Power points: Living with an e-bike

E-bikes have the power to get more people cycling and to keep them riding when they otherwise couldn’t or wouldn’t. So the surge in e-bike sales and usage is good news. 

What’s missing is a broader awareness of e-bike safety and legislation, as evidenced by the battery fires reported in the news and those delivery e-bikers buzzing along at motorcycle speeds. To help address these problems, Cycling UK has partnered with a range of organisations to promote safe, legal and responsible e-bike usage. 

Duncan Dollimore, head of campaigns at Cycling UK, said: “Like traditional pedal cycles, e-cycles are a great way to stay fit, save money on transport, and decrease carbon emissions and air pollution. E-cargo bikes are also perfect for individuals or businesses who need more space to carry goods or people. However, many people in the UK have missed out on these benefits due to barriers such as cost or a lack of secure storage, and now concerns about battery fires have been added to the mix. 

“We know that when purchased from a reputable manufacturer and used with the right batteries and chargers, e-cycles are very safe. To provide that assurance, along with advice on how to identify a safe e-bike, we’ve partnered with Bosch, the Bicycle Association, SHIFT Active Media, and the Association of Cycle Traders to launch the E-bike Positive campaign.” 

If you’ve already bought an e-bike, or are considering doing so, what follows is a user’s guide.

Charging your e-bike

Charging e-bike batteries safely – or rather, the failure to do so – is something that’s been in the news lately due to a number of e-bike fires. Occasionally these fires happen ‘spontaneously’. Most happen during charging. While the headlines are alarming, statistically these fires are very rare. Some estimates say there are more than two million e-bikes in the UK. Battery fires occur at the rate of less than one a day, meaning the chances of it happening to you are statistically insignificant. Of course, you’ll still want to charge as safely as possible. If you follow a few basic battery care rules, you can rest easy that this should not happen to you. 

The key thing is to get a good-quality battery manufactured to a high standard in the first place. There are a number of longstanding, successful and well-recognised e-bike brands you can have confidence in. Conversely, avoid those brands whose agenda is to sell solely online at the lowest possible price. 

If your battery pack is certified to UL 2271 this is good news: it means it has undergone rigorous safety checks. If the e-bike itself is certified to UL 2849, that’s even better. The whole bike will have been tested for electrical and fire safety, mechanical stability and the performance of e-bike components. Bosch is one of the few manufacturers certified to UL 2849. How you charge your e-bike’s battery also has an impact.

Avoid temperature extremes 

Batteries are least stressed at room temperature. Don’t charge and store batteries in very cold conditions (sub zero) or very hot places (especially in strong summer sun and behind glass). If you ride regularly in very cold weather, it could be worth getting a battery cover. Fahrer (fahrer-berlin.de/en/products/ e-bike) makes a variety of covers from neoprene and cordura. 

Charge correctly 

This shouldn’t be a problem with a smart charger but avoid over-charging. Don’t leave the charger plugged into the battery for too long once it is full. Always use the correct charger for your battery and never use one that wasn’t specifically made for it. 

Avoid shocks and store correctly 

Too much vibration and jolting to a battery through rough handling or careless treatment can lead to a shortened life at best and to damaged cells at worst. Try to avoid long periods of storage as this may lead to batteries self-discharging beyond the point of no return. If you do need to store one for a period of months, check what the manufacturer’s recommended discharge state is for storage.

Battery matters

At some point your e-bike’s battery will need to be replaced, and a good-quality, reasonably sized replacement will cost several hundred pounds. However, the original battery should last three to five years – potentially more if it’s a good one that’s well looked after.

A written guarantee is always a good sign. For example, premium e-bike maker Riese & Müller warranties batteries on its e-bikes for two years, saying “we guarantee that the battery will still have a capacity of 60% after two years or 500 full charge cycles (whichever happens first)”. 

Your e-bike’s battery capacity is rated in Watt-hours (Wh). If it starts to show a marked decline in range, it’s worth doing a basic home test on the battery’s capacity to make sure that it is holding charge. If not, and it’s under guarantee, you may be due a new battery. I’ve written a guide for how to do this home test, which is on my website. 

It’s also worth noting that some e-bikes may show the number of charge cycles on the display; Specialized and Tenways models are among those I have seen that do. It’s a helpful feature, especially if you suspect the range is dropping prematurely due to decreasing battery capacity. 

E-bike batteries may be charged on or off the bike, and there are pros and cons to both approaches. Clearly, removing the battery allows you to take it elsewhere for charging. A non-removable battery can save weight, however, and it also means you have no key to lose. 

Talking of losing keys: Abus locks are found on many better-quality e-bikes. If you keep a record of the key number, Abus can supply extras if you lose one. Its One Key system also means you can use the same key for removing batteries and for security locks that come with the bike. You can also order extra locks that will work with the same key. 

One very useful feature of some e-bike batteries is the ability to charge devices from them on the go via a USB socket. Brompton batteries do this via a USB-A socket that will provide around 7.5 Watts of power, while the Tenways range extender allows fast USB charging of up to 40 Watts. USB charging is great for keeping GPS-enabled smartphones and navigation devices topped up while e-biking. It is difficult to waterproof such connections when they’re in use, however, so this facility is best used in dry weather.

