How to ride an ebike

How to ride an ebike? Ebikes are becoming more and more popular around the world. Of course, normal bikes are also fantastic and help the environment, but ebikes have something special. With electric bicycles you don’t have to be pedalling all the time, making them a great means of transportation, especially for people who are not ready to pedal for miles yet.

However, despite their popularity, some people still do not trust them or are not 100% sure that they can use them. Fortunately, in this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about how to ride an ebike so that you lose those doubts and start riding your ebike.

We assure you that using an ebike is something that will change your life for the better, so continue reading to learn more about how to ride an ebike.

How to ride an ebike: Everything you need to know

First, do not forget that it is very similar to riding a normal bike, only thanks to the fact that it has a motor you have to exert less force to pedal, which means that it can reach higher speeds. For that reason, the way to find balance is the same as on a normal bike, but you must follow different special rules since it is an ebike with a motor.

As far as their speed range is concerned, the most popular electric bikes for daily use reach 25 km/h (15 mph), but some models can also reach 50 km/h (30 mph). Therefore, the first few times you use your ebike it is important to start riding the bike at a low speed to become familiar with a new way of pedalling.

Apart from that, we recommend that you use the bicycle lane. As much as your ebike has a motor, it is still a bicycle so it is always recommended to use that lane at a speed that does not exceed 20km/h.

Remember that you must follow the regulations of your city. In some you cannot drive an ebike that exceeds 20km/h since after that speed they become considered motorcycles, so you must be careful not to exceed those numbers.

We recommend that the first few days you use your ebike on empty streets, or at times when there is not much traffic, to avoid any inconvenience and to be able to get used to riding your ebike at your own pace.

Security controls before taking your ebike to the road

Before starting to drive your ebike on the street or in public spaces, there are different safety checks that you must do. In this way, you will be able to know if your ebike is ready to be used, or if it needs some kind of repair. In addition, you can avoid causing an accident, putting your health and that of other people at risk.

The main thing is to check the rear and front brakes. Do not forget that the front brake is the most powerful, so if you brake hard with only the front wheel brake, you can make the whole rear of the bike ride and fall.

To brake smoothly and safely, always do so with both brakes. Practice slowing down and stopping at a slow speed, so you know the exact response of the brakes before you go faster.

If you haven’t ridden a bike in a while, practice changing direction by taking your hand off the handlebars to indicate your direction as you pull off the road. We recommend that you do all these tests in a safe place without traffic. A bike park can be a good idea, or if you know of an empty parking lot in your city this can also be a good place to do it.

Practice the ascents and descents with an ebike

Maybe you are used to going up and down with a normal bike, but with ebikes, it is another story. The truth is that ebikes are much better in both cases since you have to make less effort, but you have to be careful.

On the descents, with an electric, you do not need to gain speed on the descents, which then helps you to exert less force on the ascent since in this case, the motor will take care of the extra push. Therefore, you can go down the slopes more slowly if you prefer, and in case you feel that you are going too fast you can stop pedalling completely or lightly touch the brakes. Never hit the brakes suddenly because you can be thrown if you go too fast.

On the other hand, the slopes are always the hard part of cycling, since in each pedal stroke you fight against gravity, which is sometimes hard not to want to return to a bicycle. With an electric bike the climbs are easier; Of course, you still have to pedal, but the motor makes it much more bearable, and with the Boost mode you will really notice the difference.

In any case, although the pedal assistance does most of the work, with certain techniques you can save yourself even more effort. For example, keep your head up and always look at the top; This will raise your chest and shoulders and breathe more deeply. If you maintain a regular cadence the system assists with the power you need.

In addition, it is recommended that you do not have to break in the middle of a climb, this also happens with normal bikes, since the wheels can move by themselves. In case you have no chance to avoid braking in the middle of a climb, make sure to put on the brakes and keep your body tense so that there are no weak spots. Then take advantage of the boost of your ebike, although keep in mind that it is likely that you will go back a little so you must think about that margin so as not to crash any car that is behind you.

In conclusion

Learning How to ride an ebike is easier than it seems, you just have to take your time and do it at your own pace. If you follow safety measures and make sure that all parts of your ebike are working properly then there is nothing to fear.

You can check our post about: Best Electric Bikes for Commuting.