth for the fastest and 36 teeth for the climbing gear. This gives me a 1/1.22 gear ratio climbing gear and a 1/4.00 high-speed gearing. Since I have 27.5-inch tires, the climbing gear delivers 105.3 inches of travel for each motor rotation. The high-speed combination gives me 345.4 inches of travel at the high-speed gear.

So far, the combination of 105 inches for climbing is working out fine. When I am full out at 120 pedal RPM (using power assist level 5), the high-speed gearing delivers a peak speed of 29-30 miles per hour. I don’t care if I go that fast.

So, if I decide that I want a bike that climbs steeper hills better, I could do one of two things, and both would be very easy. First, I could change the front chainring to 40 teeth, and that would give me a lower slow gear of 95 inches, or I could change the largest gear on the rear to a mega range 42-tooth rear with the 40-tooth front, giving me a low gear at 82 inches. The 40/42 combination would climb steep hills but not go as fast when the 40/11 combination is used.

The point is that I have options.

Unlike a hub-drive motor, my mid-drive e-bike can be modified to fit my needs. Even though I may never make any of these modifications, I could make my e-bike a better fit for me.

What about the other gears?

On my mid-drive e-bike, the rear hub has ten gears. The gears between the minimum and maximum allow me to choose the best gear for a given condition.

When to change gears

If you have a hub drive or e-bike, it doesn’t matter when you change gears. Remember, the motor isn’t affected by the gear ratio. If you have a mid-drive e-bike, change gears often as your effort changes. Say you are on flat ground approaching a hill, then change to a lower gear as your effort increases, but don’t wait too long, or you can over-torque the drive train. Anticipate the need for a lower gear. I increase the motor’s power level after I am in the lowest climbing gear.

How to change gears

It is an excellent time to introduce gear changes. On a mid-drive e-bike with a throttle, it is essential to let up on the throttle when changing gears to reduce the stress on the drive train. On a hub motor e-bike, regardless of the throttle, let up on the pedal pressure before switching gears to minimize drive train stress.

Automatic throttle cutoff

If you have a mid-drive e-bike with a throttle, you should also have an automatic throttle cutoff that cuts power to the motor when you shift. If you don’t have a throttle on your bike, slightly reducing the pressure on the pedals will accomplish the same thing.

Everything you need to know about e-bike batteries

What should you look for in an electric bicycle battery?

Advances in battery technology are why e-bikes are available now and not during the last century. Batteries have more energy density when compared to weight than ever before. Batteries are easy to recharge and easy to use.

Volts

The most important thing you need to know about batteries is that they need to match your motor voltage. Putting higher-voltage batteries on motors not designed for higher-voltage batteries creates a considerable risk. The current design standard is 48-volt batteries. If the battery is less than 48 volts, it is a sign that the manufacturer is not up to date or is trying to cut corners. See below under “voltage sag” for more information.

Voltage and wire size

You want a higher voltage to transfer the same current to the motor with smaller wires. Early e-bike models often had lower operating voltages and problems with overheated wires and connections.

What is voltage sag?

When you put a battery under load, the voltage does not remain the same. Voltage is measured at a battery that is resting. A 25% drop in voltage when under load is not uncommon. This is why you want to start at a higher voltage. Remember that voltage drop at the same current causes increased heat at the wires and connectors.

Capacity

How big a battery should I get?

The second thing you must know about batteries is that their capacity is measured in watt-hours. The bigger the number of watt-hours, the longer the battery will last, and the better it will pull you up a large hill. I recommend getting a battery with at least 500 watt-hours. (Volts times amps equals watts.)

Some estimates are that dividing the watt hours by 20 will give you the range on flat ground at about fifteen miles per hour (thus 25 miles). Rough estimates are rough; plan accordingly.

What kind of battery should I get?

The only type of battery you should consider is a lithium battery. Every other kind of battery, especially lead-acid batteries, is unsuitable for your e-bike. I may change this recommendation to solid-state batteries in the future, but the current state-of-the-art battery will contain lithium. Currently, Lithium-Ion batteries are the best for e-bikes.

Lithium battery technology

Lithium technology, the same lithium batteries that made cell phones and electric vehicles possible, made e-bikes an excellent application for lithium batteries. Lithium batteries are very lightweight when compared to other battery technologies. Lithium batteries are even more critical for e-bikes than cars because they only take a small lithium battery to power e-bikes.

Lithium battery safety

Quality lithium batteries are safe when used in quality, correctly designed products. However, if the user doesn’t respect the nature of lithium batteries, they can create an uncontrollable fire and toxic fumes while they burn. Gasoline has the same problems.

Do e-bike batteries charge while riding?

No, e-bikes do not charge or recharge while riding. They also do not recharge when going downhill or braking. This has been tried, but the range has only been extended by a tiny amount. Now that I have said all that, there is one exception. I cover this design here: Advanced e-bike designs. This link opens in a new tab.

Charging your e-bike battery

How do you safely charge an e-bike battery?

I never charge the battery of my e-bike inside the bike. Instead, I always recharge the battery outside the bike in a safe location in case of a problem during charging. I can disconnect the charger, and the bike is not at risk. I also always charge in a safe place. This may all be based on baseless fear, but other than riding your bike, the most risky thing you can do is charge your battery. Most lithium battery problems occur when charging.

How long will your e-bike batteries last?

E-bike batteries do not have an unlimited life span. A battery’s life depends on how much you use it. Battery life depends on how fast you discharge the battery (faster=shorter life). This is one reason to have a large battery: overall, the discharge will be slower than on a tiny battery. Life is used up by discharging and re-charging. The number of times you discharge your batteries is called a charge cycle. Using your battery is the reason you got an e-bike.

If you want your battery to last the longest, discharge and recharge it slowly. Fast chargers decrease battery life.

What is a “charge cycle”?

