Plugging Into E-Bikes
Riding them is, well, electric
By Mike Marino
Until quite recently, discussions involving electric bikes tended to be in the danger zone usually occupied by politics, religion and UNC vs. Duke vs. NC State. Thankfully, their exponentially increasing popularity and newly relative affordability have cooled the rhetoric surrounding e-bikes, moving them from the “why?” category more toward the realm of “why not?”
And … why not? E-bikes have opened up – or, in many cases, reopened up – cycling to a new, growing (and, yes, in many cases, joyously aging) audience. Analog bikes (that’s a term now) still rule the cycling world, but e-bikes are the hottest category of the sport. Casual fun rides are more fun. Commutes are less stressful and better for the environment. Road rides can be both faster and longer. Mountain bike rides open up trails previously unchallenged by all but the strongest. Even kids are getting in on the action.
So let’s plug in to the world of e-bikes with some history, some explanation and, later on, some myth busting.
The first patent for an electric bike in America, in 1895. The motor powered the rear wheel.
The basics
Although e-bikes, like electric cars, seem like a relatively new part of our transportation landscape, they’ve both been around since the 19th century. The first American electric “car” dates to 1890 and an Iowa chemist named William Morrison, who hitched an electric motor to the rear wheel of a wagon to carry six passengers at up to 14 miles an hour. Five years later, on Dec. 31, 1895, Ogden Bolton Jr. of Ohio received the first U.S. patent for an electric bicycle, powered by a 6-volt direct current motor in the rear wheel hub. Two years later, Hosea Libbey of Boston received his own patent for a motor placed in the crankset.
Two years later, the first patent for a motor that provided power through the crankset.
Today, the technology has advanced but the basic concepts remain the same. Among mass-marketed e-bikes, there essentially remain those two original categories: bikes powered through the rear wheel (“hub motors”), and bikes powered through the crankset (“mid motors”). In the U.S., they are divided into three categories, or classes:
- Class 1: Bikes you must pedal, with motors that provide a maximum assist of up to 20 mph.
- Class 2: Bikes that can be propelled by either pedal-assist or a throttle that doesn’t require pedaling, also with a 20 mph maximum assist.
- Class 3: Pedal-assist-only bikes with a 28 mph maximum assist.
(There are so-called “e-motor bikes” that have pedals and throttles and are capable of much higher speeds – some more than 60 mph – but in most states they’re not street legal unless registered as a motorized vehicle. TV personality Simon Cowell was riding one of those over-motored non-bikes in 2020 when he crashed and nearly died – and has since, smartly, reverted to a safer and saner Class 1 mountain bike.)
Simon Cowell nearly rode this e-bike to extinction. LIterally. (TMZ)
Hub vs. Mid
The historic yet modern way e-bikes are propelled comes down to factors that include price, weight and technology, and usually all three.
The most common motors found on today’s e-bikes are in the hub of the rear wheel. These direct-drive motors most often rely on motion sensors in the pedals to engage in one of three, four or even five different levels of assist. Pedaling a hub-motored bike often feels like you’re riding with a super-strong tailwind that pushes you along at a faster-than-usual pace.
Hub motors, like this one on a Buzz Cerana, are the industry's most common type.
On the plus side, hub motors are less expensive than their mid counterparts and are typically found on makes and models from the low- to mid-range, price-wise. Also, many hub-motored bikes have throttles, so you don’t have to pedal. (More on whether that’s a good or bad thing later on.) On the minus side, changing a rear-tire flat tire requires a bit more effort because the bulky motor is attached, and wired, to the wheel. And the maximum assist is 20 mph.
Mid motors, on the other hand, require no special wheel setup. But the biggest difference is in the feel of the ride. Torque sensors in the motors recognize the effort you’re putting into the pedals and respond accordingly, so riding a mid-motored bike can make you feel like you have Tour de France legs. With that maximum assist of up to 28 mph with many mid motors, Tour de France speeds are not out of the question, either, but to get to that maximum means you’ll have to put in an equal amount of effort.
Mid motors, like this Bosch Performance Line model on a Gazelle Arroyo, provide a more natural-feeling ride.
On the minus side, mid motors are housed in the frame, so replacement isn’t as easy as a wheel swap. Because the crankset drives the power through the chain, wear on drivetrain components can be accelerated slightly. And you’ll find mid-motored bikes on the higher and highest price points.
Power, batteries and range
Of all the questions asked of e-bikes, the most common is “how far will they go?” The answer depends on several fairly obvious factors, including weight, battery size and power usage.
