FAQ

A standard electric bike costs between 800-2000 euros. If we look at the benefits of having such a means of transport, the price does not seem high. Considering the lack of fuel costs needed to power cars, it may turn out that the purchase of an electric bike will pay off after one year of use. The time may be relatively shorter or longer depending on the kilometers traveled. Bike service is very cheap and parts are readily available. There is no cost of insurance and periodic technical examinations.

We can use Ebike to move along bicycle paths just like a conventional bicycle, so contact with cars

is reduced to a minimum. Support speed up to 25 km / h prevents acceleration to higher speeds. We

do not create a threat to other people in this way

The electric bike will undoubtedly be appreciated by every user. People who like sports will like the

possibility of reaching places that are so far very difficult to reach. Climbing up high hills or driving

in the mountains becomes incomparably easier.

For people who need to get to work economically. The ebike does not need fuel and moving along

bicycle paths you can easily avoid city traffic jams. Commuting to work or a meeting by electric

bike does not require much effort, so we do not have to shower or change into fresh clothes.

The ebike is perfect for elderly people who need exercise and contact with nature. Riding such a

bike limits physical effort, which makes it very comfortable. Commuting to the park, meeting

friends or bringing purchases from the store is now much easier and more enjoyable.

For those who value care for the environment and are aware of the dangers of excessive exhaust gas

production. Ebike is one of the most ecological and economical means of transport.

At first glance, an electric bicycle is no different from a traditional bicycle. It has a frame, handlebars, two wheels and a saddle. On closer inspection we can see the battery (if it is not hidden in the frame), the motor in the wheel or mounted between the pedals, and the function display on the handlebars. The main controller is usually hidden in the frame. Special wiring is also required to allow energy to flow between the above components. The electric bike is correspondingly heavier due to the electronics used, which is about 9 kg of additional weight. Many people confuse the

ebike with something like a smaller scooter. Nothing could be more wrong. Ebike is not a scooter. Pedaling is necessary to propel the bike, and the electric motor only supports us

European law on electric bicycles. The European Union has specific regulations regarding electric bicycles. Under the law an electric bicycle is one that meets the following limitations:

Maximum motor power up to 250W

Voltage up to 48V

Limitation of electric assistance to 25Km / h

Ebike’s width up to 0.9 m

Accelerator on the handbars is not allowed. The electric engine can be started only by using the pedals.

An ebike that meets the above restrictions will be treated like a regular bike. We will be able to move on public roads and bicycle paths. We call such an ebike a pedelec for which we do not need additional insurance or registration.

We use conventional bikes and ebikes for recreational and communication purposes. For many of

us, it is the basic equipment for building physical fitness and condition. Scientists have proven that

riding an ebike gives better results than a conventional bicycle. Thanks to electric support, we do

not put stress on the muscles, which prompts us to pedal more intensively. We do not have to use a

lot of energy, because the engine supports us up to 25 km / h. After exceeding this speed, we can

only rely on the strength of our muscles. Riding an e-bike encourages more frequent physical activity. This combination is very good for

improving our condition.

It is clear that an electric bicycle weighs more than a conventional bicycle. The weight depends on the components used: motor, battery, controller, wiring. Sometimes it is also required to strengthen the frame to make it more stable and safer. The average weight is between 23-27 kg. While riding, this weight is not felt, on the contrary, the bike seems lighter, more agile and more pleasant to handle.

As we already know the main components of an electric bike are: electric motor, battery, display and controller. There are usually 4 operating modes to choose from on the function display. Depending on which mode we choose for this speed the electric motor will support us, where 4 means the maximum speed of 25 km/h.

When we choose the driving mode and start pedaling the electric motor turns on which gives us a very positive impression of driving lightness. The more effort we put into pedaling the more power the electric motor will transmit. Everything is quiet and smooth as the system is devoid of complicated mechanics. After exceeding the speed of 25 km/h, the electric motor stops supporting us. The entire system is powered by a modern long-life Lithium Ion battery. Everything is managed by the main controller, monitoring the work of the components.

Ebikes and conventional bikes can be divided into many types depending on the application.

Folding Ebike – A small size ebike withi 20″ wheels. Due to the possibility of folding it is very convenient to store and will easily fit into any car. Although the bike has inconspicuous dimensions, it will be suitable for people with different body shapes. It has a handlebar and a saddle with a very large height adjustment, so that people with a height of 150-190 cm will find the right, comfortable riding position. The bike is ideal for the city, for work, riding on bicycle paths and for transporting in a car without the need to install an additional bicycle rack. There are also folding ebikes with wide terrain tires. With such an ebike, we can easily go to more demanding terrain outside the city.