A charge cycle is a 100% discharge followed by a 100% recharge. Two 50% charge cycles equal one complete charge cycle. Why is this important to know? Because the life of your battery is measured in charge cycles. Lithium-ion e-bike batteries can only be charged from empty to 100% to full about 1000 times.

Don’t worry about partial recharge or partial discharge. Lithium-ion batteries do not require full discharge before recharge. Partial recharge only counts as a partial charge. Even when lithium-ion batteries cannot take a full charge, they can still be partially charged. The way you will know is that your range will be reduced.

Keeping your lithium-ion batteries between 20% and 80% of a full charge will increase the total number of charge cycles if possible.

How to treat lithium batteries safely

• Never attempt to modify a lithium battery pack. This should be done in a controlled environment with proper safety measures.
• Don’t ever charge with the wrong charger. At best, using the incorrect charger will not charge the battery properly. At worst, the wrong charger will cause excess heat and may result in a fire.
• Battery chargers need to be maxed to the battery pack. Never try to charge faster by altering the charger. Not only do you risk a fire, but you will also ruin the batteries.
• Don’t change the charger in a misguided attempt to overcharge the battery. You will ruin the battery.
• Charge the battery in a safe place so that if something goes wrong, it won’t be a safety hazard.
• Do not let the battery sit on the charger for extended periods. Remove them from the charger as soon as they are full.
• Never charge a battery that is too cold (40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder) or too hot. Don’t let your lithium battery sit unprotected in the sun.
• Keep your batteries at room temperature in a dry place. Electricity and water don’t mix well.

How to treat lithium batteries for long life.

• Do not ever completely discharge your battery. Restarting a dead lithium battery requires special chargers. When you reach 90% discharge, you are done. Turn your battery off.
• Use your battery at a low power setting. Power level 5 creates high amperage and decreases battery life.
• Do not fully charge a lithium battery to 100% power without using it right away.
• Do not store a fully charged or fully discharged lithium battery—store lithium batteries at about 80% of a full charge. Recharge every six months or so back to 80% if you are not using it.
• If you store your bike outside, take your battery out of the bike and store the battery inside.

More information about lithium batteries

I have written other articles about using lithium batteries in my motorhome. We are very happy lithium battery owners. In an e-bike, you have lithium ION batteries. In my motorhome, I have lithium Iron phosphate batteries. Lithium ION batteries have higher energy density than lithium iron phosphate batteries. Lithium ION batteries are not as safe as the batteries in my motorhome. The construction, however, is similar.

They are constructed from lower-voltage cells and then combine the voltage to power the usage. A big difference between the batteries in my motorhome is that each battery has a built-in Battery Management System (BMS). E-bike batteries do not have a robust BMS. The BMS protects my motorhome batteries from overcharging and over-discharge. You must protect your e-bike batteries because you don’t have a built-in protection system.

This information in this article will explain more, but remember that it was written about batteries with built-in protection systems, not e-bike batteries. Ten Lithium Battery Myths and Answers

Controlling the power from the battery to the motor

How do e-bikes control the power to give you the most natural ride?

E-bikes have adopted microcomputers to precisely control the power delivered to the motor according to the rider’s needs and desires. These computers make e-bikes controllable over a wide range of power. The rider can use the controller to change between power settings, increase the power output to climb hills, and later limit power to increase endurance.

On a hub-motor e-bike, the controller is a separate component mounted somewhere on the bike. On a mid-drive motor e-bike, the controller is built into the motor.

Power settings

What is an e-bike power setting?

Power settings adjust the amount of power that flows from the battery to the motor. Typically, they range from one to five, with power settings of “one” being the lowest and “five” being the highest. My bike can also be operated with the power setting at zero, meaning that the motor will not get any amperage from the battery, and essentially, you are riding a regular bike. I can also achieve the same zero assist level by turning the battery off or riding the bike without the battery installed.

Power settings relate to the maximum speed, typically only achieved at the highest setting or when going downhill. However, power settings also relate to the amount of power associated with the bike climbing steep hills.

Do you need or want a throttle on your e-bike?

This introduces the question of how the motor can assist the rider. If your bike has a throttle, you can vary the amount of power the motor will get from the battery using the throttle. My e-bike did not have a throttle. E-bikes without throttles are categorized as Class 1 e-bikes. The only purpose of the motor is to assist the rider. When I added a throttle, my Class 1 e-bike became a Class III e-bike.

Class II e-bikes have a throttle, and Class III e-bikes go faster, up to 28 miles per hour. By moving the throttle, the rider can accelerate without moving the pedals. The difference between Class II and Class III e-bikes is the maximum speed achievable (assumes flat ground), but no one ever mentions it. All bikes can exceed 28 miles per hour going downhill. You better have good brakes and a really good helmet.

How does an e-bike assist the rider?

Pedal assist refers to how the bike knows when to help the rider. All electric bikes have pedal assist. Ideally, the motor would know when the rider wanted some assistance (like when climbing hills), and then the motor would apply power to the wheels to help the rider. Of course, if your bike has a throttle, you could manually use the power to tell the motor when you desire assistance. On electric bicycles without throttles, a bike with a torque sensor will “feel” the rider pushing on the pedals and then apply the power automatically.

E-bike pedal sensors: Cadence vs torque (pick one)

The question of throttle is how a Class 1 e-bike can assist me and deliver amperage from the battery to the motor. There are two commonly used methods. The first older and less natural method uses a cadence sensor that notices that the pedals are rotating. If the pedals are rotated, the motor controller sends the electricity from the battery to the motor.

Cadence sensors

The best cadence sensors require only a small amount of pedal rotation before the controller sends amperage from the battery to the motor. However, all cadence sensors can be fooled by ghost pedaling, in which the rider creates the rotation but does not actually push on the pedals. When ghost pedaling, the motor does all the work.

