E-bikes

No motor is best for everyone: it depends on how and where you ride.

Mid-drive motor. A mid-drive motor sits at the pedals and drives the chain. Advantages: because it drives the chain, it benefits from your gears, so it is strong and efficient on climbs; it usually responds to how hard you pedal, which gives a natural ride feel; the weight sits low and central, which makes the bike stable; it works with a derailleur or a hub gear; you replace wheels and tyres just like on a normal bike. Disadvantages: more expensive to buy; chain, chainrings and cassette wear faster because of the extra force; often comes with extra software, and some features sit behind a paid subscription from the manufacturer.

Hub motor. A hub motor sits in the hub of the front or rear wheel. Advantages: cheaper; simple, proven technology that needs little maintenance and rarely needs software updates; no extra wear on chain and chainrings. Disadvantages: less strong on steep or long climbs, because it pushes the wheel directly and does not benefit from your gears; the weight sits in one wheel: with a front hub motor that extra weight strongly affects the steering, which is why we advise against a front hub motor; changing a tyre on the motor wheel takes more work; it often only responds to the fact that you pedal and not to how hard, which feels less natural.

In short: if you ride many kilometres every day or in very hilly terrain, a mid-drive motor is usually the best choice. If you mainly ride for leisure, we prefer a rear hub motor: simple, proven technology that rarely needs software updates, lasts for years and simply does what it should, without you spending too much money. Not sure? We are happy to look at it together.

Both have their place; it depends on your bike and how you ride.

Chain. Advantages: cheaper; the highest efficiency; works with both a derailleur and a hub gear; parts are available everywhere and quick to replace. Disadvantages: needs regular cleaning and lubrication; wears faster, especially with the extra force of a motor; dirt on your trouser legs.

Belt. Advantages: clean and no lubrication; quiet; lasts much longer than a chain; little maintenance. Disadvantages: more expensive; does not work with a derailleur, only with a hub gear, a continuously variable hub, a gearbox or without gears; the frame must be designed for it, because the belt cannot be opened; tension and alignment require precision work.

In short: if you ride sportily or want a derailleur, choose a chain. If you want as little maintenance as possible for daily use, a belt with a hub gear or a continuously variable hub is a strong choice.

Derailleur (chain gears). Advantages: light; wide gear range; highest efficiency, so the most out of your battery; cheaper. Disadvantages: more sensitive to dirt and adjustment; chain and sprockets wear faster; you cannot shift while standing still.

Hub gear. The gears are sealed inside the rear hub. Advantages: little maintenance; shifting while standing still, handy at a traffic light; works with a chain or a belt. Disadvantages: heavier; slightly lower efficiency; smaller gear range than a derailleur; removing the rear wheel takes more work.

Continuously variable hub (CVT). Also in the rear hub, but without fixed gears: you turn smoothly to the resistance you want. Advantages: no jolts or jumps between gears; shifting while standing still and under load; very little maintenance; ideal with a belt and a mid-drive motor; automatic versions exist. Disadvantages: heavier and more expensive; the lowest efficiency of the three, which costs some of your range; smaller gear range than a derailleur, so better suited to comfort and daily use than to sporty riding.

Gearbox (at the bottom bracket). The gears are sealed in a box at the pedals, as with Pinion. Advantages: wide gear range; shifting while standing still; the weight sits low and central; very little maintenance, only an oil change roughly once a year; ideal with a belt. Disadvantages: expensive; only possible on a frame built for it; heavier than a derailleur. On an e-bike it comes as one unit with the mid-drive motor.

Please note: a hub gear or continuously variable hub sits in the rear hub and therefore cannot be combined with a rear hub motor. They go with a mid-drive motor.

How often and what you ride for determines which parts suit you best and how much maintenance your bike needs. Our rule of thumb: for leisure use one service per year, for active use a service every 2,000 km, and for intensive use at least 1 major and 1 minor service per year. In between, you lubricate your chain yourself.

Daily use. Commuting, shopping, in all weathers and with many kilometres. Choose durability and as little maintenance as possible. If you ride many kilometres or in hilly terrain, a mid-drive motor is ideal, preferably with a belt and a hub gear or continuously variable hub. For shorter trips on flat terrain, a rear hub motor is enough. Because of the many kilometres, brakes, tyres and drivetrain wear faster. Have at least 1 major and 1 minor service done per year, spread over the year, lubricate your chain yourself in between and check brake pads and tyre pressure regularly.

Leisure use. Mainly at weekends, in fine weather and for relaxed trips. Here we prefer simple, proven technology that rarely needs software updates: a rear hub motor with a chain and a derailleur. It lasts for years, simply does what it should and you don't spend too much money on it. You ride fewer kilometres, so wear is lower, but a bike that stands still for a long time also needs care. Have it checked once a year, ideally before the season starts, clean and lubricate the chain after wet or muddy rides, and store the battery in winter dry, indoors and half charged, never completely empty.

Not sure what suits your use best? We are happy to look at it together.

That depends on many factors: your riding style, the assistance level you choose, the weather and temperature (a cold battery delivers less), wind, climbs, tyre pressure, your weight and any luggage, and the age and condition of the battery. A fixed figure can therefore never be promised. If you notice that your range is clearly dropping, we test your battery and see whether an overhaul makes sense.

Rule of thumb. For mixed use in town and countryside, on dry days: divide your battery's capacity in Wh by 5 and you have roughly the range in kilometres at low assistance. At medium assistance divide by 7, at high assistance by 10.

Does your battery only show Ah? Then multiply by the voltage: 36 V × 13 Ah = 468 Wh.

These are guide values for a battery in good condition, an average rider and tyres at the correct pressure. In winter, with a strong headwind, with lots of luggage or with an older battery, the range is lower.

We prefer an overhaul. The worn cells in your own battery are replaced and the casing is kept.

Better cells. Optimised cells are fitted, better than the standard cells the manufacturer uses.

New or updated BMS. The BMS is renewed or updated, so your battery is optimally monitored and protected again.

Better for the environment. The casing and connectors are reused, so much less ends up as waste.

2-year warranty. An overhaul always comes with a 2-year warranty with correct use.

Better value. An overhaul is often considerably cheaper than a new battery from the manufacturer.

Always fits, also on older models. You keep your own battery, which fits your bike and your system exactly. Also for older e-bikes for which the manufacturer no longer supplies a new battery, or only at a high price.

As an authorised BikeBat service point, we first test your battery and decide together with the BikeBat specialists what the best solution is.

A lithium-ion battery is safe as long as you handle it correctly. Our tips:

The right charger. Always use the original charger or a charger approved by the manufacturer.

No fast charger. Preferably do not use a fast charger: it puts extra strain on the cells with every charge, also mechanically. A normal charger does this far less and so extends the life of your battery.

The right temperature. Charge at a moderate temperature, ideally around room temperature, and not in freezing cold or full sun. After a ride, let a cold or warm battery reach room temperature before you charge it.

The right place. Preferably charge in a garage or shed, on a dry, hard and non-flammable surface, away from flammable materials. Not in a bedroom, in the living area or in a hallway that is your escape route, and make sure there is a working smoke detector nearby. Do not use an extension cable and never cover the charger or the battery.

Under supervision. Do not charge unattended, for example not all night, and unplug as soon as the battery is full.

Damage. Has your battery been dropped, got wet, become deformed or does it get unusually warm? Then stop charging it and have it checked first.

Start-up. A new lithium-ion battery does not need break-in cycles: charge it fully before the first ride. Riding it empty once until the assistance stops and then charging to 100% can help to calibrate the charge indicator.

After that: the 80/20 rule. For daily use it is best to keep the battery between roughly 20% and 80%. Don't charge it fully every time and don't ride it completely empty every time: that spares the cells and extends the life of your battery. If you have a long ride planned, feel free to charge to 100% just before you leave.

Fully now and then. Every now and then, do charge fully to 100%, so the BMS can balance the cells in the battery.

Storage. If you don't use the bike for a while, for example in winter, store the battery dry, indoors and half charged, never completely empty.

BMS stands for Battery Management System. It is the electronics inside every e-bike battery that monitor and protect the cells. A battery with a BMS is therefore a battery that monitors itself.

What does a BMS do? It protects against overcharging and against deep discharge; it cuts the power in case of excessive current or a short circuit; it monitors the temperature and switches off if the battery gets too hot or too cold; it balances the cells so they are all equally charged; and it communicates with the motor and the display, for example about the state of charge.

Does every battery have a BMS, also older ones? Every lithium-ion e-bike battery has a BMS, also the older ones. In older batteries the BMS is simpler, though: it protects the cells, but often communicates less or not at all with the motor and the display. Very old e-bikes with a lead or nickel battery did not yet have a BMS as we know it today.

Why does that matter? The BMS ensures the safety and the life of your battery. A faulty BMS or poorly balanced cells can cause your battery to cut out suddenly or give much less range, even if the cells themselves are still good. We check that too during a battery test.