During summer you've seen a lot of people out riding e-bikes. Yous get excited. Y'all bound online and do a quick flake of research, order the starting time Chinese e-bike under $1000 and it arrives a month later… and falls autonomously a calendar month after. You lot don't want to practise that! Take your time, practice a little chip of due diligence and make certain you're getting the best eastward-wheel for you. Here are the 12 most important things to consider when buying an electric wheel.

How You lot Use Your East-Bicycle

What kind of e-wheel practice you want to ride?

  • Electrical road bicycle – lighter, for recreational riding on the streets and commuting
  • Electric commuter bicycle – like a road bike just with additional comfort
  • Electric mountain cycle – for trails but can still handle the road
  • Electrical cruiser bike – for comfort and fashion
  • Electric folding cycle – extra light, great for saving space
  • Electrical fat bicycle – stylish and a heavier ride, useful for riding on any surface including sand, soil and calorie-free snowfall. Can be used on trails just non ideal given the weight
  • Electrical cargo bicycle – for utility; not pretty merely you can carry so much more, useful for deliveries or taking kids with you lot
  • Electrical recumbent bike – a dissimilar way which offers lower back support from a seated position, perfect if you lot struggle on two wheels

electric recumbent ebike

The answer actually depends on what yous will use the bike for. Are you going to be zipping effectually the city delivering food? Are you lot trying to take the edge off your commute? Or are you an off-grid rider looking to tear upward the trails at every opportunity? Perhaps you don't know and just desire to exam ride a few to find out what fits; a local dealer can help you there. If you already have a pedal wheel that suits all of your needs, inquire the dealer about conversion kits .

Related: ENVO D35 vs Rad Ability RadCity four

Choose Your E-Wheel Dealer Wisely

Buy local if y'all can. Buying online is risky for an investment like this. Sure, there are tons of options to purchase e-bikes online, but you can't get a feel for how the bike rides, the quality, or effectively communicate with the dealer to see if they're trustworthy.

There are and then many advantages to purchasing an east-cycle face up-to-face, request all your questions and knowing the people to telephone call if yous have an result. The dealer can talk through your needs and aid y'all find the all-time due east-bike for you.

E-bikes are not disposable products! Equally an investment, it'south all-time to have a local business supporting you for years to come. When you lot support their business, they'll support you back. Reliable later-purchase customer service is invaluable. As well, when you lot fancy an upgrade, y'all'll know where to go for a solid production and a fair deal. Every bit an electric bike dealer in Canada, we understand the value of this long-term relationship.

Spend The Right Amount Of Money

You may groan at this one. As e-bikes become more popular, people meet them and want their own one directly away. That fear of missing out kicks in and they just desire to become in on the action. Information technology'south okay to care for yourself and get a absurd new piece of kit that'southward equally fun as it looks. However, information technology'south still designed for transport, and then you don't want to skimp on the price. This doesn't mean overpay – a $10,000 electric bike is non what y'all're after – it merely means that an e-wheel is an investment as much as it is a recreational device.

Electric bikes go along sale at varying price points:

Inexpensive electric bikes – $700US and beneath.

These are Chinese imports which have a reputation for breaking easily. You lot get what you pay for.

Upkeep electric bikes – $700 – $1500.

These will be e-bikes aimed at beginners. They practice the job and can last quite a while, with a further range and amend specs than the cheaper models. They just won't practice annihilation special and you may find yourself wanting to upgrade sooner than you await.

Mid-tier electric bikes – $1500 – $2500.

A leap forrad in quality, these bikes are recommended if you're going to utilize the cycle frequently and desire it to hold up long-term. You can expect components from trusted brands, a more thoughtful design and an adaptable riding experience.

Premium electric bikes – $2500 – $4000.

In this range, the bike will have all specialized parts from proper name brands, including the drive system. Read up on the components to come across if y'all're actually getting a premium eastward-cycle or if the dealer has simply pumped up the price.

Ultra-premium – $4000 and above.

These are for truthful enthusiasts who know their stuff and understand why they desire parts costing $chiliad+ per component rather than a whole bike.

