Pashley Men's Bike Speed 5 British Racing Green 20.5"
The Speed 5 is the tribute to the famous gentleman cycle racing in Britain. The colour scheme hin...
7,200.-
Electric Bicycles
About Electric Bicycles
Nobody would have thought that the world would embrace a two-hundred-year-old technology in the 21st century. But as people grow weary of the early morning and late evening traffic congestion, electric bicycles are becoming a viable and trendy alternative. It is also a step forward towards a carbon-free green future.
The concept of electric bicycles is nothing new. They have been around for decades. But the limitations with battery capacity and distasteful design kept them from becoming mainstream. Today that is changing at an unfathomable rate. Companies are churning out better and more efficient batteries and futuristic looking models of electric bikes. All this combines with the cry to move away from traditional hydrocarbon fuels have sped up the switch to electric bicycles. Before you buy yourself on, it will be useful to know about the basics of electric bikes. This article will tell you about the different types of them and the things that you should look for in an electric bike.
Different types of electric bikes
There is a slew of reasons why people prefer electric bikes over mechanical bikes. They let you travel more distance in less time. When you take the time people spend in gridlocks, they can even be faster than a car for city transportation. And you can do all these without even breaking a sweat. But not all electric bikes are city bikes. Mountain and trail bikers are gradually making the switch to electric mobility, thanks to the emergence of powerful batteries. Here is the list of the most popular types of electric bikes on the market.
Folding electric bike
One thing that discourages people from using an electric bike for daily commuting is its size. For those who would like to ditch their cars and use a combination of personal mobility and public transport, the difficulty in taking a full-sized cycle on a busy metro is terrifying. That’s why foldable electric bikes are gaining popularity. Not only that, but folding bikes also solves the problem of storing them. Especially if you live in an apartment, where space is scarce. These days, numerous tech companies are competing against each other to create the best mini-foldable bike.
Hybrid electric bike
A standard electric bike is a cross between a street bike and a mountain bike. An electric hybrid bike is the electric version of a standard hybrid bike. Some people think that a hybrid e-bike uses a combination of electric motor and pedalling. But that’s what any electric bike is. So, why should you buy a hybrid electric bike? Well, they combine the comfortable seating position, straight handlebars, and plushy seats of a road bike with the sturdiness and wider tyres of a mountain bike. Similar to a mountain bike, a hybrid bike has more gear shifts which is ideal for climbing steep hills.
Electric city bike
Because of the unforgiving gridlocks and hours and hours lost waiting in the traffic, more and more people are going green by choosing to commute on bicycles. And because people don’t want to show up sweaty and out of wind at the office, they prefer electric city bikes more than regular bikes. When you consider the long-term gains of using a bike instead of cars you can recoup the investment in a couple of years. Even if you are only using it only commute to work or short rides to corner stores. And if you live on mountainous terrain, going for an electric bike is always better than the regular mechanical bikes.
Electric mountain bikes
This might mountain bikers might have resentment at those who use electric bikes for trekking. They might even call it cheating. But there is no doubt that electric mountain bikes are tons of fun. And for that reason, even enthusiast cyclers have started to take electric mountain bikes seriously. Using them does not mean that you have to put in your effort, but you get that satisfying extra boost. Just like you have been on steroids, without actually being so. You can climb more and move fast on them. There are mountain bikes available at different price ranges, battery capacity, and horsepower.
Tips on how to buy Electric Bicycles
Yes, electric bicycles are all the rage nowadays. There is no doubt that they are incredibly useful. But before jumping on the bandwagon, you have to make sure that the bike you are buying is right for you. Because there are quite a few types of bikes out there, it is easy to get confused, overwhelmed, or both. You can follow these tips to make a better purchase decision, though.
- Pedal-assist vs throttle – If you don’t want to pedal your bike, then you should choose the bikes that you can accelerate using only the throttle. In Pedal-assist bikes, the motor will add extra boost as you pedal normally. There are also bikes that have both these modes as well.
- Rear-drive motor vs centre drive motors – Real drive motors are the cheaper option. Although they are good enough for flat roads, they struggle when you go uphill. If you are riding a lot of uphill or on uneven terrains, you should go for centre drive motors.
- Extra bells and whistles – Modern electric bicycles come with an array of sensors and other cool features, including position tracking. But as you go for more features, you will also be paying more. An in-built speedometer, battery indicator, and a GPS tracker might be really handy.
- Select the type of bike – There are electric bikes for every kind of use. If you are into adventurous activities, get a mountain bike. Daily commutes will have something that offers a decent amount of range and manoeuvrability. They should also be small if you want to take them on office trips. Apart from that, there are electric bikes that you can use for leisure rides.
- Water-resistance – If you will be riding the bike in the rain, you have to make sure that they are water-resistant. Anything that is rated IP 65 or above is fine. But this does not mean you should ride it through a pool of water. If the battery is submerged in water, it might cause damage.
You might also want to buy the necessary gear to keep you safe when you ride. Here on our product search engine, you can find an extensive collection of best value electric bikes from brands like Ducati, Hero, Sondors, Delfast, and Brompton. So, browse Shops.ae today!
Question & Answer
How much range does an electric bike have?
Most electric bikes have batteries sizes between models. But the average battery of them is 10 Ah (Ampere Hour). If two electric bikes have exactly the same battery capacity, that does not mean that you get exactly the same range from both of them. There are other factors that go into determining the range of an electric bike. Like the size of the motor, your riding style, temperature, the slope of the terrain, etc. There is also an economical speed range in which you get the maximum mileage. The range decreases exponentially as you go above or below that.
Do you need a license to drive an electric bike?
This, in fact, varies between countries. Most countries treat electric bikes similar to regular bikes. But at least in some countries, there are rules specifying the maximum power output such bikes can have. And if it goes above that, the rules of a moped takes precedence. In the UAE, you are supposed to use safety gears, including helmets and high visibility vests if you are riding bikes in public areas. In areas that have dedicated bike lanes, use them instead of riding on the sidewalks.
How fast can an electric bike go?
Different electric bikes have different maximum speed capabilities. Usually, the manufacturers lock the maximum speed depending on the country’s legislation. In the US, the maximum allowed speed for bicycles is 51 kilometres per hour and 45 kilometres per hour in the EU countries. Smaller bikes with smaller motors will have lower maximum speeds. Small electric scooters that you can ride standing up have even lower speed capabilities like 25 kilometres per hour. The mile range of the bikes also varies between models.
Do you have to pedal an electric bike?
There are many ways to ride an electric bicycle. In some bikes, you can turn them on with a push of a button and control the speed using the throttle on the handle. These models are called throttle activated e-bikes. But if you want a more traditional feel while riding an electric bicycle, you can go for the pedal-assist models. In these bikes, the motor kicks in only when you push down on the pedal. And depending on how fast you are pedalling, the more power you get out of the motor. And almost all electric bikes also let you drive them like traditional bikes. So, you can still use them even when you are out of juice.