E-bikes are becoming increasingly popular around the world. In China, e-bikes became a favored mode of transportation when large municipalities banned motorcycles. Consequently, China accounts for 92% of e-bike sales in the world. In the PRC, there are 350 million e-bikes (and the CCP may force many citizens to get replacement bikes).
In Germany, e-bike sales now top traditional “analog” bicycles. In 2022, 1.98 million e-bikes were sold in the US. Many local
and state governments have used TEA-21 and Build Back Better funds to improve bike lanes, both for
green reasons (e.g. combatting climate change and combatting urban congestion)
as well a response to constituents. Some
governments are even incentivizing e-bike ownership, such as the impending DC E-bike Initiative.
For a long time, the American bicycle market seemed to
center around cycling athletes, who were willing to pay top dollar for
performance or bmx bikes and big box store bikes aimed at youths (before they got
their drivers’ license).
Broadly speaking, the pandemic drove up sales from different
demographics, as adults who wanted to get out of the house and exercise. Baby Boomers discovered that e-bikes provide exercise
without much of the sweat and strain of analog bikes. Then there are urban Gen Z and Millennial parents who wanted
to have a kid hauler without a car.
E-bike manufacturing was ramped up during the pandemic to meet the expected demand. The big US bicycle companies produced some
e-bikes but they tended to be high end.
There was a proliferation of smaller cycling companies which took
advantage of cheap Chinese component supplies (when available) which increased
competition.
This panoramic perspective is instructive for the new e-bike
consumer. For the last six months, there
has been a glut of e-bikes, which is great for “fire sale” prices. But it has
delayed new product releases and sagging sales has put some big cycling outfits and many marginal manufacturers in a perilous financial
state.
These industry trends are cautions for the new e-bike
purchaser. One might get a great price online
for a low end e-bike but if the company goes bust, there may be no after-sale
support and it may be difficult (if not impossible) to get it repaired.
A thrifty techie consumer ought to:
1) Consider your use case
2) Research thoroughly
3) Factor other costs - "the known unknown"
USE CASE
Some might conflate purpose with use case but there is more
to it. Consider what sort of e-bike
cyclist you will be. Just as there are
different models of cars to match drivers, the same is true for e-bikes. Are you going to be racing the roads or
tackling terrains as a weekend warrior.
Then one should respectively consider a road e-bike or a mountain
e-bike. Both of those e-bike types
require particular components.
Mountain e-bikes will require full suspension and a frame
which can take a beating. Road e-bikes prize
speed, which is often achieved by lightweight frames and thin tires. If you
are using an e-bike for less intense recreational exercise then a Comfort
e-bike in which a rider can sit upright would be a good option. Are you going to be using an e-bike as
workaday transportation? Obviously, commuter
bike is a smart choice. If an e-bike is
a car replacement or intended to haul groceries or other persons then a utility
or a cargo e-bike is in order.
Frames
Use case is a more holistic perspective. This includes how one mounts an e-bike. While the traditional step over/diamond/high step frame
(a.k.a. “Mens' e-bike”) gives the bike a stiffer support, many users may find
it irksome to get on and off the bike. That
is why many e-bike brands offer lots of step-thru frames.
Not all cargo bikes are the same, so your use case should consider the gross maximum weight of an e-bike. If you are carrying kids or lots of loads then consider paying the price for a bakfiets, a Dutch style cargo e-bike which generally has cargo on the front.
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| Bakfiet E-bike |
If one lives in an apartment, there is the question of storage. If you live in tight quarters, a folding e-bike would behoove you. If you would have to constantly carry your e-bike up and down stairs, remember that e-bike frames (and their batteries) are heavy, so watch the weight.
While commuter e-bikes will get you to work, if you are taking transit and essentially using an e-bike for “the last mile”, then a folding e-bike or a “lite” e-bike would be a better choice. That being said, due to the weight and awkwardness of a folding e-bike, it might not be easy to load into a vehicle for a remote recreational ride.
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| Folding E-bike |
E-bike Classes
Sporting cyclists may cynically think that e-bike users are “cheating”
and not getting exercise. But on a Class
1 pedal assisted (PAS) e-bike, a rider can go up to 20 miles an hour with
engine support. If a prospective rider
wants to coast for more than a spell, then a Class 2 bike is the answer, which
has a thumb throttle and often can be modified to go up to 25 miles an hour. E-bikes which can speed up to 28 miles an
hour as a Class 3 e-bike. [European Union governance throttles e-bikes to 250
watts and 25kph/15.5 mph].
More power sounds nice but may not be the right answer for
many riders. For instance, long-tail cargo
bikes are not as nimble and might be harder to handle at higher speeds and be
dangerous for precious kid cargo. For
safety reasons, the e-bike industry is hesitant for children to ride e-bikes. That being said, parents who get their scions
e-bikes may be happier if it does not go maximum speed like Class 2 or Class 3
e-bikes.
RESEARCH
Research is fundamental in making prudent e-bike purchase choices. A thorough online resource for comparing e-bike prices and specs is from Freshly Charged. But e-bike research ought to be much more than e-bike costs and specifications.
E-bike Laws
It is important to
understand the local laws about e-bikes regarding acceptable class bikes, where
they can be ridden, and prospective licensure and registration. Urban e-bike
cyclists should learn about transit system rules and restrictions on e-bike
carriage, especially during weekday rush hours. In reaction to building fires blamed on
e-bikes in New York City, all bikes must be UL compliant (for battery and
charging). The New York Housing Authority and some NYC apartment buildings have
banned e-bikes and HOAs may do likewise in suburbia.
When vetting prospective e-bikes, consider more than the
purchase price of the e-bike. Prices can
vary due to the battery and engine (which can affect range), the weight, the
type of motor, drive train and brakes.