Torque sensors

Torque sensors work differently. Torque sensors measure how much pedal pressure the rider puts on the pedals and, based on how much pressure, will deliver amperage from the battery to the controller and the motor. With a torque sensor, there is no such thing as ghost pedaling. You need to push on the pedals with a torque sensor to achieve maximum speed or hill climbing power. The controller then delivers a corresponding increase in amperage to the motor.

Advanced e-bike designs

So far, every bike I have discussed has a chain between the pedals and the rear wheel. In 1975, a patent for a chainless drive bike was issued, and Mondo Footloose created an e-bike in Germany that uses this idea.

The wheels’ propulsion comes from electricity through a hub-drive motor in one (or perhaps both) of the wheels. The conversion of mechanical motion to electricity between the generator and the battery and then from the battery to the motor will possibly be 70% efficient. Is there a battery? I am not sure. Another question is, does the e-bike have regenerative braking like an electric car? Again, I am not sure.

Thinking about these chainless e-bike designs, it would be interesting if the generator size were to be customized to the rider. Stronger riders could turn a larger generator, whereas others could use a smaller generator. The generator could recharge a battery and have nothing to do with the locomotion of the bike. Indeed, the bike could be used as a stationary exercise bike and then taken out for a ride later.

E-bikes without wheels!

The following picture shows a very different bike, and I wonder how well it works. You can tell from the picture right away that it is from Canada. Someday, I would love to try it, but it is unlikely that my RV will be in Canada when it is snowing.

How to first learn to ride an e-bike

This list assumes you already know how to ride a bicycle.

• Turn your bike on. Typically, this means pressing the on button for a few seconds, but several models do this differently.
• Put the bicycle in the lowest gear or at least a lower gear. This will make starting from a standing start easier.
• Put the bike in the lowest power assist level (zero power assist if available).
• After you get moving and riding the bike without the motor assisting your pedaling effort, increase the power assist level by one step. At this point, as you pedal, you should feel the motor’s assistance start helping you pedal.
• Experiment with different gearing, power assist levels, and climbing hills.
• Return to the lowest gear and low power settings before stopping. This will help the bike be ready for the next time you start.

Caution about power levels

Do not start in high gear or at a high power assist level until you are used to how the bike feels when accelerating. High pedal assist levels can supply quicker acceleration than casual bicycle riders cannot equal.

Up-to-date bicycle design standards

Don’t buy an out-of-date bicycle just because it has a motor.

I will list a few changes that have been incorporated (and invented) over the last few years that have made considerable improvements to bicycle design. Is the e-bike you are considering designed to today’s standards, or is the design outdated?

Aluminum or carbon fiber

The first state-of-the-art design standard is that your bike frame will be either aluminum or carbon fiber. Both are very light and very strong. A bicycle made from steel is woefully out of date.

Hydroformed aluminum

The very best bicycle frames are not made from tubing. Instead, they are formed by a special fluid press that shapes the aluminum tubes into a shape that is the most desirable for distributing more weight to the parts that are under the most stress and less material and weight to parts that will not be subject to as much stress. Hydroforming works similarly to a bicycle tube that takes the shape of the tire and rim when inflated. The difference is that aluminum is “inflated” when hot and retains shape when released from the mold.

Integrated battery, motor, and controller mounts

Since the shape of hydroformed aluminum frames allows for designs around these “extra” components on an e-bike or quality e-bike, they can be integrated into the design. If these components seem to be hanging on the frame as an afterthought, this is a sign that the design is dated and that the manufacturer is trying to cut corners and increase profit.

Chainless bicycle drive

Shaft Drive

Shaft-drive bicycles are not new. The first reference I found was from 1880. The chain is replaced with a shaft, and this design is used on several motorcycles. Currently, shaft-drive e-bikes are rare and novel. Most bicycle shops won’t work on a broken shaft-drive e-bike.

The following picture shows the internal workings of a typical shaft drive on a bicycle. In this picture, the pedals and crank are on the left side of the image. The wheel goes on the right side of the picture. One of the reasons that the shaft drive isn’t more popular is that they don’t work well with multiple external gears on the rear hub.

Since shaft drive components are designed to be part of a purpose-built bicycle, shaft drive systems are almost always heavier than chain drive systems. Other than eliminating the greasy chain, shaft drive systems don’t offer any major improvements to a bicycle’s drive system.

Gates Carbon Drive

Perhaps the number one advancement in bicycling (besides electric motors) is that the chain has been replaced by a belt drive. Belt drives are long-lasting and grease-free but have one limitation: they don’t work on bicycles with rear derailleurs.

Belt drives only work on hub-drive or mid-drive bikes with only one exposed rear gear. Carbon belt drives may be coupled with internally geared rear hubs on mid-drive bikes, making a fantastic combination. If you have a mid-drive motor, you cannot break a Gates Carbon Belt drive like a chain if you apply very high torque by standing on the pedals going uphill in the incorrect gear.

Internal rear hub gearing

Internal gears inside the rear hub are not new. The first patent for an internal geared hub was in 1902. My bicycle in the 1960s had an internal geared hub. Internal rear hub gearing isn’t new, but combined with a carbon belt drive, it is a good option for mid-motor e-bikes.

A bike with an internal gear hub will look like a single-speed bicycle and act like a multiple-speed bike. The advantage of internal rear hub gearing is that they are protected from the world. They are slightly less efficient than external rear gears, but that assumes that the external gearing is well-oiled and clean. One huge advantage is that the internal gearing places the hub more centered between the mounting points, which means the spokes are closer to even spacing.

The disadvantage of rear hub gearing is that the combination of the rear hub with the gears inside weighs slightly more than external gearing. You can’t have a rear hub motor without internal hub rear gearing.

Rohloff internally geared hub

Enviolo internal geared hub

Enviolo makes an internal rear hub with an extensive range of “gears” that do not contain any gears. It is like a CVT transmission on modern cars. I tried one ten years ago and was very impressed. Since this hub acts like a CVT transmission, it allows for gear range with no steps between gears. Like most internal hubs, the Enviolo is sealed to weather. The Enviolo also has a much lower price than many internal hubs; for this reason, I expect to see Enviolo rear hubs on many bikes in the future.