City eBike – A full size bike with a choice of a male or female frame with a wheel size of 26 “. The ebike as the name suggests is intended primarily for the city. It has a classic look which is why it is very popular and collects a large number of interested buyers. A comfortable position does not cause fatigue even after a long ride. Perfect for people who need a fast and comfortable means of transport to work.

Trekking Ebike – A design very similar to the City Ebike. The difference can be seen on closer inspection. The bike has an additional shock absorber at the front and tires adapted to slightly heavier terrain. Ideal for the city and a trip outside the city (forests, unpaved roads).

EMTB bike – Adapted for off-road riding, mountains and forests. Solid construction with front shock absorber also available with rear shock absorber. The user’s position is slightly inclined. The ebike works in all conditions, but it is best used in the field.

E-Road bike – A bike for fast riding on the road. Perfect for people who like speed and cover long distances. Adapted only to good quality, well-surfaced roads. A rigid frame without shock absorbers and thin hard tires require a good surface for a comfortable ride. It is not suitable for driving on unpaved roads.

E-Cargo bike – Most commonly used for commercial purposes. They are perfect for catering companies, transport of commercial goods, transport of a small number of people.

Modern electric bikes are equipped with a brushless motor with a power between 250W and 1000W and a voltage of 24V, 36V or 48V which are maintenance-free and known for their reliability. You can also meet stronger units but due to a very high price and legal restrictions these ebikes are most often used for extreme sports by professionals. The most popular are motors with a power of 250W and a voltage of up to 48V it is conditioned by the European Union law limiting the power of bikes that can be used on public roads. The electric motor also has a clutch that when turned off allows the rider to pedal freely without additional resistance.

The motor placement:

In the front wheel hub

Centrally in the pedal crank

In the rear wheel hub

There are many options when choosing engine power for an ebike. Consider what it will serve you for. If we need a strong ebike for riding in the mountains in forests and will not be used in the city for driving on the roads, it will be worth considering a bicycle with a power of 500W and higher. If we need an ebike and we live in a country in the European Union. To drive legally on public roads and bicycle roads, the engine power cannot be higher than 250W and the voltage cannot be higher than 48V. Such a bike will also support us up to 25 km/h.

A very important parameter of the engine apart from its power is the torque given in Nuitonometers Nm. Electric Bicycles approved for driving on public roads are most often equipped with systems operating with a voltage of 36V or 48V. Usually they are from 50Nm to 100Nm depending on power and voltage. The higher the torque the faster the bike will move, which translates into better acceleration and flexibility while riding. For a better driving experience the second option will be the best choice. Bikes operating with 48V voltage are characterized by a greater torque and a lower appetite for electricity. For comparison, a bicycle with the parameters of 36V 10Ah will have a battery capacity of 360Wh, and a bicycle with the parameters of 48V 10Ah will have a battery capacity of 480Wh.

There are three ways to locate the motor in the bike:

 Engine located in the front wheel hub. Simple and relatively failure-free solution, very popular in city bikes. The only disadvantage may be an underloaded front wheel. With engines with more power and high torque we can notice a loss of grip on a loose surface.

Motor located in the pedal crank (Mid-drive motor). Often found in off-road e-MTB bikes as well as high-end city bikes. These are mostly engines with higher power. The type of placement requires a special frame design.The mid-drive motor is more expensive than the Hud motor so the price of the ebike will eventually be higher.

Engine located in the rear wheel hub. Most often used on city, trekking and folding bikes. It is a failure-free solution. In each bike the rear wheel is loaded with weight, so such a location of the engine guarantees a safe ride without losing grip.

Modern motors in ebike’s are characterized by high reliability, but they can be damaged in improper use. Here are some tips how to extend the life of the motor:

If the permissible user weight given by the manufacturer is 120 kg, it is not recommended to exceed it. It is about the frame and other components including the engine, which will have to work under a very high load.

When going uphill, use the gears appropriately and try to relieve the engine with the work of our muscles. This way the engine will not reach maximum power and will not overheat.

If the power declared by the manufacturer is 250W, it means that the engine with this power will work without failures reaching a safe temperature. However, engine tuning has become popular. In practice, this means increasing the engine power to 350W and even 500W which significantly reduces its life.

There are many types of batteries on the market. These include gel batteries, Li-poly (lithium-poly), Ni-MH (nickel metal hydride), Ni-Cd (nickel cadmium) batteries. However, they are not free from disadvantages and are not recommended for use in electric bikes. Due to its construction, poor shock resistance, troublesome charging and high production costs experts do not recommend it.

