How to Choose an Electric Bike

Your riding habits and preferences will decide which type of electric bike is best suited to you. So think about what purpose you want your e-bike to fulfil: Do you want to ride your e-bike to work every day, cross the Alps or simply use it for shopping tours?

• City e-bikes: fully equipped and lightweight e-bikes for everyday use with lights, mudguards and racks
• Trekking e-bikes: durable and also fully equipped touring e-bikes with more powerful motors and more range for long and short tours on asphalt and gravel
• E-mountain bikes: the type of e-bike for off-road terrain that allows you to tackle longer distances and longer climbs effortlessly

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Now another decision has to be made: Which e-bike motor should it be? Every e-bike is equipped with a motor that assists the pedalling power. Here you will find all the well-known brands of e-bike motors, such as Bosch, Shimano and Brose. The manufacturers offer various models for different fields of application. The mid-drive motor is the most common. The motor is located in the centre where the bottom bracket is normally mounted, which gives you an optimal riding experience and easy handling. In general, the hillier the terrain and the longer the distances, the more power and battery capacity is required.

Next, you should think about how far you want to ride your e-bike every day. The e-bike range tells you how many kilometres you can cover on average with one battery charge. Most e-bike batteries have a capacity of between 400 and 750 Wh, which corresponds to a maximum range of between 80 and 120 kilometres. However, these values depend on numerous factors, such as the selected assistance level, the elevation profile of the route and the total riding weight (bike, rider & accessories). Finally, you should select an e-bike battery that matches to your personal range requirements.

The weight of an e-bike is usually between 20 and 25 kg, which is significantly more than the average 15 kg of a normal bike. You should therefore consider what you intend to do with the e-bike before you buy it. If you want to regularly take the bike with you on the train or carry it into the cellar, you should make sure that the e-bike weighs as low as possible. On the other hand, the high weight doesn't matter when riding. Just the opposite: E-bikes with a mid-mounted motor and battery on the down tube ensure a low centre of gravity, which has a positive effect on riding behaviour and handling.

If you want to buy an e-bike that suits you and that you will enjoy for a long time, it makes sense to plan a larger budget. This is because you will generally be riding more often, longer and faster on your e-bike. This in turn increases the demands on the material, quality and durability of your bike.

• 1,700-2,500 euros: In this price range, you can already get solid entry-level models from well-known e-bike brands with functional equipment.
• 2,500-4,000 euros: Fully equipped city and trekking e-bikes with a long range are available here, as are high-performance full-suspension e-mountainbikes.
• from €4,000: Whether aluminium or carbon frame, e-MTB or e-cargo bike – all types of electric bikes are equipped with powerful and efficient motors and batteries and have very high-quality equipment components.