E-Bike Buying Guide

Electric bikes are becoming more and more popular in the UK for all manner of cyclists. When you’ve never owned an electric bike the main question we are asked is “what bike should I buy?” Customers can get really confused and overwhelmed with so many types of electric bikes on the market all with different specs on them. So, we have tried our best to put together this handy little guide with some key points that are good to consider before buying. Remember, we are always here to help and advise you as well. Our after-sale support is ongoing.

KERS Systems on Electric Scooters

Style of your E-Bike

A lot of the e-bikes are used for commuting. If you are travelling long distance to and from, on one charge, then a bike with a large battery capacity might be the best option like the Mountain Bikes or E-MTB’s as they are known, these are great for off road use and trails, folding has the added advantage of being portable and space saving in the boot of your car. We have the Engwe, PhazedE EFT 20 and PhazedE EFT 26. Some of these e-bikes are used for food / product deliveries in large cities as it’s quicker to get around and more cost effective than using a car. 

If you need a bike for exercising or normal day to day riding, then the mid-range e-bikes are what you need to look at. They give enough assist and let you do some of the work too like the Paselec G9 with its Paselec E-Pas re-gen power recovery system whereby when going down hills it puts power back into the battery increasing your range capabilities when used correctly. We also have the Samebike SH26 and Samebike SM MY-26.

You might want to go small, especially if part of the commute is on and off trains and buses. Our lightweight folding bikes would be perfect for you. The Samebike 20LVXD30 and Samibike LO26 are good examples of lightweight, efficient bikes that can achieve impressive ranges on their 350W batteries.

These lightweight bikes are perfect for your motorhome too, we have been using our Samebike 20LVXD30 for a few years now to get us out and about with ease

Sizing

A really key factor is obviously the size of the bike for your comfort and riding experience, there are a myriad of different frame suitability depending on the height of the rider and preference, most of our models will easily cover from 4’7” right up to 6’7” should you struggle reach out to us for guidance.

Solid or Air filled wheels on electric scooters

Power your Bike

Our bikes come in 250W battery, 350W battery, 500W battery and 750W battery or even the mighty 1000W. The larger the battery the more powerful the bike. The battery is arguably one of the most important components on your e-bike.

The vast majority of electric bikes tend to be either 36V or 48V; nevertheless, consider that the higher the voltage, the more torque and potential range capacity your bike will have.

Most throttle electric bikes, such as the Engwe, Paselec GS9 and Samebike 20LVXD30 are powered by at least a 48v e-bike battery and give the option of pedal only, pedal assist, and full throttle only.

Keep in mind that it is not possible to calculate the exact range when you are riding at different speeds along with using varying amounts of energy on a variety of terrains in differing temperatures and carrying various load weights along with rider heights and wind resistance being variable as well.

I’m putting my eBike away for the winter, will this damage the battery at all?

No, we know that some less keen (fair weather) riders may not want to cycle through the cold, wet and grim UK conditions. You can store your e-bike away, it’s not a problem; however there are some steps you can take to keep your battery healthy during these times.

If you are keeping your e-bike outside in a shed or garage, then it’s always best to bring your battery indoors. When storing your e-bike battery for long periods of time it’s best to keep the battery partially charged (around 70%). If you store the battery completely flat then you run the risk of damaging the internals of the cells themselves. Also if you store the battery fully charged this can leave the cells under more pressure. So it’s best to keep the battery stored in between.

Suspension on electric scooters

How should I look after my battery?

Generally speaking as long as you don't leave your battery for long periods of time completely empty or in cold,  damp conditions and you top the battery up after each ride, then you should be fine. 

It is very important that you plug the charger into the battery BEFORE plugging it into the socket/power source, then switch the socket plug on. It is normal to occasionally hear a little pop when connecting to the bike so please do not worry.

Even if your battery arrives partially charged you still need to charge it fully before the first ride. This helps condition the battery and gives it a start point from which to gauge the rest of its operation.

Unlike the older style batteries where you had to completely discharge the battery and then fully charge it back up again to avoid any damage; this is not the case anymore. In fact it’s much better to just top up the battery after every trip. So if you have just cycled 10 miles on your electric bike, it’s better to top it back up to full when you get home rather than incorporating a few trips before charging back fully.

Will it harm the battery if I run it completely flat on a ride?

No, however, it’s never recommended to run the battery completely flat, but for longer rides it obviously can happen. 

Should I remove the battery when transporting my bike on the bike rack of my car / motorhome?

Yes this is strongly advised, if nothing else it reduces the weight your bike rack carries reducing stress on the rack. It is best to remove the battery and stick it in a dry & safe place inside the vehicle. In Addition it is less likely to get knocked and lessens the chances of the battery flying off the electric bike on the motorway if it’s not secured properly.

Best Sellers

Easy Commute

Do you spend a lot of time commuting on the underground or walking to work? Are you looking for something light, manoeuvrable and compact enough to fold and carry?

Family Time

Running after your kids on their bikes gets harder the older they get. Make it a bit easier for yourself and more fun for the whole family. 

Adrenaline Madness

Do you want a bit of adrenaline madness, we have plenty of those to choose from whether it’s for off-road scooting or you want a bit of speed along your journey?