It doesn’t matter whether you call it an e-bike or an electric bike, what really matters is the pleasant sensation you get when pedaling freely on the street with your hair blowing in the wind, aware of the fact that thanks to your choice you are also reducing polluting emissions.
In fact, the e-bike does not produce CO2 during use, compared to a common motor vehicle that uses fossil fuels. We therefore have great benefits for the environment and for health, but to get the most you need to learn to know and manage your electric bicycle.
There is a lot of information circulating online about e-bikes, some of which are misleading and wrong, so let’s try to clarify things by putting together the correct ideas with a short guide.
Below we list 7 tips and tricks that will surely help you improve your battery life, control over the bike, and overall riding experience.
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Contents
1 – Charge the battery of your E-Bike
The battery, together with the motor, is undoubtedly the most important component that distinguishes an e-bike from a common traditional bicycle. At the same time, it is also one of the most expensive parts to replace in the event of a failure. Therefore, you need to know how to recharge the battery correctly to always keep it in perfect condition and with optimal performance.
How should the e-bike be charged?
Most electric bicycle batteries can be charged while mounted on the bicycle, or they can be removed for charging indoors.
The charger has an indicator light that flashes or shows a solid red color while charging and then turns to solid green when fully charged.
When you receive your e-bike, before using it, make sure to fully charge it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. A full charge usually takes between 5 and 8 hours in total, so you’re sure to replenish your energy before your rides.
When should the e-bike be recharged?
We generally hear that lithium-ion batteries have no “memory effect”, meaning that even if completely discharged they do not deteriorate. This means that they can be connected and charged at any time without causing any permanent damage to the battery’s performance.
This statement is quite true given modern technology, however, it is best to err on the side of caution and avoid doing anything that could potentially ruin your battery in the long term. So, do your best to avoid letting your battery run down completely before charging: It may happen sometimes, but it shouldn’t become a habit.
This serves not only to avoid running out of battery but also to prevent the battery pack from becoming damaged and losing performance over time, reducing the autonomy of your electric bike.
Is the battery charging all night?
To safeguard battery life and performance, you should avoid leaving your electric bike connected to the charger for too long. In the long run, this behavior can potentially cause the battery to overheat and damage.
If you are unsure how long your battery should take to charge, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for the number of hours needed. The manufacturer of your e-bike will be the best source of information on the proper care and maintenance of your battery.
In this way you can check the state of charge and the color of the LED, to disconnect the battery charger with the right timing.
How does the temperature affect my e-bike battery?
Again to safeguard battery life over time, it is advisable to avoid exposing it to extreme temperatures: both extremely hot and very cold temperatures are harmful, and both can negatively affect battery life and performance.
Extreme heat and hot temperatures can cause the battery to get hotter than it should, which can cause your electric bike to fail or malfunction.
On the other hand, cold and sub-zero temperatures can take a toll on the performance of your battery, resulting in lower speed capabilities and significantly reduced range. Luckily the cold reduces autonomy temporarily, once charged and brought to a good temperature of 15/20°, the battery will return to its original performance.
Therefore during the winter or when the weather is very cold, you will likely need to charge your electric bike more often than you would during the warmer summer months of the year.
2 – Check tire pressure before riding an electric bicycle
If you’ve had a flat tire, you already know the feeling of disappointment and disappointment when you get stuck on the road with a flat tire. It will be necessary to replace or repair the inner tube before leaving.
To avoid punctures we strongly recommend periodically checking the tire pressure before each ride. In fact, a flat tire can be punctured much more easily than an inflated tire with the correct pressure.
Furthermore, the right pressure also improves the smoothness of your e-bike, resulting in battery savings and greater pedaling performance.
Finally, the right pressure slows down the premature wear of the tires, given that with low pressure they rub more on the asphalt with accelerated wear.
How much air pressure should you have in your tires?
Generally speaking, the pressure level varies depending on the type of bicycle, the tire, and the environment in which the e-bike is used.
First, you need to check the shoulder of the tire, where you will find wording indicating the minimum and maximum pressure values allowed. You will find a MIN and a MAX acronym usually expressed in BAR and PSI.
