Re-discovering Your Inner Child with an E-Bike

June 7, 2022

A few years ago, I was doing research for a week-long European biking/wine tour. I know, maybe a weird combination but don't judge me! I was fresh off a one-day bike tour through the Wachau Valley in Austria and I thought that extending the one day to multiple days would be a fun adventure to put on my globetrotting list. I would at least be moving faster than the walking wine tour through France that I also had on my to-do list!

I came across a tour company that offered electric bikes for their clients to use as an option rather than a traditional pedal bike. It was also offered as an alternative for a biker and a non-biker to enjoy the week-long excursion together.

"Who in their right mind would use an e-bike??!" I thought.

"How could it be so bad that you couldn’t pedal yourself up a hill or on the flats for miles on end?"

Fast forward about 4 years and the hills are starting to look extra daunting and the thought of traveling 50 miles a day makes me tired while doing it in my mind. And that’s without the wine.

Maybe an e-bike isn’t such a bad idea!

Electric bikes have become extremely popular in the last couple of years. Approximately 130 million e-bikes are expected to be sold between 2020 and 2023. With the chaos at the gas pumps in 2022, I wouldn’t be surprised if that number increases as people not only look for the benefit of exercise with this change but also try to make their vehicle fuel bills more palatable by feathering in the use of an e-bike into their daily schedules.

Besides, biking can be fun!

People are re-discovering their inner child buried in years of inactivity and re-learning to love the wind blowing through their hair as they traverse the land. Avid bikers are also finding there is ease to their travels if using an e-bike.

Whether you are considering buying an e-bike to replace some vehicle use, minimize the burn in your legs from hills, ride with less effort, increase your fitness, mitigate a medical condition or keep up with your biker family member or friend, purchasing an e-bike may be a great thing to do!

Knowing a bit about the basics of an e-bike will help your deer in the headlights look that you may have when being asked questions by the salesperson.

Below you will find a quickie guide to help get you on the right path to choosing the most appropriate e-bike for you.

There are four basic things to know about an e-bike: class, motor, battery, and fancy extra features.

Classes of E-bikes

There are three main classes of e-bikes. Each class separates the bike based on the level of motor assistance available.

Class 1: The motor is activated only when you pedal and will stop assisting at 20 MPH

Class 2: Has the same pedal-assist mode up to 20 MPH as a class 1 plus a full throttle-powered mode

Class 3: Has the same pedal-assist mode as a class 1 but the assistance is until 28 MPH

You most likely will purchase a class 1 e-bike. They are cheaper and the most universally accepted when looking at what is allowed regulatory-wise by local authorities. Some mountain bike trails do not allow a class 3 on them, so it is good to check where you plan on using your bike. In many jurisdictions, a class 2 bike is a no-no because it is considered a motorized vehicle.

In Canada, here is a good site that outlines the rules in each province.

The E-Bike Motor

The motor can be in two spots: mid-drive or hub-drive. You get to choose!

A mid-drive motor is located where the crank arms attach to the bike frame. Namely, right where you pedal! This helps the pedal-assist to respond with a more natural feel and will mirror a more natural stroke of the pedal as you bike. As a motor adds weight to your bike, having the motor here - in the middle of your bike and low - will help you feel balanced and stable.

A hub-drive motor sits inside the hub of either the front or rear wheel. Because the power of the motor is being sent directly to the wheel, depending on its location, you may feel like you are being pushed or pulled along. A flat tire and general tire maintenance would be a bit more challenging with this setup.

There are two things to consider for a motor, regardless of its placement: torque and wattage.

The torque of the motor is how much force it can generate to move the bike forward.

The wattage of the motor is how much electricity the motor will draw on the battery to move the bike.

So…do you want more power or more stamina when it comes to your motor? That essentially is the trade-off when deciding on the battery. It is power(torque) vs life (wattage).

A high torque, high watt setup will provide more power under load but will provide less range. This would be a desirable situation if you are towing cargo or climbing lots of hills.

A low torque, low watt setup will provide a longer range and be more efficient. In this way, you can expect to pedal more!

To determine what size of battery you should seek, you will need to think about how much you will pedal and what kind of terrain you will be on.

The Battery

There are two things to know about batteries.

1. Battery Placement

Batteries can be internal or external. The internal battery can be further classified as removable or non-removable. An internal battery will look more like a traditional bike while an external one can be moved to different areas on the bike.

2. Battery Capacity

Batteries typically are available in the range of 250 to 500 watt-hours. This reflects the battery’s capacity to store energy.

The main question people have when buying an e-bike is how far can I go on this bike before the battery dies?

There are lots of variables with this. The overall weight of the bike, rider, and cargo, how many hills, how much time in turbo mode versus eco mode, how fast are your pedals spinning, and temperature can all be a factor in battery life.

When shopping for an e-bike, keep in mind that manufacturers will list the distance range of the bike using the least amount of pedal assist. All the other factors above will chew into the manufacturer's listed dream number.

Fancy Features

The main feature on your bike will be the controller. The controller is located by your handlebars and essentially makes your bike smart! It shuts the bike on and off and allows you to choose your level of assist. Depending on what you want to pay, the controller can show your battery life, your speed, and how much range you have left.

You can also add towing hardware, racks, lights, bells, and locks to your bike.

You are now armed with the basics of e-bikes. You can put some thought into how you will be using your bike and what is important to you before going on your shopping trip. Your deer in the headlights look should at the very least be mitigated!

Getting out into nature, and helping your body move as it was intended will pay spades to your health and your overall well-being. Even after paying for the cost of the e-bike, you will have more money in jeans to spend on other things instead of leaving it at the fuel pumps.

Go ahead, unleash your inner child!

Placing a hockey card in the spokes is optional.

Happy Trails!