Electric Bike – The Beginner’s Guide

What is an electric bicycle?

An electric bike or e-bike is a bicycle with an integrated electric motor that helps you when you pedal. An e-bike consists of a modified or customized bike frame with pedals but includes an electric motor. It has the benefit of electric assistance and requires less overall energy consumption. They allow the rider to either pedal the bike or use the power of the battery and motor drive system.

Something you need to know about electric bicycles

Regardless of the type of electric bicycle, they will all use a motor and a battery.

Batteries

The heart of an electric bicycle is the battery. It stores the electricity that makes the motor run. E-bike batteries will be lithium-ion batteries, which are very efficient and can be charged from an electrical outlet. However, they are expensive. This is one of the main reasons why e-bikes are so expensive. The batteries can be removed from the bike and stored elsewhere. Depending on the e-bike, they are usually designed so that the bike can also be used in the rain without damaging the battery.

Possible locations for the battery on an e-bike.

The purpose of a battery is simple: to provide power to the motor. Batteries can significantly increase the weight of the bike. They can be placed anywhere on the e-bike, but you will usually find them above the rear wheel or on the mainframe. It will be easier to remove if the battery is above the rear wheel. But it also adds weight to the rear of the bike, which can affect handling. The extra weight is more evenly distributed with the battery on top of the mainframe. But it makes removing the battery more difficult.

Motor

The drive is one of the cores of an e-bike. There is no general answer to the question of which type of drive is best. There is no “good” or “bad” in this case. It’s more about what you want from your e-bike.

There are three main types of e-bike motors: rear-hub, mid-drive, and front-hub.

Front Hub Motors

Front hub motors work by using energy from the battery to turn the front wheel. These types of motors are rarely found on pedal-assist e-bikes. This means you can only use the front hub motor with the help of the throttle. Pulling the front wheel forward creates an unusual sensation and makes turning a bit difficult. On top of that, there is the weight that the front hub motor exerts forward on the bike.

These types of motors are usually found on cheaper throttle assist e-bikes and conversion kits. That’s because replacing the front wheel is usually easier than replacing the rear wheel because you don’t have to deal with the chain.

Rear Hub Motors

Rear hub motors work by using electricity from the battery to turn the rear wheel. Having the rear wheel provide power will feel more natural to most people, which also means it can be used with pedal assist and throttle assist on an e-bike. Putting the motor in the rear also means extra weight at the back of the bike, which is better for most people than putting it in the front.

Most e-bikes with throttle assist have the motor mounted in the rear. This allows the bike to perform better compared to putting it in the front.

Center Drive

These motors are placed in the center area of the bike. It is integrated into the bicycle’s drivetrain. This means that when it comes to pedal-assist electric bikes, you will only find center drive motors. The center drive motor allows the extra weight to be distributed more evenly throughout the bike. This allows the bike to be accelerated and maneuvered more easily.