E-bike technology: main technical aspects
| motor-positioning | advantage | disadvantage |
|---|---|---|
| front hub | light pedaling in unassisted mode, low motor noise, simplest maintenance, e-bike riding characteristics unchanged vs normal bike | risk of spinning frontwheel on unpaved roads while driving away |
| rear hub | light pedaling in unassisted mode, low motor noise, simple maintenance, e-bike riding characteristics unchanged vs normal bike | can not be combined with hub gears |
| bottom bracket | center of gravity unchanged, lower risk of defects because of short wiring | in some versions the gears cause pedaling to be harder in unassisted mode, gear noise with some models, more complicated maintenance. |
| torque of the e-bike motor | advantage | disadvantage |
|---|---|---|
| low | energy-efficient -> battery provides support over longer distances in even terrain | risk of overheating when used on long ascends and hilly terrain |
| high | support available also on long ascends and hilly terrain | lower energy-efficiency -> battery provides only support over shorter distances |
| sensors | advantage | disadvantage |
|---|---|---|
| cadance-sensor only | simple | jerky activation of support |
| cadance + tension-sensor | smooth activation of support possible | expensive |
| battery is removable and can be locked | advantage | disadvantage |
|---|---|---|
| yes | battery can be taken from the bicycle for charging, low risk of theft | risk of contact failures |
| no | simple | battery can only be charged on the bicycle |
| battery position | advantage | disadvantage |
|---|---|---|
| on rear transport rack | battery can be removed/inserted easily | higher center of gravity |
| on frame in down tube | lower center of gravity | narrower step-through makes mounting the bike harder on low-step models, down tube needs re-inforcement causing it to be heavier, higher risk of contact failures as in some versions battery is pushed on the contacts while inserting it. |
| on frame behind seat tube | lower center of gravity | higher risk of contact failures as (1) battery is pushed on the contacts while inserting it and (2) the contacts are exposed to more humidity through the lower positioning. Unfamiliar riding characteristics as e-bike frame is longer. Because of these disadvantages, modern e-bike designs increasingly avoid battery-placement behind the seat tube. |
| capacity of battery | advantage | disadvantage |
|---|---|---|
| low | cheap | low supported distance range |
| high | high supported distance range | expensive |
| battery-technology | advantage | disadvantage |
|---|---|---|
| Lithium-Ion | high energy-mass [Wh/kg] = higher capacity per battery-weight. No memory-effect (battery-life does not depend on charging cycles chosen) | expensive |
| NiCd or other old technology | cheap | low energy-mass = low capacity per battery-weight. Memory-effect (battery-life is shortened by unfavorably chosen charging cycles) |
General information on buying an e-bike can be found in the e-bike tips section.
To get the most out of your e-bike battery have a look at our tips on e-bike batteries.
Visit us at the Stadtradler store in Vienna! We have a nice collection of quality e-bikes by Gazelle and Azor.
