Electric bike buying guide from Internet Bikes ? truly helpful information!

We at Internet Bikes have put together the following information to help you make the best choice when purchasing your electric bicycle. Walking through these few simple steps will help you decide which electric bike is best for you.

While testing an electric bike you should focus on three main aspects:

• The assistance provided by the electric bike: Is it smooth or jerky?
• The electric bike's battery: What range will the battery provide?
• The electric bike's motor: Where it is located?

The number of different electric bikes on the market has increased dramatically in recent years. We at Internet Bikes are going to do our best to tell you everything you need to know to make a good choice. When it comes to the pedal assist system, there are really just a few systems on the market. The Internet Bikes buying guide will help you pick an electric bike to meet your needs. While there are numerous electric bikes to choose from, all the electrical assistance systems on the market are made by just a few manufacturers. Nearly all the electric bike models from Sparta, Koga and Batavus use the ION technology the group developed in-house. Gazelle sells various e-bikes and uses two different systems of its own design. The Panasonic system can be found on the Puch bicycles, the Swiss Flyer and the German Kalkhoff. Kalkhoff also offers bikes with the Bosch system, which has the motor at the crank, as do Puch and Stevens. Many other brands of electric bikes have a motor on the front or rear wheel, a battery under the carrier and simple control.
At fietsersbond.nl/e-bike you will find a description of the available power assist systems, their characteristics and the bikes on which they are used (info available in Dutch only). The site offers lots of interesting information about electric bikes.

Electric bike: The pedal assistance system

An electric bike from Internet Bikes is powered in two ways: by your legs and the motor. The extent to which these work together smoothly is very important! This works better with some systems than with others. On all electric bikes the pedal assist only works when you are pedalling too. Simple electric bikes use a motion sensor to detect whether you are pedalling. These assist systems then deliver a constant amount of power. More advanced bikes take into account both the speed of travel and the rate of pedalling. The most advanced electric bikes have a sensor that measures how much force is being applied to the pedals; the amount of assist is adjusted accordingly, which feels more natural. The pedal assist stops immediately when you stop pedalling. When you begin pedalling again, it takes at least a half turn of the crank before the assistance kicks in again. Another difference is the rate at which the motor applies force during acceleration. The more gradually this occurs, the more natural most people find it to be. All electric bikes stop providing assistance at around 25 kilometres per hour.

Nearly all electric bikes with a force sensor provide enough assistance once you apply considerable pedalling force yourself. But what happens when you apply just a little force to the pedals? The Ion system continues providing lots of assistance. Other systems, such as the Bionx system, begin reducing the assistance proportionally. The intensity of the pedal assistance may also vary as you use various gears while biking.

Electric bike: What is the range? How far can you bike before the battery dies?

How far you can go with a fully charged battery depends on many factors. One of the most important is the battery's power capacity. The assist setting you choose determines the rate of battery discharge.

The capacity of an electric bike battery is expressed in watt-hours (Wh). A 350 Wh battery can deliver 350 watts an hour or 175 watts for two hours. So if you use 175 watts continuously in full assist mode, you can cycle for two hours. At 24 kilometres per hour you will travel 48 kilometres. If you pedal hard, so only slight assist is needed, the battery delivers about 70 watts. With a 350 Wh battery you will be able to bike for five hours, covering a distance of around 100 kilometres. Simple math, right?

But there are also other factors that affect the range. Biking uphill, into a strong headwind, or on under-inflated tyres and frequently starting from a stop after waiting at a traffic light consume lots of battery power. Choosing the right gear (downshifting!) and the weight also play a role. We at Internet Bikes therefore advise you to choose a battery that suits you and the distance you ride. Most batteries have a limited life, even if you use the bike infrequently. The average life span is about three to five years. Replacement costs around 300-500 euros.

Electric bike: The motor

Electric bikes from Internet Bikes have the motor in the front wheel, rear wheel or at the crank. There are some differences in use, based on where the motor is located. A motor at the crank is often more economical because it is directly linked to the crank and can therefore more often run within its ideal speed range. What it all boils down to is that this arrangement is more efficient. A motor in the front wheel has the advantage of allowing you to choose a fully enclosed chain guard and a hub gear in the rear wheel. With a motor in the rear wheel, you can often only use derailleur gears, not hub gears with an enclosed chain guard.

Electric bike: What else do you need to keep in mind?

All electric bikes are equipped with a control panel. The simplest just show the battery charge and the selected assist level. A luxury display adds trip information such as speed, trip distance and expected range. It is also nice if you can operate the display without taking your hands off the handlebars. Today you can get an electric version of nearly any kind of bike, whether you are looking for a city bike, touring bike, mountain bike, folding bike, carrier bike or tricycle. The addition of electric assist does make the bike a few kilos heavier, but while biking you will hardly notice the difference. Some electric bikes have the ability to reverse and offer parking assistance to make parking easier.

Electric bike: Charging

Electric bikes from Internet Bikes must be charged regularly and on time. Failure to do so can cause the battery to enter a ‘sleep mode’, and this has a direct impact on the capacity and performance of the battery. The battery of an electric bike must be run until completely discharged at least once a month and should then be fully charged again. Doing this consistently will make the battery last many times longer. Charging takes time. An hour on the charger means another hour of biking with moderate assistance or a half-hour with full assistance. Cycling with an electric bike is different than you are used to with your ‘regular’ bike.

For many people using an electric bike often means cycling at higher speeds again, so be extra careful when you start using one: get used to the speed, pedal assistance, mounting and dismounting, and braking.

We hope this information has given you some new insights that you will find helpful when purchasing an electric bike. If you still have questions about buying an electric bike after reading this article, please feel free to contact our sales department at verkoop@internet-bikes.com or make an appointment with our service centre in Tilburg.

Internet Bikes - truly helpful information about electric bikes!