eBikes or Electric bikes, what is the difference?
We could spend a long time discussing whether there is a difference or not and you can be pretty sure that somebody out there will have a theory or definition but to all intents and purposes they are all the same thing as far as we are concerned - just to add to the confusion we can (and will) throw in the term pedelec - an electric assisted pedal bike. All of our bikes are pedelecs, many of them have a twist grip handlebar control* (this can be enabled or disabled whilst riding along) which would enable the rider to use them without pedalling but most riders prefer to pedal, it does them good, the battery charge lasts longer and it feels more normal, in fact it feels extremely pleasant because the motor takes most of the strain and the rider doesn’t have to pedal their socks off to climb hills. The motors in these bikes are only allowed to work at speeds up to 25kmh which is about 15.5mph. You can exceed this speed of course but that will be as a result of your pedalling or freewheeling downhill. * as of the 1st January 2016 the UK will harmonise with EU regulations for Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles, this will outlaw the sale of twist grip style controllers that allow the bike to be operated at full speed independently (that is without the pedals rotating in a forward direction). Easy start / walk assist throttles are allowed up to 6 km/h. ‘Grandfather Rights’ will apply so if you already have a bike with a twist grip throttle or if you purchase one between now and January 1st these regulations will not apply. If the ability to use a twist grip throttle is important to you we advise you to make your purchase before the new regulations come in to force.
Why buy an electric bike?
•
We set up this business because we love electric bikes (or eBikes, as we
all refer to them) and sincerely believe that they have a huge part to play
in the future of personal transport.
•
Whether you are riding to work, heading to the shops or just leisure riding
the latest generation of eBikes are not only a truly environmentally friendly
way to get around they are great fun as well.
•
The UK is on the verge of a personal transport revolution, Europe and the
USA electric bike popularity has grown exponentially over the last few
years and in Germany this year they will sell over 400,000. More and
more people are recognising the freedom and value of owning and riding
a powered bicycle.
•
We can thank advances in battery technology with high capacity lithium
power packs and incredibly efficient, reliable motors matched to precision
drive trains for making environmentally friendly independent transport a
viable option for riders who might shy away from the challenges of a
traditional bike.
•
Now is a great time to join the pedelec revolution, call us on 01432
850458 or email info@herefordelectricbikes.co.uk and hop on one of
our eBike demonstrators to sample the freedom, the satisfaction and the
undeniable fun of riding an eBike.
Electric Bike Technology
There are three different ways to deliver the power to your electric bike wheels and and all of them have something to offer: Front hub drives, perhaps the simplest way of adding pedal assistance to your bike riding - these bikes use an rpm sensor mounted close to the pedals to detect the speed that you are pedalling at and then add power from a 250w brushless motor in the sealed hub of your front wheel. That means you have an All Wheel Drive bike, some people love this and some don’t. Rear hub drives, probably the most common form of electric bike power out there, these feature a sealed, brushless motor mounted in the rear hub, most rear hub bikes use an rpm sensor to assist your pedalling effort, some have straight cut gears and others use bevel cut gears which are quieter and produce more torque but cost more. Many feel that this has a more normal ‘feel’ as it is just topping up the power from the pedals. Crank or Mid Drives, until recently these were seen as the preserve of big budget electric bike buyers but with more manufacturers entering this section of the market there are a whole host of more affordable mid drive bikes arriving in late 2015 and early 2016. The advantage that these bikes have is the delivery of power to the chain (and thus through the gears) gives more control over the way that the battery power is utilised. These are the obvious choice for off roaders who may encounter extremely demanding terrain. Delivering the extra power to the drive train rather than through the wheel hub puts extra strain on the drive train and so upgraded chains and gear components are the order of the day. Most of these use torque sensors to evaluate and supplement the effort that the rider is putting into turning the pedals. Your choice of drive will come down to what you want to use your eBike for, how often you will use it, your fitness and your expectations, your budget and ultimately how it makes you feel, work out what your budget is and then ring Hereford Electric Bike Centre on 01432 850458 or email info@herefordelectricbikes.co.uk and make an appointment to come down and sample some bikes.
