Road-friendly ebikes
Want to go faster, or pedal a bit less? An ebike might be the answer – here’s what you need to know before buying
LET’S FACE IT, riding a bike is much better when you have a little helping hand in the power department, whether that’s in the form of a long downhill, or a tailwind. But this isn’t particularly practical, especially when you’re touring somewhere both hilly and windy. The solution? An ebike, of course. Ignore what the naysayers might tell you – even if you’re as fit as a fiddle, riding an ebike is one of the best experiences out there. You get all of the advantages of cycling, as you might expect, with the benefit of a little extra leg help when you need it. There are also very few downsides, other than the higher price tag (over an equivalent bike) and a bit of weight gain: a side-effect of the battery and motor doing the work for you. That said, the tech is constantly improving and ebikes are getting lighter as time goes on. Ebikes have also evolved to match their non-powered counterparts. A few years back, when ebikes were just starting to gain popularity, you could only choose from a few hybridstyle options (the most popular style for casual riders). But now you can get cargo ebikes, folding ebikes and even road ebikes, for those with a penchant for skin-tight Lycra club runs on a Sunday morning. All of which makes right now a great time to invest in an ebike. So, with the popularity of ebikes at an all-time high, and more ebikes than you can shake a stick at available to buy, what should you be looking for when you choose yours?
What is an ebike?
There’s an easy way to tell a regular bike from an ebike. For starters, it should be called an ebike, obviously, although some brands refer to them as a pedelec or an EAPC (electrically assisted pedal cycle). It will feature an electric motor, battery and some kind of control box (usually an LCD display) that enables you to adjust its power. When you turn the pedal on an ebike, the motor produces additional power (on top of the power created by your legs), helping to propel the bike forward. This power is drawn from the battery. So when the battery is empty, you will get no further assistance until it is charged again. In the UK, the law states that an ebike’s motor must be no more powerful than 250W, the bike only produces electric assistance while you are pedalling it, and its speed is limited to 15.5mph. If you’re looking at importing a bike from another country, it’s worth ensuring it meets these strict criteria, so it’s legal to use here. If, for example, an ebike is powered by the throttle (without pedalling), this is not legal and the bike would need approval. That said, some ebikes have a walk-assist mode, allowing you to push the bike along with a small amount of power assistance. This is perfectly legal. If you’re unsure about what to look for when purchasing an ebike, there’s an easy way to check – make sure that it has the official European stamp of approval, EN 15194. Now that you know what an ebike is, and what kind of ebike you can legally use in the UK, let’s look at the kind of road ebike you need for your particular lifestyle.
Which type of ebike?
First of all, consider the type of riding you think you’ll be doing with your ebike. In this guide, we’re focusing only on the kind of bike you would ride on the road, whether you’re on tour in a city or out of town, although specific mountain-focused ebikes
‘The benefits of cycling, with the advantage of a little help when needed’
are available for those of you who are looking more to off-road pursuits. If you’re going to be somewhere hilly, you’ll need a bike with a broad range of gears to choose from. If it’s somewhere flat, fewer gears will suffice, or you can go with a single-speed bike, which is also easier to maintain. If you want comfort, look for an ebike with an upright riding style. Looking for speed? A lower handlebar position, or drop handlebars, might be just right for you. Got stuff to carry but don’t want to wear a rucksack? Make sure the ebike comes with pannier mounts; mudguard mounts also mean you can ride your bike all year round (so through any weather).
What about the battery?
The next thing to look at when buying your ebike is the battery. Some are bolted onto the downtube or the rear rack, while others are integrated into the frame. There are some bikes where the battery is hidden inside the frame, so no-one will know it’s there. Ebike batteries are lithium-ion and will obviously run out of charge after a time. The more power assistance you use, the quicker this will happen. Capacity is measured in watt hours (Wh), although you might see some batteries rated in amp hours (Ah). The higher the Wh or Ah rating, the greater the capacity and the greater the range of an ebike, but the heavier it will be. Bear in mind that ebikes can weigh 20kg or more, so you’ll need to carefully consider where to stow it when towing. Some manufacturers, such as Riese & Müller, offer dual batteries for really long rides. If you only have a short ride in mind, or don’t mind charging up the bike often,
‘The higher the Wh rating, the greater the range, but the heavier the bike’
you might be better off going with a bike that has a smaller capacity, because it will be lighter and more manoeuvrable. If you want to go on long rides, it’s worth investing in a bigger battery option, though. Charge times for an ebike battery vary, depending on capacity, but it usually takes a few hours from empty – a battery size that gets you through the day and can be charged overnight is ideal, but on a commute, a work-day of charge should do. Another point to consider when looking at an ebike is whether the battery is removable. If it is externally mounted, you can probably take it off and charge it inside your home – great if you live in a flat and don’t want to lug your ebike up a flight of stairs. If it’s not – for example, the battery might be located inside the frame – you have fewer options; if you have a garage with power, then fine. The harder you ride, the quicker you’ll run out of juice. To help manage battery range, most ebikes have some form of dashboard control, enabling you to adjust the level of power assistance available (in addition to checking your speed, distance and more). The lower the level, the more economical it’ll be. Shimano, for example, has three power modes with its STEPS system, while Bosch has five, including an adaptive mode that adjusts the power output automatically to match your level of force.
Some ebikes are now also coming with the ability to pair up with your smartphone and remotely make adjustments to the power delivery, and allow you to check out your various cycling stats.
Does the motor matter?
Battery aside, the other major piece of the puzzle is the motor. On ebikes, there are three types of motor arrangement: front-hub mounted, rear-hub mounted and mid-mounted in the cranks. Which type you go for is usually dictated by the kind of price you’re willing to pay. Generally speaking, mid-mounted motors – championed by big industry brands such as Bosch, Shimano and Yamaha – are found in premium ebikes. This is because they’re more complicated to produce, and the frame’s design needs to be built around them, so it’ll end up costing more. The advantage of a mid-mounted motor is that you get a better weight distribution, because the heavy motor is low down on the bike and in the centre of the frame. At the cheaper end of the spectrum sit hub-mounted motors, which can be placed either in the front or the rear wheel. Front-hub motors tend to be the most common because they can be installed in any kind of bike, no matter what sort of frame design or gearing set-up it has. If you are looking at this type of configuration, it will probably be much less expensive, which is good news for anyone who’s shopping with a smaller budget. If the motor is installed at the rear, it makes the gearing set-up a little more complicated to implement, which is why you tend to see hub-type gearing systems where the gears are all contained within a hub. Examples of this include the Shimano Nexus or Alfine. The plus side of this is that hub gears are smooth and require no maintenance. The downside? They’re pricey, and having the motor and gears all in the back wheel means you have a rear-heavy ride. But that said, it actually doesn’t make much of a noticeable difference which type of motor arrangement you go for. We’ve tried almost all of the various configurations ourselves and, small nuances aside, we certainly didn’t find much in the way of significant changes in the way they ride.
Take a test ride
Finally, remember that no matter which kind of ebike you end up with, the most important thing is that you enjoy riding it. So make sure you go out there and get a good test ride in before you buy.
‘Which type of motor you go for is usually dictated by the price you pay’