Buy an electric bicycle

Buy an electric bicycle: prices, models and tips

When we speak of electric vehicles, in a broader sense, we do not only refer to electric cars, although these can get more prominence. We also have vans and electric light trucks, electric quadricycles, electric bikes and electric bicycles . An electric bike can be the most affordable electric vehicle that we can find, and the first one with which we start in electric mobility.

Not only cycling enthusiasts or ecologists can use a bicycle as a means of transport, many more people could find bikes practice for day to day, and in fact in other countries the bike is used much more than in Spain. For small trips around the city they have great advantages over walking or driving. Now that summer comes, with good weather, and some free time, it may be a good time to try an electric bike.

What is an electric bicycle
Surely you have heard it again and again. Quite a few people argue that a bike in Spain is uncomfortable because our country is not as flat as Holland, Belgium, Germany or Denmark, and that the many hills that are in the cities make use of one has many drawbacks.

Of course, if we want to use a bike for example to go to class or work, and we have to make a lot of effort and arrive exhausted and sweaty, it is clear that we have a problem. And that's precisely why the electric bicycles were created , to help us to pedal and that we do not have to make so much effort or arrive exhausted, even though we have the worst of the slopes.

An electric bicycle, as its name suggests, is a special bike that has an electric motor to spin the rear wheel. More specifically, an electric bicycle is called an electric assisted pedaling bicycle, since the electric motor is not designed so that the bike moves like a motorcycle, but to help us pedal with much less effort.

There are three fundamental components in an electric bike: the electric motor , which is usually integrated in the wheel, around the hub, a battery , which is what accumulates the electric power that powers the engine, and a control system for the level of assistance , which can be a small screen and a knob on the handlebar, to select the power of the electric motor and if we want it to make more or less force. Normally, two, three or four levels can usually be chosen.

An electric bicycle, its name says it, obviously it is still a bicycle, so it has to meet certain requirements, and that in Europe are also defined by homologation regulations: it has to have pedals, the engine has a maximum power that can not exceed, exactly 250 W , and the maximum speed that can be reached thanks to the engine can not exceed 25 km / h .

In some countries there are electric bikes with more powerful engines that can also reach more speed, but here they could not be sold, or they would have to pass the homologation of mopeds and electric motorcycles. Beyond the engine, like any bike, if the cyclist has good legs and physical condition, and gives strength to the pedals, he can reach, by his own means, not by the engine, more than 25 km / h of speed.

That is to say, that to circulate with tranquility, the engine turns the wheels and the user just has to pedal: what we told you before, you will arrive at your destination rested and like a rose.

Two types, depending on whether they are pluggable or not
We could consider that there are two main types of electric bikes, although the first is more common than the other. The most common is an electric bike with a rechargeable battery through a plug, but there are also electric bikes that work very similar to a hybrid car, and recharge the battery by themselves, to retain and brake, without plugging. If we are rigorous, we should call them electric hybrid bikes , but since they do more or less the same, help us to pedal with an electric motor, we will also cite them within a broad concept of electric bicycles.

In these hybrid bicycles, for example instead of braking with the traditional brakes you can brake with the retention of the engine, or for example pedaling in reverse, it depends a little on the model.

We could cite the Copenhagen Wheel within this second type, although it is not the only one, there is also the Bike plus of Milan .

The battery of a rechargeable electric bike is usually removable, so you can go home and recharge it by plugging it into the network. If it was not, you know, there's no other option but to get on the bike. It depends on the battery, its size and the charger, but it can be charged within approximately one to five hours. The battery is what determines the electric range that the bike will have, depends on it and its size, but it can be between 25 and 100 km , depending on the type.

Beyond how the electric bike is recharged, as with any other bicycle, there are different types according to its design and frame. We ride bikes , only with the low bar, mixed bikes, which are also called citibikes , very versatile, without becoming a mountain bike, and there are also folding electric bikes , more compact, such as the EZ pro db0 . Less usual, but also, there are electric road bikes. There is enough variety and each user can choose the one that best suits him.

Prices for all budgets
The prices of electric bicycles are variable. To start one can find conversion kits , with all the necessary components to mount them on a normal bike that we already have, and turn it into an electric bike. It depends on the brand and the characteristics, but could be found from about 350 or 400 euros, if you install it yourself.

And the other option is to buy an electric bike as such. Here there are also many prices. The simplest, like this Decathlon , can cost from about 800 euros, although brand is more usual to find bikes around the 1500 to 2000 euros. If the electric bike is more exclusive, with better materials and more design, it can cost more than 3000 euros easily.

We can find electric bikes both white and traditional brands, type BH or Orbea, and even car brands, such as smart , Peugeot or Ford , to name a few examples. To buy one we can go to a store specializing in bikes, the neighborhood store of all life, but we can also go to a large area, search online, or if it is a bike brand car, to a dealer.

The price also varies according to the equipment and features of the bike, there are bikes without cushioning, and others with front and rear cushioning. The material of the painting also changes the price, from one of steel to aluminum and even composite materials. Anyway, this is like everything.

In Spain, since last year, there are help for anyone who buys an electric bicycle , yes, it has a lithium-ion battery and a minimum autonomy of 20 km: it's 200 euros in aid, it's not much, but it's better than nothing.

Whoever does not directly encourage buying one, can try to rent it. In cities they are encouraging to put shared bike rental services, and you can try a day with one. In Madrid for example, although with some problems at the beginning, the BiciMad service allows you to rent an electric bike.https://sparkbikes.ca/