Avoiding range anxiety

Given that the power density of modern e-bike batteries is the best it has ever been, there should be no reason for range anxiety. Choosing the right capacity battery in the first place is the key to e-biking as far as you need to without carrying around extra weight in the form of too much unused battery capacity. 

Battery capacity is, as noted, measured in Watt-hours (Wh). Good-quality mid-drive systems from the likes of Bosch and Shimano typically use 500Wh or 625Wh batteries. This should be enough capacity for most daily journeys without having to stop for a recharge. However, if you ride very long daily distances, are a heavier rider, live in a particularly hilly area or haul heavy loads on a regular basis, then it might be worth going for something bigger. There are now plenty of batteries in the 750Wh-plus range. 

If you buy an older, secondhand e-bike that has a premium drive system, such as Bosch or Shimano, you may be able to upgrade with a bigger battery. Not all newer batteries will fit older models so you need to check with the system manufacturer or a knowledgeable retailer. 

A smaller-capacity battery doesn’t necessarily mean a shorter range. When fitted to a lightweight, efficient design, you can get a range of many tens of miles from a battery with as little as 200Wh capacity. Mahle’s rear hub-drive system and the Cytronex kit are good examples of super-efficient, lightweight systems. 

Mid-range battery sizes of 300-400Wh should mean a fairly lightweight e-bike with a pretty good range. The latest Bosch mid-drive system, the SX, is both light and powerful and comes with a 400Wh battery as standard. I was really impressed with the SX’s hill-climbing ability and range when I tried it recently on Cube’s Nuroad Hybrid C:62 SLX 400. 

If you need occasional extra capacity, bear in mind that a handful of motor systems offer plug-and-play ‘range extender’ batteries to use as and when required. Bosch, Mahle, Specialized and Tenways all produce these. 

Touring with an e-bike should pose few problems in inhabited areas but out in the wilderness it’s extra important to have plenty of battery reserves. If you have concerns, the obvious answer is to pack a spare battery if you can afford one. Riding with as light a load as possible and using as low a gear as practical to keep the pedals spinning will help get the most range from your battery, too. Note that it’s been estimated that in very cold conditions an e-bike battery may give only 70% of its range compared to warmer temperatures. 

Some new quicker and lighter charging technologies are here already, though not widely adopted. It’s worth looking out for GaN (Gallium Nitride) chargers that are quicker charging than traditional e-bike chargers. Speedy USB-C charging of your bike battery should now be possible with the new, faster USB-C charging protocols. We just need e-bike battery manufacturers to build these technologies into their batteries! 

E-bike repairs

Most of the repairs I’ve had done on my own e-bikes are the same as for regular bikes – worn brakes, headset adjustment, keeping air suspension at the right pressure and so on. These should be straightforward tasks for any bike shop. 

Some retailers refuse to work on e-bike electrical systems unless they sold the bike to you. On the one hand this is understandable; there are some poorly manufactured e-bikes out there, and repairing them may open up a retailer to unwanted legal liability on a poor product. But it’s not good news for e-bike owners. 

If you buy a good-quality e-bike from a reputable and longstanding e-bike retailer, there should be no problem. If you buy direct from a manufacturer, things may be harder to sort out if you have a problem. While small items like a faulty display may be readily sent in the post, some firms may take more persuading to send out expensive replacement items like motors and controllers. Fitting them may be fiddly and require disassembly. 

Official advice from all government and trade bodies is to replace faulty or end-of-life batteries and not have them repaired. While there is nothing wrong with expert battery repairs in theory, there are in reality no expert battery repair centres in the UK that I know of (unlike in mainland Europe). 

Motor faults seem to be pretty rare. Like other electrical faults, battery problems aside, motors should be repaired by the manufacturer when under warranty. Mid-drive specialist the eBike Motor Centre has a good reputation for repairing out-of-warranty motors. Find lots more information on e-bike batteries. 

Parking and storing your e-bike 

E-bikes are undoubtedly targets for thieves, with premium models being top of their wish list. The best security precaution is to lock your e-bike indoors with a very strong lock. Failing that, use a similar lock for on-street parking in a busy public spot, preferably with CCTV coverage. 

Some e-bikes bring an extra level of electronic security. That may be in the form of electronic locking (perhaps with an alarm in addition to locking the motor) or even remote GPS tracking of the e-bike’s location from your phone; Bosch’s latest Smart System has this feature. Retrofit GPS trackers are also available; Biketrax is one that plugs directly into a compatible mid-drive motor, where it remains hidden from view.

Smaller e-bikes are easier to store. The magic fold of the Brompton means any electric version – Brompton’s own or kit conversions – can be folded and taken into most offices, restaurants and so on for ultimate security. 

Even if you decide against an e-folder, there are many reasonably light, compact models around that are much easier to lift up steps, take in lifts and store inside your house or flat compared to bigger, heavier models. 