The best and practically the most used battery is Li-ION (Lithium-Ion). One of the main advantages of this battery is its weight which is even several times lower for the same capacity. They are equipped with a current protection, which eliminates the risk of an explosion. According to most users, the biggest advantage is probably the battery life, which is undoubtedly very high. Even after 800 charging cycles, under optimal working conditions, it will maintain its capacity at around 70%, which means that we will not be able to recharge it to its original value. Of course, after such a

number of charges the range of the bike will decrease but we will be able to continue using it. These batteries can be recharged without reformatting them. For example: when we have a charge level of 50%, we can safely recharge the battery to 100% to be sure that we will reach our destination being fully charged.

In the European Union, Ah (ampere hours) stands for battery capacity. The most popular electric bikes usually have batteries with a capacity between 8Ah and 20Ah. The higher this value is, the greater the range of the bike will be. The second designation of capacity is Wh (watt hours). To calculate Wh, you need to know the battery voltage and its capacity in Ah and multiply these values.

For example:

36V 10Ah battery

36 * 10 = 360Wh

and

48V 10Ah battery

48 * 10 = 480Wh

The conclusion is that a 48V battery will have a higher watt-hour capacity.

The range of the ebike on the battery is conditioned by several variables. Below are some of the

most important:

User weight. The higher the user’s weight, the more loaded the bike will be and the more battery will be consumed.

Type of surface on which we are driving. Whether it is a paved road, bicycle path or unpaved road. The lower the rolling resistance, the less energy is needed to drive an ebike.

Do we go through mountainous areas where we often have to drive uphill.

Air temperature. If the temperature is high, the battery will heat up more, so its capacity will decrease faster. It is the same with low temperatures, the battery will run out faster.

However, we can calculate the approximate value of the range that we should theoretically achieve. Taking into account that bikes consume on average 9Wh per kilometer, for example 48V 15Ah, the calculation will look like this:

48 * 15 = 720Wh

720/9 = 80km

An ebike with the above parameters should have an average range of 80km. Of course, under ideal conditions, the range should increase up to 150 km. In extreme off-road driving the result will be correspondingly lower.

Regardless of whether we ride in the city on bicycle paths, roads or in more demanding terrain such as mountains or forests, it is worth knowing a few rules to improve the ebika range. Here are some helpful tips:

At the start, let’s use the strength of our legs to relieve the engine. Moving off the ebike takes a lot of energy.

Let’s use gears as in a conventional bike. Start from the top gear (rear derailleur) and then shift to a lower gear one by one. In this case the engine will not have to use a lot of energy to start in “heavy” gear.

Let’s keep the ebike clean. Lubricate the chain regularly. This way we will keep the drive running smoothly.

Let’s keep an adequate pressure in the tires. If it is too low, the rolling resistance will be high and consumes a lot of energy.

Use the eco mode most often and work with the engine with the strength of our legs.

Choose the highest assist mode only in difficult terrain or when climbing high hills.

The choice should be adjusted to our preferences. The basic criteria should be the distance covered daily, the area we usually move on and the budget we can spend on a bicycle. If our commute and return to work is about 30Km and we do not want to spend a large budget on a ebike it may turn out that a 36V 8Ah battery will be sufficient for us. If we cover a similar distance, but we want the ebike to run faster, we should consider a higher voltage of 48V. If you need an ebike with a greater range and have a larger budget, choose the one with a battery with a capacity between 12Ah and 15Ah and a voltage of 36V. In addition, if you need a long range for commuting and higher torque for better acceleration and flexibility, it is worth buying a bike with a 48V15Ah battery. Larger capacity and higher voltage are also perfect for longer uphill climbs as well as on unpaved roads and heavier terrain.

Below are some important tips on how to use the battery to extend its life:

You should try not to discharge the battery to 0. Repeated discharging may cause a faster decline in efficiency. If we know that the battery is around 10%, then connect it to charging.

Do not leave the ebike for a long time with a discharged battery. If the battery remains discharged for a long time, its performance drops significantly. When the battery is not in use, let’s make sure that it is at least 50% charged, then we will be sure that it will maintain its condition.

If we do not use the battery, for example in winter, store it in a warm, dry place with a positive temperature but not higher than 20 degrees Celsius.

Make sure that the battery does not come into contact with water. If the battery is flooded, it may lead to permanent damage.

Original charger must be used. Using substitutes with the wrong parameters can significantly reduce the efficiency of the battery and even destroy it.

You should take care of the cleanliness of the battery and the entire electrical system.