How to choose the perfect e-bike for you
Maybe you want to buy an e-bike, but you don't know which one yet. That's why we've put together this simple guide to help you find out.
1. First of all, you have to ask - do you already know how an e-bike works?
The most of future e-bike users have never ridden one, but have only heard of it.
If you are one of them, please don't read any further, but try an e-bike first.
2. So, have you taken a ride yet? Great - let's pick yours...
If you want to invest less than 800 euros, you'd better not buy one. Around 750 euros you will buy good quality bike and you'll be happy with it. Not with an e-bike for this amount.
*Reserve 800-1500 euro for an urban e-bike, if you want to ride in the countryside and travel, count on 1000-2000 euro and if you are looking at off-road e-bikes, prepare 1500-3000 euro, if the eMTB is to be full-suspension, even a little more.
3. Are you still reading? Great, now it's only going to be more enjoyable!
Let's think about what purpose you want your e-bike to serve. Do you think of an e-bike as your "means of transport"? Chances are, you'll fall in love with riding an e-bike, and even if you only see yourself on an e-bike on a trip through the woods now, you may want to start using it for your daily commute to work. And you haven't even considered a super-flexible folding e-bike that can ride with you in the car, or for free on public transport!
Urban e-bikes
for routes mainly around the city and for shopping
Travel e-bikes
for road and gravel road trips
Off-road electric bikes
over mountains and mines - also off asphalt
4. How to choose the size of an electric bike?
The alpha and omega of an e-bike you'll love is the right frame, so your e-bike won't be too big or small, you'll be comfortable on it and you'll feel safe on it. This is hard to glean from spreadsheets or reviews, it's always better to try it out 'live', but to give you an idea, here's how to find out what frame size is ideal for your body shape.
If you already know your size, choose from the basic categories of low-ride electric bikes without a top tube, trekking bikes with a lowered (trapeze) or classic (diamond) frame tube, or mountain MTB bikes, which usually offer only one frame version with a differently shaped top tube.
Remember, there is no such thing as a "ladies'" or "men's" frame - just one that is comfortable and easy to get on! On our website, we use the term women's frame when the main frame tube is lowered.
5. Next, let's think. How much do I ride in a day on an electric bike?
An e-bike will open up new horizons and distances, but will you realistically be able to sit 80 kilometres in the saddle?
Simple equation: the bigger the battery capacity = the higher the price of the bike. And, of course, with every e-bike you get a charger to take with you on trips where you're not sure of the length, so you can simply recharge your e-bike from any outlet if you need to.
At greatebike.eu, we have created a simple tool for each model of e-bike, which estimates the realistic range. You enter your weight (including clothing and luggage), choose a route profile and, if necessary, select from the battery capacity offered (some manufacturers offer several capacity options for one model).
The battery costs about 1/3 of the price of an e-bike, so sometimes choosing a smaller capacity battery can save money without making your e-bike less useful. We always give the battery capacity in Watt Hours (Wh), which is the international standard. The most common batteries on the market today are between 400Wh and 700Wh (rarely less or more). If you weigh more, choose a higher capacity battery, that's the only advice we have here. If you want to learn more about batteries, continue here.
Also pay attention to the location of the battery. The trend is to "hide" the battery as much as possible in the main frame tube of the e-bike. Here we distinguish between non-integrated batteries (installed in place of a bottle holder, for example), batteries that are semi-concealed but still visible and batteries that are fully integrated into the frame. It is then often not easy to tell at a glance whether it is an e-bike at all.
With urban e-bikes, the battery will often be placed on or in the rear rack, which means that the centre of gravity of the e-bike will be far back and with frequent handling this is NOT an ideal situation. If this is the case, choose a low-profile bike with the battery placed vertically behind the seat tube, in the bike's center of gravity.
You can choose any model of e-bike as long as you park it in the garage.
If you park in the basement and have to handle the electric wheel, it is advisable to choose a model,
that is designed for carrying (the bike will be balanced).
If you don't have a parking space, opt for the Folding Electric Bike, which can fit in any apartment - and (you can easily fold it in the trunk of your car or on the train).
Find out how easy or complicated it is to remove the battery from the e-bike, as it can be common to want to charge outside the bike (from a socket at home while the bike is left in the basement). Beware, some new e-bikes are designed so that the battery cannot be removed without special tools.
6. Another dilemma of buying an e-bike concerns the placement of the motor.
The common view - nothing but a centre drive is worth anything today - is wrong. Most of the most powerful electric bikes on the market are powered by hub motors (the motor is located in the centre of the rear wheel). A mid-motor should be a given for off-road e-bikes, where weight distribution plays an important role when traversing uneven terrain. For touring e-bikes, it is not so clear-cut. We definitely recommend that you test similar e-bikes with both types of drive and then decide according to your own feeling. The mid-motor will be about 10-15% more expensive, which comes from its more complex design.
7. E-bike equipment - does it make sense to deal with it?
I'm sure it is. With e-bikes, there is no point in worrying about grams of weight or choosing the most expensive systems, but you need to think about quality. While on a regular bike we will have a mileage of 500-1000 kilometres per year, on an e-bike it will be triple that. That's why it's good to choose components with higher quality and durability. We will be happy to explain the specific differences.
Don't choose a new e-bike based on the shape of the saddle or handlebars. Both of these things determine the comfort of your ride, but they are very individual. That's why, if you don't like the ones chosen by the manufacturer, we at greatebike.eu will install the saddle and grips you choose for free (you can find different types on our website). Choosing a different thickness and tyre pattern is not a problem either!
It's also a good idea to think about how much you're bringing before you choose. We can ride "light" or just with a backpack or pannier, or if you have a larger load, then we recommend choosing an e-bike equipped with a rear rack. If you want to carry a really BIG load on your e-bike, only at ekolo.cz we offer many types in the new category CARGO ELECTROBIKES.
The range of e-bikes today is huge - at greatebike.eu we offer up to 500 different models and variants of e-bikes. Your personal preference for a particular brand or your preference for a particular colour or design of e-bike also plays a role in your choice. And that is also very important!
Can you think of anything you haven't read here?
You can reach us anytime at info@greatebike.eu