Electric bicycles, familiarly called e-bikes, have become a hit in recent years due to their features.
They make it possible to extend and enjoy cycling trips in nature more, to handle terrains with greater inclines and, of course, also the journey to work or shopping without breaking a sweat. They are also ideal for seniors or people with poorer physical condition.
Compared to electric scooters or scooters, where you just need to turn the handle of the speed controller to ride, on an electric bike you have to step on the pedals. With less effort than on a classic bike, but you have to. The electric drive is optional and, depending on the set level of assistance, makes driving easier, especially when climbing uphill. When driving, you can choose the intensity of the electric motor support, or you can turn off the electric drive completely and strengthen your fitness. Most e-bikes have a panel with a display on the handlebars that allows you to select an assistance program or turn on the lighting. The remaining battery capacity, distance traveled, current and average speed, current engine power or time data are shown on the display. Higher category e-bikes have GPS navigation with the possibility of recording the route. They enable connection with a smartphone, where you can set routes or training modes in the application.
Let’s start with the legislation, specifically the decree on the operation of vehicles in road traffic, where § 31 Bicycle with an auxiliary motor stipulates that the largest nominal power of the auxiliary motor must not exceed 0.25 kW, its power must be progressively reduced and finally interrupted when the bicycle with an auxiliary motor reaches a speed of 25 km/h. Legislation accepts a 10% tolerance, so many manufacturers set the speed limit to 27.5 km/h. Of course, this is not the maximum speed you can reach on a bicycle. When driving downhill or during intense pedaling, the motor must be switched off after reaching a speed of 25 km/h, and the speed you reach is entirely up to you.
Some bikes, especially mountain bikes, also have more powerful motors than specified by legislation, typically 350-600 W, but the control electronics limit the power to the prescribed 250 W. In more demanding terrain outside of roads, this limitation can be turned off and in the so-called off-road mode, the rated power can be fully used power. Off-road mode must not be switched on on public roads.
When choosing the size of an electric bicycle, the same rules apply as for a classic bicycle. The size of the frame is selected according to the height of the figure and the length of the legs. The load capacity is also important, which is typically 120-150 kg. An electric bicycle weighs 20-25 kg, with 4-5 kg for the battery and 2-4 kg for the motor and other structural elements. An important parameter is the range. It usually ranges from 30 to 120, or even more kilometers. The range depends not only on the battery capacity, but also on the terrain, the set level of support, the cyclist’s weight and riding style. If you choose a higher level of support, for example for a stronger grip when driving uphill, the range is adequately shortened. The range stated by the manufacturer is only an indicative marketing data and assumes a cyclist weight of 70 kg and light, flat terrain. The actual range will usually be shorter.
When choosing an electric bicycle, you must take into account the purpose for which you will use it most often.
Bicycles to the city
They are designed with frequent mounting and dismounting in mind. It is calculated that you will ride them – whether to work or for relaxation – in normal “walking” clothes. That’s why they have effective mudguards and other mandatory or additional equipment, such as lights, a folding stand, a rear carrier, or even a front basket for small purchases. We also include folding electric bicycles in this category, which can be easily folded and transported in the trunk of a car or by means of public transport. Folding bikes have smaller wheels and are designed for shorter rides.
Bicycles for trips
Sometimes we also call them trekking. They are a kind of imaginary intermediate stage between city and mountain bikes, so they have a wide range of uses, for example for longer rides on both normal and dirt roads. Trekking bikes have a more robust construction, wider tires, suitable for terrain, but also have mudguards and equipment required for driving on public roads and in the city. During the week you can ride it around the city and on the weekend for trips to less demanding terrain.
Mountain bikes
They have a robust construction, and since longer rides in difficult hilly terrain are expected, they have a more powerful engine and a battery with a higher capacity. It goes without saying that the engine is protected against dust or mud. Mountain bikes are usually fully sprung, or have a sprung front fork with a shock absorber. Good balance and a low center of gravity are very important for off-road bikes. Therefore, the battery, as the component with the highest weight, is placed as much as possible in the center and as low as possible.
