With an electric bike, in addition to the standard seat, handlebars, and pedals, the cycle is also going to have a motor and a battery to help you get around. However, you need a little more knowledge to purchase an electric bike.
Three Different Types of Motors
Not all e-bikes are made to run or work in the same way. The motor for an e-bike is usually mounted to the bike or located near the wheel hub. There are three different types of motors that come on e-bikes, and the kind of motor dictates its placement. The first is a hub motor, which is located near the hub of either the front or rear wheel of the bike. The second is a mid-drive motor, which is placed on the bike frame near the cranks in the middle of it.
Third, there are friction motors. A friction motor is placed on the seat post. They get their name as they create friction with the bike and don't work as well as a hub or mid-drive motor. Friction motors are not standard on a brand-new e-bike; they are usually added when transforming a standard bike into an electric one.
Different Power Motor Ratings
With an e-bike, the power ratings of the motor are usually limited due to local restrictions on how fast the motor can be. It is common to find e-bikes with motors that either have 250W, 500W, or 750W.
How much power you need the engine to have depends on the type of riding you will be doing. If you are doing casual riding on paved surfaces, a lower-powered engine works just fine. If you want to take on longer rides or do off-roading, you will want to have a more powerful motor.
Battery Contribution
Finally, you need a battery to drive the motor on the e-bike. You need to pay attention to two numbers with a battery — the amp hours and the voltage. The voltage is about how much power the battery can provide you with. The amp hours are about how long the battery will last and how many hours you can get out of the battery.
Like with the motor, a smaller battery is okay if you are just going on short, casual rides. If you are going on longer rides or tackling tougher terrain with your bike, you will want a larger battery with more amp hours and voltage.
Before purchasing an e-bike, think about how you want to use it as that will impact the type of motor and battery you should get. For more information, contact a company like ELV Motors.