The Enviolo rear hub looks like a rear hub drive motor on an e-bike. Instead, it replaces the gears and derailleur that would typically be found outside the hub or internally geared hub like the Rohloff. The “gear range” between the lowest “gear” and the highest is about 380%. On an e-bike, this “gear range” should be plenty. The Enviolo rear hub is ideally coupled with a mid-drive e-bike motor and Gates Carbon Belt drive. Advances in the Enviolo rear hub allow shifting while stationary and even automatic shifting without requiring the rider to shift gears.

This video describes the function of the Envilol hub better than I can. Words with pictures (especially moving pictures) are more descriptive than words.

Axle style

The current best axle style for holding the front wheel on the bike is called a through axle. This axle style is more robust and provides a more precise alignment of wheel components. The current best rear axles include quick-release levers to allow the rider to remove and repair the rear tire without additional tools during the ride. The only e-bikes that may benefit from bolt-on wheels are cargo e-bikes.

Headtube style

The current most robust and durable head tube style (sometimes called a steerer tube) is tapered. In the tapered headtube, the lower-bearing races are larger than the upper-bearing races, creating a more robust joint at the top of the fork. If the e-bike doesn’t have a tapered headtube, it is a sign of where the manufacturer was trying to save a little money. The best available forks and, thus, the best available frames have adopted tapered head tubes.

Special section on bicycle comfort

Bicycle comfort starts with bicycle fit.

Nothing you do will make you comfortable if your bicycle doesn’t fit your body. Changing some parts may make you more relaxed, but you will not be comfortable unless the bike fits you.

Review of previously covered items associated with bicycle fit.

• Ebike styles –Compact, comfort, and mountain
• Tire sizes 20″, 26″, 27.5″, and 29″

Consider your posture on the bike to dial in the correct bike style. Do you want to sit upright? If so, you should choose a comfortable bike with 20, 26, or 27.5-inch tires. If your style is more athletic (leaning forward), you should select a comfort or mountain bike with 26, 27.5, or 29-inch tires with lower handlebars.

Rider body angle

Handlebar position

The more upright the rider is (it should be obvious), the higher the handlebars need to be. As a rider leans forward for a more athletic position, the handlebars move away from the seat and drop towards the wheel. If you have hand pain, first adopt an ergonomic handlebar grip, and then, if the pain persists, adjust the handlebars up and, as necessary, towards the seat. If these two adjustments don’t eliminate the pain, then it may be that the problem is the bicycle size, not the handlebar position.

Handlebar style

Handlebars are designed in a dizzying array of shapes. Commonly, they will all have a bend so that the hands are more angled aft, aligning them more with the angle of the hands as they are extended in a natural position. Ensure the hands rest on the grips with the knuckles up instead of thumbs up. This will put the meat part of the hands rather than the thumb joint on the gripping area.

Selecting bicycle seats for comfort based on riding style

The two rider positions (comfort or athletic) and shifting weight play a large part in selecting your ideal bicycle seat design. The two images below relate to the seat contact points. Both are wide enough to support your “sit bones” by the saddle. Besides being more expansive, the nose in the broader saddle is dramatically shorter. The flare of the wider saddle is much more dramatic. This flare on the saddle can inhibit leg movement, and long-distance riders are unlikely to select saddles with a short nose and a dramatic flare.

What about the grove in modern saddles

Both of the above saddles have an area that reduces the pressure on the middle of the saddle. This provides equal weight distribution across a larger saddle area rather than more focused pressure points.

The traditional name for the place to sit on a bike is a saddle, which indicates and relates to a lower area between two higher regions. The term works for horses and bicycles unless you don’t have a lower area. You have a seat if you don’t have a lower area on a bicycle. The next item is a bicycle seat; it is a very good bicycle seat.

The noseless bicycle seat

If the bicycle saddle nose causes pain, and if it could be removed, would that result in a more comfortable ride for a rider on a comfort-style bike with an upright posture? The soft tissue wouldn’t be an issue if you could ride a bike without something between your legs. That is the idea behind the Vseat, and we (Tami and me) have spent lots of bicycle time using our Vseats. Even though we have some mixed reviews (she likes it better than I do), this idea has merit. Here is a link to the Vseat, which improves bicycle comfort. Vseat noseless bicycle seat.

How about padding on the bicycle saddle (seat)

A bicycle saddle has three essential components. First, the rails attach to the seat post. Sometimes, these rails are attached to springs at the back of the saddle, which allow the saddle to tilt (and soak up some road shock) along with the rider’s leg movement. These springs will be obvious, but some newer designed saddles have replaced them with elastomers that don’t provide as much tilting with leg movement and only soak up some of the bumps in the road.

The rails are attached to the saddle’s frame. Above the frame is usually a cushion layer with softer material and a cover. The frame must be stiff enough to attach to the rails and contoured to create a shape for the cushion material. Without the frame, the cushion material would never support the rider.

The frame is typically made of molded plastic, and the cushion is either foam or silicone gel. Both create the saddle’s shape.

E-bike seats: cushioned but not too soft

If the cushion is too soft, it will compress or move out of the way, and the rider will feel the frame under it. If the cushion is too stiff, it won’t provide the comfort layer between the rider and the frame. A Brooks saddle reportedly conforms to the rider over time. It doesn’t have any padding or frame. Rather, it is molded out of a hard slab of leather. I had one back in the 1980s that never really was broken in, and instead of getting more supple, it dried out and cracked due to my negligence.

Our testing of bike saddles

Our testing of bike saddles is not scientific, and our results will not match your results as our bottoms don’t match your bottoms. Because our bottoms don’t match, Tami and I have different opinions on which saddles are comfortable and what makes each a good bike saddle. We have ridden miles and miles on our test saddles and made our observations about them in a separate article. We have also ridden the saddles on identical bikes with and without suspension seat posts.

Selecting saddle designs for non-racers

You may have noticed that bicycle racers (wearing stretch shorts) select very narrow saddles. I will share a secret about the bike racing kit (outfit, clothing). Inside the stretch shorts is a pad, usually called a chamois, traditionally made of leather and occasionally still made of leather. Bicycle racers don’t rely on the saddle alone as their primary way to cushion their ride. Many bicycle racers even use a layer of grease on the chamois between their bum and the chamois to lubricate and reduce friction on their legs during the ride. This separates bicycle racers into a separate category from casual riders.

Everything you need to know about suspension

Why would you want an e-bike without suspension?

Suspension creates comfort. The first shock absorber on any bike is the size and air volume of the tires. Taller tires have lower approach angles and thus have an advantage when soaking up variations in terrain. Tires with more air volume absorb changes in terrain. Longer spokes also absorb bumps better than shorter spokes. Like every other decision in bicycle design, it is a question of parts working together to create a balance between performance and weight. Don’t discount the shock-absorbing features of the bicycle tires and bike frame, especially quality carbon fiber forks. Each has to work together to absorb the bumps in the road.

Mechanical bicycle suspension on an e-bike is usually only for the front fork. Cheap front suspension forks are almost always a spring that can take some jolts out of a road surface change. All good front suspension forks have some shock absorber rebound control. A fork with only a spring and the inability to control the return rate to full length is a sign of a place where the manufacturer is trying to save money.

Suspension forks should have a lockout that can be triggered so that each pedal stroke does not compress the fork. This, however, isn’t a big issue on an e-bike because the electric drive will not suffer the loss of effectiveness due to fork compression.

The best suspension forks are for landing jumps.

The best suspension forks are suitable for mountain bikes designed for landing jumps. We have quality suspension forks (with rebound control), but we no longer jump on our bikes. Our front fork suspension is way more capable than we ever need. Suspension forks are also a marketing tool, and bikes without them are not as easy to sell, so expect to find them on most bikes.

In the past, we had bikes with less capable suspension forks than we currently have, and one of the differences is that our current suspension forks look just like new. Lower-quality forks (lack rebound control) are made from less durable materials. Our previous bikes had (rust) problems on the suspension forks well before they should have.

A suspension stem

A lighter alternative to a suspension fork may be a suspension stem. These create a “spring” mounted between the handlebars and fork to absorb some jolts. A suspension stem will never be equal in ability to a suspension fork, but remember that the air in the tires and the flex of the fork contribute to a front suspension system—not just a shock-absorbing fork.

One advantage of a suspension stem over a suspension fork is that when coupled with a lighter “rigid” fork, the suspension stem reduces bicycle weight. A non-suspension carbon fork is lightweight and has some shock-absorbing ability, which is an excellent place to save some weight.

Full suspension (rear suspension with a front suspension fork)

E-bikes rarely have a rear suspension. That goes double for mid-drive e-bikes. Placing a poorly designed rear shock absorber on an e-bike creates a potential problem point, which is usually only found on higher-end mountain e-bikes. A cushioned saddle and suspension seat post is a good substitute for a rear suspension e-bike.

Rear Suspension

If your wheels don’t leave the ground, you probably don’t need or maybe even want rear suspension. If your bike has a Gates Carbon belt drive from a mid-drive motor (both recommended), it is improbable to have a rear suspension. The rear suspension is mostly for mountain bikes where the wheels leave the ground. A good rear suspension’s primary job is to keep the rear wheel moving smoothly across rough terrain.

Suspension Seatpost

A suspension seatpost is only for comfort. Unlike a rear suspension, it isn’t for landing jumps or keeping your rear wheel on the ground. Instead, it allows the seat to move up and down, absorbing some of the bumps rather than your rear end. If you have back problems and are in an upright riding position, then a good suspension seatpost can cushion the rider and take some of the bumps out of your spine.

I like my Redshift Shockstop Suspension Seatpost much better than my previous full-suspension bike. The biggest reason is that the suspension seatpost does not compress when I stomp on the pedals (including standing on the pedals), robbing me of my effort attempting to power the wheels. Unlike springs under the seat, the seat post does not allow the rocking motion of the saddle, which is typical of springs under the seat.

I am so spoiled by my Redshift Shockstop Suspension Seatpost that I no longer want to ride a bike without one, even if it is a full-suspension bike.

Redshift (the maker of my suspension seat post) also has suspension stems for handlebars, but I haven’t tried them. The suspension stem appears well made, just like my suspension seat post. Here is a link to the maker of my suspension seat post. Redshift Shockstop Suspension Seatpost

Everything you need to know about bike parts

Bike parts are not all equal. Some are junk waiting to break.

The quality of an e-bike’s components varies greatly. The best e-bikes have quality name-brand bicycle components. For years, Shamino has been the go-to name for quality bicycle components. Brakes, shifters, and related components are sold to bicycle manufacturers in a group setting. Name-brand groupsets have different quality levels and are usually chosen with an eye toward lightweight durability.

This list is Shimano’s mountain bike groupset hierarchy, from least to most expensive. Sometimes, components of a groupset at the lowest levels are mixed to create the look of higher-end components. Make sure to check multiple parts for the name.

• Shimano Tourney
• Shimano Altus
• Shimano Acera
• Shimano Alivio
• Shimano Cues (Cues is the replacement for the Altus, Acera, and Alivio groupsets.)
• Shimano Deore
• Shimano SLX
• Shimano Deore XT (electronic shifting)

Shimano, Sram, and Microshift have quality groupsets. The lack of a name brand on groupset components indicates that the manufacturer is trying to save money and hopes the customer won’t notice.

Crankset

Pedals are attached to the crankset. For years, there have been multiple chainrings on the crankset, which have evolved to a single front chain ring. Nearly all e-bikes have a single chain ring crankset. On mid-drive e-bikes, the crankset is usually built into the motor. You will have a separate crankset if you have a rear hub motor e-bike.

