Electric Bike

Technically speaking, electric bikes are water resistant, rather than waterproof. In practice, this means ebikes should be safe in rainstorms, though caution and reference to the owner's manual is always advised in every case. Always remember there's an electric motor involved.

An electric bike conversion kit is designed to convert an existing conventional, pedals-only bicycle into an ebike. These kits come in a variety of types: some drive back wheels, some work on the front, while a third variety are mid-drive kits. Specialist knowledge or a good bike shop is advised for fitment.

The huge growth in electric bikes and the advances in technology mean that ebikes are available increasingly for all ages. Electric bikes, though, remain heavy whatever the size of frame because of the weight of both battery and motor. Choose with care and take advice from a reputable ebike specialist.

Every ebike is greener than every fossil-fuel driven car, if that's what it's replacing. On the other hand, conventional pedal power is greener still, since recharging the battery involves using electric power which may come from fossil fuel sources, and the batteries themselves contain rare metals. There will be those who say this is nit-picking: in general ebikes are highly rated by environmentalists.

Electric bikes are a superb fitness aid. They are often recommended for the less fit since so much less effort is required. The aerobic gains of electric bikes have been widely researched and there's little doubt of the benefits.

There are now many highly priced ebike mountain bikes on the market. These are macho-styled ebikes with knobbly balloon tyres and sturdy frames. The styling, though, shouldn't be the draw. If serious off-roading is planned on a regular basis, there is nothing to beat these off-roaders. For every day use, their abilities are wasted and the knobbly tyres can offer a less than relaxing ride.

In an electric car, the phrase "range anxiety" is common currency. Drivers worry about being stuck by the side of the road without any prospect of a recharge. On electric bikes there is no such anxiety. The display will always warn if the battery is being depleted and a more economical setting can be selected. At worst, pedal power will always carry the rider home, even if this requires more effort. All batteries are easily recharged within hours at any ordinary domestic socket.

All ebikes begin with roughly the same technology as an ordinary pedal-driven bike. Added to that is the weight of the electric motor, mounted on one of the wheel hubs or centrally around the pedals, and crucially the battery which is the heaviest extra piece of kit. Some makers, such as Boardman, allow both motor and battery to be detached so the lighter bicycle is available for ordinary pedals-only use.

Although the electric motor technology and batteries used on electric bikes are thoroughly of the 21st century, the notion of boosting a pedal cycle with additional power is actually a very old one. The first electric bicycles were primitive machines and hit the roads in very limited numbers in the 1890s. It wasn't until 100 years later that the first practical designs hit the market.