Electric Bikes

"How far can an e-bike travel on a single charge?"

The range of an electric bike is variant on the rider's weight, riding and shifting style, and some other external variables such as battery size. Generally, a class one electric bike will have a range of approximately 40-100 miles on a single charge. Electric bikes work using Lithium Ion batteries which have certain characteristics that have an impact on battery life, such as atmospheric temperature. Just like your in your car or motorcycle, fuel economy is determined on how you drive; If you have a heavy foot and start and stop aggressively, you're fuel economy will be less than someone who is steadier in their acceleration and speed. This same logic applies to the range of the e-bike that belongs to a rider who simply puts their bike in the highest power setting and lets the bike do all of the work versus the e-bike rider who puts in their own effort and supplements it with the bike's assistance. Put simply, the more power the bike provides, the less distance you will travel. Finally, stress on the bike from the body weight of the rider paired with the route or geography you are riding will effect overall range of your battery. If you are worried about the range of the bike you are interested in, there may be an option for a larger capacity battery or a secondary battery to prolong your range. 

"How long does an e-bike take to charge? Does it charge while you're pedaling?"

Generally, batteries will take between 4-6 hours to charge based on their capacity and battery level at the time of charge. A rider should treat charging their E-bike as they would their mobile phone; simply plug the charger into the bike, then plug the charger into the wall, and you'll be ready to ride again in no time! There is no need to worry if you leave your bike plugged in for longer than 4-6 hours, batteries and chargers have features built in to prevent overcharging or damage. 

Most electric bikes on the market today do not feature regenerative braking like your car or motorcycle would. Most e-bikes require having their battery charged via an outlet and a charger, they will not recharge while pedaling the bike or coasting down a grade. 

"Isn't that cheating? I want to get exercise, not have the bike do the work for me."

Specialized Bicycle Company said it best, "It's you, only faster". Riding an electric bike is far from cheating, it is simply broadening your horizons. There is nothing wrong with a little bit of help when you need it, or making sure there is a little bit left in the tank to get home after a long group ride. The rider is still working while riding an electric bike. In fact, over 66% of the electric bikes on the market  today require rider pedaling input in order to receive any assistance. An electric bike does not do the work for any rider, it simply supplements their efforts.

"How fast can an e-bike go? Does it have a throttle?"

The top speed of any electric bicycle is determined by the class specification of the bike. E-bikes specified in Class 1 or 2 both have a maximum assistance speed of ~20mph where a Class 3 e-bike has a maximum assistance speed of ~28mph. All classes of electric bikes are pedal assist bicycles but only Class 2 e-bikes have throttles onboard. There are some Class 1 and 3 electric bikes that feature a walk assist function but though those features do drive the bike, they are not actuated like, or powerful enough to be classified as, throttles.

"What if I run out of battery? What if I exceed the speed limit on my e-bike?"

An e-bike does not need to be turned on or have the battery installed on it to still be a functional bicycle. If a rider were to get overzealous and ride beyond the range of the battery, all hope is not lost. If the battery runs dead or is disconnected, the e-bike loses its ability to assist the rider but it still functions with no added resistance from the motor. Conversely, if the battery and motor are powered on and the maximum assistance speed is exceeded the bike will no longer help the rider accelerate but will not inhibit them from doing so. In simpler terms, a Class one electric bike will assist a rider to ~20mph, after this point, all speed and acceleration comes from the riders legs. Additionally, the motor provides no resistance once the maximum assistance speed is reached, giving the rider full control over their speed.