Bottom bracket

The bottom bracket is between the pedals and contains the bearings that allow the crankset to spin smoothly. Current designs place the bearings outside the frame, allowing for more rider torque than internal bearings. On mid-drive e-bikes, the bottom bracket is built into the motor.

Cassettes

Cassettes are the gearing on the rear wheel. They allow the rider to choose the correct gearing for the motor (on mid-drive e-bikes) or the rider (on rear hub e-bikes). Current bicycle designs have cassettes with between 7 and 12 gears. Cassettes with many gears cost more and require a thinner (higher-priced) chain and higher-quality derailleur.

Chain

The cassette will come with a matching chain. Pick the one with the cassette’s matching number of gears to choose a replacement chain. Don’t replace a ten-speed chain with a seven-speed chain.

Derailleurs

The derailleur is the component that moves the chain between gears on the cassette. The more gears on the cassette, the better the derailleur will be required to shift gears smoothly. Derailleurs are spring-loaded to accumulate unnecessary chain length. The best-quality derailleurs now have a clutch that controls the spring and reduces chain slap on rough terrain.

Derailleur hanger

A derailleur hanger is a small piece of aluminum that bolts to the frame and to the derailleur. A massive sign of a low-quality bicycle is that the derailleur hanger is built into the frame. If you break a derailleur hanger, you replace the hanger. If you break an integrated derailleur hanger, you replace the frame or the bicycle. Do not buy any bike that does not have a removable derailleur hanger. If you already have a bike without a removable derailleur hanger, either sell it or start saving money for a new bike.

Shift levers

I use the term lever, but now some high-end bikes with electronic derailleurs operate from battery power. You probably are not reading this article if you have an electronic derailleur. I want electric shifting. For the rest of us, the shift lever must match the derailleur; otherwise, you may not get good gear changes.

The best brakes = Hydraulic disc brakes

Brakes have become far more capable in the last twenty years, and sound hydraulic brake systems are an easy way to judge bicycle quality. Cheap bicycles almost universally have cheap mechanical brakes. This is an area for most customers to overlook. The gold standard in modern bicycle brakes is a front and rear disc rotor and hydraulic-powered brakes. Today, even big-box store bikes have hydraulic brakes. The days are past when the bicycle rim is used for braking. The very minimum braking system on any quality bike will have disc brakes.

How do hydraulic brakes work?

When pressure is applied to the brake lever, that pressure increases the pressure at the caliper, moving the brake pads to contact the brake disc. This causes friction on the brake disc, slowing the bike. When the brake lever is released, small springs retract the brake pads. Hydraulic brakes are better because there is no mechanical friction between the brake lever and the caliper. This lack of friction allows for precise control.

Hydraulic disc braking systems are a better choice because they offer greater stopping power and control. Stopping power is related to how hard the brakes can be applied without causing tire skidding, and control allows for a strong, quick, and firm application of the power without causing tire skidding. The second characteristic of an excellent hydraulic braking system is that the quality brake rotors will almost always be 180 mm, although smaller 160 mm rotors are still popular. Larger rotors dissipate heat better and provide better stopping power over long descents.

Looking at the brakes is a good test of whether or not the manufacturer is trying to cut corners, lower expenses, and increase profits.

Everything you need to know about accessories

Utility accessories

Cargo racks, baskets, and splash-controlling fenders should match the manufacturer’s frame. A good manufacturer will have considered these things as part of his overall bike plan.

Racks and baskets

I have had many bikes with rear racks and like their utility. The bad part of a rear rack is that you either need a step-through frame design or the ability to swing your leg over the rack while getting on the bike.

Fenders

I don’t use fenders on my bike, but if I lived in an area known for rain (and riding on wet streets after it rains), count me in. A good manufacturer should have integrated fenders for any bike you are considering.

Everything you need to know about safety accessories

Lights

Safety lights offer additional protection even when riding during the daytime. In the daytime, I recommend flashing, clear and red on the front and rear of the bike to help car drivers see and avoid you. At night, keep the flashing clear light in the front of the bike pointed down. These flashing lights are not for you to see but for others to see you.

Mirrors

Helmets, eye protection, and gloves

E-bikes can go much faster than regular bikes. On a bike, you are nothing more than a high-speed pedestrian. At least wear a good helmet. To keep the skin on your hands, wear gloves.

Headlights

Headlights allow you to see obstacles in the dark instead of the lights already mentioned. A 500-900 lumen headlight for riding at night will allow you to see obstacles in your path. Doubling the headlight by having one light on the bike and a second light on your helmet provides better coverage. These headlights don’t replace the flashing safety lights I have previously mentioned.

You don’t have to buy a new bike to have a great e-bike

Can you convert your bike to an e-bike? — You can.

Assuming you already have a good bicycle that fits you — you may be able to convert your current bicycle into a great e-bike. In many ways, these conversion kits are equal to or better than many e-bikes you can purchase. They have all the capabilities of a factory e-bike except that the motor and battery won’t be integrated into the frame. Conversion kits cost quite a bit less than new bikes. Remember, I already identified that e-bikes have three additional components. To make a regular bike into an e-bike, you need a motor, a controller, and a battery.

The easiest way to convert a regular bike into an e-bike is to buy a motor installed in the wheelset and use a battery mount where your water bottle usually mounts. Don’t forget that a hub motor e-bike has a separate controller. This controller may be built into the battery. Otherwise, you will need to find a place for this third component.

Replacing the wheel with a rear hub motor isn’t the only way to convert a regular bike into an e-bike. Bafang (and other companies) have conversion motors to convert your bottom bracket to a high-power mid-drive motor. Remember that you will not need a separate controller on a mid-drive motor e-bike. Couple a mid-drive motor with a large battery, and you can have a very capable e-bike that costs a fraction of a factory-designed e-bike.