The tire should never be inflated with pressures lower than the minimum or higher than the maximum. You can inflate with a pressure that is within the two indicators.
The high pressure improves smoothness and speed and is ideal on asphalt and on smooth and regular surfaces. On the contrary, the lower pressure is very useful in rough terrain to increase comfort and grip. For mixed-use, an intermediate pressure is used.
The weight of the rider also affects the pressure, a heavier rider will need slightly more pressure.
With this information in mind, you can choose how much pressure to inflate your tires.
Slick or knobby tires: Which are better?
Knobbier tires tend to offer more traction and grip in rough and unpaved terrain, giving you better stability due to the increased surface area of the tire coming into contact with the ground.
This makes knobby tires ideal for electric mountain biking or trail riding rather than zipping through downtown traffic on asphalt.
On the other hand, smooth slick tires are smoother and faster on asphalt and linear surfaces. You gain speed and reduce battery consumption, this is because the tread produces less friction with the ground. On the other hand, smooth wheels will be more unstable on unpaved terrain.
That’s why electric bicycles designed for high-speed racing come with very thin, aerodynamic tires.
3 – Pedaling uphill – Pedaling assistance
If you’re in the early stages of looking for an e-bike, you should know that electric bikes are designed to optimize pedaling assistance, offering the perfect boost you’ll need to tackle climbs and pedal up steeper slopes.
Pedaling assistance is also very useful when traveling long distances or for commuting to and from work. Thanks to the electric bike you have an extra push at your disposal which reduces fatigue and the effort exerted on the pedals.
What is assisted pedaling on e-bikes?
Pedal assistance consists of the intervention of an electric motor that comes into operation when the pedals are moved. The assistance only comes into play when you pedal, and not via an accelerator. Bikes that can be ridden with the accelerator only are electric bikes, to be distinguished from pedal-assisted bicycles.
The pedal-assisted bike allows you to pedal while doing physical exercise and being able to count on different levels of assistance that give more or less thrust depending on your preferences and needs.
You can therefore reduce assistance to a minimum to increase the level of training as well as, on the contrary, by increasing assistance to the maximum, reduce the physical effort to a minimum to arrive at work dry and without sweating.
4 – Lower your center of gravity
When you’re out and about on an e-bike, it can sometimes be fun to stand and feel the wind against your face as you lean side to side, taking in all that feeling of freedom and total control that comes with the use of an electric bike.
But did you know that standing on the pedals can reduce your range? This is because the cyclist creates a larger surface which increases friction with the air and consequently the engine will have to deliver more thrust with increasing battery consumption.
In addition, electric bicycles have a lower center of gravity due to the weight of the motor and battery, and when you stand or bend over, you move the center of gravity higher, which also leads to less stability and less control over the cycle.
What’s the best way to carry a load on your e-bike?
If you’re a courier who works by bike or just someone who likes to run errands on their bike, lowering your center of gravity is essential, especially if you plan on carrying a load.
This is why cargo bikes are usually equipped with bags mounted lower on the bike frame, this choice allows the cyclist to obtain greater stability and better balance, again thanks to a lower center of gravity.
In general, for those who want to carry a load on the bicycle, it is best to place it on the back of the e-bike. Better weight balance is achieved behind the saddle than by placing the load in front of the handlebars.
A front load significantly reduces steering control, making maneuvers more difficult and less safe.
As a general rule, just remember that any extra weight you carry with you on your e-bike will affect your center of gravity as well as your overall control and maneuverability while riding. It is therefore better to place it in the rear where the impact on driving quality is less.
So do your best to maintain a lower center of gravity!
5 – Don’t ride on curves
There’s no doubt that e-bikes are extremely fun to ride, especially because they allow riders to reach higher speeds with minimal effort.
Precisely for this reason, it is very important to keep in mind the personal safety of the cyclist, at all times. It doesn’t matter whether you are a novice or a hardened bike veteran, failure to follow safety rules and laws can lead to serious consequences, injuries, and potentially fatal accidents.
You must therefore always ride your bicycle in full compliance with the signs, speed limits, and your own safety and that of other road users.
