Which aspects of e-bikes do you think are the most important? Why?

[Ashley]

Most important is a good bike then add the "e"

[KF40272]

good tires and good brakes

[tweetyscute]

Battery Life and durability

[Dawn Monzu]

I truly believe that the battery power and how long it lasts is the most important part! It's the one thing that will either get you there or not.

[Emilee Dougherty]

Both speed and battery life are what I consider when choosing an e-bike. I use my current e-bike to get to work. It's pretty slow, so I have to leave home pretty early to get to work on time. The benefit is that the battery lasts all the way to work, then I charge while at work, then it gets me back home.

[Sonnie_McAleer]

Range is the number one item with e-bikes in my opinion, followed closely by price, then weight, ride comfort, and added features

[arnied23]

(08-02-2021, 05:55 PM)Nicholas Wrote:  Hello, bike riders!
Have you ever considered buying an e-bike or do you already own one? Let's share our opinions about e-bikes and their most important aspects.

• what's the most important aspect of electric bikes and why? Is it the battery life? Is it the max speed?
• what would you consider the most when choosing an e-bike?
  

Battery life, weight and durability. But really…BATTERY LIFE 😃

[ManBearPig]

Max speed!

[aschlinsog]

While battery life is important, I think the ability to maintenance my own bike is pretty important. To be stranded in the middle of nowhere with a bike I can't fix would be a bummer.

[Lemon]

Battery life would be important to me or my folks back at home. Covering, let's say, 50 miles instead of 25 miles without charging the battery ... where do I sign up?

[berkley harris]

(08-02-2021, 05:55 PM)Nicholas Wrote:  Hello, bike riders!
Have you ever considered buying an e-bike or do you already own one? Let's share our opinions about e-bikes and their most important aspects.

• what's the most important aspect of electric bikes and why? Is it the battery life? Is it the max speed?
• what would you consider the most when choosing an e-bike?
  

I am ready to go but cost is holding me back

[Xene1]

(08-02-2021, 05:55 PM)Nicholas Wrote:  Hello, bike riders!
Have you ever considered buying an e-bike or do you already own one? Let's share our opinions about e-bikes and their most important aspects.

• what's the most important aspect of electric bikes and why? Is it the battery life? Is it the max speed?
• what would you consider the most when choosing an e-bike?
  

I just purchased an ebike and for me the most important consideration was range and power-- I live in a hilly place and want to commute via bike. Price was very important to me when considering which ebike to purchase.

[alz44]

I think comfort and battery life are the most important to me.

[wocot]

Battery life and reliability. If it's used as a commuter tool, you don't want to be worrying if you'll get home.

[Ross Callender]

(08-02-2021, 05:55 PM)Nicholas Wrote:  Hello, bike riders!
Have you ever considered buying an e-bike or do you already own one? Let's share our opinions about e-bikes and their most important aspects.

• what's the most important aspect of electric bikes and why? Is it the battery life? Is it the max speed?
• what would you consider the most when choosing an e-bike?
  

For me it is the battery life as I live along the Colorado river and like to do long bike rides.

[Betty Curran]

Battery life has to be number 1.

[Marsheila Kerner]

Battery Life

[Jesper]

After nearly 80 entries regarding this topic, I have listed the ebike aspects that others have provided. They are not necessarily in a priority order just listed by the most common to the least common mentioned. Also, since there can be a fair amount of interpretation between layman's terminology and terminology from an engineering/design aspect; I am not trying to analyze or differentiate what one term might mean in relation to another (e.g. power vs. torque; battery life vs. range; etc.). Some answers were very specific (e.g. battery lifetime/longevity), and others were general (e.g. battery life). I may have interpreted a couple if the description was too vague in order to better categorize an aspect. I also have not tried to group together categories that may be interrelated (e.g. quality, durability, reliability, etc.); just listing them pretty much as stated by the respondents. There was a wide range of items brought to light that I had not taken into account, and a couple not mentioned at all that I will list just to provide a more comprehensive list which might be of importance to those who replied and/or those just perusing this thread. Many of the aspects listed are dependent on a rider's individual weight, load carried (other than the rider), road conditions/terrain (assuming a flat surface), weather (primarily wind; again riding on a flat surface), etc.; if everything else was equal (same bike, size, motor, battery, etc.). Pedal assist, and non-assist ebikes were not mentioned too often so you may take some of the aspects as a general aspect for for either type (I think I checked for specific mentions of pedal assist and listed them below as as such). I am sure I have made plenty of mistakes and incorrect conclusions, but I think you will get an idea of what folks are looking for in an ebike whether they have one, plan on getting one, or are just giving some general input.

1) BATTERY LIFE (I assumed the majority meant how long a battery will last on one charge under average use; not the battery lifetime until needing replacement. It was generally not specified in the posts.)

