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Electric Bike FAQ

Do you need a license to ride an electric bike?

Can you ride an electric bike without a license? In most U.S. states e-bike riders are not required to have a valid driver’s license, but it really depends on where you live.

Unfortunately e-bike law in the U.S. can be messy and difficult to understand. Thus far, it’s been largely left up to individual states to determine what qualifies as an e-bike and how those bikes and riders are regulated. About two-thirds of U.S. states have adopted a “classified” system that categorizes e-bikes into three tiers based on speed, motor size and whether the bike has a throttle. But in the states that haven’t, e-bike riders are subjected to a host of rules — ranging from laws around licensing and registration to speed and motor size restrictions — that may be unique to that specific state.

Do you need a license to ride an e bike - throttle

The thumb throttle on a Bakcou Storm electric fat bike. Because of this throttle, the Storm is considered a Class 2 e-bike.

E-bike law can even change within a state’s bounds depending on whose land you’re riding on. But never fear, fellow e-bike enthusiasts, there is a method to this legal madness (for the most part) and just like driving a car, the laws get easier to understand and follow as you learn some of the basics.

This post will help lay out those basics so hopefully you can better know what you can and can’t do on your e-bike.

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What Are The Pro’s and Con’s of Electric Bikes?

Electric bicycles seem to be popping up everywhere, and with good reason. The self-sufficiency mixed with a little help here and there has allowed riders across the world to rediscover the fun of biking and, possibly, reconsider driving to and from work.

With so many positive benefits revolving around electric bikes it’s hard to see anything wrong with them, however there are a few cons worth discussing. This list weighs the major pros and cons of electric bikes.

Pros of Electric Bikes:

Electric bike pro #1 – The efficiency and experience of electric bikes

It’s hard not to love the feeling of hopping on an e-bike, turning it on and then flying like the wind. Thanks to the pedal assist, you get a lot more from your pedaling than on a standard bike. A common stigma revolving around electric bikes is that it takes the exercise out of biking, but that’s not true. A recent study showed e-bike riding made for a meaningful workout.

The ability to choose how hard you work when riding is a unique characteristic of e-biking; when riding with assistance you receive a consistent workout and difficulty level throughout the span of your ride, ultimately resulting in a more predictable strain level.

Commuters, off road riders and those getting out for a simple cruise are all going to benefit from being able to alter how difficult the ride is and how fast the bike is moving.

Electric Bike Pro #2 – Electric bikes are good for you and the environment

Electric bikes not only benefit your health, but also benefit the world we live in. It’s commonly accepted that electric bikes and cars are better for the environment than their gas powered predecessors, and with good reason.

A 2019 study done in Italy proved electric bikes consume 40 times less energy than a gas powered car going the same distance.

Not only does electric biking benefit the environment, it benefits you. I’ve found my work day is always better if I’ve got some exercise prior to clocking in. I’m more focused and ready for the task at hand. Being able to ride an electric bike to and from work combines exercising with eco-friendly commuting. That’s two birds with one stone!

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Are Kenda Electric Bike Tires Good?

A maker of bicycle tires since the early 60’s, Kenda is a common name found stamped on the sidewalls of electric bike tires.

Odds are good that if you bought a new e-bike in the past several years that the tires that came with your bike are a set of Kenda’s. The Taiwanese company is arguably one of the most widely-chosen stock e-bike tire manufacturers in the world, with their products coming stock on everything from electric fat bikes to high-speed super commuters.

But, aside from being the stock choice for many manufacturers, are electric bike tires any good?

Kenda e-bike tires Juggernaut

The Kenda Juggernaut is an incredibly popular electric fat bike tire.

This is a question the Electric Bike Report. team has answered in the comments section many times. The quick and dirty answer is yes, Kenda has a long history of making quality bicycle tires and is a major manufacturer of tires made specifically for e-bikes. There’s a reason so many e-bike brands put their trust in Kenda tires.

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Are Electric Bikes Cheating? We Asked the CEO of Bianchi USA

are e-bikes cheating

Though they’ve been embraced by nearly every major bike manufacturer and have all but saturated every corner of the U.S. cycling market, the debate over whether electric bikes are cheating is alive and well.

Bicycling has long been a sport with an elitist bend; tradition is sacred and it’s a staunchly held belief among many that you must suffer — at least a little — on the bike in order for your experience and effort to count. E-bikes don’t mesh well with that ethos, as if adding a little help to a person’s own pedaling somehow degrades the simple pleasure or utility of riding a bike.

Sound melodramatic? It absolutely is. Cycling is a sport full of people confusing endorphin highs with philosophical enlightenment; people who’d rather indulge in a morning of self-flagellation via bicycle than go to therapy.

But that view of e-bikes is slowly changing. In Europe, where e-bike sales are quickly encroaching on sales of traditional bicycles, e-bikes have gained considerable traction as an alternative transportation solution and as a more inclusive way to get more people of more backgrounds and fitness levels interested in the sport. There’s strong signs that the U.S. bike market is just a few steps behind. In 2020, fueled by the COVID-19 bike boom and a renewed interest in getting outside, e-bike sales in the U.S. grew 145 percent and outpaced traditional bike sales which were up 65 percent, according to market research figures published in the New York Times.

Many industry insiders all-too familiar with the bike industry’s boom-bust cycles are holding out hope that e-bikes, and the non-cycling public’s interest in them, hold the keys to a more economically sustainable future.