DO NOT scrape the pedals when cornering
A well-known problem in the electric bike world is that many inexperienced and novice cyclists end up falling and damaging themselves and their bikes. In the worst cases, they even end up causing accidents with other people.
A common cause can be that of pedaling during a curve, this maneuver can lead to a dangerous accident, scraping and slamming the pedal on the ground. The pedal tends to jam upon impact, causing a disastrous fall.
Cyclists can easily avoid this inconvenience with a little care, caution, and foresight, skills necessary when pedaling an electric bicycle.
How can I avoid the problem?
The best practice is to avoid pedaling while entering a curve: while turning and exiting a curve you must keep the pedals in the correct position, i.e. with your feet even and parallel. In this case, one foot will be forward and one foot will be at the rear of the bicycle.
However, for more pronounced curves, the pedal located on the side of the bend must be completely raised upwards in the highest reachable part, while consequently, the pedal on the outside of the curve will be on the opposite side downwards. This position offers optimal weight balance and prevents the pedal from sticking to the ground.
So if you keep your feet in these positions you should never have any problems scraping the ground with a pedal. Obviously, when you exit the curve and are no longer leaning, you can resume pedaling regularly.
Don’t forget that e-bikes are more powerful than pedal bicycles
E-bikes are decidedly heavier and more powerful than traditional bicycles, this entails different consequences in the event of an impact.
In fact, electric bikes have extra power to push you forward to reach higher speeds than you would achieve by pedaling alone. While this can be a lot of fun, remember that impacts can have more serious and potentially fatal implications as speed increases.
For those who ride an e-bike, we strongly recommend the use of a helmet, a precious device that can save the cyclist from serious and unpleasant consequences. At first, it might seem uncomfortable and not convenient, but we assure you that it is fundamental and precious for safeguarding your integrity in the event of a fall or accident, allowing any trauma to be reduced to a minimum.
6 – Brake lightly and smoothly
Braking is very important, you need to learn how to manage your system to avoid falls and accidents. The brakes must always be used in pairs, in a controlled and preventive manner: it is better to anticipate braking more delicately than to brake rapidly at the last moment.
Sudden braking can cause you to lose control and fall. In addition, braking too hard or too often will cause premature wear of the brake pads on your e-bike, and will also reduce the overall range of your electric bike, as you will use more energy to pick up speed after braking.
Therefore, to optimize safety and consumption, it is best to use the brakes only when necessary and gently. When you see a stop sign or need to stop, try to slowly reduce your speed, continuing and applying the brakes only hard enough to bring you to a smooth stop.
The harder you brake, the harder the brakes and other components of your electric bike will work.
How long will my e-bike brakes last?
In general, brake pads used correctly last a long time and can guarantee thousands of kilometers traveled. However, the duration varies substantially based on the driving style, the weight carried and the terrain faced.
Brake pads for example can last up to 10,000 km as well as wear out after 2,000 km of intense and extreme use.
If you pedal on flat terrain the braking force required is lower, consequently consumption is reduced. On the contrary, if you brake on very steep descents, consumption increases substantially. The weight of the cyclist also has an impact, more weight implies greater consumption.
Rain and wet weather also accelerate pad wear.
As you can see, wear varies a lot and cannot be estimated with precision, for this reason, you must periodically check the state of wear of the brake pads before pedaling.
7 – Follow the rules of the road
Whether you’re on a traditional bike or an e-bike, riding a bicycle requires a great deal of safety knowledge about how to behave while on the road. In fact, we remind you that electric bicycles are required to behave exactly like all other vehicles, in compliance with signs and precedence.
If you have a driving license it will not be new to you, and you know exactly how to get around on the road in full compliance with the rules. In addition to this, you must use the necessary safety equipment such as a helmet and reflective vest if you are riding at dusk or in low ambient light.
The bicycle must then have two lights, front and rear, and a set of reflectors on the wheels and pedals. In addition, the bell is also needed to signal one’s presence to other road users and pedestrians.
Finally, before driving make sure that your vehicle is in perfect mechanical condition, and during the journey always keep away from potentially dangerous situations.
Be smart, be safe, and above all have fun with electric bikes!
