6 Common Misconceptions About Ebikes

1. MISCONCEPTION: "YOU CAN’T RIDE AN E-BIKE IN THE RAIN"

In today's market, most ebikes are water-resistant and can handle wet conditions with no problem. Puddles on wet roads are not a problem because they protect the electrical components from water splashing from any direction. You can also ride your electric bike while it's raining. This does not mean you should submerge or pressure wash the ebike as they can cause permanent damage.

E-bikes adhere to the IPX4 water-resistant standard, which protects the bike from water splashes. You can ride or park your ebikes in the rain without worrying about damaging the battery or motor. The IPX4 water resistance means the e-bike will not be damaged by spray caused by riding on wet roads or rain. Learn more about the best practices for riding in the rain in this article.

2. MISCONCEPTION: "E-BIKES REQUIRE LOTS OF EXTRA MAINTENANCE"

It’s important to remember that at their core, e-bikes are still regular bikes. E-bikes use the same chains, gears, and brakes that standard bikes do. So at a base level, e-bikes require about the same amount of maintenance as regular bikes.

Much like traditional bikes, the level of maintenance needed on an ebike is heavily dependent on the level of usage. For example, a daily rider’s bike will need more regular maintenance than those who ride recreationally on the weekends.

The vast majority of ebike maintenance tasks are exactly the same as a traditional bike. You can take a look at our recommended maintenance article to truly understand the similarities. The only real difference from a traditional bike revolves around the ebike battery - It needs to be charged and there are some best practices to ensure it continues running properly and maintains longevity.

The batteries in ebikes are made using high-quality Samsung Cells that are proven to last. Cheaper brands may ship their bikes with lesser-known brand batteries. The downside to unproven brands of batteries for electric bikes is that they often can’t withstand as many charge-cycles.

The batteries on our electric bikes can handle up to 800 charges or as many as 32,000 miles of use before the performance starts to degrade. And “degrade” simply means you’ll still be able to use the battery––it just won’t provide the same consistent range as before.

While high-quality batteries for e-bikes do last a long time, they’re still like any other lithium-ion battery when it comes to performance in extreme temperatures. In cold weather, the range and performance of any brand of e-bike battery can be dramatically reduced.

3. MISCONCEPTION: "E-BIKES TAKE AWAY THE EXERCISE BENEFIT"

Ebikes are just like traditional bikes in the sense that you can still pedal whenever you want, and however hard you want. E-bikes simply provide a boost to your effort. You could still choose to ride up a steep hill without assistance, and the extra weight of the battery would add to your workout effort!

While you do have a full-assist available on an e-bike, it’s not required to be used. For example, ebikes provide five settings for assistance level, offering you the ability to fine-tune the amount of exercise effort on your ride. You can even turn the assist function completely off!

It’s also worth noting that e-bikes can extend the range a rider could normally ride without assistance, making it possible to exercise for a more extended overall period of time than if they weren’t riding an e-bike. Studies show e-bikes offer the same level of exercise as a traditional bike, as they still enable riders to elevate their heart rate as traditional bikes do. For more details on the exercise benefit and studies.

4. MISCONCEPTION: "E-BIKES ARE CHEATING"

To reiterate from what we’ve covered so far, an electric bike is still just a regular bike––with the addition of an electrical drive system. And at the end of the day, you are still going outside and being active. So what if you want a little extra help, or would like to go faster. Ebikes give even avid cyclists the chance to ride to work or school without arriving tired, winded and sweaty. Ebikes make cycling more inclusive to everyone and people choose them for a variety of reasons.

Let’s get brutally honest for a second here - Many who have this “cheating” sentiment come from elitist cyclists who carry resentment when an ebike passes them going uphill with ease. In some ways you can understand as they will train very hard to shave off a few seconds to their time. However, that shouldn’t be a reason to dismiss them as “real” cyclists. It is just a different form of riding.

5. MISCONCEPTION: "E-BIKES ARE LIMITED ON DISTANCE"

Yes, ebikes use a battery and that battery doesn’t last forever. However the ebike can still be riden like a normal bike once the battery has been depleted. E-bikes provide up to 40 miles of riding with assistance, but the amount of miles you continue to ride unassisted is totally up to you. The only limiter to distance than an e-bike can travel is your sense of adventure (and energy level).

6. MISCONCEPTION: "E-BIKES ARE FOR LAZY PEOPLE"

It's true that e-bikes are more compelling for those some may call "lazy." But isn't getting outside and riding a bike better than sitting on the couch? Certainly!

In reality, e-bikes mostly assist with pedaling. Although some bikes provide throttle-only riding, most bikes go even faster if the rider pedals. This means that even people who are usually less into “work” find that going faster is worth putting some effort into the ride.

In addition, studies suggest that people with ebikes are more likely to take longer and more frequent trips than those with traditional bikes.