When I first bought an electric-assisted bicycle not long ago, many friends laughed at me for being lazy and cheating. Although the hot trend of electric-assisted bicycles had already swept across Europe and the United States, and was basically a must-have for travel, it was still a type of vehicle that was not understood in China.
The most common sayings I heard were "I can ride a bicycle to exercise, and I can drive or ride an electric bike to commute", "Aren't electric-assisted bicycles just electric bikes with pedals?", "Electric-assisted bicycles are not as fast as electric bikes, and they don't provide as much exercise as bicycles", etc.
But as the roads in the city where I live become more and more congested and complex, and restrictions on electric vehicles are being increased, many friends have turned their attention to electric-assisted bicycles. People often ask me how it feels to ride an electric-assisted bicycle for commuting, whether it is cumbersome, and some female friends have always wanted to get into cycling, but are worried that they will not be able to keep up with group activities, etc. It is obvious that everyone is more and more interested in electric-assisted bicycles.
However, domestic electric-assisted bicycle brands are still in their infancy, with uneven quality and price. Today, based on my experience, I will sort out some points that need to be paid attention to when buying an electric-assisted bicycle to help everyone choose an electric-assisted bicycle that suits them among the dazzling models.
Types of electric bicycles
First of all, you must determine the type of electric-assisted bicycle you need based on the riding scene you need. There are many types of electric-assisted bicycles, which are generally divided according to the application scenarios, mainly into electric-assisted mountain bikes, electric-assisted road/city bikes, electric-assisted freight bikes, etc. There are certain differences in the purchase ideas for each category, but the overall direction is the same. This time, I will take the urban electric-assisted bicycles with wider application scenarios and suitable for the absolute majority of people as the starting point to provide you with some purchase ideas for electric-assisted bicycles.
Motor Type
The motor is the core of an electric-assisted bicycle, so the first thing to consider must be the motor type. Common electric-assisted systems are divided into mid-mounted motors and hub motors according to the position of the motor.
Mid-mounted motors are generally used in electric-assisted mountain bikes, and the lower center of gravity has more advantages for complex terrain. Hub motors are generally installed in the wheel hub position, and the motor acts directly on the wheel set. The volume can be very small. In addition, micro hub motors can make it almost impossible to distinguish whether it is an electric-assisted bicycle at a glance. In city cars, because the road conditions are not as complicated as those in the mountains and forests, the demand for climbing steep slopes is not so great, so hub motors are often used.
In general, there is no absolute difference between hub motors and mid-mounted motors. Relatively speaking, hub motors are more affordable, but don't look at an electric-assisted product with the wrong eyes of "low-end cars use hub motors" and "high-end cars use mid-mounted motors". Installing a reasonable motor system in a suitable product is not simply the choice of motor, but also requires a complete set of solutions. Therefore, the key to choosing a motor is the in-depth cooperation and adjustment between the vehicle manufacturer and the motor system manufacturer.
In layman's terms, the motor brand you choose cannot just be a motor, you have to choose a brand that can provide a complete power solution. The mature brands on the market now include Pinion, Bosch, and Lightning's own motor brand, Max Power, etc. Take the Max Power M080 electric power system, which is the most suitable for urban electric power bicycles, for example. The hub motor weighs only 2.5kg. The innovative electromagnetic design and gear structure achieve the characteristics of light weight, small size, abundant power, and stable performance. The mini size and light weight can make the whole vehicle look like an ordinary bicycle. So in fact, electric power bicycles are not as bulky as everyone thought before. As far as I am concerned, it is not very easy to carry it up and down the stairs and in and out of the company every day, but it is manageable enough.
Motor Power
The motor is the core, so we have to mention the power of the motor. The motor power of an electric-assisted bicycle is measured in watts, usually ranging from 250W to 750W.
How much power an electric-assisted bicycle needs is determined by many factors such as the type of motor and the design orientation of the electric-assisted bicycle, but higher power does not mean that the electric-assisted bicycle will be faster.
From a general perspective, when it comes to motor power, the bigger the better. But in fact, for many electric-assisted bicycles, 250W is indeed more than enough. In fact, the principle is the same as that of "ordinary electric vehicles" and "off-road electric vehicles". Because the motor is larger, a larger battery is required, which means that the car will be heavier and the cost will be higher. Although this statement is slightly limited, in general, a 250W motor is enough to provide sufficient help for the rider's pedaling.
