Local Life - Wigan - June 2021

28
Cycling
with bionic legs!
Cyrusher
XF690 folding fat bike
£1,799 from Cyrusher.co.uk
An introduction to e-bikes
E-bikes are like normal bikes given super powers: you still
pedal them, but they have an electric motor that gives
you some extra help. It feels rather like having bionic legs:
you can pull away from traffic lights quickly and easily
tackle steep hills.
That makes them brilliant for commuting and urban
cycling, and a great choice for people who want to
improve their fitness and haven’t been on a bike for years.
What kind of e-bikes are there?
Commuter bikes are all-rounders while MTBs are
mountain bikes and road bikes are racing bikes. The
former have big tyres and great suspension, while the
latter use super-light materials and aggressive geometry
to achieve high speeds. Cargo bikes are for carrying loads
that are too big for panniers or a backpack, and usually
have bigger tyres and better brakes.
How do I get the right e-bike size?
E-bike sizes are usually expressed as S, M, L and XL. Small
bikes are generally suitable for riders up to 5’5” while
XL bikes are designed for six footers and above. Some
e-bikes have very adjustable seats and handlebars that
enable them to skip between sizes.
Swifty E-Mountain Bike,
£799 from Amazon.co.uk
Volt Metro Folding Commuter
Bike,
£1,599 from Voltbikes.co.uk
Is there more than one kind of
e-bike motor?
Crank drives connect directly to the bike chain, while hub
drives sit in the wheel hub – usually the rear wheel. Crank
drives are more energy efficient and feel more natural
when pedalling but hub drives are usually much cheaper.
What about gears?
E-bikes come with the same kind of gear systems as
ordinary bikes and the gears adjust how much pedalling
is needed.
With e-bikes you’ll usually be able to control the
assistance level the motor gives you. You might choose
Turbo for fast pulling away from traffic lights but Eco (or
equivalent) when on a relaxing country ride.
Which battery should I choose?
Most manufacturers provide a battery range estimate,
or you can calculate the range by dividing the battery’s
power by 20 – a battery with a 400Wh rating should give
about 20 miles on full assist, which is when the electric
motor is operating at full power. Most e-bikes have a little
bike computer that shows battery charge and the range
remaining before recharging is needed. When the battery
runs out of power, your e-bike behaves like a normal bike,
albeit a heavier one. Typical recharge time is three to four
hours and batteries typically last for two to four years.
How much should I spend?
You can get perfectly decent e-bikes for around £500,
or you can spend over £4,000 on a carbon road bike.
The more you spend the lighter the bikes become and
the better the hardware: where cheaper e-bikes are
designed for everyday use, the most expensive
e-bikes are serious bits of sporting equipment
with matching price tags. Whatever you buy,
make sure you acquire a very good U-lock:
sadly, all e-bikes are targets for bike thieves.