When buying something, it’s always our instinct to get to know the product or service better, right? We often do this so we can get value from our money, and the same is true when buying an e-bike.
You may wonder what specifications suit you better, how big the wheels should be, how chunky the battery pack should be, and every little thing that matters when picking the right e-bike. So, how should you really choose? What are the factors involved when picking the “right one”?
To help you out, we cover the factors you need to take note of when choosing an e-bike so you can get more value from your money and won’t spend your time on replacements and refunds. Read on!
Types of E-Bikes
There are many types of e-bikes, each built for specific purposes and has its own unique features that set them apart from other types. Websites like tope-bikes.com can help you if you want to find out more.
With regard to e-bike types, we have folding, road, mountain, commuter, and cruiser e-bikes as primary types. They all entail different purposes and different advantages and disadvantages.
Folding E-Bikes
Folding e-bikes, as the name suggests, use frames that can be folded into one or two: frame-folding, handlebar-folding, or both. These e-bikes can also fit in the commuter e-bike category as urban, and city people love the convenience these e-bikes can give.
Road E-Bikes
Road e-bikes are primarily made for traveling on pavement and concrete roads, hence the name. These e-bikes are the fastest of all e-bike types and capable of reaching speeds of up to 50 miles an hour, provided it’s used on flat and relatively perfect terrain.
Mountain E-Bikes
Mountain e-bikes are made for rough terrains such as rocky mountains, dense forests, muddy hills, and more. They are made with large, durable wheels and large suspensions to handle the impact and difficulty of off-road riding.
Commuter E-Bikes
Commuter e-bikes are made for commuters who want to get a breath of fresh air from conventional commuting methods. These bikes are often made with bulky battery packs to make trips longer and more convenient, but also with balanced frames to make them lightweight.
Cruiser E-Bikes
Cruiser e-bikes are made with passenger comfort-centric design. They are made with comfortable frames and handlebar heights comfortable enough for the average person. As such, it doesn’t have features you would find in a mountain or road e-bike, but it sure does trump them out in comfort level.
How You’ll Use It
Choosing the right e-bike entails a purpose: how are you going to use the bike? If you have a particular activity in mind, you have to connect it with the type of e-bike that corresponds to your desired activity.
If you’re a commuter who wants to travel from point A to point B seamlessly and conveniently, a commuter e-bike or a folding e-bike will suit you better. These e-bikes are often lightweight and easy to use, so you can have lesser hassle traveling.
If you’re a recreational type of person and you just want to stroll comfortably casually, a cruiser e-bike would suit you best. These e-bikes have wider seats, comfortable seat height, lightweight frames, and good handlebars, perfect for enjoying a casual ride.
And if you’re someone who loves an adrenaline rush, a speedy road bike or an offroad-master mountain bike will give you the vibes you’re looking for. A road e-bike can go really fast on perfectly paved roads, while a mountain e-bike can take you to most places a regular e-bike can’t.
Price
Of course, the price shouldn’t be left out when you’re considering buying the right e-bike. E-bikes are certainly pricier than conventional bikes since you’re paying extra for the tech features. However, price is also dependent on many factors:
E-Bike Type
E-bikes are not priced the same; they all have different price points since they have different purposes and specifications. With regards to the cheapest ones, commuter and folding e-bikes are your best bets since they are primarily produced to offer an alternative option to busy and stressful commutes.
The priciest ones are always the two: road and mountain e-bikes. These e-bikes are usually categorized as specialty e-bikes since they cater to a small number of people.
Ranges and Battery Packs
The bigger the battery, the farther the range, and the farther the range is, the pricier it is. This is as simple as it gets with regard to prices tied to an e-bike’s battery capacity and range capability.
E-bike models with chunkier battery packs have more range to them, and this enables them to be used for long without often recharging: a convenience feature in itself. E-bikes with smaller batteries are cheaper as it doesn’t require more battery materials (which are pricey, by the way).
Oftentimes, commuter, road, and mountain e-bikes have chunky battery packs so they can travel without the fright and thought of draining the battery completely while on a journey.
In summary, if you have a small budget, you can go well with folding or commuter e-bikes. But if you have some sort of big budget, you can go with specialized e-bikes, provided you’re actually using the bike for its intended purpose; otherwise, it’s just wasting money.
Weight
In case you haven’t known, e-bikes are significantly heavier than conventional bikes because of the added weight of their battery packs.
And since traveling via an e-bike often entails carrying the bike, you have to take note of its weight and also consider your physical capability to carry heavy stuff. If you’re a city commuter using buses and trains, weight is a very important trait to remember.
If you want lightweight e-bikes, commuter and folding e-bikes are the top types in mind as they are primarily made for hybrid commuting purposes (e.g. riding an e-bike, then a bus, and a train). If heavy e-bikes are no issue for you, go ahead with those road and mountain e-bikes and pedal (or throttle) away to your contentment.
Speed
Love speedy travels? Or do you love slow travels so you can appreciate the nice view? If you do, you need to consider the speed of the e-bike you would like to have.
If you like quick and speedy rides, the top two e-bikes are the road and mountain. Road e-bikes can easily reach 20 miles per hour, while some models can even reach beyond 50! Mountain e-bikes, on the other hand, are not as speedy as a road, but they can very well reach 20 miles per hour too!
If you want slower ones, go for cruiser, commuter, and folding e-bikes as they are passenger-comfort centric as compared to terrain-centric e-bikes such as the road and mountain.
