How Does Electric Bikes Work: All You Need to Know Before Riding
There are several things to know about electric bikes, but you first need to understand that they are here to stay. The post-Covid-19 era contributed to the adoption of electric bikes since humans identified the importance of safe distancing in society. In response, electric bike manufacturers equip e-bikes with more convenient and flexible features. Creative and scientific engineers develop advanced e-bike features. These creative engineers influence e-bikes’ contribution to sustainable transport systems by replacing fossil fuels with rechargeable batteries. Amidst the several brands you will come across, you should consider getting a high-quality product from Haidong Ebike.
How Electric Bikes Work
Electric bikes have handlebars and pedals like regular bicycles, but they operate differently. Electric bikes are built with more capacity to enable riders to go uphill and cover a long distance. Wherein three significant components determine the efficiency of your electric bike. They are; motor, batteries, and controller.
The Motor
An electric motor is a crucial component of an electric bike, influencing the power ratio and weight suitable for a user. For instance, higher motor power can support much weight, but it will consume higher batteries than motors with a lesser power ratio. You need to understand that motors have different types, and your location will also determine the best one for you. The most common type of motor is the hub motor. It is commonly found among users because of its efficiency. However, hub motors cannot sustain an uphill ride because they are not directly attached to the electric bike’s gear.
The Battery
The battery is another crucial factor that determines how electric bikes work. They are the power that sustains an electric bike. Since the batteries are rechargeable, evaluating how far you can ride with them is much easier. Fortunately, many manufacturers today use Lithium-based batteries instead of the traditional Sealed Lead Acid batteries. Lithium-based batteries are lighter in weight, more efficient, and require a low maintenance cost.
The Controller
The controller of an electric bike can either be a throttle-based controller or a pedal-activated controller. It is usually accessible through the handlebar and is best for electric-only bikes. These two types of controllers are flexible, and you can choose the extent of assistance you want to get. You need to select a mode through the handle or throttle and get ready for your ride.
How to Operate an Electric Bike
Although electric bike manufacturers provide a manual or guide on its usage, it may be somewhat challenging to practically apply it. Bear in mind that there are several models of electric bikes, which can either be pedal only, pedal-assist or electric only. Hence, your mode of operation depends on whatever model you choose to buy. Nevertheless, it will be a smooth training process when you observe the following measures.
Pedal-Only Electric Bike
Pedal-only electric bikes are the easiest and relatively simple for a new user to catch on to. If you are familiar with regular bicycles, you can quickly learn how to ride this model of e-bike because they are created with no extra resistance. However, the pedal-only e-bikes come with several gears, and you will have to choose based on your needs. This means the distance you are going to cover is one of the criteria determining what gear you are getting.
Pedal-Assist/Electric-Assist Bike
The pedal-assist is also known as the electric-assist bike. Here, the bike is built with a design on the handlebar, which assists in the riding process. In addition to your human effort, the machine will supply energy or electric power to the handlebar. This makes more sense when you are riding for leisure purposes, and you want to apply less effort and enjoy the beautiful scenery around you. It is suitable for riding different terrains or test running at higher speeds.
You can also get a product from Haidong Ebike that allows you to adjust the pedal-assist to your preferred mode. Most bikes are set at 30% (low), 60% (medium), and 100% (high) ratio. With these percentages, you can control how much help you get from the pedal-assist and how high you want to go with your ride.
Electric-Only Bike
The electric-only mode is when you are not applying any extra effort to the bike. You can set the bike to operate in the electric-only mode with the throttle. However, you need to keep the throttle on, so the bike will keep moving you forward. You can also release the throttle when you are coming to a stop. However, there are rules concerning the speed at which you can ride an electric-only bike, which vary with state regulations. Also, it is not ideal for children or underage persons to ride an electric bike with this mode.
Conclusion
Contrary to popular opinions, electric bikes are different from regular bicycles or scooters. They have improved components that are responsible for the excellent performances. Every electric bike produced by manufacturers is incomplete without these features and cannot fall under the same category. Thus, knowing how an electric bike works, you must look out for the features that make up a quality bike before buying.
