Top Tips - Electric Bikes - Merlin Cycles Blog

Electric bikes are brilliant. They get more people riding and that is a good thing. Here is our quick guide to the extra jargon & help you find the electric bike of your dreams.

As well as all of the regular parts on a bike, E bikes have some additional components; a motor / controller and a battery.

Extra Jargon

Motor Output. 250 watts uk / euro / aus / nz (legal for road use)
Volts / Voltage The level of electrical flow.
Amps Ampage Amp Hours The amount of electricity to pass a given point at a given time. Often used in relation to battery capacity.

Watt Hours. Watt hours are the most useful to know as a guide to how long a full charge will last. Calculate Watt hours by multiplying the Volts of the motor by the AH (Amp Hours) of the battery. For example, a 36V motor with a 10 AH battery will be rated as 360 watt hours – So if you are using 250 watts the life of the battery should be around 1 hour 15 minutes. (360 divided by 250)
PAS / Throttle. Power assist mirrors your pedalling adding extra power when you are working hard. Throttle or push switches add power on demand usually with a switch mounted on the handlbars.

Battery

Caring for your E-Bike battery is very important. The battery is the costliest component on an ebike and needs a little care to keep it performing at its best. Ebike battery experts agree on the following 5 tips for getting maximum life from your ebike battery.

1 – Do not store in extreme temperatures

2 – Charge to around 85% capacity to extend life

3 – Don’t run at maximum for extended periods

4 – Avoid storing a battery empty

5 – Don’t overcharge the battery – use a timer

Gentle Wash

Just as a regular bike’s bearings can be damaged by direct jet washing, extra care needs to be taken with electric bikes. As with regular bikes it is good to start at the top and work downwards. Using damp cloths / sponges is a good way to minimise the chance of water getting into and affecting electric components. If the bucket and sponge seems tedious, a carefully used (low pressure) garden hose could speed up the process. As with most things, going on the side of caution (avoiding electric components) when washing an electric bike is a good idea. If issues arise after washing or after a wet ride, a few hours in a warm, dry room should help dry it out.

Types of E Bike

No matter what type of riding you are wanting to do, there is an E bike which can meet your needs. Here is our pick of some of the best in stock September 2020.

Gravel – Wilier E Adventure