No-Regrets Buyers Guide
Bike properties to consider. These factors can bite you if you neglect them:
A great amount of additional information can be found in the tab Learn About Ebikes.
When choosing a bike, check boxes are provided to narrow down your choice. The check boxes are explained below. Start here.
1) Your intended use will determine the type of bike to purchase. Do you need a City / Cruiser bike to use on city roads, or a Cargo bike to haul Cargo or kids? Or do you need a Mountain bike for mountain trails? If it needs to be quiet for hunting, choose a Hunting bike.
A city bike (aka Cruiser) does not need a shock suspension system (unless it has lots of potholes etc.); but a trail has bumps that can be jarring without shock absorbers, and won't go as fast as a road bike. For off road, be sure the front tire (the front fork) on your bike has shock absorbers. For the most comfort, the back should also have shock absorbers. And the seat can have springs or suspension to soften the ride. Fat tires also soften the ride, and you can remove some air in the tires to make it even softer, but that reduces your mileage.
If you want to do hills, get a bike with at least 500 watts; try to get 750 or more.
2) Do you want comfort?
An upright ride is more comfortable, and this is promoted by swept-back handlebars so you don't have to lean forward. These are often called beach cruisers. Electric Bike Co. has a lot of these types of bike. A lot of bikes have adjustable handlebars, whether swept-back or horizontal.
If you are on trails, a more aggressive forward lean is suggested, so the handlebars are horizontal.
Some seats are wider and more comfortable than the thinner ones. You can retrofit a more comfortable seat.
Front, back, and seat suspension, along with fat tires, soften the bumps. Often only front suspension is provided. And there are bikes with only seat springs, or nothing being the least expensive.
3) Inseam and Standover Height - Sizing your Bike
For a step-over bike (not applicable to step-thru), you want to be able to stand over your bike without hitting the horizontal cross bar (the top tube, which may be diagonal), so you need to know your inseam. Inseam is the distance from the ground to your crotch.
Standover height is the measurement from the top tube to the ground. This measurement is taken at the mid-point of the top tube halfway between the seat tube and the head tube because that’s where you usually end up when you stand over your frame.
To measure inseam, stand flat on the floor and against the wall barefoot, and place a book between your legs and high up against your crotch (not your pant's inseam as that is inaccurate). Mark the distance on the wall (maybe use tape to protect the wall). Your inseam should be about 2 inches more than the standover height, a little more for a mountain bike. It's a good idea to check your inseam against the bike's geometry chart.
If you use the Inseam checkboxes in the Bike Selector, check your inseam box and all the boxes less than your inseam so that the smaller bikes will be shown as well.
4) Frame Size
The Frame Size is the distance from the center of the crank (i.e. the pedals shaft) to the top of the seat tube. In the above figure it would be where the seat tube intersects with the top tube.
If you’re going to ride off road, you’re going to need more standover and a more aggressive (forward leaning) position with lower handlebars. If you’re touring in the city, you’ll want a more comfortable upright position. If you are an elder, a more upright position may be what you want.
| Inseam | Bike Frame Size | Description |
| 25" - 27" | 13" - 15" | XS |
| 27" - 29" | 15" - 17" | S |
| 29" - 31" | 17" - 19" | M |
| 31" - 33" | 19" - 21" | L |
| 33" - 35" | 21" - 23" | L/XL |
| 35" and up | 23" and up | XL |
5) Wheel Size
Most city bikes have 24" or 26" wheels. 24" wheels are ideal for shorter, more petite riders, but 26" is the most common size on the planet. Smaller wheels reduce the height of eBikes by around one to two inches, placing it lower to the ground. Shorter riders will find a lower bike easier to mount and dismount.
If you're buying for a teenager or tween, 24" wheels will improve their E-Bike experience by making their bike more manageable. Rather than grappling with an oversized bike, younger riders can hop on and off their E-Bike with ease.
Most folding bikes have 20" wheels to keep them compact, and they are designed to fit average size people - one size fits all.
If you are planning on traveling to other countries, the 26" is the most reliably available for repair around the world. And you can pack these into a non-oversized suitcase.
The 26" wheel size allows people to run really wide tires, and have plenty of clearance for fenders and their foot when they turn.
6) Do you want pedal assist?
Does the bike offer assist only when being pedaled, or does it also offer full throttle mode which provides power on demand without pedaling? If you want exercise, get pedal assist; get throttle-only if you want no exercise. Many bikes have a pedal-assist system allowing pedal assist and throttle; you can select the level of assist. Some parks have banned throttle-only bikes.
7) Torque vs. Cadence Sensor
How much the motor will assist your pedaling is determined by a sensor, using either a torque sensor (the pressure against the pedals), or less expensive cadence sensor (how fast the pedal is being pedaled in revolutions per minute). See here for more.
