How to Choose An Electric Bike
September 24th, 2010
Posted in
Electric Bicycle
Electric bikes have a wide range of designs and the latest styles. The prices may vary according to the bicycles’ styles and comfort. Before buying an electric bike, you should first consider factors like weight, motor power, battery life of the bike and the way it is ridden.
If compared with a regular bicycle, an electric bicycle can be a better option. This is because it has the advantage of working on an electric motor, making longer commutes and hill climbs easier. Electric bikes also have the pedals which support the bike, so they don’t depend of the motor. Electrics bike motors are integrated either on the front or back of the bike.
The bike’s charger s set on the trunk of the bicycle. Electric bikes which have the charger on the back wheel are even more advantageous, as they have a higher degree of efficiency, the force of traction being higher. As demand for these wonderful machines has grown, there are now an increasing variety of bikes on the market to choose from. One needs to remember that E-bikes are in fact bicycles, they are limited to a top speed of 15mph with it’s motor running and they have an average power of 200W.
When you go for shop out for an electric bike, you should consider specifications about the e-bike like weight, motor, and battery type. The motor is the heaviest part of the bicycle. Remember that the heavier the bike is, the harder it is to pedal unassisted. You should choose your bike according to your weight.
The speed of an e-bike motor varies with the weight and wheel size of the motor. The wheel of the attached motor gives power to the bicycle.
Electric bike batteries are also a major concern. Battery supplies power to the motor of the bicycle A completely charged battery can travel between 12 to 30 miles with gentle pedaling.
From saving money to saving the environment – we are seeing more and more benefits of the electric bike. Now you have some basic information to help you select the E-bike for you. There is much more information available for you on our site. Please visit www.ElectricLions.com . Enjoy your life – by speeding it up!
Electric Bicycles and the Environment
As we know, gas and petrol powered cars are a basic and primary source of pollution in the environment. Because of this pollution, our health, food, plants, crops are really affected; it has a damaging effect on the whole environment. On the other hand – as compared to other vehicles – an electric bike creates far less pollution to the environment.
An electric bicycle can be used in place of car. You can save an average of 25 gallons of fuel. Thus, a huge amount pollution can be prevented! According to an estimate, 3.42 pounds of hydrocarbons, 25.28 pounds of carbon monoxide, 1.77 pounds of nitrogen oxides can be saved.
Electric Bike
Scientific opinion is clear and close to undisputed that global warming is already happening. CO2 is the main cause. Every mile a car travels causes approximately one pound of CO2 to enter the atmosphere.
An electric bicycle is also known as EAPC, which is the abbreviation of ‘electrically assisted pedal bicycle’. They are just like a regular bicycle with an extra advantage of working with the power from an electrical motor. Pedal assisted bicycles also come under the electrical bicycle category. This type of bicycles has a smaller motor when compared with the EAPC. The motor can support the ride.
Electric bicycle producers have promptly tailored to this trend and currently they offer conversion kits even for the regular bicycles. Paying a visit to a well-known electric bike supplier can help you in understanding the demand of these conversion kits. Several reputed electric bicycle manufacturers are entering into the conversion kits market and this is a good omen for the users.
Your investment in an electric bike can pay dividends beyond U. S. borders. Your purchase supports the growth of an industry that could make a big difference in developing countries. The pollution savings are astounding, far beyond what the U.S. could achieve alone. Short trips account for most of the cars on the road and most of our air pollution. So, for the health of the planet and environment, leave your car at home and ride your electric bike! Contribute to fight global warming and save the environment for our future generation and be a part of it. The benefits of electric bicycles are impressive.
Electric Bicycle Batteries
Buying an electric bicycle? Before you do, you should know more about one of the most important components of the electric bike – the battery.
Types of batteries
• Sealed lead acid (SLA)
• Nickel-Metal-hydride (NiMH)
• Lithium-ion (Li-ion)
• Lithium-polymer (Li-po)
Electronic Bicycle
Sealed Lead Acid batteries are cheap to produce, that is why it is now used in many bikes. They are maintenance-free, high energy but are very heavy and cannot be charged quickly.
Nickel-Metal-Hydride batteries are lighter in weight and can be charged faster than SLA. Performance is reduced in cold weather and they need to be fully discharged at certain intervals to maximize battery life.
Lithium-Ion batteries are lightweight and maintenance-free. These batteries have a longer life and can be charged quite quickly. They are expensive. As they can be unstable, they must be used with a battery management system to maintain the stability of the chemicals, charge and temperature within each Lithium cell.
Lithium-Polymer is the lightest and newest of all e-bike batteries, these are even better than Li-ion models as they are more stable and have low levels of discharge but naturally they are the most expensive.
The cost of electric bicycle batteries range from around $140 for an SLA, all the way to $600 for the latest Lithium-ion model.
Price and weight are two key factors to consider but it is important to compare the performance, longevity and recharging times of each battery before purchase.
Finally, here are some the tips for maximizing battery life on an electric bicycle
• Electric bike batteries should be recharged after every use; it is not necessary to charge it when it is run down.
• You can buy two batteries at time so when you have no time for charging you can have one extra available to you.
• If battery fully charged then disconnect the battery from the charger.
• Always pedal when climbing hills to assist the motor and increase battery life.
• Always store the battery inside instead of outside.
Electric bicycle batteries can be really affordable and cost effective. Think about the type that is right for you.
Benefits of an Electric Bike
Electric Bike
An electric bike has several benefits because of its efficiency and reliability. It gives speed to your life style. You can reach your destination in just a few minutes. It reduces a distance of hours to minutes. Here are some of these benefits in more detail:
The biggest advantage of an electric bike is hill climbing. This is actually a common fact but it is indeed a great benefit of electric bike. An electric bike effectively flattens hills, increasing the average speed.
On crowded streets, the electric bicycle provides you real benefit. A car or motorcycle can reach high speeds on the roads but in practice speed drops below 10 mph in cities. The electric bike can reach the routes that cars and motorcycles can not. Thus, the electric bike facilitates high speed, convenient inner-city travel.
Another advantage is their high resale value – electric bikes are new technologies, and these are early days, but the evidence points to a better resale value than a conventional bicycle.
Motorcycles obviously consume gasoline, while electric bicycles do not. The only type of fuel consumption they use are the batteries, which can be recharged when they have run down. As for energy use, electric bikes typically consume fuel at an average rate of 100 to 150 watts of electricity against that of 15,000 or more for a car.
An electric bike costs more to run – usually 5-8 pence per mile against 4.2 pence per mile for a non-assisted bicycle. The electric bike running costs should really be compared to those of a car, when the electric bike replaces car mileage. On cars cost 50 to 80 pence per mile, an electric bike can save a lot of money.
Electric bikes do not need oil changes, unlike their gasoline counterparts. Thus, the electric bike need not be washed or cleaned quite as often.
The speed of an electric bikes is around 25 to 30 kilometers, which is really faster than regular biking or walking. It is possible to control the speed of the electric bike like riding faster on cool days that increases wind chill and maintaining a normal speed on hot days and thus reduce perspiration. Electric bikes also save a lot of precious time by alleviating the need to search for a parking space.Lastly, using an electric bike can contribute to the decrease of global warming, which is a small contribution we should all make in being eco friendly.