Don’t assume that cargo e-bikes can’t be stored inside even if you have limited storage space. There are compact longtail e-cargo designs with drop-down handlebars and folding pedals. Tern’s HSD and GSD models can even be stored vertically by balancing them on the rear of the pannier rack. 

E-bikes and water

All e-bikes should be designed to be ridden in rain but care should be taken not to immerse any of the electrical components – especially the battery and control electronics – in running water. Riding through deep fords, for example, should be avoided if possible. Pressure washing should also be avoided as this may penetrate the seals and enclosures of the e-bike. 

It’s a reasonable precaution to shelter with your e-bike in torrential rain, or if that’s not possible to ride at lower speeds so water doesn’t get forced through seals. Individual components may be IP65-rated (and thus designed to resist low pressure water jets, as well as being dust tight) but the whole system may not be. 

You should, of course, aim to keep the e-bike dry when it’s parked. If it has to be stored outside, a good rain cover is the bare minimum protection. A dry shed or bike bunker is preferable. 

Sea water and other salt water poses particular problems for any electrical equipment. Contact with e-bikes should be avoided at all costs. Due to its saltiness, seawater it is a very good conductor of electricity, making electrical shorts more likely. Sea water will start to severely corrode metal surfaces it comes into contact with, electrically conductive or otherwise. 

In addition, beach riding will mean sand will get into many components and will, at the very least, cause extra wear and tear.

Transporting your e-bike

The best solution for cars is a rack with a sufficiently high weight limit. For heavier e-bikes that you can’t lift onto the roof, there is a good choice of tow-ball-mounted options. Some of these even enable you to wheel the bike on rather than lift it on, and there are models that will carry two and even three e-bikes. 

The easiest option for train travel is to get a smaller, folding e-bike with a cover as it then becomes hand luggage. Electric Bromptons and the FLIT are two ultra-portable e-folders. For larger and non-folding bikes, local train services usually have ‘roll on, roll off’ space available outside of peak hours (when there may be restrictions). Intercity services often require you to book, and they frequently employ hooks for storage, which can be awkward to hang an e-bike on. 

I’m not aware of any train operating companies currently prohibiting e-bikes, although e-scooters, e-hoverboards and similar are banned. There have been occasional instances of individual e-bikes being refused carriage on trains but these were rather amateurish-looking kit conversions with copious gaffer tape and cable ties. 

For coach and bus travel, the best option is, again, a compact folder with a cover. (Try to cover your bike before the driver sees it if possible!) It is then classed as regular hand luggage. 

Airlines will generally only accept e-bike batteries up to 100Wh on flights. Most are much bigger than this, but the Cytronex conversion kit is notable as it features a 198Wh battery that is in fact two independent battery packs. It can be transported by air because it is classed as two batteries of up to 100Wh, installed in equipment. If permitted, e-bike batteries are usually only allowed in the cabin with the passenger, not in the luggage hold. Do check detailed rules with your operator before your flight. What about shipping your e-bike? Clearly this is possible as many new e-bikes are delivered this way. However, individuals wanting to courier an e-bike may find it more difficult compared to companies that have contracts with couriers who would otherwise refuse to ship individual e-bikes. Two companies that have experience in couriering e-bikes for individual customers are Bike Services UK and Direct Courier Solutions. 

Note that sending batteries on their own is even more problematic as the rules usually dictate they must be in or with the bike. If you need to post a battery on its own, it may have to be arranged through an e-bike retailer or manufacturer rather than directly with a courier.

Your e-bike and the law

Legally speaking, e-bikes are known as EAPCs – electrically assisted pedal cycles. They must meet the following criteria in order to have the same legal standing as regular, unassisted bicycles, and to be allowed on roads, cycle paths and other places where bicycles are permitted under UK law: 

• Electric assistance provided to a maximum of 25kph (15.5mph) 
• Motor no more than 250 Watts (maximum continuous-rated power) 
• The rider must be 14 years of age or over 
• The e-bike’s pedals must be in motion for motor assistance to be provided 

Throttle only machines where you don’t pedal are not classed as e-bikes, although throttle-only is legal up to 4mph for helping you to get going. A throttle is also legal if you need to turn the pedals to use its assistance. Few e-bikes feature throttles; MiRider is one example of a legal e-bike that does have a very effective throttle. 

In practice, if you see an EN 15194 sticker on the e-bike or in the description, it should meet all the above criteria, as well as the more detailed stipulations contained in the EU regulations that are now, post-Brexit, enshrined in UK law. 

There are a couple of e-bike-like categories that resemble EAPCs at first glance but are in effect a category of low-speed moped. Both can be ridden legally on UK roads but, crucially, they’re not treated like bicycles. Extra costs and paperwork are involved. 

Wisper has pioneered a category called 250-Watt Low-Powered Mopeds. This category requires only type approval and a basic MOT test. Such bikes are useful for those with a weakened pedal action who find full throttles useful. They are still limited to 15.5mph.

Speed pedelecs are capable of assisted pedalling up to 28mph. These require a certified motorcycle helmet, a number plate and DVLA registration, as well as insurance. The latter is difficult to find in the UK, though easy to obtain for riders in some EU countries.