Mountain Electric Bike Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)

How do electric mountain bikes work?

We get a lot of inquiries on this. “How different does is an e bike mountain bike from my conventional bike?” Come with me and find out.

Electric bike unveiled

What we have here is a bicycle whose means of propulsion is an integrated motor. You will pedal like your conventional bike. The difference is that the battery-powered mountain bike motor will be doing the heavy lifting on your behalf.

The motor is powered by the battery, as you continue pedaling. The combination of your pedaling and the power from your battery on the motor is what is called “pedal-assist”

Some of these electric bikes come with a throttle, other than the pedal “assist mode”. So we are mean your bike having components that allow you to zoom uphill with little effort.

Key components

Battery

The lifeline of the ebike. The battery powers the motor to create the propulsion. Most are 350- 500w. They are either fastened to the luggage compartment or on the frame. It will take about 6hours to have this battery fully charged. You will need a powerful battery or carry an extra in case one dies out.

Electric motor

The “engine” of the ebike mountain bike. Mostly its located in the front or rear hub. If you have been wondering why the ebike has a fatter hub now you know. We have three different types of motors depending on their functionalities: the rear hub, the central hub, and the front hub motors. Each will make the driving experience different depending on its location

Brakes

As they say, power is nothing without control. Your brakes are what control the movement of your electric bike. There are a variety of brakes depending on the materials, the size of the bike and the brand.

Frames

The metalwork structure of the bike is the workhorse upon which the bike is built. Most are made of strong aluminum alloy. A bike made of weak frames is weak. 

Are electric powered bikes allowed on the MTB trails?

When riding the e bike mountain bike you want to know when you are within the confines of the law. As you know there are certain classes of ebike mountain bikes not allowed in some countries. Some are not allowed on certain roads. So yes, this is a common question on electric bike usage.

Finding out

There has been numerous legislation on biking on battery-powered Mountain bike land trails. The starting point was the 1977 legislation by Congress which banned biking in the wild. Subsequent legislation in some states has introduced stricter laws against ebike riding in the conventional mountain bike trails.

The federal government of the USA, for instance, does not classify class1 of e-bike as motorized. Meaning they are allowed on the mountain bike trails. How often times the decision to allow or not is left to local land use agencies.

The legality also depends on the state. In Delaware, for instance, an electric mountain bike is deemed a conventional bike. If you pedal the same bike in Alabama you are on a “motorized” bike. Riding an electric bike a year ago you would risk hefty fines or confiscation of your bike. This year things have changed and e bikers are on the right side of the law.

Whether or not to ban electric mountain bikes from mountain bike trails is a huge debate. Some of the reasons given by the proponents of banning includes the following: 

• E-bikes move faster and cause collisions with the slow conventional bikes
• You can travel deeper annd get lost in the backcountry
• Unlike conventional bike users ebike users need some training on the control for the safety of other trail users.

To be on the safe side of the law, we would advise you to do prior research on laws applicable in your state or neighbor agencies.

How are batteries protected while riding downhill?

Batteries are an important accessory to your e bikes mountain bike user experience. There are certain maintenance drills that you will need to observe for longer life of the battery in your bike.

Let us learn how you can protect your battery when riding downhill

• Check whether the battery is well fastened on the bike frame. When riding downhill you have less control of the electric downhill mountain bike movement. The speed is much higher than a steep up ride. You are most likely not to realize if the ebike battery is dislodged and get lost.
• Take advantage of the free downhill motion. A quality ebike battery has a 3-year life expectancy if properly utilized. Prudence usage of your bike would include switching of the motor assist mode off downhill which reduces battery usage increasing its life.

What is the optimal weight of an electric motorbike?

Electric bikes are made of different materials depending on the brand. However, most are made of aluminum alloy frames. This material determines how heavy your electric bike will be. Generally the lighter the bike the further it will travel with less effort. Most times the heavier bikes will have been made from low quality steel as opposed to the lighter aluminum alloy.

Reasons why some bikes are heavier than others

• Using stamped steel other than machined aluminum on its components. Using unrefined steel on hubs and frames leaves an unwieldy heavy bike.
• What is included on the electric bike? Other components such as a heavy battery or a rear carry may cause an increase in weight.

Cost of the bike. Lighter bikes generally tend to be more expensive than their heavier counterpart brands. Optimization is the cause of this. To reach that level of reducing weight, the makers will work hard on maintaining the quality of the frame, cranks, and other accessories. Of course, you will have an awesome product but which costs you a tonne of money.

What is the optimal weight of electric MTB?

The answer to the question, therefore, is that there is no optimal ebike weight. Because how you enjoy riding your bike does not depend on weight only but on other factors which include the following:

• Whether you wish to buy a premium class or cheap bike
• The riding terrain. 
• Your own weight.
• How fast you want to ride.
• Your bike’s power.
• The brand.

The verdict is that the weight of most mountain bike is in the range of 38-70 pounds(17-32kgs), you can choose that which suits your taste. 

What type of tires is best for my Electric Mountain Bike?

Without a doubt, this is a question that troubles new ebike buyers. Your electric bike wields so much power. Power is dangerous without the ability to grip the electric downhill mountain bike. However, the type of ebike tires will depend on so many other factors:

• Whether you will use your bike on trails or roads.
• How much you are willing to spend.
• If you will frequently ride on dry or wet surfaces.
• You riding speed.

Having made your consideration of the points above then you will need to sample the following top brands in the market today.

Maxxis

Being one of the popular brands Maxxis have strengthened sidewall and they come in different sizes and are durable.

Kenda

The makers have a KMC casing. They are specifically made for ebikes. They have better puncture resistance and have stronger sidewalls.

Schwalbe

They are manufactured with a double compound rubber. The makers calling it Double Defence Compound. Schwalbe is one of the top ebike makers in the market. Like other top brands, you can expect stronger double walls and higher puncture resistance.