From mountain bikers looking for a bit of ‘power assist’ on the climbs to commuters looking for a quicker and less strenuous ride to work, electric bikes (or eBikes for short) are here to stay and are growing in popularity by the day.
Before buying an eBike it’s important to know the rules and regs surrounding their use on public roads. For instance, if you want to ride an eBike in Northern Ireland you need a full motorcycle licence and not having one could land you with a fine of up to £1,000 and six pently points.
For those of you living in the UK you’ll be pleased to know that you don’t need a licence and the rules are slightly different which is why we’ve put together this handy guide.
Do you need a license to ride an eBike in the UK?
No. According to the GOV.UK Electric Bike Rules, eBikes are classed as Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles (otherwise known as EAPCs) and as they’re not classed as ‘motor vehicles’, no license is required.
How old do you need to be to ride an eBike?
It’s a common myth that you need to be at least 17 years old to ride an eBike (the age you have to be to drive a motor vehicle) but in fact, the law states that you must be 14 years, or older.
Can you ride an eBike on the pavement?
No. The same rules apply to normal push bikes…legally, you should either be riding on designated cycle paths, or on the road. Check out our blog on Cycling Laws to familiarize yourself with all the laws on push bikes.
Do you need to tax and insure an eBike?
No. For the same reason that you don’t need a license, because eBikes are classed as EAPCs, this means there is no requirement to register with the DVLA, or tax and insure your electric bike.
What speed are electric bikes limited to?
The law states that the electric motor should have a maximum power outlet of 250w, and should not be able to power the bike if it is travelling at more than 15.5mph.
Got any more questions? Our Southampton and Chichester shops are eBike Specialist stores, so our team know a thing or two making the most out of an eBike. If you’re yet to take the leap and get your own electric bike, check out our Beginners Guide To eBikes.
An e-mountain bike or e-mtb (for those too lazy to type it’s Sunday name) is an electrically assisted mountain bike. An electric motor assists the cyclist when he or she pedals, the level of assistance is selectable and you can switch the motor on and off. Sales of e-mtb’s are really starting to grow this year and we are seeing more and more out on the trails.
Electric mountain bikes are a natural progression for the e-bike market (which was traditionally focused on commuters) and to be honest we think that brands like Scott, Cube, Specialized and Haibike are coming out with some trick looking bikes.
If you fancy seeing an e-bike in action, here’s a video showcasing Specialized’s answer to the e-bike, The Turbo Levo.
Types of e-mountain bike
When it comes to your choice of e-mountain bike the options aren’t really that different from regular mountain bikes. You still get to choose between full suspension (full sus) and front suspension only (hardtail). There are still a plethora of wheel sizes to baffle you but in the main 27.5 (also known as 650b) and 29ers are the mainstay. You can even find some pretty cool looking electric fatbikes and plus-size wheels if that is what you fancy.
e-MTB hardtails
If you are starting out, hardtails are generally cheaper and offer a more cost effective first e-bike. You can pick up bikes like the Cube Elite Hybrid C:62 29 Race 500 from as little as £2,999 and they are pretty tasty bikes that will cope with forest fun as well as give you an easier (and less sweaty) commute to work.
e-MTB full suspension
Full suspension e-mountain bikes are tonnes of fun. They are not cheap but if you live somewhere that doesn’t have an uplift and are forced to endure 20 minutes of uphill slog for 90 seconds of pure unadulterated downhill ecstasy, we reckon it’s worth every single penny!
For riders who still have the descending skills of a pro-downhill racer but lack the fitness of an XC whippet, the power-assisted motor can’t help but put a smile on your face as you pass your mates on the climbs.
A full suspension e-mtb generally has two shock-absorbers, one at the front and one at the rear. They are a little more complex to set up than a normal bike but if you visit one of our specialist e-bike stores in Southampton or Chichester the team will show you how and you will never look back.
e-MTB motors and batteries
If you are buying a good quality e-MTB then the motor will be of a mid motor design, this is where the motor is positioned at the cranks (pedals). This gives the bike better balance and smoother power delivery and generally makes it easier to ride on the trails. If you are looking at an e-mtb with a motor at the front or rear wheel then we would advise strongly against this.
There are only a few recognised manufacturers of motors that really have the torque and power to be effective on an e-MTB and most of the major manufacturers will come with a motor from either Bosch, Brose, Yamaha or Shimano e-step to name a few. Motors for ebikes are legally limited to 250W and will provide assistance up until around 15.5mph at which point the motor will cut out but you can still pedal the bike as normal.
There is generally a control unit mounted on the handlebars that allows you to control the level of assistance. Most have a pretty simple and intuitive design and we have yet to find one that we can’t ride.
Remember though the more power an assistance that you use, the quicker the battery will run down. On most e-MTB’s the battery is either built into the down tube or placed on it. This placement keeps the centre of gravity low and means that the bike is still fun to throw round the trails.
Be careful however if you are looking at a smaller battery to save weight, if you are riding local or commuting and have somewhere handy to charge the bike then the weight saving is great but if you are out on a trail you don’t really want the battery to run out half way round. A good rule of thumb is always to go for the biggest and best battery that you can afford. You will generally find that most e-MTB’s come with a 400Wh or 500Wh (the higher the Watt Hours the longer the battery can deliver electricity for between charges).
e-MTB brakes and transmission (gears)
Most e-MTB’s will come with hydraulic disc brakes and you’ll generally find that they come with the usual suspects from SRAM, Shimano, Tektro (TRP) and Magura. They are pretty stock so you can usually use spares and bleeding kits that you use for your current bikes. The only slight difference is that in general because of their increased weight the disc rotors on e-mtbs tend to be a little larger.
In terms of transmission (gears) you will find that most e-MTB’s have a wide range rear cassette (isn’t that true of most modern MTB’s) with 10 or 11 rear sprockets. If you can, we advise trying to find a bike where the largest rear sprocket has 40 teeth to help you with big hills.
e-MTB tyres
Most e-MTB’s come with similar stock tyres to most mountain bikes and they do the job just fine. Remember though that you are riding a much heavier bike with a bit more power than usual so you may want to adjust your pressures from those that you normally stick to. In general we would suggest going for a grippier tyre than you usually use until you get used to the ride.
Tyres are a very personal choice though and the reason we can’t give you a definitive answer is that we can’t even agree in the office.
If we have missed anything off this guide or you have some more information that we don’t then please feel free to send it to us here on marketing@hargrovescycles.co.uk and we will add it in.
Now get out there and try and little e-MTB riding!
