Distances Explained

Every one asks the obvious question. ......

.............................................How far will an electric bike go on one charge?

And it's the right question.

An electric bike that does not go far on a single charge is pointless. That is why we sell the longest range bikes that we can

All electric bikes not just ours, are tested on an indoor rolling road, by an average weight person, with no hills, wind resistance, road resistance or stopping and starting.

As a result the claimed mileages on all electric bikes can be a bit optimistic. The quoted distances can be achieved, but usually the bike will do more work up hills etc. So the overall distances that they will travel on a charge will come down. But of course, they have to be tested and measured somehow.

The best way to get the longest distance and more help up the hills is with a more powerful and more efficient battery and motor.

But just because an electric bike has a stated voltage that is high, it does not necessarily mean that it will perform better than another bike with similar or even in some cases less voltage batteries. The power rating is the Amps (Ah) and that is just as important as the voltage when it come to the performance.

When electric bikes are quoted as able to do 25 miles, that is under the ideal conditions explained above. In reality a 25 mile bike will only do 20 miles at best, and then it will have a flat battery. The batteries don't suddenly stop they get weaker before they run out. So if you don't want to push the last part of your journey, on a bike with a claimed range of 25 miles, you shouldn't go more than 15 miles on it. That's 7.5 miles each way, assuming you are going back to where you started from.

On an electric bike for example with a claimed range of 14 miles. If you do more than 4 miles out and 4 miles back you will run out of power.

Many bike manufacturers brag about the high voltage and don't mention the amps; because of course it's the amps that are expensive.

At Electric Bike World we only sell the high voltage high ampage batteries, because saving a few pounds on buying a cheap bike very often ends with having to buy a second bike, to achieve what is really required by the rider.

On our electric bikes, the LifeCycle Mountain Sport and City Sport they both have 37 Volt Batteries rated at 17Ah.

The LifeCycle Alpine Sport also has a 37Volt 17 Amp battery. (Double the power of the low powered Wispers, (check out all the others)

LifeCycle don't do half size batteries in full size cases as some manufacturers do, just to make the price look artificially low. The Alpine Sport The LifeCycle Mountain and City sports bikes are all rated at up to 70 miles.

Our staff ride these bikes daily to work, over hills; through towns stopping and starting they are easily achieving 75 miles, sometimes more.

Things to consider before choosing an Electric Bike

There are many electric bikes on the market and it can be difficult to choose between different brands and different models. To add to the confusion many electric bike brands look similar or even identical and often have very similar specifications but with widely varying prices.

So how do you choose where to spend your money and ensure you get what you expect?

We know that people want a good shop, with knowledgeable staff, and brands that can be trusted. But what else do you need to know to be sure you get the electric bike that is right for you?

You may have noticed that even when the specifications are identical, e.g. 200W or 250w motor and 24V or 36V battery, the performance of the bikes can be a world apart. There are straight forward reasons for this.

Just because two bikes look similar doesn't mean they are the same inside. The Battery, Motor and Controller could be a completely different quality and manufacturer, and therefore have a vastly different cost and performance. We live in a world where copying and faking is common place.

If it doesn't say LifeCycle on the bike, it isn't a Genuine LifeCycle

This guide should answer all of your questions.

Batteries: Lightweight Lithium batteries (Li-ion) used in the more expensive bikes, provide more power for less weight than the equivalent older heavy batteries. Such as Lead Acid, NiCad and NiMH

Beware though, as some makers do use lithium batteries that look the same, but with low voltages and/or low amps to reduce the price. Also these cheap and sometimes not so cheap models don't have a battery management system built into the battery, which makes a huge difference to its life.

COMPARE BATTERY POWER & DISTANCES

A good Lithium battery will have enough energy (with a little pedal assist) to push a bike and a 90 kg man up hill and down dale for over to 50 miles. That needs a LOT of energy!

More battery Amp Hours simply means that you can go further, at higher speeds and up bigger hills. But more Amp Hours costs more money.

You may have recently heard through the media of "exploding batteries" on laptops and mobile phones etc. These have been caused by instabilities in cheaply made batteries.

Never make a purchase decision for Lithium-ion batteries on price alone. It is important to know that that Lithium batteries should be supported by a sophisticated battery management system which regulates each Lithium cell individually and maintains the stability of the chemicals, charge and temperature. Cheap Lithium batteries don't have these battery management systems, and you can't tell just by looking.

Motors: Better motors are made with lighter more durable materials. Sometimes they can be smaller in size and weight, while still offering the same, or even more power output.

Because of legislation governing the motor power allowed on electric bikes, plus the cost of high amp batteries, it is important to use an efficient motor, to get the most distance and hill climbing ability.

Lesser motors will sacrifice power and efficiency to reduce cost. Motors are becoming better but like all the latest technology the best ones are more expensive.

Electric powered bicycles, are selling in millions of units world wide - 90% of them using hub motors. The advantages of a hub motor are:

• The motor is in free space that is not otherwise used.
• Hub motors are simple and self-contained. Reducing overall costs
• Hub motors are sealed and maintenance free.
• The motor is directly attached to the driven wheel, improving efficiency.
• The centre of gravity is relatively low, improving balance.
• Hub Motors look good

THE CONTROLLER: you will probably never have to see the controller (at least we hope you do not buy an electric bike where you need to) but it is such an important component, because the performance and the longevity of the electric bike depend on it. It's the brain of the machine.

Simple controllers just act as a gateway for a signal between the pedals or the throttle, and the resulting supply of power from the battery to the motor.

Sophisticated controllers continually assess the varying changing rider and environment data to optimise the performance, to increase the safety and the life of the bike's components.

Sophisticated controllers use the systems voltage and current, to regulate speed and range. An electric bike with such a controller, coupled to a battery that has higher volts and amps can supply this higher current. This means that the bike will offer more torque, acceleration and speed.

However this higher current will drain the battery faster and here is the trade off: If the powerful and more useful electric motor draws more current. It will propel you along better, but it will need a larger battery to have a practical range.  And that means more Amp Hours.

As we have said, more Amp Hours simply means that you can go further, at higher speeds and up bigger hills. But more Amp Hours costs more money, but which is why cheap low powered bikes are not fit for purpose.

The quality of the controller really does make a big difference to the performance of the electric bike.