 E-bike FAQ's Where can I ride an electric bike? In the UK E-bikes are treated the same as a normal bikes. You can ride an electric-assist bike anywhere you can ride your regular bike - on the road or off-road (depending on the capabilities of the bike!) Do I need a license to ride an electric bike on the road? There are no extra licensing or insurance obligations provided that the electric assist is limited to 25 km/hr (which is the case for all the bikes that we currently stock) How long does it take to recharge the battery? The batteries on all our E-bikes recharge very quickly compared to some others on the market. In general, a 400Wh battery pack will take about 3.5 hours to recharge 100% from flat. Interestingly the battery will actually charge approx 80% in just 1.5 hours, but the last 20% is set on a slower charge rate to enhance the battery life. Should I completely drain the battery before charging? On some cheaper bikes with old-style battery technology, this would be necessary. However, all of our electric bikes feature the latest lithium batteries, so this is not required. In fact, the best way to treat the batteries, even if you have only travelled 10 or 20 miles, is just to top them up. I have seen cheaper electric bikes, what's the difference? There’s an element of “you get what you pay for” with electric bikes, but considering that the cost of a decent motor and battery combination ranges between £800 and £1500, do you really want to hang that kit on a throw-away £200 bike to keep the overall cost down to £1000 and then have the bike fall apart after a year? Bear in mind that a decent quality lithium battery on its own costs between £400 and £800! Value for money We do have some cheaper (sub £1000) models but most of the brands that we stock provide best value in the £1600 – £2500 price range. Obviously, if you’re going to spend that sort of money on a bike that’s a serious investment, so we have knowledgeable and helpful staff on hand to make sure that you end up with the right bike for your needs. We also offer flexible finance options to help you keep to your budget. Our prices are the most competitive that you will find in the area and we also work with most local employers’ cycle to work financing schemes. You may be able to save a bit more by having a bike delivered to you in a box, but you will miss out on the set-up help, free after-sales servicing and software upgrades, all of which come as part of the package if you buy from us. Why should I ride electric bikes? Electric bikes are many things to many different people. Some use them as utility bikes for shopping and commuting, to save fuel, cut transport and parking costs and save time. Other people use them mainly for recreational rides, allowing them to do more adventurous rides whilst cutting out the aggravation of steep hills. There are also the hardcore mountain bikers who use electric mountain bikes to cut out the drudge of the uphill climbs and maximise the thrills of the down-hill rides. Generally, you can get a lot more out of a day’s riding of an e-bike than you can from a conventional bike and you can easily cover more ground on an electric bike. You can do everything that you would do on your standard bike, but go faster, further and with as much or as little effort as you want to put in! Does it matter if the electronics get wet? Generally speaking all the electronics on our electric bikes are sealed units, from the motor to battery to head unit. They are sufficiently weatherproof to withstand most situations that cyclists are likely to encounter, including mountain biking in wet conditions. It is not recommended to completely submerge an e-Bike, but if you were to fall into a lake, for example, you should make sure that the bike is recovered quickly, after ensuring your own safety! then allow the bike to dry off before turning the electrics back on and returning to the trail.  |