The e-bike, or electric bike, comes in five categories: e-road bikes, e-mountain bikes, e-hybrid bikes, e-cargo bikes, and folding electric bikes. If performance is the prime objective, e-road and e-mountain bikes prove the best investment experience. The speed, design, and lightweight body make it the best option for longer rides, but the limited rack options make it unfit for commuting.
For city roads, e-hybrid bikes are great companions. Even if they have various commuting features and a balanced upright design for a smooth ride through the traffic, their heavyweight is an aspect to be thought of. For short-distance city travel and parking space issues, folding electric bikes are the best option. As they have a shorter battery, they could be folded and fit into lockers, but the range of performance is not appreciable if you are looking for a heavy companion.
Different versions of lightweight, quickly chargeable, lithium-ion batteries are used in e-bikes with variations in design and hence performance. The battery is attached to the rear rack upwards or on the down tube. It's built into the downtube or the seat post on more expensive models.
The range is the distance that could be covered before the charge gets dry. It is measured in watts per hour. Rider weight, terrain, and weather conditions can affect the performance of the bike, along with the range of charge required to be fed. On average, slow-speed vehicles offer around 50km/h, while high-speed bikes offer 70–90km/h. If the bike was underpowered, even the zesty ride would become the worst memory ever. Hence, it is wise to use a suitable charger for the range of power mentioned in the bike.
With the purchase of an e-bike, a home charge station would be set up by the manufacturer. But the public station for charging needs the attention for longer rides to facilitate the use of e-bikes.
The e-bikes do not have many moving parts and hence require less maintenance. The absence of internal combustion in contrast to conventional bikes improvises the least cost required for the regular service schedules. The bikes require low running costs and in the longer run, they reduce the commuting expenses. But always check the performance and specifications on the battery pack and electric motor to live the benefits.
The lightweight builds are well designed and are comparable to the build of conventional motorcycles. The eco-friendly and economic materials used for the build offer a spectacular riding experience. But always do a test drive and check if the bike can support the daily loads. With less weight build comes the disadvantage of low maximum load which makes it unsuitable for heavy-duty motorcycle users.