The EU regulations summed up
• The rider must be aged 14 or over
• The bike must have pedals that can be used to propel it
•
The
motor
cannot
have
a
maximum
continuous
rated
power
of
more
than 250 watts
• Maximum assisted speed of 25 km/h (approx. 15.5mph)
•
Cannot
be
fitted
with
a
full
speed
throttle
that
can
work
independently
(that
is
without
the
pedals
rotating
in
a
forward
direction).
Easy
start
/
walk
assist throttles are allowed up to 6 km/h
• All bikes will conform to EN15194
About non-conforming bikes
As
soon
as
you
start
talking
about
eBikes
it
is
almost
inevitable
that
somebody
will
start
talking
about
electric
bikes
that
travel
at
huge
speed
and
use
1000
watt
motors
(that
is
4
times
the
power
permitted
for
legal
road
use
as
a
pedal
assisted
bike)
and
we
are
aware
that
those
motors
exist,
not
sure
what
they
do
to
battery
life
or
to
the
drivetrains
of
the
bikes
that
they
are
fitted
to
-
we
will
let
you
make
up
your
own
mind
about
what
you
need
to
do
to
the
brakes
for
bikes
that have been modified in that way.
They
are
legal
to
use
in
certain
off
road
circumstances
although
we
are
not
sure
where
you
would
stand
if
you
were
involved
in
an
accident
on
one
-
even
off
road.
So
before
anybody
asks,
we
do
not
sell
eBikes
that
are
not
road
legal
in
the
UK,
neither
do
we
offer
‘performance
dongles’
or
remaps
etc.
That
is
it,
remember
if
you
buy
one
of
our
electric
bikes
and
you
carry
out
motor
modifications
your
warranty will be void.
Ebikes
are
tremendous
fun
to
ride
and
quick
without
having
to
travel
at
breakneck speeds.
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© Hereford Electric Bikes 2015
eBikes or Electric bikes, what is the
difference?
We could spend a long time discussing whether there is a difference or not and you can be pretty sure that somebody out there will have a theory or definition but to all intents and purposes they are all the same thing as far as we are concerned - just to add to the confusion we can (and will) throw in the term pedelec - an electric assisted pedal bike. All of our bikes are pedelecs, many of them have a twist grip handlebar control* (this can be enabled or disabled whilst riding along) which would enable the rider to use them without pedalling but most riders prefer to pedal, it does them good, the battery charge lasts longer and it feels more normal, in fact it feels extremely pleasant because the motor takes most of the strain and the rider doesn’t have to pedal their socks off to climb hills. The motors in these bikes are only allowed to work at speeds up to 25kmh which is about 15.5mph. You can exceed this speed of course but that will be as a result of your pedalling or freewheeling downhill. * as of the 1st January 2016 the UK will harmonise with EU regulations for Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles, this will outlaw the sale of twist grip style controllers that allow the bike to be operated at full speed independently (that is without the pedals rotating in a forward direction). Easy start / walk assist throttles are allowed up to 6 km/h. ‘Grandfather Rights’ will apply so if you already have a bike with a twist grip throttle or if you purchase one between now and January 1st these regulations will not apply. If the ability to use a twist grip throttle is important to you we advise you to make your purchase before the new regulations come in to force.
Why buy an electric bike?
•
We set up this business because we love electric
bikes (or eBikes, as we all refer to them) and
sincerely believe that they have a huge part to play in
the future of personal transport.
•
Whether you are riding to work, heading to the shops
or just leisure riding the latest generation of eBikes
are not only a truly environmentally friendly way to
get around they are great fun as well.
•
The UK is on the verge of a personal transport
revolution, Europe and the USA electric bike
popularity has grown exponentially over the last few
years and in Germany this year they will sell over
400,000. More and more people are recognising the
freedom and value of owning and riding a powered
bicycle.