If you are riding along a road and come upon a hill, if you are pedaling at the same rate you will get the same assist from a cadence sensor so you may have to change the assist level. A torque sensor will sense the increased torque on the pedal and increase the power to the motor; it is a more natural experience.
8) Avoid a twist-throttle.
If the whole handle twists, the bike can get away from you if you try to pick it up. A thumb throttle does not have this safety problem. Some bikes have a twist throttle of only a portion of the handle which may be a safe alternative. However, people have written in reviews that their twist throttle is not a problem.
9) Batteries and battery capacity.
The battery is the most expensive component, $400 or $500, so a less expensive bike will use a smaller battery to cut costs; check the options. Get as large a battery as you can afford, and only get lithium and not lead-acid. A battery generally lasts about 800 charge-discharge cycles (about 2-3 years) before it needs replacement.
Batteries generally are rated at 36 volts or 48 volts (even higher is available), and higher voltage is more efficient. The energy storage capacity of a battery is stated in watt-hours, but batteries are labeled in volts (V) and ampere hours (Ah) so we need to do a conversion in order to properly make comparisons.
To convert the battery label of Volts and Amp Hours (Ah) into a watt-hour rating, multiply Volts and Amp-hours:
Volts x Amp-hours = watt-hours
A typical 36 Volt 10 Ah battery has a 36x10 = 360 Wh capacity. This is the number you use to compare battery capacity. Watt-hours is like the amount of fuel in your gas tank; more fuel means you can go further before a refill.
A 360 Wh battery can produce 36 watts for 10 hours, 180 watts for 2 hours, or 360 watts for 1 hour etc. Note that one horsepower is 746 watts.
If your bike is not being used, recharge the batteries at least every 1-2 months or it will lose the ability to hold a charge and will need to be replaced. It also voids any warranty.
Consider: How long does it take to charge a battery? 4-6 hours is typical. Does the charger plug into the bike, or can it plug into the battery removed from the bike which is more convenient?
A battery needs to be recharged at least once every month (two on the outside). If you are not riding regularly, set your calendar to charge it. Otherwise it will need to be replaced!
10) How far can the bike go? Pay more for greater range.
A 350 watt motor connected to a 360 Wh battery, running full out (which of course it wouldn't be), would last 360Wh/350W = about 1 hour. But before the battery is fully drained, it would be useless because voltage drops gradually. To know the actual miles, check the bike's specs; but be wary because the manufacturer may be giving the best case.
Manufacturer specs can vary greatly; i.e., the range may be given as 30-50 miles; and it depends on the rider's weight, tire pressure, and whether you use only throttle or also pedal assist.
Tire pressure plays a role. If you were getting 20 miles a ride and now only get 12, check the tire pressure. If it drops too low it will affect your mileage. Check it once a month.
For greater range, get a higher capacity battery if it is available. Some bikes allow for two batteries to be mounted on the bike.
11) Hub-drive vs mid-drive motor
A hub-drive motor is located in the hub (the center) of the wheel, usually the rear wheel. A mid-drive motor is located in the axle that the crank attaches to; the pedals are attached to the crank arms.
In a mid-drive, the motor is actually turning the crank for you, or helping or assisting you in turning the crank.
In a hub-drive, the motor is driving the rear (or front) wheel. (The Eunorau FAT-AWD all-wheel drive has two hub motors, one in the front and one in the rear wheel.)
With mid-drive, the gears on the back wheel (the derailleur) assist the rider and the motor. With rear-drive, the gears only assist the rider.
Mid-drive are preferred for mountain or hunting bikes for the most torque and best efficiency, and dual suspension is recommended, but if you want a dual-purpose on-road and off-road bike, a rear hub-motor and hard-tail bike will save you money. Hard-tail means there is no rear suspension - it's hard, you get to feel more bumps.
12) Decide how much you will use your ebike
If you are only going to ride it once a week and do short rides, you can probably do with a cheaper bike. If you ride regularly and do longer rides, a more expensive bike is what you want.
13) Bike Weight
Our bikes range in weight from 34 lbs (Qualisports Nemo) to 79 lbs (Eunorau Specter S), 45 lbs more. If you are a smaller person, you may have trouble handling a heavier bike or lifting it onto a rack, or keep it balanced. A lighter carbon-fiber bike can be considered. You can also reduce the weight to lift it onto a rack by taking the battery out. Also, a heavy bike might be harder to control when riding.
14) Don't forget the bike rack.
If you are going to be traveling with two ebikes, you are going to need a bike rack for your car. Be sure it is certified for bikes, and if you put it on a trailer, if the trailer goes over a bump there will be a lot of force on the back end of the trailer; so be sure it is certified for a 5th wheel for a trailer.
