The Electric Bicycle Conversion Kit Store

How about a cardiovascular workout that feels like a breeze, while you make it to work on your own terms, protect the environment, and pay nothing for gas?  That’s what’s up when you buy an electric bike!  Let’s take a look at why we need them and how they work.

Men’s efforts to equip a bike with a battery date back to the late 1800s.  While a variety of designs emerged over the last century, none of them stayed popular with cyclists until about ten years ago.  Since then, genuine dual concerns about going green and conserving gasoline have blipped in tandem across the public’s radar, and the electric bicycle has finally come into its own. 

Statistics show that most people’s daily trips are less than five miles each way.  Many people really don’t live far from work.  And think of your errands, to get a newspaper, rent a video, or drop something off at Mom’s, all of which can be done via bike.  It’s cheaper to use a bike instead of a car!  You have to replace the battery about every six months, but when you factor in the costs of gas, parking, and insurance as well as the wear on your car and tires it begins to make more sense.  You also reduce carbon emissions, keep fit, and lower your stress levels by bicycling past traffic jams on your way to wherever.  If your community hasn’t yet introduced bike lanes, you can believe you’ll be seeing more and more of them.

An electric bicycle, or E-bike, adds power assistance to the rider by incorporating a rechargeable battery into the standard bicycle design.  The propulsion methods include either the built-in motor or the rider’s own power; this is what differentiates it from a motorcycle, which cannot be propelled by the rider alone.  Batteries come in the more common sealed lead acid (SLA) style as well as a lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) battery.  The lithium battery is ecologically friendlier but much costlier than the SLA battery. The battery’s life is maximized by keeping it charged to full capacity after each trip. 

The E-bike carries the battery pack on the rear of the bike, and it’s wired to a throttle on the handlebar.  The throttle connects to an engine usually placed on the front wheel of the bike.  The power sent from the battery reaches a series of magnets and coils within the motor, and the laws of magnetism cause the engine to rotate.  The amount of power sent to the battery is controlled by the biker’s operation of the throttle.  The engine allows for three stages of power—comparable to gear shifts in a car.  The gear chains sit on the rear wheel of the bike, with a gearshift handle for the biker usually to the left. 

With batteries available in 24, 36, or 48 volts, you can pretty much pick how much power you need for your particular uses.  This means you can usually travel at a speed ranging from 15 to 20 to 25 miles per hours.  Factors that play a part include the rider’s weight, the rider’s fitness level, and the topography of the trip.  Those who weigh more will get less mileage between charges; uphill trips take longer.  Bike tires not optimally inflated will reduce the range of the battery.  And many bikers buy an optional second battery so that they extend their range. 

You’ve listened to all of today’s talking heads rambling on about how long it will take to fix the world economically and ecologically.  Isn’t it time for people to take action and get involved in the solutions to our problems?  E-bikes are absolutely one way to do that!

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