I am excited to be able to help people get by with their ebike journey. Here at ebikewizard.com, I share my expertise and over a decade of experience riding, testing, and troubleshooting ebikes of all kinds.
Knowing What to Look for in an Electric Bike is quite a challenging task. But this article will tell you all the factors that you need to consider for making the best e-bike purchase. Read it to know all about buying the most suitable e-bike for yourself.
When buying an e-bike you have to consider multiple things, like the right class, suitable type, appropriate weight and size, travel range, power output, battery time, maintenance, and much more.
Buying an e-bike is not a small investment, you really need to pay thousands of dollars for purchasing a good e-bike. But how do you figure out if an e-bike is suitable for your purchase or not? Don’t worry, we have got your back. Here in this article, we will mention all the necessary factors that you must consider when buying an e-bike. Let’s get into the details now!
What To Look For In An Electric Bike?
Always look for durability, affordability, reliability, construction material, power generation, ride timing, comfort, and updated technology features when buying an e-bike.
Factors to Consider
There are some major factors you must consider when thinking about what to Look for in an Electric Bike. Buying the right e-bike for yourself is important to meet your application demands. Considering these top factors will ensure that you make the best and worthiest e-bike purchase.
Choose The Right Class
E-bikes are classified into 3 major classes; Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3. Your living place and riding area play a major role in choosing the right type of bike class. Here we will brief all 3 classes to help you figure out which one is suitable for you.
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Class 1 E-Bikes
These e-bike feature pedal assistance only and do not have any throttling properties. The working of class 1 e-bike involves magnification of your input. As soon as your bike will hit 20mph, the motor will automatically shut off. This leaves you with pedaling and accelerating choices but without any motor assistance. You can enjoy riding a Class 1 e-bike on trails and bike paths without any worry.
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Class 2 E-Bikes
The pedal-assistance feature of class 2 e-bikes is the same as that of class 1 e-bikes, but both these classes have a major dissimilarity too. Class 2 e-bikes have throttling properties, while class 1 e-bikes don’t. In a class 2 e-bike when the speed hits 20mph the motor shuts down. In such a situation you can keep pedaling if you desire. The throttling feature of a class 2 e-bike is helpful when riding in traffic and for getting powered on again once the motor shuts down. A class 2 e-bike will help you quickly pass a stopped bus without any damage.
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Class 3 E-Bikes
In class 3 e-bikes, the rules vary with the changing locations. A significant property of class 3 e-bikes is that they allow you to reach up to 28mph before the motor shuts down. Some class 3 e-bikes have throttling properties while others don’t. These bikes are not allowed on trails with prohibited motorized vehicles.
Select The Appropriate Type
When thinking about what to look for in an Electric Bike you should consider the appropriate type of e-bike that meets your application requirements. To help you with this selection, below we have listed some types of e-bikes along with their suitable applications.
Electric Road Bike: It is lightweight and good for commuting and recreational riding.
Electric Commuter Bike: These bikes are the same as road bikes but come with additional comfort.
Electric Mountain Bike: As the name says, this bike is suitable for trails. Plus you can also ride it on the road.
Electric Cruiser Bike: Added comfort and stylish designs make electric cruiser bikes stand out amongst other e-bikes.
Electric Folding Bike: If you are looking for a lightweight and space-saving e-bike, then this is the right fit for you.
Electric Fat Bike: Electric fat bikes are good for heavy rides. You can ride them on difficult surfaces like soil, sand, and light snow.
Electric Cargo Bike: These e-bikes are good for utility and can also serve for delivery purposes. You can also use electric cargo bikes to take kids with you.
Electric recumbent bike: The seat installed in an electric recumbent bike offers great lower back support making a 2-wheel ride more comfortable for you.
Invest Wisely In Your Electric Bike
We all know that e-bikes are expensive but this does not mean that you are allowed to spend blindly when making an e-bike purchase. Yes, you heard it right, spending the right amount of money is very important when buying an e-bike. Paying high is not the issue but not getting the best in return is definitely the issue. You should consider buying e-biked from sale to save you quite a lot of money. This money can be later used for upgrading your e-bike. Here we have some categories of e-bikes depending upon their price range. Let’s go through the details now.
Cheap Electric Bikes
These e-bikes are worth $700US or even lower than this. They are basically imported from China and are not so sturdy or reliable. So before you buy an e-bike from this category, make sure you think it twice.
Budget Electric Bikes
Budget electric bikes lie in the price range of $700 to $1500. These bikes are good to be used by beginners. The only issue with these bikes is that they have simple features and ordinary specifications, nothing is too upgraded or high-end in them. But yes, they do come with considerable service life and durability.
Mid-Tier Electric Bikes
These e-bikes are worth $1500 – $2500. An increase in price here definitely signifies enhancement in the quality too. So if you really want to make a worth-it investment, this bike is the right fit for you.
Premium Electric Bikes
As the name says premium electric bikes have exceptional features and quality. They fall in the price range of $2500 – $4000. We understand that $4000 is quite a lot but to be honest, the features and specifications that you’ll get in this price range will also be higher than your expectations.
Ultra-Premium
If you are ready to spend more than even $4000 then buying an ultra-premium e-bike is no big deal for you. But with exceptional features and quality, ultra-premium e-bikes also come with extra maintenance and care. So before you think of buying one, make sure you are ready for extra take care.
