65
votes
Why do the majority of people on an ebike ride at a fairly low cadence?
There are (at least) two reasons. First, most (but not all) E-bikes use a control system that multiplies the amount of force or torque that you put into the pedals or cranks. Since power is the ...
- 14.2k
52
votes
Accepted
Why aren't electric bikes mainstream?
I would add to the already existing answers some of the thoughts that come to me as a bike user.
For me using a bicycle is a mean to prevent getting out of shape. Using an electrical bike would be ...
- 779
50
votes
Why do the majority of people on an ebike ride at a fairly low cadence?
In general studies have indicated that trained cyclists use pedaling frequencies higher than 90 rpm whereas untrained cyclists prefer frequencies around 60 rpm. I suspect the majority of e-bikers you ...
- 30.7k
43
votes
Why are regenerative brakes uncommon on e-bikes?
There are several reasons for regenerative brakes not being common on bicycles unlike in electric cars:
Electric bicycles have very poor acceleration, and the rider produces about half of the ...
- 20.1k
43
votes
I would like a one-mile-range e-bike: why aren't there any?
I think the ultimate issue boils down to a lack of demand for such a short-ranged product. Looking broadly at the entire electric vehicle market, range anxiety is fairly common. Most people are ...
- 16.4k
41
votes
Accepted
Why do e-bikes need dedicated tires?
They don't need them but they are good to have. I have an e-bike that I use as a daily commuter. Here are my thoughts:
E-bikes are heavier than regular bikes and put considerably more power out at ...
- 29.3k
40
votes
Cycling to work - 30 mile return
Even with an e-bike going to 150 miles a week is a big jump. Likely you just need to have a few rest days to allow your body to adapt and recover. 3 weeks is the range in where you start run into ...
37
votes
Why do the majority of people on an ebike ride at a fairly low cadence?
Personally it's because I'm using my ebike to get to work, wearing work clothes (which restrict my pedalling) and not wanting to get too sweaty. If I were just out for a ride I'd pedal faster.
- 503
31
votes
What is an SUV bike?
This is a marketing term and means whatever the marketer wants it to mean.
- 30.3k
27
votes
How many watts are lost when pedalling on Bosch e-bike without a motor/electricity?
In theory - none because the motor has a freewheeling clutch that is completely disconnected when it is not providing assistance. That is when you're travelling over 25 km/h (location-dependent) or ...
- 128k
26
votes
Why are regenerative brakes uncommon on e-bikes?
Short answer: it's not worthwhile.
Most bicycling energy goes toward overcoming wind resistance, especially for casual riders. That energy is lost, with no chance for regeneration.
Liberty Trike ...
- 582
24
votes
Accepted
The stock brakes on many e-bikes may be inadequate. What changes would make them adequate, and at what cost?
The problem I see constantly is lack of maintenance. It's very common for ebikes of all varieties to come into the shop I work at with brakes that the user has treated essentially as an automotive ...
- 86.5k
22
votes
Cycling to work - 30 mile return
I moved house in August, and have had a 26 km commute so roughly similar. Mine's got 50 metres drop on the way to work, so mostly flat.
In my experience, you're in the distance where comfort becomes ...
- 128k
21
votes
Why do e-bikes need dedicated tires?
According to Schwalbe at https://www.schwalbe.com/gb/e-bike.html
For standard pedelecs with pedal assistance up to 25 km/h no specific
tyres are stipulated by the legislators. But the loads and ...
- 1,046
20
votes
Jump start electric bike?
DO NOT DO THIS!
You can't safely charge any battery using jumper leads from another battery. If the other battery matches the flat one, but is fully charged, the current will be so high that you will ...
- 23.6k
20
votes
Why aren't electric bikes mainstream?
Cost is the overarching reason. Not only buying (and re-buying after theft!) but also maintaining. I can happily leave a cheap bike in the rain for a year; at worst I'll buy a new chain (€10) that I ...
- 331
20
votes
I would like a one-mile-range e-bike: why aren't there any?
From a convenience point of view, a 1-mile e-bike would need to be charged every ride, for the use mentioned in the question (that would be a red flag for me, I have already enough batteries to manage ...
- 21.4k
19
votes
Accepted
Can I use an RC motor to make my bike electric?
Its designed to attach the prop of a model aircraft directly, i.e its designed to drive a fan that cools it. It has little (or none) weather protect, and would be destroyed on a bike in months. ...
- 51.7k
18
votes
Why do the majority of people on an ebike ride at a fairly low cadence?
For me, as an occassional ebike rider, it feels I get kind of better connection to the bike when pedaling at lower cadence, but higher force.
Because the electric assist otherwise reduces the needed ...
- 1,847
18
votes
Why aren't electric bikes mainstream?
I live in The Netherlands, where cycling is one of the most (if not the most) popular modes of transport, with an average of 1.3 bicycles owned per person (22.7 million bikes / 17 million citizens) [...
- 341
17
votes
Accepted
Are electric bike speed limitations set in stone?
The limit is set by law depending on the country. There's nothing to prevent you from going faster if you can pedal harder. The limiter just cuts off the electric assistance above 25km/h, so you'll ...
- 8,329
16
votes
Why aren't electric bikes mainstream?
The expense is part of it: for the price of a cheap electric bike I can buy a much better bike without a motor.
A much bigger effect is that electric bikes are still bikes, with all the exposure to ...
- 60.8k
16
votes
Suspension compromise for urban use
Apart from going the high-tech route of a front suspension with lock-out, you can also try to get wider tires. The slow-down of wide tires is not that big, but they naturally even out high-frequency ...
16
votes
Accepted
How to clamp an e-bike on a repair stand?
It's safe for the bike to clamp the seatpost, even on the heaviest bikes. The only thing to potentially be paranoid about is that the seatpost is clamped into the bike securely enough that the bike ...
- 86.5k
16
votes
Alright to leave or use electric bicycle in rain
I live in the Netherlands and we have plenty of rain as well as plenty of electric bicycles. I have not heard bikes getting damaged.
Parking outside in the rain is a given, washing down with a hose is ...
- 4,810
15
votes
Accepted
Exceeding speed limit with Ebike, is battery affected?
Actually, when you are running the motor near the top of the speed limiter, it's the happiest and most likely drawing the least current. If you had a CycleAnalyst or other amp gauge, you'd see it ...
- 29.3k
15
votes
Why do e-bikes need dedicated tires?
In brief - "sales and marketing"
Changing tubes/tyres on an ebike can be more awkward, especially on the powered wheel, plus ebikes tend to attract less "mechanical" riders than regular bikes, being ...
- 128k
15
votes
Accepted
Understanding e-bike power/torque
Very quick answer - the torque numbers that are quoted are maximum torque values which do not correspond to maximum power.
Power = torque × rotational speed, so, at slow speeds the motor unit can ...
- 75.8k
15
votes
Feasibility of keeping an Electrical Bike in poor (wet) storage conditions
It would depend on the bike itself.
The electronics on a high end e-mountain bike are pretty much waterproof, and the bike itself is susceptible to the same issues as any bike from rain etc.
...
- 359
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible