5 Practical Tips To Help You Pick the Right E-Bike

If you’re getting into the market for electric motorized bicycles, have no fear. It can be frustrating to transition from petroleum-fueled mechanics to electrical. Because this is such a new concept, many people cling to what they know. Therefore, here are five practical tips to help you pick the right e-bike before you make a purchase.

Classes of Bikes

There are many different classifications of bikes. There are lighter bikes, which aren’t equipped for long-distance traveling, and then there are heavier models with all the bells and whistles. As you go up in classes, bikes will have more robust motors and more energy due to better battery power. Of course, with each upgrade comes a price jump, so you will also need to prepare for that.

Consider the Batteries

There will be different classifications of batteries based on strength and how much output they can give, or the time they will last before the next charge. The first is voltage. This is illustrated on your battery by a "V." Bike batteries with higher voltage will provide more power, torque, and achieve higher top speeds. The second is amp hours. Amp hours are illustrated on your bike's battery by "Ah." Amp hours determine the capacity the battery of your bike has. A bike battery with a higher Ah rating typically means that your battery will last longer. One last thing to consider is deciding between a lead-acid battery or lithium battery. Lithium batteries are much smaller in size and weight in comparison to lead-acid batteries. Lithium batteries also provide a greater life span to your bike than lead-acid batteries. A lithium battery can last anywhere from three to five years, whereas a lead-acid battery typically lasts from one to two years. 

Motor Type

Part of the allure of electric bikes is that there are fewer moving parts with the mechanism of the motor. Fewer parts mean it’s easier to work on and takes less time to fix to be on the road and on your way. However, when you look at different classes of bikes, you’ll be looking into different styles of motors as well.

The more expensive the bike, the larger and stronger the motor, which ultimately means that there will be more moving parts. This is something that you will have to make a firm decision on because once you make your purchase, you must keep up with the maintenance on it.

New Versus Used

You’ll also need to consider whether you want to buy new or used. If you’re buying a new bike, you might be making costly payments for some time. You can take out a loan for e-bike financing, so factor that into your budget.

If you find a decent bike from a previous owner who took care of their investment, it will be like new, and it will need minimal maintenance to fix anything that might need repairs in the future.

Motor Torque

You’ll also have additional torque or pulling capacity levels with different motor styles. You must keep in mind that higher torque doesn’t always mean faster speeds. Sometimes, it can scale and offroad well, but this doesn’t necessarily convert to speed.

You will want to look into ergonomics and aerodynamics in terms of speed, but it could be that your motor is built for both. You will need to make sure you have the right balance of both so you won’t be stuck with something that you didn’t intend to buy.

With these five practical tips to help you pick the right e-bike, you should have no trouble finding what you need.