Views: 165 Author: Merry Ebike Publish Time: 2022-03-31 Origin: Site
As e-bikes become increasingly popular, many people around the world have begun to see their usefulness, and incorporate e-bikes more and more into their daily lives. However, there are still a lot of questions regarding how to handle e-bikes in various weather and terrain conditions. And today we are going to share our insights on the 2 most frequently asked questions: Can I Ride Electric Bike in the Rain? can I ride e-bikes to go uphill?
Part of the reasons why an e-bike could be an expensive investment is that it uses adequate parts to ensure you can ride further in various weather and terrain. So before you start tackling the road, make sure you know the capability of your e-bike.
Generally speaking, a battery pack makes up 1/3 of the manufacturing cost of an e-bike. The cost of a battery pack depends on how powerful and how well protected is the battery pack, knowing your riding needs before selecting the right battery size is crucial.
There are two parts to lithium-ion batteries for e-bikes. Voltage (V) is what pushes (speed) the flow of electric energy, while Amps Hour (AH) is a measure of Force. Typically, higher Voltage electric bikes go faster, while higher Amps require thicker gauge wire and larger battery packs. A combination of Volts and Amps Hour equal Watt Hour, and a higher Watt Hour will result in more battery cells in the battery pack, and more expensive it gets. Watt Hour also plays a significant role in determining the overall range your e-bike can handle with a single charge.
The battery management system exists to manage the individual performance of each battery cell. Instead of allowing for individual performance, the BMS ensures that each battery cell drains, performs, and acts the same as all other cells throughout the battery. By having uniform cell performance, you will have consistent performance and full operation of your motor that would otherwise be impossible without it.
The batteries used in an electric bike are in a sealed unit and waterproof, the specialized electric bikes will withstand riding in the rain and the occasional submersion in water but we recommend avoiding this unless it’s necessary.
That being said, a powerful and reliable e-bike battery pack is costly to make and could be expensive for riders, knowing your riding needs before selecting your e-bike with the right kind of battery pack is very important.
Another major part that determines the capability of your e-bike is the Motor. The motor utilizes energy from the battery to assist the user in cycling. The best e-bike motors will balance the scales between power and weight, to offer maximum pedal assistance without weighing the bike down and holding it back. it is paramount to ensure that your e-bike has the motor that will suit your intended bike use.
Whilst many higher-priced e-bikes contain mid-drives, the other main type of e-bike motor, hub motors, are often found on more budget models. Hub motors (as you would guess, these are motors found within the wheel hubs) are also used where saving weight is important, for example on lightweight city bikes you might want to pick up and sling over your shoulder to get them up steps or on e-folders that you need to carry in one hand. A third, less common reason for using hub motors (especially of the gearless variety) is on ultra-low maintenance e-bikes where they can be used alongside belt drives and hub gears to give a virtually ‘fit and forget’ system.
The motor often has to be specially crafted and fitted, which increases both the cost of labor as well as the costs of parts.
So, how to pick the right motor for an e-bike? The power of your electric bike completely depends on the wattage (Watts = Battery voltage × Current in Amps of controller.) The terrain can be a flat surface that doesn't require much power or a hilly surface that may need a higher power to climb. According to the combined weight of you and your e-bike, we recommend you to choose the motor as the following:
| Weight | Terrain | Power |
| 100-120 lbs (~50kg) | Flat Surface | 250W |
| Irregular Terrain | 400W | |
| 150-170 lbs (~70kg) | Flat Surface | 500W |
| Irregular Terrain | 750W-1000W | |
| 200 lbs and above (90kg+) | Flat Surface | 750W |
| Irregular Terrain | 1000W+ |
And last but not least, the brakes. Brakes are an extremely important component of bicycles. They allow the rider to control when the vehicle will stop. This is especially useful when riding downhill or encountering an obstacle. A good set of brakes will respond quickly and force the bike to come to an immediate stop.
There are two type brakes: Mechanical brakes use a cable pulling system, more like rim brakes, while hydraulic systems use fluid to transfer the braking force. Hydraulic brakes eliminate friction and deliver more reliable and responsive braking. Handy when traveling downhill, in rain, at speed!
| Mechnical | Hydraulic | |
| Braking Medium | Cable | Fluid |
| Weight | Heavy | Light |
| Performance | More force need to apply & less sensitive | Less force need to apply & more sensitive |
| Maintenance | On-going | Less maintenace required |
Now we had covered all the basic capabilities that your e-bikes need to have for your intended bike use, let’s talk about riding your e-bike on those steep hills and in rainy weather.
The answer is YES. An e-bike can reduce the strain you feel when climbing the gradient of a hill. If going uphill is important to you, the tips below might help you to take down those hilly sections of your ride.
Riding e-bike uphill requires more power from the electric motor. This extra work will run out your battery more quickly. Periodically going from “pedal only” to “pedal-assist” or “throttle-only” that can help you climb hills more efficiently. If you love to ride on hills, an e-bike can be a good choose and the motor of choice will be very important for you to consider when you buy an e bike.
Mid-drive motors are going to be the best possible choice for handling hills. The two most common styles used in e-bikes are hub motors and mid-drive motors. The largest advantage is that mid-motors allow the rider to power the rear wheel via the same chain and gear set as the pedals, which means that a low gear can be selected for powering up steep hills. While the hub motors will be great for flat areas and slight hills. Mid-drive motors allow the use of true torque sensors for pedal-assist systems, which regulate the motor power based on how hard you push on the pedals as measured at the crank. Hub motors often rely on cadence sensors for pedal assist, which only regulate motor speed based on pedal speed, and can cause jerky or awkward motor timing, especially when hill climbing or moving the bicycle around obstacles. The right motor will help you enjoy going uphill.
Now we know that going uphill with an e-bike is a piece of cake, what about rainy weather?
The reply is also YES. E-bikes are water resistant. The battery is kept in a waterproof case and unless your battery is under high pressure, or fully submerge in water for extended period of time, you are fine. Just treat your e-bike the same way as you would treat your smartphone.
Fenders help keep your clothing dry. While electric bikes are largely water-resistant - the drivetrain or motor can endure heavy splashes and the battery will not fail by getting it wet - you may want to consider adding fenders to your e-bike. Not only will this help protect you from debris on the road, but it will also keep your bike, battery, and other components protected as well.
Much like driving a car, wet weather conditions can make coming to a complete stop for bikes slightly more difficult. Though many electric bikes include disk brakes instead of the rim brakes that are often found on traditional bicycles, and function better in the rain because of it, it’s still important to remember to brake earlier than you usually would when riding your e-bike in the rain.
After each rainy ride, make sure you take a few additional minutes after the ride to wash off any debris and dry your electric bike.
E-bikes are absolutely fun to ride, we hope this article clears up the questions about riding e-bikes uphill and in rainy conditions, before you hit the road with your favorite e-bike, do consider the points mentioned above and make the most out of your riding experience.