•
We can thank advances in battery technology with
high capacity lithium power packs and incredibly
efficient, reliable motors matched to precision drive
trains for making environmentally friendly
independent transport a viable option for riders who
might shy away from the challenges of a traditional
bike.
•
Now is a great time to join the pedelec revolution, call
us on 01432 850458 or email
info@herefordelectricbikes.co.uk and hop on one
of our eBike demonstrators to sample the freedom,
the satisfaction and the undeniable fun of riding an
eBike.
Electric Bike Technology
There are three different ways to deliver the power to your electric bike wheels and and all of them have something to offer: Front hub drives, perhaps the simplest way of adding pedal assistance to your bike riding - these bikes use an rpm sensor mounted close to the pedals to detect the speed that you are pedalling at and then add power from a 250w brushless motor in the sealed hub of your front wheel. That means you have an All Wheel Drive bike, some people love this and some don’t. Rear hub drives, probably the most common form of electric bike power out there, these feature a sealed, brushless motor mounted in the rear hub, most rear hub bikes use an rpm sensor to assist your pedalling effort, some have straight cut gears and others use bevel cut gears which are quieter and produce more torque but cost more. Many feel that this has a more normal ‘feel’ as it is just topping up the power from the pedals. Crank or Mid Drives, until recently these were seen as the preserve of big budget electric bike buyers but with more manufacturers entering this section of the market there are a whole host of more affordable mid drive bikes arriving in late 2015 and early 2016. The advantage that these bikes have is the delivery of power to the chain (and thus through the gears) gives more control over the way that the battery power is utilised. These are the obvious choice for off roaders who may encounter extremely demanding terrain. Delivering the extra power to the drive train rather than through the wheel hub puts extra strain on the drive train and so upgraded chains and gear components are the order of the day. Most of these use torque sensors to evaluate and supplement the effort that the rider is putting into turning the pedals. Your choice of drive will come down to what you want to use your eBike for, how often you will use it, your fitness and your expectations, your budget and ultimately how it makes you feel, work out what your budget is and then ring Hereford Electric Bike Centre on 01432 850458 or email info@herefordelectricbikes.co.uk and make an appointment to come down and sample some bikes.
The EU regulations summed up
• The rider must be aged 14 or over
•
The
bike
must
have
pedals
that
can
be
used
to
propel it
•
The
motor
cannot
have
a
maximum
continuous
rated power of more than 250 watts
•
Maximum
assisted
speed
of
25
km/h
(approx.
15.5mph)
•
Cannot
be
fitted
with
a
full
speed
throttle
that
can
work
independently
(that
is
without
the
pedals
rotating
in
a
forward
direction).
Easy
start
/
walk
assist throttles are allowed up to 6 km/h
• All bikes will conform to EN15194
About non-conforming bikes
As
soon
as
you
start
talking
about
eBikes
it
is
almost
inevitable
that
somebody
will
start
talking
about
electric
bikes
that
travel
at
huge
speed
and
use
1000
watt
motors
(that
is
4
times
the
power
permitted
for
legal
road
use
as
a
pedal
assisted
bike)
and
we
are
aware
that
those
motors
exist,
not
sure
what
they
do
to
battery
life
or
to
the
drivetrains
of
the
bikes
that
they
are
fitted
to
-
we
will
let
you
make
up
your
own
mind
about
what
you
need
to
do
to
the brakes for bikes that have been modified in that way.
They
are
legal
to
use
in
certain
off
road
circumstances
although
we
are
not
sure
where
you
would
stand
if
you
were involved in an accident on one - even off road.
So
before
anybody
asks,
we
do
not
sell
eBikes
that
are
not
road
legal
in
the
UK,
neither
do
we
offer
‘performance
dongles’
or
remaps
etc.
That
is
it,
remember
if
you
buy
one
of
our
electric
bikes
and
you
carry
out
motor
modifications
your warranty will be void.
Ebikes
are
tremendous
fun
to
ride
and
quick
without
having
to travel at breakneck speeds.