It would seem that e-bikes are here to stay.

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Bike Mechanics Should Become LEVA Tech Certified, Or Risk Being ‘Left Behind’

LEVA Training - EBike Maintenance

Why You Should Become LEVA Tech Certified

E-bikes are selling like hot cakes. But are bike shops prepared to service them when they break?

Ed Benjamin shouldn’t be surprised anymore when he sees an electric bike cruise down his quiet south Florida street, but he is.

When COVID-19 gripped the world last year and sent nearly everyone home, Benjamin, who founded the Light Electric Vehicle Association in 1996, said his neighbors flooded out of their homes and into the outdoors.

As the world ground to a halt, he watched from the window of his home office as his historically empty suburban neighborhood came alive: People were going on socially-distanced walks; they were spending time in their yards; and, most notably for Benjamin, they were riding e-bikes.

Benjamin has sat at the helm of LEVA for the better part of three decades. The trade association of about 400 members spans 29 countries and is the loudest voice championing e-bike mechanics, dealers and manufacturers. From day one, Benjamin’s job has been to spread the good word about e-bikes to pretty much anyone who would listen. Even back in ‘96 when e-bikes were little more than an odd novelty, Benjamin knew they would one day change the entire world’s relationship with bicycles.

But it has been a slow burn, especially here in the United States.

Before March 2020, the sight of just one e-bike cruising down his street would have caused enough excitement for him to point and shout from his desk, calling “honey come see!” to his wife across the house.

Now, of the roughly five bikes a day he sees roll by his window, at least three are e-bikes. He still has a hard time containing his excitement.

“I think they’ve woken up to electric bicycles,” he told me on a late-March phone call.

It would seem his neighbors aren’t the only ones.

[Read more…] about Bike Mechanics Should Become LEVA Tech Certified, Or Risk Being ‘Left Behind’

Volts, Amps and Watt Hours; Battery Numbers Explained

E-bike batteries can be confusing; you might see a battery described as 36 volt or 10 amp hour or 500 watt-hours. Which figures should you be looking at and what do the differing battery measurements mean for the performance of an e-bike? Here EBR demystifies the subject.

Definitions – And What They Mean for eBikes

When you are considering what battery numbers do mean it helps to have a bit of background knowledge on the three basic units of measurement you commonly see in battery descriptions.

Volts (V)

More ‘water pressure’ is equivalent to more voltage

Battery voltage can be thought of as the electrical ‘pressure’ available within the battery to push electrons around the bike’s motor system, so powering it. A common analogy is to water pressure – the ability of water pressure to push a fluid around a system being likened to the ability of a battery’s voltage to push current through a system.
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The Advantages Of A Lightweight eBike

There are numerous claims from e-bike manufacturers to have produced the lightest e-bike in the world and reports of new e-bike tech are constantly promising a golden future of ever lighter e-bikes. But what’s the reality of lightweight e-bikes today?

As well as looking at some of the class leading examples of lightweight e-bikes it’s also worth asking just why there is a demand for lightweight e-bikes (and there most certainly is) and why you might or might not need one. After all, many of today’s e-bike motors are so powerful they can power just about any weight of bike up to the legally assisted limit (usually 20mph or 15.5mph depending which country and/or state you live in).

Why Might You Want a Lightweight E-bike

Handling on and Off the Bike

The Specialized Turbo Vado SL 4.0 EQ weighs under 37lbs / 17kg and is fully equipped

Fashion appeal is no doubt part of the answer; lightweight e-bikes simply look sleeker and, with the current state of small motors and in-frame batteries, may barely resemble electric bikes at all. Those who want to appear fast and sporty on a bike (but want some extra assistance) could well be attracted to lightweight e-bikes.

But there are numerous practical reasons why lightweight e-bikes might make sense for you too.
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Guide to Storing Electric Bike Batteries

BULLS Outlaw electric bike batteryBy Edward Benjamin, LEVA Technician Training Program

One of the problems for ebikes is this: They can spend months inactive, and that is not good for batteries. And a dead battery, damaged by misuse or neglect, is both expensive and frustrating.

Different types of batteries have different needs. Here is a rough guide:

For all batteries: Charging and using them is the best way to keep the battery in good shape. An old saying from Aviation: “To keep em flying, keep em flying…” [Read more…] about Guide to Storing Electric Bike Batteries

Tips on Buying Your Best Electric Bike

The Electric Bike Store in Ft. Lauderdale Florida.Are you having trouble deciding which electric bike is best for you?

There are a lot of electric bikes out there and the choices can be a bit overwhelming.

While some of them may rank very high in the reviews, is it really the best eBike for your particular needs.

It’s important to buy the best electric bike for you, not what somebody else thinks is the best electric bike.

Let’s go over a few points to narrow down what will be the best electric bike for you. [Read more…] about Tips on Buying Your Best Electric Bike

Electric Bike Frequently Asked Questions

genesis-rs-wb

Photo courtesy of ProdecoTech.

Electric bikes are a relatively new type of bicycle and there are often many questions that come to mind when first learning about them.

Here’s summary of some of the top questions about electric bikes.

What’s the point of an electric bike? Electric bikes add power to your pedal power enabling you to do more with a bicycle and have more fun! For many people eBikes help them: [Read more…] about Electric Bike Frequently Asked Questions