Moreover, electric-assisted bicycles are electric "assisted" human-powered bicycles. The main significance is to make people ride more easily without losing the fun of riding.
Take the Max Power M080 as an example. The 350W power of the motor is more than enough to cope with various road conditions in the city, and it can even easily cope with some steep slopes on overpasses. I still remember the first time I rode an electric-assisted bicycle over a steep overpass, I subconsciously wanted to get off and push it, but when I thought about the 350W power of the bicycle, which is equal to the power of a professional rider, what was there to worry about? As long as you fully trust the electric-assisted bicycle under your feet and pedal boldly, you will have no problem climbing these steep slopes on urban roads, and surprisingly, there will be no noisy motor sound.
Battery capacity (battery life)
The battery undoubtedly accounts for the largest proportion of the weight of an electric-assisted bicycle, and is also the key to the battery life of an electric-assisted bicycle. To make an inappropriate analogy, battery capacity = battery life. It is inappropriate because it is also affected by the weight of the entire vehicle, motor output power, transmission system loss, etc.
But it is certain that the larger the capacity, the longer the battery life. But the bigger the battery, the better. The bigger the battery, the heavier the weight and the larger the volume. Generally speaking, commuting, urban electric-assisted and other models often pursue a balance between performance and lightweight. 300Wh-500Wh is the most common and most suitable battery capacity, and the battery life can usually reach about 70-90 kilometers.
After experiencing the rough and brutal external installation, the battery of the electric-assisted bicycle has gradually transitioned to the introverted and simple embedded direction. The battery embedded in the downtube is a common installation method for electric-assisted bicycles. It is completely hidden in the frame. The structure is stable and the appearance is more simple and clean. At the same time, it can reduce the weight of the whole vehicle. In my experience, the electric-assisted bicycle I bought has a range of up to 80 kilometers. For my daily commuting distance of 20 kilometers, I will not have any power anxiety if I charge it once every three days.
However, there will always be times when you forget to charge, and this requires considering the weight of the whole vehicle. Generally, the weight of a 20KG electric-assisted bicycle is about the same as that of an ordinary mountain bike. At this time, even if there is no power, it will not be too stressful to ride, and there is no need to worry about not being able to ride it at all like an electric bike.
Transmission and brake systems
As mentioned just now, the essence of an electric-assisted bicycle is still a bicycle, which needs to rely on human pedaling, and the motor assist is also adjusted and responded according to the pedaling force, so the transmission system is still very necessary. Nowadays, most urban bicycles (single-disc) usually have 11 speeds or 12 speeds, while the fewer ones generally have single speed or 3 speeds, but I think for the road conditions of sudden stops and starts in the city, such as 7 speeds or 9 speeds, it is most appropriate. Change speeds in time before stopping at traffic lights or climbing steep slopes, and with the sensitive response of the motor, you can start easily without hurting your knees due to sudden strong pedaling.
As for brakes, most reliable brands on the market are equipped with disc brake systems. The only thing to note is that due to the strong power of electric assist, the busy road conditions in the city are also dangerous. It is best to choose a hydraulic disc brake with stronger braking force, so that you can ride happily without worries.
Other details: instrument selection, waterproof performance, vehicle weight, other accessories
There are no rigid details that need to be paid attention to. It mainly depends on your own needs, but waterproof performance is definitely a must, especially in southern cities. You never know which will come first, getting off work or raining. Waterproof performance mainly depends on the waterproof level of the motor, battery and charging port.
In addition, the dashboard is a must for every electric-assisted bicycle. There are high-definition color displays as large as mobile phones, and there are also simple small screens that only display speed and power. These mainly depend on your hobbies and needs. As for the weight of the whole vehicle, the target budget is naturally based on lightweight. Generally speaking, most adults with a weight below 20KG will not have much pressure whether they are operating or lifting.
Other accessories include front and rear lights, original shelves, etc. The front and rear lights are preferably equipped with the original car. The advantage is that they do not need to be charged separately and are powered by electric-assisted batteries. However, if the original factory does not have them, you can buy them yourself. The shelves depend on daily needs. If there is a need for upgrades in the future, you can also see if the frame is equipped with mounting holes.
The above basically covers all the things you need to know if you want to buy an electric assisted bicycle. I hope it can be helpful to everyone.