Some of my friends have made great e-bike conversions. And I happen to know an expert in e-bike conversions. I highly recommend contacting Johnny for a consultation before you attempt a conversion. I also recommend that you get your e-bike conversion parts from him. His store is dedicated to the subject. Here is a link to his website. Johnny Nerd-out

Pricing e-bike conversions

If you price an equal hub drive conversion with the purchase of a new wheel (probably two new matching wheels with new tires), then you will almost always spend less money on a mid-drive e-bike conversion. The extra cost of the mid-drive motor will be offset because the motor will be smaller, and you don’t have to buy a new wheel. Even if you need new wheels, I recommend a mid-drive conversion.

Everything you need to know about e-bike prices

Price is always an indicator of popularity

When the demand for any item increases, assuming supplies are limited, prices will be higher. Don’t think that the prices of components, labor, and shipping drive the prices. Popularity has far more to do with driving increased demand than the cost of production.    

Price can be an indicator of quality.

When quality components are available at low prices in a comprehensive marketplace, and if the buyer can discern the quality, buyers can pay more for higher-quality items.

Beware of component overload with increased prices. Fenders and bike cargo racks do not improve performance and should not bump the cost into a higher price category.

E-bike pricing zones (2024)

Prices in U.S. Dollars

Less than $500 – If an e-bike is less than $500, you should be suspicious that the bike is stolen property.

$500-$1000—This pricing zone is occupied by bikes with the lowest-quality components. Expect to find small batteries, small, weaker motors, and cheap components that may work but will usually not work well for very long and will soon break. When they fail, finding exact replacement items will be unusual. Don’t expect to have up-to-date designs at this price point. Typically, parts, especially the batteries, will appear to hang on the bike rather than as part of the bike design.

$1000-$1500—At this price point, you may have some quality components and a mix of lower-quality components. Expect to have an adequate battery and rear hub drive motor. All bikes at this price point should have hydraulic disc brakes, without exception. I consider this price point to be an acceptable entry level. Watch out, especially for heavy bikes. Many of these e-bikes weigh more than 80 pounds. With increased prices, the weight of the bike should decrease.

$1500-$2500 – All the components on the bike should be name-brand. The battery should be 48 volts and integrated into the frame. Reject any bike at this price point where the battery is not integrated into the frame. You should get a mid-drive motor with a torque sensor controller at the higher half of this pricing. Shock absorbers will be more capable. Don’t expect a full suspension (front and rear) shock absorber at this price point. The total weight of these bikes should be less than 60 pounds.

$2500-$5000 – Some of these bikes are pricy beyond value. Popularity drives some of these manufacturers to ask for very high prices. Frankly, this price point can be dangerous for the consumer and very profitable for the manufacturer.  At the upper end of the price category, some bikes are overpriced based on marketing campaigns by more than $1000.  Most of these beyond-value bikes will tout an excellent warranty. Be especially wary of bikes that are promoted by famous people. All bikes in this buyer-beware category will weigh more than 50 pounds.

Some bike makers, however, increase the quality and not just the price. At this price point, the chain may be replaced with a carbon belt drive, nearly always on a mid-drive motor with an internally geared sealed multiple-gear drive train. Shock absorbers will be more capable. Some of these bikes will have full suspension frames.

Above $5000 – This is the zone where performance doesn’t increase, but weight decreases. Nearly all the bikes in this price zone will be made by major manufacturers of quality bicycles. As weight decreases, motor and battery sizes can decrease without sacrificing performance.  Expect the highest quality components and probably electronic shifting.  Each year, you may be able to purchase some of these bikes at huge discounts (thousands less) as dealers make room for new model years.

Everything you need to know about e-bike rebates

How to get a rebate on your e-bike purchase!

Some states and the federal government have rebates associated with the purchase of e-bikes. These rebates sometimes are tax credits. Sometimes, the rebates are associated with the local utility companies. Make sure to double-check any rebates that may apply to your e-bike purchase. Sometimes, these rebates are restricted only to the lower-priced e-bikes. This link gives a high-level overlook of some of the available rebates. E-bike purchase incentives

Everything you need to know about locking your bike

How to keep your e-bike safe from theft.

Don’t leave your bike unattended and unlocked. Both are parts of your security plan. If you need to store your bikes outside, lock them to something secure that isn’t easy to move. If you can put your bikes inside your house, garage, shed, RV, or vehicle, they are safer when they are inside, and all these things offer protection on many levels. The number one reason they are less likely to be stolen is that they are out of sight.

Given time and current technology, a deliberate thief can defeat every locking device. I will offer a few small tidbits about each of them, how they protect your bike, and even some ideas about how a thief might try to defeat your lock. They already know, and you, too should know.

Battery and seat

The battery and seat are removable. Don’t trust the lock on your battery to protect your battery. If you store the bike outside, take the battery and seat off the bike. Plus, the battery is the most expensive part. There is no reason to lose everything to a thief.

Cables are sadly easy to cut.

If you lock your bike to something, you will need something to wrap around the fixed object. Cables are easily cut and are your lowest line of defense. My cable is long enough to go around both bikes’ removable parts and locks to my bike rack.

Chains are stronger than cables, but some chains are not strong enough.

A good chain is hard to beat. Make sure that it is made from thick links of hardened steel. Standard bolt cutters will break before a good chain will break. Your thief will probably use a portable grinder to cut through a chain. Your chain must be so thick that the thief must cut through both sides of the link. Make sure your chain is the correct length. Don’t give the crook extra chain to work on. You want most of the chain challenging to access with a grinder.

Locks

Your battery should lock on your bike, but you should never trust the battery lock to protect it. Instead, take your battery inside and keep it warm and dry.

