How An E-Bike Works

Providing effortless assistance to your pedal power, electric bikes, or e-bikes, enable you to go further and Best endurance road bikes with less effort when compared to a traditional bike. In this article, we’ll take you through how an e-bike works and answer a few frequently asked questions about these revolutionary steeds.

What is an e-bike?
An e-bike is a bicycle with an integrated electric motor offering some form of assistance to a rider in propelling the bike forwards. This assistance typically comes in the form of either throttle assist or pedelec assistance.

A pedelec is by far the most popular option and simply works by adding measured powered assistance as you pedal the bike. While a throttle-assist e-bike is more similar to a motorbike, you have a throttle for the motor, and an option to pedal, if you wish.

Where can I ride an e-bike and do I need a license?
Thanks to sensible and considered rules around maximum power output, an e-bike can be ridden anywhere a traditional bicycle would. Be it on the road, on shared bike paths or at your local trail centre, e-bikes and regular bikes are more than capable of occupying the same bike lanes, singletrack or pathways.

When it comes to road rules, e-bikes also follow the same standards as a regular bicycle and so while a license isn’t required, riders must comply with the road rules set out for cyclists. Australia closely mirrors Europe’s e-bike laws, and as such, bikes are required to have a motor output of no more than 200w for throttle-driven bikes and 250w when used on a certified pedelec bike.

Any e-bike exceeding these regulations is categorised as a motor vehicle and standard road rules apply. For more information, check out our article on cycling specific road rules to know.

How is an E-Bike powered?
Powering the electric drive motor and dictating overall range is a battery system.

Most electric bikes use lithium-ion battery packs, varying in size depending on the type and price of bike they’re fitted too. Most e-bikes will have one battery system on board, however, some touring and commuter e-bikes are capable of taking two, even three battery packs at a time.

These batteries are rechargeable via a standard wall power outlet. Recharge times and charge cycle counts vary based on the quality of the system. Learn more about e-bike batteries in our e-bike buyer’s guide.

How far can an E-Bike go?
The total range of your e-bike will be dictated by a number of factors, chief among which is the total capacity of the equipped battery. How efficiently you ride and care for your e-bike will also have a large impact on the total range. Additionally, e-bikes offer various assistance levels, the more assistance you ask of the system, the less range you’ll get.

Does an E-Bike require any special maintenance?
For the most part, caring for an e-bike is exactly the same as a regular bike. You need to keep the tyres inflated and the chain lubed. Quality e-bikes add very little to the maintenance schedule.

This said, occasionally cleaning the electronic contact points can help prevent costly repairs, likewise, it’s worth remembering that the increased power, speed and weight that an e-bike motor affords will increase component wear, such as on chains and brake pads.