The electric motor can be located in the center of the frame or in the rear or front wheel hub. The position of the motor in the middle is ideal for balancing the bike and allows sensing not only the speed as you turn the pedals, but also the force of the engagement, which allows you to optimize the revolutions and thus the efficiency of the electric drive assistance. Such a solution is structurally more demanding and therefore more expensive. It is used in mountain bikes, or in trekking bikes intended for more demanding terrain. The motor in the hub of the rear wheel is structurally simpler and is suitable for e-bikes in the city or cheaper trekking bikes that you will use on flat terrain. Some city bikes have the motor in the front wheel hub. It is advantageous that the motor placed in this way balances the battery located at the back. The disadvantage is the higher weight of the front wheel, which worsens driving characteristics and overcoming obstacles.
The batteries of ordinary electric bicycles usually have a voltage of 24 or 36 volts and a capacity of 350-750 Wh. Not only the capacity is important, but also the service life, i.e. the number of charging and discharging cycles that the battery can withstand without a significant reduction in capacity, the charging speed and also the size and especially the weight of the charger. During longer trips, you will take the charger with you and, for example, during a lunch stop, you will try to recharge the battery. Charging to half capacity takes one to two hours, you can charge the battery to full capacity in 3-5 hours. E-bikes don’t have recuperation because the engine engages through idle and you want to go as fast as possible down the hill.
The life of the battery, of course, also depends on how you take care of it and how you store it during the winter or when you will not be using the e-bike for a longer period of time. Discharging to zero or almost zero capacity is most harmful to the battery. Fortunately, the control electronics of the electric bicycle will not allow you to do this. Too low or high temperatures do not benefit it either. However, most people do not ride bicycles in winter. If possible, the battery should be charged continuously up to full capacity. Of course, sometimes you can’t avoid the fact that in an effort to extend the range on a trip, you will only charge the battery for a while during a stop, but always charge it to the maximum at home. A typical life of a well-maintained battery is 700-1000 charge and discharge cycles. If we assume that you drive an average of 30 km per cycle, that means 20,000-30,000 km.
Since the battery is the heaviest component of an e-bike next to the frame, its placement is also important in terms of balance. If you grab a classic bike by the middle of the top tube of the frame and lift it up, you will find that it is fairly well balanced thanks to its symmetrical construction, so it is easy to carry and has good off-road handling. Even if you won’t be overcoming off-road obstacles on a city bike, it should be well-balanced so that it can be carried comfortably. An attractive option for constructors is the placement of the battery under the rear carrier, where it is least in the way and can be easily removed. However, with such a solution, the center of gravity of the bicycle will move to the back, and it will be less comfortable to carry the bicycle, for example, up the stairs. It is much more convenient to place the battery in the lower tube of the frame, as low as possible and as close to the center of the bike as possible, i.e. approximately where the bottle holder is. Most off-road bikes use this battery position. Relatively good in terms of balance and also for carrying the battery for charging is its location on the seat tube, or even as part of the carrier.
JBL WIND 3 / Listen to music even on your bike
In all headphone reviews, we strongly advise you not to use them while walking, running and, of course, cycling or riding a scooter on public roads, as you can hear potential danger.
The solution for cyclists, so that they can safely listen to their favorite music or audio podcasts even while cycling or riding a scooter, is the JBL WIND 3S speaker from JBL, which comes with a special docking holder with attachment to a tube, for example to the handlebars of a bicycle, scooter or also on the handle of the stroller. The speaker can also be attached to a belt or shoulder strap of a backpack. You can stream music from a mobile phone or smart watch. If you get wet on a trip, you don’t have to worry about the speaker, thanks to IP67 protection it will survive just fine. The power of 5 W is sufficient for sound even while riding a bicycle. To adjust the sound, there is an equalizer with two setting options, one of which is used to emphasize the bass while driving. Despite its small size, the speaker has excellent sound, including bass. The battery lasts at least 5 hours, so you can handle even a longer trip. The speaker is also available in red, blue and gray.
CENA: 79,99 €
More information: www.jbl.sk
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Source: www.nextech.sk