I use both cables and a chain for two separate locking systems. A large “master lock” is on the cable. It would be much easier to cut the cable than through this lock. My chain lock has a built-in high-security lock. The critical slot on this lock isn’t easily picked by a thief. Most crooks don’t have the special knowledge or tools to pick this lock. Notice that the end of the chain fits into the lock. Before, a thief would not attack my lock; they would instead attack the chain.

One of the newest tactics thieves use is to superglue the lock keyhole, which prevents you from unlocking the bike. The thief will return later with the proper tools to cut your lock. The only answer to this is to stay close to your bike.

Tracking devices

If you decide to put a tracking device on your bike, it may help you get your bike back. Make sure to put it in a place that is difficult to find and extremely hard to remove. The crooks know about these tracking devices. If it is attached to your seat, you will likely find your seat, without your bike, in a ditch or dumpster somewhere.

Covers

If you can’t see the bikes, it may help keep them safe. As mentioned above, inside storage is better than a cover, but a cover is better than out in the open. I wish my bike lock could somehow be exposed through the cover so a potential thief could see that the bikes are securely locked with a huge chain.

Insurance

Sometimes, you need to purchase bicycle insurance on top of your homeowner’s plan; sometimes, it is included. Since all good e-bikes are at least $1000, ensure your insurance deductible isn’t higher than the bike’s value. If your bike is stolen, the police and insurance will want to know the serial number. Your motor may have a separate serial number.

Everything you need to know about a bike rack for your car.

One of the fun things about bicycle riding is taking your bikes to new riding locations. A good bike rack for your car makes this easy. We have the bikes with us everywhere we go in the RV, and then we can transfer them to the car (including the rack) and find fun rides.

On this subject, I have a significant advantage. I have already written an article that describes our bike rack. The most important aspect of a bike rack is that it needs to be robust enough to carry your e-bikes. Ensure that the bike rack is rated for the weight of your e-bikes and that your bike rack works well with your bikes. Lock your bikes to the rack and put your cover on them when they are on your bike rack. Here is the link to our article about our bike rack. Swagman RV Approved Bike Rack

Everything you need to know about e-bike service

Most of your e-bike’s parts can be serviced at local bike shops. Tires are tires. Rear tires on rear hub motor e-bikes are more complicated to service than those on mid-drive e-bikes. Your local dealer may have never serviced a carbon belt drive, but this is easier than working with a chain because there is only one gear on each end and no grease.

Make sure you pick a bike that can be serviced without returning it to the manufacturer. If the company that makes your e-bike can’t get service for your bike without sending it back, then you have a real problem when (notice I didn’t say if) your bike fails.

Does your e-bike company stock replacement parts in the US? No one wants to wait for parts lost on some container ship in the middle of the ocean.

What you need to know about e-bike laws

Okay, there are limits to articles and e-books. Every jurisdiction has different rules for e-bikes. I couldn’t possibly know about every e-bike law. A few things on this subject stand out. Some only have laws restricting Class II and Class III e-bikes. Class I e-bikes are good to go. Mackinac Island is an example that restricts only Class II and Class III e-bikes and allows Class I e-bikes.

What Class e-bike should I get?

Class I and the others differ in the throttle and maximum powered speed. Class I has no throttle and is restricted to 20 miles per hour. Class II e-bikes have a throttle. Class III, the speed increases to 28 miles per hour. If there is a no-e-bike law and you remove the battery, regardless of the motor, you have removed the “e,” thus, you only have a standard unpowered bike. This is an excellent reason to ensure you can pedal your bike without the electric motor being powered by the battery.

The ideal e-bike for me

I got a great e-bike, but not one that matches my ultimate wish list. I don’t have endless money, so I didn’t get my entire wish list. I am sure you can tell from the above that my ideal e-bike would have a mid-drive motor integrated into the frame with an integrated battery.

My ideal bike would be a relaxed mountain-style e-bike with an internally geared hub (ideally, the hub would be an electrically shifted CVT transmission with a vast range and no actual gears to fail) and carbon belt drive. I got nearly everything I wanted in an off-the-shelf e-bike, but there was a little compromise, just like everything else in life.

What e-bike did we choose?

All you have to do is look at the top picture on this post. Here is a link to our review of the FLX Step Thru 2.0

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Please note that this post contains numerous photos from free stock image suppliers and e-bike companies, who gave me permission to include their images in this article.

About our links

As you know, our blog income is zero, which allows us to be independent and tell the truth. We do not get income or commissions. No, we don’t make paid endorsements. We don’t make recommendations; instead, we will tell you what we like (or dislike). The links are only provided as a quick reference to help our readers.

Links

The e-bike we chose is the FLX Comfort 2.0. You can find it and other FLX e-bikes at this link. FLX E-BIKES

Our review of the FLX Step Thru 2.0

Link to our e-bikes FLX Step Through (Comfort) 2.0 mid-drive e-bike

E-bike purchase incentives were found at FLX e-bike purchase incentives

Link to our micro mini e-bikes. JackRabbit

Mokwheel e-bikes contributed pictures and ideas to this article. Mokwheel

Denago e-bikes contributed some of the photos in this article. Denago eBikes

Niu Bikes contributed pictures to this article. Niu

More photos and ideas were contributed by Dan at Kraken Adventure Bikes

Link to our mid-drive e-bike motor. Bafang M-600

Gates Carbon Belt Drive Gates

Vseat noseless bicycle saddle

Rohloff is an internally geared hub. Rohloff

Promax adjustable stem. Promax

My suspension seat post. Redshift Shockstop Suspension Seatpost

Stock photos (royalty-free) contributed by Stock Adobe

More stock photos (royalty-free) contributed by Shutterstock

Link to article about our bike rack. Swagman RV Approved Bike Rack

Build your e-bike by referring to this website. Johnny Nerd-out

Link to our bike lock. Kryptonite Evolution 1090 Integrated Chain Lock

Recreational Equipment, Inc REI Link to my bike lock at REI my Kryptonite bike lock

Link to our bike cover. PRO BIKE TOOL Cover

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