Bicycles Are Meant To Be Pedaled
The Scrambler style bike above is probably the best there is. That mid-drive is the most powerful and quiet legal motor made. Unfortunately, the fella who owns it wants to get some exercise. He’s probably 6’3″ and cannot come close to pedaling it without damaging his knees. What’s more, that short wheel base, designed for 6-10mph of edge of control, off road fun, rides choppy. It’s supposed to. That was half the fun when it was designed in the late 60’s.
E-bikes and most importantly their motors, controllers and throttles were designed to be pedaled. Yes, bikes like the above exist, but the components are not near reliable for the application and represent my second most common repairs (fat tire flats being first). Ideally, properly fitted bikes are pedaled at a cadence between 60 and 90 rpm, pressing no harder than as if you were walking on the same surface.
Cycling is a cardiovascular activity, not muscle building. That’s why bike racers don’t look like weight lifters (they do lift weights). Some gifted persons are efficient well over a hundred rpm. You can go faster pressing harder, but the return on your energy expended is less (components flex, friction increases and frames absorb power). As I’ve mentioned before, it took 200 years for the modern bike to evolve. Anything that makes a traditional bike less efficient or comfortable to ride makes an e-bike less efficient or comfortable.
There’s more though and I fear I’ll upset my best customers over it. TWICE this week customers came to me complaining their motors were cutting out under load. Both love their bikes. One gets up to 90 miles on a charge! Both are in the habit of riding in one, high gear and in high boost. This caused their motors to heat up and draw more amps than for which their batteries were designed. Because bikes are designed to be pedaled AND at a proper cadence, when you don’t, it is hard on motors, controllers, chains and gears. I am really tired of replacing chains, cassettes and freewheels for upset customers that never change gears. You must shift an e-bike the same as you would a traditional bike.
Now, there are some bikes specifically designed to be single speeds. This is a superb example.
It is extremely lightweight. It has a low powered motor, but a high amp draw battery and controller. That belt drive laughs at the very idea of wear. Like any traditional single speed, it is designed to be nimble and challenges you to get out of the saddle and attack hills. Even this half lame, fat old man couldn’t resist the temptations. It is a mighty fine ride for a young person with a flat commute or who enjoys a little challenge along the way. If your bike were designed to be ridden in one gear and in high boost, it would look something like this.