Top 10 Questions About Electric Bicycles

Part 2

By Elmo

4. Does riding an electric bicycle actually help the environment?

In the U.S. alone each year, approximately 300 million tons of carbon is dumped into the atmosphere. Because electric powered bicycles and scooters do not run of fossil fuels, they are not releasing carbon into the environment.

Although electric bikes are not going to replace the convenience of cars when it comes to long range trips, they can help the environment by allowing people to run errands and trips to and from work in areas where people are close to their destinations.

To be sure, the electric motorized bicycle is not the solution to global warming, it is a step in the right direction away from the use and abuse of fossil fuels.

5. What is the top speed and distance I can go on an electric bicycle?

Many of the electric bicycles on the market today average about 10 miles on a single charge, however those figures are changing daily with the changes in battery technology. As a matter of fact the distance factor has extended the life of the battery by 25%.

Due to the fact that electric bicycles have to carry motors and batteries on them, the average weight of an electric motorized bicycle is 20 pounds. Depending on the price you pay for an electric bike, the top speed can be anywhere from 20 to 30 miles per hour.

Of course, this depends on your weight and the terrain that you are riding on as well and these speeds and distances will definitely vary due to these factors.

6. Is it easy to install an electric bicycle conversion kit?

If you would like to go a cheaper route and convert your regular bicycle into an electric bike, then you may want to buy an electric motor bicycle conversion kit. Most of the companies that sell these kits have detailed instructions that show you how to install these motors and will tell you that they can be installed easily in 30 minutes.

Please take that advice with a grain of salt. Just like any other home project you need to consider that it will take you at least an extra hour or so putting one of these things together. I have read many blog posts and forum posts addressing this issue and most of the people that considered themselves mechanically inclined said that it took them an hour at least.

One of the things that you have to consider and check out before you buy the kit is if it will work on your bike. The distance between the forks must be wide enough to accommodate the electric motor hub. These hub motors are not recommended for bikes with front shock forks, or bikes with front aluminum forks.

So, make sure that you check the bicycles specifications before you purchase the kit. Some of the people that bought the kits said that the biggest hassle was assembling the throttle on the handle. Of course, if you are not mechanically inclined you could always find someone that is and pay them a few bucks to do it for you.