Consider Longevity in your Electric Bike
Of course, you don’t want your e-bike to stop working only after a few rides. If so, then consider the longevity of your e-bike when making the purchase. E-bikes with a minimum of 5 years of durability are suitable to be purchased. Also, its battery should be able to handle 600 to 800 full charge cycles so that you don’t have to buy a new battery every now and then.
For buying a durable e-bike, here are some tips to follow:
Regular Servicing
Make sure you conduct regular servicing of your e-bike so that it lasts longer.
Check The Company
The manufacturing company of the e-bike plays an important role in deciding its durability. For this reason, ensure that you are buying your e-bike from a reputable and experienced company. Also, see people’s reviews about that company because good companies are preferred because of their production quality and durability.
Timely Repair
Being a machine e-bikes also have to face some mechanical issues after some time of working. The only way to prevent frequent issues n your e-bike’s functioning is to timely repair any problems observed in it. The more you will delay the repairing process, the harder it will become to get rid of the problems, which will ultimately reduce its durability.
Consider Size And Weight
The additional weight of the motor and battery makes e-bikes heavier as compared to traditional bikes. The larger is the size of your e-bike higher will be the weight. So we recommend buying an e-bike with suitable height and weight. If you live on the 2nd or 3rd floor and you don’t have any lift in your building, then look for a small-sized and lightweight e-bike. But if you love going on mountain tours then a large and heavy e-bike would be the right match for you. Foldable e-bikes have also been launched in the market to make the transportation and movability of e-bikes easier for you.
How To Choose The Right Size And Weight?
For choosing the right size:
- Carefully measure your height.
- Take a measurement of your inside leg length also.
- Match the recorded readings with the size chart given by the company, and choose the appropriate e-bike size.
- For deciding the right weight,
- See where you want to ride your e-bike because rough terrain e-bikes weigh more than smooth terrain e-bikes.
- The stability of your e-bike is very important. The lighter the e-bike is the less stable it becomes.
- Consider your traveling distance also. For covering a larger distance your e-bike must be supported with a large battery and motor. This also causes a significant increase in the weight of your e-bike.
Safety comes first
Performance features are not only enough when choosing the right e-bike for yourself, safety must be included also. For maximum safety, there should be safety devices installed on the e-bike. Never leave your e-bike unlocked in a crowded place, you don’t know if it will still be there when you are back or not. So, always use good-quality locks for securing your e-bike from theft.
Theft Protection
Theft protection is a new safety feature installed for the security of your e-bikes as it allows you to lock, unlock and monitor the security of your e-bike via a mobile phone app. You can also activate the sensor from this app, to get notification alerts whenever someone tries to touch your e-bike.
Consider The Power, Voltage, And Capacity
If you plan to ride your e-bike on flat areas then a 36-volt battery is enough. But if you want to ride on the hills then you should get a 48-volt battery. Next comes the battery capacity which is measured in amp-hours. On average the battery capacity range for most of the e-bikes is 10 to 20 amp-hours. For covering very large distances, your e-bike must have a higher capacity than this range. 25O watts power is enough for smooth rides. But for hilly terrains, at least 500 watts of power should be provided. But for this, you need to buy a more expensive battery.
Important Questions To Ask Yourself
There are some important questions that you must ask yourself before choosing your e-bike, which are:
- Is my e-bike easy to maintain?
- Can my e-bike stand tough weather conditions?
- Which mode does my e-bike support, manual pedaling, pedal assistance, or throttle mode?
- Is the battery made by a trusted manufacturing brand?
- How much weight can my e-bike handle?
- Are there any genuine videos, reviews, or evidence related to the performance of my e-bike?
- Is the amp-hour and volts information displayed on my bike?
- The price according to the features offered?
- Is the battery long-lasting?
Some Additional Tips
Consider your needs: Choose an e-bike that suits your needs.
- Test Ride Several E-Bikes: This will help you compare the performance and features of different e-bikes.
- Warranty Matters: Buying an e-bike that comes with a warranty is always preferable over e-bikes that don’t have any warranty. Because you definitely don’t want to pay for a new e-bike after just a single ride.
- Service Is Important: The service of your e-bike is as important as is the quality. For enhanced durability and efficient performance make sure to get your e-bike serviced regularly.
Cyrusher XF690 Electric Mountain Bike
The XF690 is a great choice for the more advanced rider. The XF690 offers a lot of the topics we have already covered in this article. In addition to having the basic requirements for a good universal electric bike it also has some additional benefits. Like it has a foldable frame. This will allow you to travel areas where other electric bikes can’t. The XF690 can easily fit beneath most desks and in other out-of-the-way areas when folded. It has many great reviews online and is worth a look at.
Conclusion
Hopefully, the questions of what to look for in an electric bike were answered. We believe these were the most important things that you must consider when buying an e-bike. Hopefully, this article would have helped you figure out the most important points for making the best e-bike purchase. If there is anything else you want to ask about, feel free to drop down your questions in the comment section below and we would love to answer.
I am excited to be able to help people get by with their ebike journey. Here at ebikewizard.com, I share my expertise and over a decade of experience riding, testing, and troubleshooting ebikes of all kinds.