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Useful tips and advice for purchasing an electric bicycle

Do you want to buy an electric bicycle, but you are not yet sure what to look out for? We give you tips and advice on what to look for when buying an electric bicycle.

Why an electric bicycle?

More and more Dutch people see the practical use of a bicycle with pedal assistance. The electric bicycle is becoming a serious alternative to public transport or the car. More and more commuters are buying an electric bicycle so as not to waste time in traffic and to work on their fitness at the same time. It is not for nothing that the electric bicycle is one of the most popular transport options!

The most important tips and advice when buying an electric bicycle

The most important tip:always be well informed. Buying a bicycle on the internet is always a cheap option, but be aware of what you are buying. Be well informed in an e-bike test center and go test bikes on various types of bicycles. This is how you best experience the differences between them. In particular, the difference in the pedal support systems make a world of difference. Front-wheel motors feel like the bike is being pulled, while a mid-motor electric bike feels much more natural.

Range and battery capacity

The weakest part in an e-bike is the battery. Therefore, choose a battery with overcapacity. This allows you to cycle further than you will actually do. Over time, the capacity of all batteries decreases. As the battery ages, you can cycle fewer kilometers. Even after three or four years, you still want to enjoy your e-bike. Nothing is more annoying than not having enough battery capacity left to cycle for a whole day.

The range of an e-bike depends on the following conditions:

  • Level pedal assistance level (higher degree of assistance means less mileage)
  • Wind power
  • Tyre pressure
  • Speed
  • Driver weight
  • Substrate, smooth asphalt or sandy road
  • The driving behaviour
  • Age of the battery

Read also: Cycling with a long skirt? With this tip he won't get into your spokes

What are you going to use the bicycle for?

Carefully consider in advance what you are going to use the bicycle for. For commuting? Recreational use on weekends and holidays? Or only short trips to the supermarket? Are you looking for a maintenance-friendly bicycle with a closed chain guard or a decent bicycle with a derailleur gear? The more complex the technology of the bicycle, the higher the price tag attached to the bicycle. Therefore make sure that you have mapped out in advance what you are going to use the bicycle for, so that you do not pay too much!

Maintenance of your electric bicycle

Have you already bought a new bicycle? Then pay close attention to the maintenance of your bicycle! Often more and longer distances are traveled with electric bicycles. This means that your electric bicycle must be checked more regularly than, for example, a normal city bicycle. Do you want to buy another electric bicycle? Make sure that the supplier can also take care of maintenance. We recommend that you carry out maintenance at least once a year or every 1,000 kilometres. This way your bike will continue to ride just as well as when it was new! At the same time, good maintenance ensures a longer life for your bicycle, so that buying an electric bicycle remains a responsible expense.

Read also: 10 tips to start cycling

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