The range of a fully charged battery varies dramatically. It is usually between 5 to 60 miles with gentle pedalling depending on the many variables. There has been a trend for manufacturers to over estimate the range of their products. The Voltage times Capacity (measured in Watt Hours) gives an indication of the range. Aside from battery capacity factors effecting range include:
Bike, rider and luggage weight
Hills, terrain and tyres
Tyre pressure makes a huge difference
Suspension and rolling resistance caused by components
rider input and gearing used
motor/controller power rating
Motors with a higher nominal power rating may offer more hill climbing ability (torque) but will reduce the range.
Most of the power is drained when moving off and on hills so pedalling at these points will preserve the power.
If you have specific requirements it is best to talk to us and get some advice before spending your hard earned cash.
Do I need to pedal?
Strictly speaking when on the road the law requires you to pedal with the power assisting your pedalling (PAS), however on some models you have a throttle which can be used without pedalling or in conjunction with the pedals.
Hills slow you down so you need to pedal to maintain speed, although bikes designed for hill climbing are better at maintaining speed on hills.
What are the running costs?
Other than charging the batteries at a cost of approximately 7 pence per full charge there are no other significant running costs. You should carry out basic maintenance as you would with a normal pedal cycle, however the electronic parts of the bikes are designed to be trouble and maintenance free.
How do I charge a Electric Bike?
If you have access to a power point you can charge up your E-Bike battery. All E Bikes have batteries that can be unattached from the bike and taken inside to charge. The time taken to charge depends on the size and type of the battery. Some E -Bikes have larger batteries for maximum distance and others are smaller to keep the weight down. Factor in an average of three to four hours for a full charge.
Overnight is the most practical time to charge but there is no reason not to top up the charge during the day. All our E-Bikes and conversion kits have a charge indicator to let you know who much juice is left in the battery so you can plan your trip. Unlike a car, if you run out of juice, you can always just pedal!
We do have some recommendations and guidelines to maximise the life of your batteries. Ask us direct and we can make sure you’ll get the maximum life out of your battery
What does it cost to charge a Electric Bike?
The total cost to charge a typically sized battery is less than 8 pence. That will get you an easy 30mls travel. Yes you read that correctly. Compare that to the cost of keeping a car on the road!
How far will a Electric Bike take me?
Your range is dependant on a range of factors but an average of 25 to 35 miles is a good figure to base your trip on. The battery size is the main factor, the bigger the battery, the more juice and further it will take you. Some of our bikes will take you 50miles or more. Your weight also plays a part and the type of terrain you are riding.
Here is a quick trip guide based on battery Amp Hours.
9AH > 20 to 25 mls
10AH > 25 to 30 mls
12AH > 30 to 40 mls
14Ah > 40 to 55 mls
It is important to emphasise that these distances are based on pedal assistance, not sitting on your butt and letting the Electric Bike do all the work. Obviously if you only used the Battery to assist you on hills, and you only had a few hills on your journey, you could ride many Miles.
What is throttle mode?
Electric Bicycles come in a few different flavours when it comes to controlling the power of the motor.
The most simple is the Throttle only mode. Operating just like a motorcycle, a throttle can be found either on the left or right side of the handlebars and is spring loaded so when it is not used the default position is off. Some throttles are full grip twist ones, others use a half grip and our favourite is the discreet thumb throttle. Very easy position to activate.
More often than not the throttle activates the motor whether or not you are pedalling. This is not a bad design as the bike can be ridden just like a normal bike but when you want power assistance it’s a simple twist of the throttle.
What about pedal assist mode?
Pedal Assist is in our opinion a great asset to your E-Bike. In Pedal Assist mode battery range can treble, Most bikes with this setup will have a controller on the handlebars that allows the rider to adjust how much power you receive. Either three levels of assistance, just like Low – Medium – High or up six levels. This way you can focus on riding and let the bike assist you automatically. It also saves wrist strain as holding a throttle over a long period of time can be hard work on your hand. All of our bikes / kits can be used in Pedal Assist mode but the throttle is always on, irrespective of pedaling a good way to ride an E-Bike like this is to use the PAS mode in a medium setting then override with the throttle when you get to the hills this really does add to the range and conserves battery power.
Is it not cheating.
No, using the car is cheating. You will still get the exercise.