The bottom line: it'due south tempting to see two e-bikes that look similar and go for the cheaper one, but when you wait closer, you'll realise that the slightly college price tag could reflect a drastically better machine which will last you more than than a twelvemonth.

12 to consider buying an ebike

Think About Longevity

You should expect your electric bike to last at to the lowest degree five years with regular servicing, and that your battery should final from 600 to 800 total charge cycles. Check out reviews and speak to the dealer about the average lifespan of the wheel or conversion kit you're investing in.

Size and Weight Are Important

Choose an electric bike you can manoeuvre comfortably. E-bikes are generally heavier than their traditional bike counterparts due to the motor and bombardment weight, usually in the 5-7kg range. So, while an east-bike glides around smoothly on a ride, they tin be tough to lug up a flight of stairs. If your wellness restricts you or you're not overly stiff, a smaller, foldable bike may be ideal, and so yous can take them into the gym/office/passenger vehicle with you and not have to worry so much about theft or space. Bigger and taller riders will normally prefer a larger frame and wheels to ride comfortably. If you already have a bicycle which you dear and fits y'all, y'all might consider a conversion kit .

Power Is Relative

The fun stuff. The power of your e-bike depends on your weight and if you intend to ride up a lot of steep hills. If you lot're commuting through Vancouver and are fairly minor, 250 watts will probably do you. If you're a bigger person, or call back you'll be going out riding in hilly terrain, 500 watts is probably more than your speed. However, the downside of college power could exist less range or a heavier, more plush bombardment.

If yous test ride at a local dealer, you'll be able to feel the divergence. If you're too heavy for the power range, the bike will feel sluggish, just a bigger bombardment may feel more cumbersome when moving the bicycle without pedal assist.

Range Matters

Watt Hours (WH) is another metric which tin can leave new electric bicycle riders scratching their heads. The range of your e-bike per-accuse will depend on your weight, the level of assistance you lot use and the terrain. Your dealer will accept done the math for you, just this is a general range at a cruising speed. Knocking out a 5-mile morning commute each twenty-four hours means you lot can become away with a smaller bombardment. If you ride long distances regularly, a battery of 400 watt-hours or more is most appropriate.

Is It Easy to Maintain?

Can you maintain your eastward-cycle hands? Many e-bike brands have come up and gone in contempo years. If you buy an unknown brand or from an online seller, you could end up with a product fabricated from the cheapest possible parts and no back up. An established dealer will have a history of customer support and a connected supply of spare parts for all versions of their electric bikes.

Check if your seller has designed the electric bike with modular components which can exist hands replaced and upgraded. At EBikeBC, nosotros designed our flagship ENVO D35 with high-quality, modular components for this very reason.

folding ebike maintenance

Safety First

There are a few things to wait out for to go along yourself prophylactic on an e-bike. Your brakes demand to accept stopping power to match your motor. Hydraulic disc brakes are ideal for this. Smart cutting-off volition ensure smooth stopping and restarting and so yous don't jolt or boot out on a ride. Also check for suspension on the fork and seats, as well equally integrated lights and reflectors. All of these safety features, large or pocket-sized, add up to the safest possible ride.

Wait a Warranty

Ownership an e-wheel is an investment, so you should expect a warranty on parts, motor and battery for the first two years. Most manufacturers will offer this equally standard if their product is upwardly to scratch.

Go along It Secure

To keep your investment safe from thieves, your due east-bike should have a lockable battery and a quick release forepart bicycle. If somehow a function is taken, such equally the LCD monitor, a reliable dealer can hands supervene upon it.

Weather the Storm

The best e-wheel in Vancouver is the ane which can stand upwards to the rain. Yous want your LCD, battery, controller and motors to all be splash resistant so you lot don't have to worry about riding in the rain or leaving the bike outdoors. You'll desire the electric components to be dust proof too.

Happy Riding

And so in that location you have information technology. Those are our ownership tips for getting the best electric bike. Did we miss anything? Comment below! If you want to ask virtually a new e-bike, get in contact today!