Batteries
Batteries affects the range of an e-bike (how far it can be ridden before recharging). Generally, the larger the battery pack (measured in watt hours) the further the range, but this can be impacted by the voltage. The voltage also makes a difference in recharging times. At first glance, these battery numbers can be challenging to understand, but the Really Good E-bike website has an easy calculator.
Motors
Many lesser expensive (<$1000) to mid priced (~
$1000-$3000) e-bikes will have hub motors, usually rear mounted. Most of these
e-bikes are cadence sensored, which in higher modes can give a rider a jump
start at an intersection or noticeable assistance when going up a hill. Downsides of cadence sensor e-bikes is ghost pedaling and a less
natural cycling ride. Many more expensive
e-bikes have torque sensors which offer a more natural riding feel as it adjusts
power based on rider effort, which consequently conserves battery power.
Higher end and
premium e-bikes often has a mid-drive motor, which may have a complex and less powerful engine but is said to be more
efficient when going up grades. Mid-drive
motors have cadence sensors but require lots of gear shifting. The case to Mid-drive motors is sealed and are
more difficult to service.
Drives
Another Upstairs/Downstairs difference in e-bikes are the
drives. Most hoi polloi bikes will have
chains, which will require periodic maintenance of cleaning and lubing. Some (usually pricier) e-bikes have belt
drives, which require no lubrication with limited maintenance. But belt drives tend to be proprietary and
usually have fewer gears
Brakes
A third build factor to consider is the braking system. To keep costs down, some e-bike builders may
install mechanical disc brakes. They are
simple systems (just a caliper and a brake pad) thus are an inexpensive option.
Mechanical brakes can be easily fixed in the field. But an e-bike rider will get better performance
out of hydraulic brakes, as they are more powerful, give finer control and are
often lighter weight. But "dems the breaks" (sic).
Service
It is wise to research cycle shops which will work on your
model of bike. Many cycle shops will
refuse to work on e-bikes. Initially this seems strange -- why would a business turn down a customer? Well, it takes training to work on e-bikes,
particularly the electrical systems which can differ between
manufacturers. E-bikes may be only a small
portion of business for a shop and the additional expense and training may not
be deemed worth it. Then there is the insurance factor, which may be chary
about extending coverage. Many lower end
bikes may use hard to source low end or proprietary parts, which either delays
and prevents e-bike repairs. Presumably,
a cycle shop which sells a given brand of e-bike will be able to service it.
"THE KNOWN UNKNOWN"
Of
course, the initial outlay for an e-bike is a substantial cost. But if you are considering a utility or cargo
e-bike, it may be a couple of hundred dollars to get the right fitting front
and rear baskets. A budget e-bike may exclude
a feature like fenders, so there is the cost of the accessory as well as the
labor for installation. There are also
common creature e-bike accessories, such
as a water bottle holder, a more comfortable saddle and cell phone holder. Some
e-bikes might seem to cost a bit more but have such features built in. Another incentive which can have consumers
save cost is when e-bike retailers bundle accessories.
E-bikes are somewhat
(to extremely) expensive, so you want to secure your belonging with strong locks and
alarms and those are not cheap. The cost
of good panniers is not insignificant. If you are going to be traveling at 20+ miles
an hour, don’t cheapen your life by not wearing a helmet.
A sometimes overlooked cost is transporting a bike. Many couples aspire to take leisurely weekend
rides to destination trails. But it may
not be so easy to load a couple of folded 60 plus pound bikes into the back of
an SUV. Due to the weight of an e-bike, it
is incumbent to use a heavier duty auto bike rack, which can cost around $500.
Buy Local v. Direct-to-Consumer
While one may find an attractive price on an e-bike online,
this cost saving may be mitigated by not buying locally. First, there may be shipping costs. Secondly, the Direct-to-Consumer e-bike may
not be fully assembled so if you are not handy, you might have to pay a
professional for proper e-bike assembly.
Thirdly, all bikes could use an adjustment after a couple of months of
breaking in. If you didn’t buy locally,
you will both have to find a shop willing to work on your bike and you will pay
for the privilege of tweaking (whereas that may have been complimentary for a
local sale). Some internet e-bike
sellers suggest a return if unsatisfied, which sounds great but read the fine
print. For instance, Wired e-bikes allow a customer
return an e-bike within 21 days, but the odometer can only read less than 10
miles, plus the customer needs to pay for shipping costs AND a $500 restocking
fee. That’s a pretty expensive test
ride.
In general, consider sticking with name brands. That doesn’t necessarily mean the big five of
e-bikes (Pedego, Tern, Trek, Specialized, Cannondale). But it does mean being skeptical about
Ali-Baba or Temu deals. If one searches on Amazon, it seems easy to spot knock
off models. The maxim “You get what you
pay for” is evidenced in inexpensive, off-brand e-bikes. Clearly, they cut costs by using low end
components which may not be easily replaced (or at all). Customer service for such manufacturers may
be non-existent. That being said, there
are some start up e-bike manufacturers which do credible Direct-to-Consumer
sales (e.g. Lectric, Veloctric, Aventon, Rad Runner et ali.)
May this e-bike purchasing pensée get the gears turning in
your mind before buying an e-bike. While
volunteering at a green themed DC Auto Show which also included e-bikes, it was
lamentable to hear from attendees who had bought e-bikes as a caprice,
presumably at a warehouse store—but they couldn’t share what brand they bought. It begs the question of how much such e-bikes
are being ridden or if they are collecting dust in a basement or garage. E-bikes are not a cheap purchase, so
consider your use-case, research and holistically consider the costs so as to
become a sharp shopper as well as an e-bike enthusiast.
h/t Freshly Charged
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