2) RANGE

3) POWER

4) DURABILITY
4) MAX SPEED/SPEED
4) CONVENIENCE (Specifically mentioned were: saving one's body from exhaustion during commuting, long rides, hill climbing, and wind)

5) CLIMBING POWER
5) COMFORT

6) RELIABILITY (Assuming overall. Nothing specific about mechanical or electrical)
6) CONSTRUCTION/DESIGN

7) TORQUE
7) SAFETY
7) PEDAL ASSISTED
7) ENVIRONMENTALLY/ECOLOGICALLY BENEFICIAL

8) BATTERY LONGEVITY/LIFETIME (Total usage before replacement required)
8) WEIGHT
8) TIRES
8) FEATURES (Unspecified as to built-in design features, or accessories to added onto the bike)

9) BRAKES/BRAKING
9) QUALITY
9) FRAME GEOMETRY
9) MAINTAINABILITY
9) THROTTLE RESPONSE
9) PEDAL ASSIST RATIO
9) HANDLING
9) EFFICIENCY
9) BIKE ANTI-THEFT SECURITY
9) BATTERY ANTI-THEFT SECURITY
9) BATTERY EASE OF REMOVAL
9) BATTERY SIZE (Unspecified as to physical size, or electrical capacity)
9) CHARGING SAFETY
9) MOTOR STRENGTH
9) EASY TO INSTALL (? No reference as to what is being installed; possibly battery installation)

Not mentioned at all, but certainly important:

10) CHARGING TIME
10) CHARGING LOCATIONS/ACCESSIBILITY
10) SOLAR PANEL CHARGING (Built into the bike itself; not a solar charging station)

I apologize for any misinterpretations or omissions. This is just a general non-technical assessment of what folks seem to want in an ebike.

Please note: I have not really ridden an ebike (with or without assist), except to test ride a solar charged (could also be plugged-in for charging) prototype which although poorly designed from a cyclist's point of view (frame, components, handling, braking, weight distribution, etc.) was fairly well designed from an electrical engineer's point of view (charging, electronics, battery, etc.) of which I have experience in both areas.

[JR Namida]

Bike weight and bicycle having a Torque sensor are the 2 most important eBike requirements in my opinion. Yes reliability must be there, but if the bike weight is above 33 pounds it can be touch and go if you can climb or descend narrow stairs with your bicycle. Not everyone has an freight elevator or a secure ground level garage, as it seems eBikes and their batteries have become a thief target like high end carbon fiber expensive bicycles.

I read and watched many eBike youtube reviews, and we did not have a eBike in town to do a round the block test, or one to rent. I pass or am passed early in the morning by many commuters. No friends had an eBike to try, I was surprised at not finding a eBike locally, and I ended up purchasing a $1,049 KBO Hurricane after watching a 220 pound person do a battery drain test of this single speed eBike in a youtube review.

The bicycle arrived 4 days after my on-line order, and it took about 15 minutes to remove it from the box/packing to install the front wheel, and adjust the handle bars. Then I took the 36 pound Hurricane for a 6 mile evening ride without using the electrical power just to be certain I could ride it home if it ran out of electrical power. I charged the battery and the next morning went for a 32 mile ride in level 1 of 3 levels. I did try level 3 and it accelerated rapidly, level 2 was also good at acceleration on the route I knew well. Everything was flat level roadway,including several loops in a local Regional Park trail.

Got home and was exhilarated except for the flat mountain bike handlebar, all my other bicycles are road bikes with drop bars allowing for many different hand positions. That night and the next several days my neck, arms and upper back were painfully sore. I called a friend, found a carbon disc brake fork that would eliminate some of the road buzz, and I ordered some touring butterfly handlebars from Amazon. I had to replace the flat bar mountain bike handlebar, as my arms, neck and shoulders were still very sore that entire week.

Changed out the fork, adjusted the disc brakes and looked carefully at the trip wire motor cut off brake levers. I took the bicycle to my jack of all trades computer motherboard repair person and we looked and discussed the brake levers with the 2 cables. He had a stem integrated carbon fiber drop bars that were interesting but no brake levers. Next day the Touring Butterfly handlebars arrived, and I was surprised they were so wide, 420mm to 660mm width was a major handlebar change. A week later after mounting the brake levers on the Butterfly Trekking handlebars I was set for another test ride. Off I went and ended up crashing after hitting a telephone pole in a narrow path section with the ultra wide handlebars. Made it back home with crooked handlebars, and a bruised ego.

My computer repair friend called said he had ordered parts to modify road bike brake levers for the Trip Wire setup. I ordered Tektro RL340 Aero Brake Levers and when they arrived he modified them for the trip wire motor cutoff switch, and then we installed road bike carbon drop bars. Next day went for another 40 mile ride, was a wonderful experience. I could moved my hands about same as I do on the road bike, easy to brake without worry, of the motor fighting me at intersections and stop lights.

As my experience with an eBike expanded I began to learn the difference of cadence sensors and Torque sensors, what a difference in type of power assist provided. Cadence sensor requires pedal spin speed or cadence to provide power assist, when you come to a hill your cadence slows down, motor assistance also slows and you can not climb a gentle hill without standing up and expending a large amount of pedal effort. Torque sensing provides more motor power as you press harder on the pedals, as all riders do on all inclines.

I have enjoyed modifying my Stealth KBO Hurricane eBike to reduce the weight making it easier to carry up and down my narrow stairwell. All easy replacements: higher quality lightweight Disc brake Front wheel and I mounted a Continental Gatorskin tire with known flat protection rating. Carbon front fork, replaced the heavy alloy. Stem and flat mountain bike handlebar was replaced with a light weight integrated carbon fiber drop bar road bike handlebar. No name mountain bike brake levers with trip wire motor cut off wire, was replaced with modified Tektro Aero Brake Levers for the Trip Wire motor cut off wiring. Saddle and Seatpost were replaced with a Fabric saddle, and a 282 gram 330mm Thomson elite seatpost, saving almost 1.5 pounds. Over all I now have a 32.7 pound eBike that is easier to carry up and down the stairs, and have almost no pavement road buzz from the carbon fiber cockpit replacement components.

[Go Ride]

Most important is Quality of the product (and subsequent reliability). Battery life would be a close second.