Six Common Questions About E-biking

I’ve been riding a lot this summer and have ridden over 1600 kilometers/1000 miles so far.  These rides have been with members of two local bike clubs, with my wife and on solo rides. While I’m not ready for any competitive races, both my riding skills and fitness levels have improved significantly.

Through my group rides, I find there is a lot of conversation and interest in e-biking. On every group ride I join, I’m peppered with questions about my e-bike.  As well, an increasing number of riders express interest in trying an e-bike. 

As a result of this interest, this would be a good time to explore common questions I get about e-biking. I’ll also highlight some of the topics that elicit strong opinions from members of the e-biking community.  As always, I encourage you to share your perspective on these or any other e-bike related topics that are top of mind for you. 

Question 1: What is the best e-bike to buy?

This question is the one most frequently asked and hardest one to answer. There are dozens of e-bike options available with pricing ranging from $1000 CAD to over $15,000 CAD. 

Even more challenging is that many of the options are only sold on-line or through a limited retail network.  This really limits the opportunity to test ride a bike before buying it.  This limitation is unfortunate as I found trying a variety of e-bikes helped in making our purchase decision.

Until there is more standardization of e-bikes and a reduction in the number of poorly made e-bikes, the best advice is caveat emptor – let the buyer beware.   This starts by determining your needs as I outlined in a previous post.

Once you have established the type of bike you need and how you expect to use it, determine your budget.  Major brand names like Specialized, Trek, Giant, Bulls, Cube and others will generally be more expensive as they use quality parts, proven technology and have an established network of service locations.

If you can’t find an appropriate e-bike from these suppliers or they are out of your price range, there are many options available on-line.  Companies such as Rad, Aventon, Rize, Dost, Surface and others offer lower priced bikes that are shipped directly to buyers. There may be some assembly required. 

It is important to review and understand warranties and return policies.  Many of these bike brands have been around for a while so you can check out recent reviews.  A good starting point is Electric Bike Review.

Be Wary of Orphan Brands

There are also a growing number of what I call orphan brands. Typically these low cost bikes are purchased in bulk from China.  The importer puts on their brand name and sells them online.  Their price points are low and tempting for a new e-bike buyer.

The associated risks of buying an orphan branded e-bike is that you don’t know how well they are made, if you can find parts to service them, or if there is any warranty. Of particular concern is the quality and safety of key components such as the motor, battery and controller. While buying on price can work out, you need to be comfortable with the risk that you may be buying an expensive door stop if it doesn’t work out.   

Question 2: Do you need to get a 500 watt or larger motor to enjoy e-biking?

My Bulls Cross Lite hybrid has a 250 watt mid-drive Bosch motor that hasn’t yet met a hill it can’t climb.  By using the bike’s gears and the right level of pedal assist, previously challenging hills are a breeze to climb.

Yet I read postings in e-bike Facebook groups that constantly recommend e-bikers need to upgrade their bike’s motor to 500, 750 or even 1000 watts.  These posts suggest e-bikes with motors less than one of these power ratings are inferior and inadequate for the average cyclist.

So what gives?  Do you need to have a bike with a 500 watt or larger motor to enjoy e-biking?

Based on my experience, bigger isn’t necessarily better or even needed.  A lot depends on the weight of the bike and rider. As well, a well-made power assist e-bike that has a 250 watt integrated motor, battery and controller allows for a very comfortable ride.

The use of the bike also matters.  If you want to travel 50, 60, or more kilometers/hour, a bigger motor may be needed. Or if you mountain bike extensively, a bike with a larger motor makes sense. 

E-bikes with throttles often have larger motors compared to pedal assist bikes.  However, for an older recreational rider, my experience suggests having a pedal assist e-bike with a 250 watt motor will provide a great riding experience.

For me, buying an e-bike with a larger motor is akin to having a car with a V8 engine that you only use to do local shopping trips or for social outings.  You’ll have lots of power that never needs to be used.

Question 3:  Do both members of a couple need to ride e-bikes?

Riding with a diverse group of cyclists has highlighted the many benefits e-bikes offer.  Yet in these groups, many older cyclists continue to ride their regular bike.  This is the right decision for them and is appropriate for the type of cycling experience wanted.

However, as my wife so succinctly stated, e-bikes are the great equalizer for couples who want to share a cycling experience. They allow individuals who have a health issue or lack the same physical fitness as their partner to enjoy cycling together.  In many cases, without the use of an e-bike, individuals would be left out of this great experience.

I’ve seen how well this works in many of the club rides I’ve joined.  If one of the partners wasn’t using an e-bike, they wouldn’t be sharing their cycling experience.

So even if one person in a couple rides an e-bike, that’s great.  Both will enjoy riding together and share a common experience.  And there is no doubt in my mind that the non-ebiker will want to switch at some point based on seeing how much fun their partner is having.

Question 4: Cadence vs Torque Sensors?

I was recently asked by a club member what my opinion was on which type of pedal assist was better – cadence or torque.  To be honest, I really hadn’t thought about. It prompted me to do some further investigation.

Two good explanations of the difference between cadence and torque power assist can be found in the Juiced Bikes website and a New Zealand e-bike website.  Like so many e-bike topics, there is no one right answer.  It really comes down to the type of riding you do and personal preference.

For me, the torque sensor on my Bulls hybrid bike provides a more natural cycling experience as the power assist adjusts to the amount of effort I apply. This feature really helps when climbing hills as I get more power boost than I would from a cadence sensor. And as my bike doesn’t have a throttle, the torque sensor is the right choice for this bike.

In testing several types of bikes, I found that bikes with a hub motor used the cadence sensor system. As a result, I found that too much power was being provided which made it tricky. This was most noticeable where there were icy patches.  I never felt the cadence system gave me as much control as did the torque system.

I would recommend that you experience both types of systems in an extended test ride when buying to see which best fits your needs.  This really helped me in the selection of my e-bike.

Question 5: To throttle or not to throttle?

I’ve intentionally stayed away from discussing the use throttles in my past discussion on choosing the right e-bike.  I know many people love their bikes that have a throttle.  And I guess I sort of get it.  Using a throttle is convenient and can be helpful especially for individuals with limited mobility.

But (and this is a big but), I really don’t understand why individuals use their throttle all the time.  The idea of an e-bike is to provide assistance while cycling.  This means helping climb hills or riding against a strong wind.   

For me, using a throttle would detract from the riding experience and minimize the health benefits. We find using pedal assist builds our cardio capacity and keeps us active.    

As well, e-bikes with throttles are not allowed on many urban or provincial/national park bike trails. They encourage users to travel at higher speeds than may be safe for the rider or other users.  The temptation is to travel faster than you would if pedaling, which makes it more dangerous for everyone.

Question 6: Should e-scooters be permitted on bike pathways?

I know I’m really stepping into it raising this topic.  The only reason for even raising the topic is the increased popularity of e-bikes that look and perform like small motorcycles.  Many are sold as e-bikes even though you can’t physically pedal them and they look increasingly similar to mopeds or even smaller motorcycles.

Those who love them really love them.  And I don’t have any concerns if people want to ride them on streets rather than bike paths. 

My primary concern is these vehicles have more power than a regulated e-bike and can travel at speeds that are not suitable for bike paths.  While often sold with a top speed that would meet most e-bike regulations, they can be easily modified to travel at much higher speeds. I don’t have any concerns with this as long as they remain on the street and are fully insured and licensed the same as other motor vehicles.

As more questions are posed, I will update this post to include these and my responses to them. For more updates, follow my Facebook page – E-bike for Fun.