11 things you must know before buying an E bike

An electric bicycle, often referred to as an e-bike or EAPC, is a bicycle outfitted with an electric motor designed to provide assistance while pedalling. This motor draws its energy from a rechargeable battery which is usually neatly integrated into the bike.

For an electric bicycle to qualify as an e-bike, the motor’s role is to aid your pedalling effort as opposed to propelling the bike independently. In other words, pedalling is a necessary component to receive electric assistance. The motor’s output is controlled according to the force of your pedalling and the chosen level of support elected from the E bikes on board control functions.

Image courtesy of Shimano

Similar to the battery in your phone, the capacity of an e-bike battery may decline as it ages and can also be influenced by extreme temperatures. Consequently, it’s essential to give your battery some extra attention.

-Charge and store your battery indoors where possible

As previously mentioned, batteries can be sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Storing your e-bike battery in a cold shed or garage can adversely impact its charging and overall performance. After your ride, it’s a good practice to remove the battery (if possible) and keep it indoors, away from moisture

-Minimise the number of charging cycles

The process of fully discharging a battery and then recharging it to its maximum capacity is termed a ‘cycle.’ The more cycles your battery undergoes, the less effective it becomes over time. To maximise the lifespan of your battery, consider charging it less frequently.

One effective strategy is to recharge it only when it holds less charge than you need for your entire ride, rather than topping it up after each use. Bosch recommend that you leave the battery at 30-60% charge if storing for long periods of time

You can also extend the battery’s longevity by optimising motor usage. Excessing use of turbo mode will put extra load strain on the battery…

Sadly, the answer is no as the airlines will not permit large e bike battery’s within their hold storage. This isn’t to say you can’t fly but with the battery removed. A solution is therefore to hire a battery once you get to your destination. Our partners at Atlas Ride Co, offer this service but make sure that the battery you hire is compatible with your bike before setting off!

In short, yes they do! First off, they have more moving parts but more importantly all of those moving parts are under more stress, more of the time. For city and commuting E bikes, the differences in wear won’t be too noticeable however for an electric mountain bike you need to factor in the cost of service and consumable parts.

Increased chain and cassette wear due to additional motor output

Tyres are going to wear quicker due to the additional power and weight

Brakes will take more abuse because of the extra weight

Higher risk of buckling rims due to the weight.

Above all, with an e bike you can ride much further and faster than you would have on your old naturally aspirated bike. More use=more wear. Simples!

Yes, although most trail centres will charge you more to enter the trails. You’re effectively getting a free uplift with an e bike and spending more time shredding the trails. The forestry commission place no restrictions for legal E bikes being ridden within their woods and forests.

Generally speaking, no. Most E bikes weight exceed the weight limit stipulated by the roof rack manufacturers. Additionally, lifting a wet and slippery E bike above your head is difficult and not advisable. Your best bet is to buy a tow hitch mounted bike rack, like the Thule EasyFold below.

Image courtesy of Thule

Yes we can-we absolutely love E bikes! So much so that we actually charge less to insure them then a normal bike non pedal assisted E bike. Just remember, we can only insure E bikes which meet the UK EAPC regulations (250w output, 15.5mph motor cut off, pedal assist only)

No. if you have bought are planning on derestricting your E bike, we cannot and will not insure it. Derestricted E bikes do not fall under the EAPC classification and therefore require an entirely differ approach to insurance. Police forces across the UK are cracking down on derestricted/ illegal E bikes which are being ridden within the public domain. Yellow Jersey also cannot insure bikes fitted with a throttle orbikes which have been retro fitted with a motor.

It is apparent that ‘cheap’ E bikes, (many of which are imported from China) which haven’t been subject to the same level of electrical compliance testing, are the ones that are more at risk of catching fire and therefore should be avoided. Incidentally, many of these types of E bike do not meet the UK EAPC requirements so do not qualify as a Pedal cycle and therefore are not covered by our insurance in the first instance.

Buying a mainstream brand of E bike from a reputable dealer is your best bet to avoid a serious catastrophe.

This is entirely subjective, however the general consensus is that e bikes offer riders of all levels the ability to climb hills that would have previously been out of bounds, complete more runs, have a more sociable ride when ascending, have increased stability on the downhills and generally have a more enjoyable experience because they’re not completely out of breath.

For reference, I am a fit road rider who loves nothing more than pedalling hard. Having an e bike increased my mountain biking experience exponentially. For mountain biking, I would no longer consider buying a non-electric assist bike (please don’t hate me!)

EAPC

An acronym for ‘electrically assisted pedal cycle. For further information of the EAPC definition, check out the Gov.uk website

Volts

The voltage of an E-bike is a critical factor influencing its power and performance. Common voltage ratings include 36v, 48v, and 52v, with 48v being the most common option. Higher voltage provides better performance and extended range, albeit at the expense of higher charging costs.

Watts

This is the standard measurement used to define your e bikes power output. You’ll notice that in the United Kingdom, electric motors are permitted for sale with power outputs of up to 250 watts. Any motor exceeding this limit does not fall under the category of an e-bike and is therefore subject to licensing and insurance regulations similar to those governing mopeds.

Watt hours (W/H)

Watt-hours serves as a method to gauge a battery pack’s energy storage capacity, providing valuable insights into the expected performance and range of your new E-bike. To determine the watt-hours (WH) of a battery pack, simply multiply its voltage by the ampere-hours (Ah) rating. For instance, a 36-volt 10-Ah battery pack yields 360 watt-hours (36 X 10 = 360).

A/h

E-bike a/h typically stands for E-bike ampere-hours or amp-hour rating. It’s a measure of the capacity of an electric bike’s battery. The ampere-hour (Ah) rating tells you how much current the battery can deliver over one hour.