Electric bikes- the greener way to ride- are surely catching on the world over. Slowly but surely, people across the world are realizing the benefits of electric bikes and how they can save on costs as well as save the environment. Of course, the rising fuel costs and the depleting fuel deposits are another trigger. Considering the awareness, where there were just a handful of e-bike manufacturers a few years ago, today, there are a plethora of them.

And as always, choice leads to confusion. E-bikes are a new segment of transport and people still don’t know much about it. Here is what you should be looking at while buying an electric bike and then make an informed decision electric bike.

Electric Bike Motor

The capacity of the motor determines the speed of the e-bike. Of course, there are other parameters to which affect the speed like the weight of the rider and the wheel base diameter. Most e-bike manufacturers specify the capacity of the motor in RPM and Watt. More wattage means more power which means more speed.

Batteries of electric bikes

Different e-bike manufacturers use different batteries for e-bikes, with the most common of them being sealed lead acid batteries. Each battery has its pros and cons and it really depends on your requirements and your budget. However, lead acid batteries should be your preferred choice because of three reasons- low cost, maintenance free and easily available. The same cannot be said about other battery types, especially in areas of cost and availability.

Cost

Of course, when buying anything, cost is a determinant factor. The same holds true for electric bikes too. Finding the right balance between the price and the quality is the key issue. Going for dirt cheap electric bikes is not a good idea, while investing in an expensive e-bike is not recommended either. As the Buddha said, “adopt the middle path”

The decision

The three factors above are a tough nut to analyze. Therefore, the best way to go about buying an electric bike is to take a test drive. It will give you an idea of the right quality, the power of the motor, the distance it can traverse in a single charge etc., which will help you decide whether it fits your needs or not.