One area that e-bikes and analog bikes have in common is the weight-to-power-required ratio. Under human power, a heavier bike (or a heavier rider) requires more watts to move, particularly going uphill. The same is true for e-bikes. More weight means more power, which generally means beefier motors, which add to the overall weight. The Specialized Globe Haul, for example, has a 700-watt rear hub motor that provides 90 Newton meters of torque to propel bike up to 20 mph. An equally big 772 watt-hour battery helps push the Haul’s weight to 77 pounds.
Contrast that with Specialized’s Turbo Vado SL 2, which has a smaller, 520wh battery, a 320-watt mid-motor and 50nm of torque for a 28-mph max on a sub-40-pound bike. (My wife’s previous-generation Vado SL, with a 320wh battery powering a 240-watt motor with 35nm of torque, weighs 37 pounds.)
So, to answer the question, how far will they go? Manufacturers will naturally exaggerate the range claims of all their bikes, generally assuming minimal power use on pan-flat roads. Take claims of “up to XX miles” or “up to XX hours” with a mine of salt. In the real world, where there are hills, headwinds and stop-start traffic that all require more power, your mileage (or in this case, your range) may vary – wildly. Run your 70-pound bike on maximum power all the time and your trip will likely be a short one. Use your motor more sparingly and, naturally, your time between battery charges lengthens. (Again, from personal experience, my wife’s Vado gets between 55 and 70 miles per charge on the hilly roads of the Triangle.)
And speaking of charging, yes, all e-bikes are re-powered through your regular outlets; no special charger needed. In many cases, too, the batteries are removable, so you can take them with you and charge them off the bike – a great feature if you’re commuting to work or class and find yourself without enough juice. (A typical charge cycle takes anywhere from three to five hours, depending on battery size.)
The myths
Let’s tackle a few fish tales.
By far the biggest in the e-bike world is that using one is cheating. That you’re not getting any exercise. That using one doesn’t require effort. If you have either a Class 1 or Class 3 bike, effort is required. If you don’t pedal, you fall over; simple as that. Yes, you get a boost that can lengthen your ride or take the sting out of stiff climbs, but you’re still riding longer and tackling those climbs. And even if you have a stable of analog bikes, having an e-bike might mean an extra day on the road or trail, or the difference between a recovery day and a couch day
(Now to the elephant in this particular room: Yes, if you have a Class 2 e-bike with a throttle, you technically don’t have to pedal except to get going. The only workout you get in that case is exercising your balance, which is no small thing, but you’re not likely to see a high heart rate like you would on the other types of e-bikes.)
Another fallacy is that because e-bikes are heavier than regular bikes, they’re harder to ride. Nope. Even the porkiest e-bikes behave like nimble steeds when under power – and, in many cases, even with the motor off. Manufacturers have spent years tweaking geometry and weight balance of their bikes to just that end.
“Do you always need the motor?” is another often-asked question. Again, nope. On downhills, e-bikes coast like analog bikes, only better because the extra weight takes advantage of gravity. Even on flat roads, powering at a good clip can be surprisingly easy with the motor off. When the asphalt or dirt points upward, though, the motor is available on demand, like the Mike from Dr. Seuss' “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.”
We all need a Mike now and then. (Apologies to Dr. Seuss.)
And, lastly and by comparison, e-bikes are more expensive than their analog counterparts. But that difference isn’t as big a chasm as you’d think. At The Bicycle Chain, you can score yourself a new e-bike for as low as $899 for a Buzz Centris, only a couple hundred more than you’d pay for a new non-powered ride. (On the high end, analog bikes can actually be more expensive than e-bikes, believe it or not.)
A final myth for moms and dads: No, e-bikes aren’t for adults only. There are kids’ e-bikes on the market, too, most with kid-friendly features and speeds. Specialized’s Turbo Levo SL Kids model, for example, is a 24-inch bike designed for growing trail-rippers and has an assist maximum than can be set at either 10mph or 15.5mph.
The bottom line
If you haven’t tried an e-bike yet, you should. Even if you’ve been away from the riding routine for years, an e-bike is the easiest way to get back in the habit – or to extend the habit that Father Time is threatening with a cutoff date.
The Bicycle Chain offers test rides at each of our four stores, so throw a leg over a model or two. We’ve had demo days recently on the UNC campus, in Apex and in Carrboro, and the reactions … well, see for yourself. Then go try for yourself.
The only cheating you’ll be doing is missing out on the experience.