What's Ebikes? How Do Electric Bikes Work?

Hearing the “ebike” or “electric bicycle” creates an image of an electric motorcycle in the minds of most – but they are pretty different. The ebikes have more components integrated into the design to make up its fundamentals, like a motor, a controller, and a battery. 

Even though some people perceive the electric bike revolution as a threat to demean the human-powered way of life – this is not so. The electric bicycles solve several problems the standard bike faces, especially tiring during cycling. It enhances and fits into our way of commuting or traveling. To better understand ebikes, this article introduces the innovation and shows how it works.

What are E-bikes?

Electric bikes are also called “electric-assist bicycles” or “assist bicycles.” First invented in 1897 and re-modeled in the late 1990s, the ebike has experienced several phases of modifications and re-inventions. Over the years, scientists have improved these bikes’ functionalities and general look and feel. These innovations are now famous for taking away the stress of their users in such a great way. 

Instead of the continuous pedaling of the non-assisted bicycle, e-bikes come with electric pedals to improve their speed by over 50%. Of course, this doesn’t take away the ability of e-bikes to be peddled manually. Even though the laws governing the purchase and use of electric bikes vary from city to city, one thing is sure – there are strict rules to follow for everyone’s safety. Hence, endeavor to pay attention to the speed limit in your location. 

Himiway offers some of the best ebike models on the market, including the legendary Himiway Zebra all-terrain electric bike and the Himiway cobra electric mountain bike. When next you go mountain climbing, or up a hill of some sort, one of these electric bikes would come in handy. 

Ebikes vs. Environment

So much effort has been made over several decades to ensure the earth is eco-friendly, and this is not about to stop. However, motorbikes and most automobiles emit carbon gasses that are unsafe for the environment. This combustion leaves the air polluted with gasses that are not healthy to inhale. 

The positive impact of the ebike on the environment is one of the main reasons most people are starting to choose this form of transportation over others. Although there is a tendency to mistake motorbikes for electric bicycles, the motorcycle generates polluting exhaust from the combustion engine. And this is one significant difference between both.

Better than cars or buses, ebikes are the most achievable form of transportation to reduce your carbon footprint and avoid releasing dangerous chemicals into the air. This is because e-bikes come with rechargeable and motor-powered batteries. The recyclable batteries in the ebikes are recyclable, which benefits the users’ health by encouraging a cleaner environment and reducing the healthcare system’s burden.

How do electric bikes work?

Like any other automobile, the electric bicycle has parts and components that work together to give it motion, speed, and control. Of course, there are some differences in the general mechanisms of different automobiles. We hope this section highlights the details of how the electric bike works. 

For one, the ebikes run on pedals and batteries, which is not necessarily true for other automobiles. This feature gives the ebikes different choices for motion. Today, we have access to the fully electric, battery-powered bike with the option to be operated manually or electrically – this is good news for people who use bicycles for exercise. It functions to build cardiovascular muscles perfectly. 

With the electric pedal bike, you can pedal your e-bike to a certain distance and switch to pedal-assisted when you need to rest during your workout. All these assists could be set at the point of purchase and changed as your needs change. Remember, you can change the gear to adjust the speed and move from “eco” (low) to “turbo” (high), but the level may vary based on the model. 

Depending on your electric bike type, you might have to recharge your batteries after moving a certain length of miles. Again, the distance your electric bicycle can go before it needs a boost depends on the battery’s capacity. It might also interest you to note that due to the weight of the e-bikes, manual pedaling would require more energy from the rider. They can be about 20 pounds more than conventional bikes. 

The Himiway Zebra all-terrain electric bike has a 7-speed Shimano Derailleur running on a 48V 20Ah Samsung/LG Battery. It offers a more extended range of 60 to 80 miles per charger and a 400lbs Payload Capacity. So if you intend mountain climbing without the pedal assist option, you might need to rethink.

Choosing the right electric bike

If you love cars, you tend to love electric bikes even better. A survey shows that 28% of car owners bought an e-bike to replace their vehicles. This goes to show that the benefits are numerous and competitive. For one, ebikes can go a long distance in a shorter time than cars. Another perk the ebike offers is the parking space is never a challenge. If you are looking to buy a fully electric bike, these are a few things to look out for:

The battery capacity of the bike: 

The battery capacity of an electric bike pretty much determines the weight of the ebike – the more the battery size, the heavier the bike. So if you are not so particular about the bike’s weight, you might consider buying the Himiway Cobra electric mountain bike with a large battery capacity of 48V 20 Ah.

The control of the bike: 

Your new ebike should have a controller. It’s usually located on the handlebar to allow for easy usage. With these control bars, you can set your electric bike to whatever level of assistance you require at each ride stage.

The location of the motor: 

The motor’s location is another significant feature to look out for. The ebike’s engine is usually on either of the wheels and is responsible for pulling or pushing the wheel. It pretty much determines the movement of the bike, forward or backward. Some riders can often buy external motors separately from the e-bike and integrate them into the crankshaft and gears. These external motors give the e-bike more speed, turbo for hill climbing, and stability on the road.

License to ride an e-bike?

Today, owners of electric bikes do not need an additional license to operate ebikes. A valid driver’s license is all you need to ride an electric bike because these bikes almost always come with in-built safety features to protect riders. However, certain restrictions and exceptions might apply in some cities or states, so do well to look out for these restrictions before taking your e-bike out for a ride. Check out the ebike laws and regulations in Canada.

Conclusion

E-biking has already come to stay. With a high level of acceptance and usage from various parts of the world, the electric bicycle is fast becoming a part of our everyday lives. It’s only smart to gather enough knowledge on the ebike and understand how they work. Take a pick from Himiway’s collection of e-bikes and invest in an automobile that requires little or no maintenance.