Ebike Buyer's Guide | Everything You Need to Know About Electric Bikes | Cycling Weekly

Interested in buying an electric bike but don't know your torque from your power or your hub drive motor from you mid-drive? Fear not! Our ebike buyer's guide will tell you everything you need to know about buying an electric bike.


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[Janus]

After a crash I got an E-bike as a recovery tool. Now it's a mode of transportation, getting me to work or meeting friends for a night on the town without as much sweat so I can ride back and get my workout on my way home. I also selected more of a cargo bike option when I bought it, ironically my car needed an expensive repair and it worked out where I didn't need to do that repair for a few months because I could get everything I needed without it.

We all love bikes, we think they are fun as a recreation or a type2 type of fun as a fitness machine. Before all of that, bikes were transportation, an alternative to larger more unwieldy options like horse and carriage or automobiles. I think people lose sight of that when they get up in arms about the ideas of e-bikes. It's ok to have a very small, personal vehicle that enables you to get around without much fuss, in fact if more people had that there would be less problems for many folk out there.

[KandiKlover]

Actually Bosch makes a high torque specific motor in the Performance branded line. The CX will do 85Nm

[danielpetit]

Upon discovering that a brand new 125cc motorbike was cheaper than the majority of e-bikes, I just had to investigate… This is what I discovered... 1. Nearly all e-bikes and components are built cheaply in China. 2. Unscrupulous companies import these, stick a brand name on it, and then sell it to you at astronomical profit margins. 3. Very few of these brand names have any after-sales support, especially after a few years, when spares are almost impossible to attain. 4. E-bikes in inexperienced hands can be very dangerous, with injuries more akin to those from motorcycles than from push bikes. Conclusion, in the ‘world of wheels’ e-bikes seem to be the new gold rush, through ruthlessly exploiting middle class conscience.

[rossboucher]

Can I ask about motors please? Which is better - mounted in the rear wheel hub, or at the pedals?

[michaelrowland]

First thing I would like to advice people who enjoy cycling ride their normal bikes as long as they can, in life there is one fact which is the same for all of us we are getting older and our health and ability gets less. I am 57 year old with a heart condition and I used to love cycling but on a normal cycle I am just not able. I haven't cycled for 3 years because I did give it ago for about 3 months on a normal cycle and I just wasn't able, it was 12 years before then since I cycled as I passed my car test but by I missed cycling and hated driving as before then until I was 36 started cycling when I was 12 it was my main transport.

People have just said why don't you get yourself a electric bike, I said because cycling is using peddles and they told me about the peddle assist. Well a few months ago I broke the bank and got one and this is about half a dozen times I used it and what a difference its sparked my interest up. I went out this morning cycling up a long hill not steep but long with head wind and took over a young cyclist, he was off his seat peddling like mad bless him and I just sailed by him.

Don't get me wrong it was not me as if I had of been on a normal cycle I probably be pushing it up, but it as put a new meaning on cycling because I still had to do some off the work. I am weighty to I weigh 20 stone which I hope that will soon change now and lower my weight. I walk dog for an hour each day so now adding cycling is great, I just say to the young man I took over he was doing real good and I would trather of been doing what he was doing with a normal cycle but there is a time when one can't and need help, It my time for help and his time to keep going as long as he can, so yes e bikes have a place and make us less reliable on our cars. Mike

[stevegarthwright]

How do you find out what rider wieght an ebike is warranted to take. This is essential information which can be hard to find because some of us are not built like a columbian climber.

[williampennjr.]

The first thing you should look for is the weight of the bike. You want to be able to pedal uphill if the battery dies or just to conserve the battery.
I made the mistake of buying a bike that cant be reasonably ridden without battery power due to the bike being so heavy.

[RynaxAlien]

Silicon nanowire batteries have biggest capacity, but not yet used in eBikes. Graphene motor would be also lighter/more efficient, Front hub motor advantagious?

[johnbouttell]

I think the best strategy is: 1. buy a cheap 2nd-hand e-clunker. 2 Ride it around town for 6 months to get a feel for it. 3 Sell it 4 Buy a cheap 2nd-hand e-road bike. Repeat steps 1-3 ...

[representing]

Do you own your own ebike shop by any chance ?

[guernseybozrah]

The thing that worries me the most being a motorcyclist for some fifty years, is the lack
of insurance required to ride on a public thoroughfare!!

[brianbassett]

This is a great video on how to buy an ebike that was designed to be sold rather than ridden presented by people who profit from the sale. Don't buy a production ebike. Find the perfect bike, hand a BaFang mid-drive, and buy the largest battery the frame will hold... its easy.

[MP-zfkg]

I've worn out enough rims, especially the rear ones, to think a rear-hub motor is a really bad idea for all except fat-tire bikes with disc brakes.

[Crashed]

I bought the e-moped instead (Vespa looking type) no registration in Canada at 500w (Disconnect the limiter) now its like a 750w.

They have lock steering with alarm, weight 200 lbs and hard to steal so you do not have to lock it to a post ever single stop, plus it can carry a lot of stuff without a wearing backpack all the time.

And the wide soft seat does not try to impregnate you.

Mind does 50 km range on a charge and it goes as fast as a young person on a 10 speed petaling his guts out.

I did buy the optional $700 20ah LifepO4 battery 5 years ago . Im buying the 30ah next time then im good for 70km.



I love mine.

[buntysimmons]

How can it be British if it's made in Taiwan and at a third of the price.

[hojoinhisarcher]

Canada here.How long does a battery go before its time to replace?

[Papermanic]

A Bristish bike made in Taiwan???? How does that work then????

[ericzochowski]

Being British it is way over priced, would rather get the equivalent Orbea Gain.

[wanneske]

3500 £ for a bike without mudguards ???

[johnbroadbent]

I have watched your video with interest but the law on ebikes that are to be ridden on a UK road is 15.5 mph and the total wattage of the motor is 250 watts, if the wattage is above this then it must be registered as a motor cycle to run it on a UK ROAD please take note of this, this is UK LAW and THIS WILL UPSET A LOT OF FOLK so be warned