15) Protect your bike from theft.
The rack should lock the bike in place so it is not stolen. You can buy bike locks, and you can buy GPS. Electric Bike Company has models with optional anti-theft alarms with remote, and optional GPS built in to the bike.
16) Warranty
What is the warranty? Compart the bikes; some have longer, some shorter warranties.
17) Types of bikes
Bike selection mainly depends on your intended use.
- Race, dirt, and free-style bikes
- Cargo carrying capable, whether stock or optional rack, front and/or back.
- Comfortable ride, includes upright riding style, step-through frame for easy mounting, wider saddles, swept-back handlebars.
- Fat tire, generally 4 inches wide, used for commuting (safer on pot-holes and bumps), and wider range of terrain such as muddy trails, rain, deep sand, and snow that would be impossible on a regular bike. Also good for beach cruising. It can accommodate passengers with a high weight.
- Folding - if you need to pack your bike in a car, or store it.
- Mountain for rough off-road terrain. Should have around 4 inch tires.
- Suspension - front suspension will absorb the shocks of the trail and make your ride more comfortable. Not needed if you are just commuting on city roads.
- Motor wattage - 300W and below for flat road use only. 350-500W for less demanding trails. 500-750W for steeper trails and sports.
Other considerations
Staying safe: Here is a review on the Ocelot Pro:
Inexperienced eBiker riders should adjust settings for safety.
Just got two Ocelot Pro ebikes. I have ridden bicycles for years and thought that ebikes would be the same but with pedal assist. After years of expecting that when I was not pedaling the bike would slow down, and that is not the case. Simple things such as turning around on a sidewalk or starting off and having the bike's motor kick in would result in going off the sidewalk or near misses. After a few bumps and running off the sidewalk into the neighbor's yards, here's my recommendations for "inexperienced" ebike riders.
When starting off and when making any turns always have your right hand on the rear brake and lightly applying the brake to ensure that you have control and can apply extra brake as needed. The second is to make a few settings changes in "Advanced Settings", until you or the new riders have adapted to an ebike and know how it will respond.
Change the default Power Set from 0-7 to "0-9". So when on Pedal Assist 1, it is not applying 40% power but 23%. Change the default Slow Start from 0 or 1 to "3". So that when on Pedal Assist it takes additional pedal rotation to have the Power Assist kicking in. These two settings enable a new ebike rider to gain experience and control without running off the sidewalk or into things.
Another setting which is not available and would provide benefits to new riders would be to decrease the sensitivity of the front brake. The hydraulic disc brakes will immediately stop the front wheel if fully engaged. This is great when applying the back break first. But only applying the front brake at more than 10 mph results in going over the handlebars. (Unfortunately, I'm speaking from experience on this one.) That said, the Ocelot Pro is everything that has been advertised and is extremely fun to ride. We have recommended the Magicycle Ocelot Pro to lots of people.
Battery notes
Batteries can catch fire while charging. Is the battery a name brand? Is the manufacturer listed, like Panasonic or Samsung?
The bike may be inexpensive or seem like a good deal because it has a small battery; this is the easiest way to reduce the cost of a bike, by using a smaller battery. Compare the watt-hours of different bikes. On an average ride, you may only be able to go 10 miles, sometimes 15 or 20. Most of the higher quality bikes will have a minimum of 25 miles per charge.
Get a Lithium ion battery - avoid the lead acid batteries. Be sure to charge the battery at least every 1 - 2 months or it will stop holding a charge.
If you need a custom-built replacement battery for any bike, contact me at: support@electricbicycleguru.com.
Motor
Is the motor a brand you recognize? Bafang is a well-known brand. What is its warranty?
Replacement Parts
Can you get replacement parts?
Tires
Try to get tires that are E rated for electric bikes. You are traveling faster and you need a good quality tire.
Brakes
Brakes should be disk brakes, or better, hydraulic brakes. A well-known brand is Tektro. If the brand is not given, a good rim brake is better than a cheap disk brake which may not stop well. Brakes should have a motor cut-out feature: When you use the brake, it turns off the motor.
Fenders
Get the fenders unless you want a muddy back.
Speed
Google forbids advertising ebikes with a speed exceeding 15.5 mph because it is the legal limit in some jurisdictions. However, they do not necessarily enforce the policy. Nevertheless, some manufacturers do not state what the speed of their bikes is; this is why the ?mph is a checkbox. And, some manufacturers limit the bikes speed to 15.5 mph (the reason for this checkbox), which can be overridden by entering a special code onto the bikes display.
Step Thru vs. Step Over
A step-thru is easier to mount, you don’t have to swing a leg over to get on. And if there is luggage on the back rack, you have to swing your leg even higher.
Can you stand over the bike? Know your inseam.
Video On Bike Selection