As with all electric powered vehicles the question of range anxiety arises – what happens if I run out of power before my destination? To help calm your anxiety remember you can always pedal your electric bike home without electric power. Although heavy the bike is quite easily ridden on flat ground or on downhill areas without a battery.
With some planning there are a number of ways you can mitigate the risk of running out of power:
Adopt a simple approach to battery management. When half of your battery has been used then stop and consider what your best option is, onward or return the way you came. This is something I do as a matter of process.
Consider where you are going to use most of your power. If the start is very steep you may need most of your battery power early in your ride. Recently I was halfway through a trip and had used over 70% of my power, the rest of the trip was predominantly downhill – I made it home.
For longer trips consider taking an additional fully charged battery with you. I run a two battery system, when one battery dies then I know that I must seriously begin to plan my power use for the remaining part of the trip.
Leave at least 10% of the battery for the last part of the trip home. Even if your last section is a prolonged ride on Eco mode you will find the extra assistance at the end of the day is very welcome.
Your riding style will also have a significant impact on your power consumption, some tips for getting extra distance out of your battery include:
Turning off all electric assistance when going downhill.
Use your gears. Most electric bikes come with around nine gears. Actively using gears can significantly conserve battery power. Use lower levels of assistance when riding on flat or nearly flat roads. Use the highest level (turbo/boost) only when going up hills or when in need of greater control.
Use your assist levels. There are normally 3 assist levels. These, combined with the manual gears provides a wide number of selection options. Do not rely on just changing the power settings in lieu of changing your gears.
Slipstreaming. By using your riding partners to slipstream you can reduce drag from anywhere from 25% to 50%. If some riders have more power in their battery then let them lead the group.
Choose smooth riding surfaces where possible. Larger wheel sizes deal with stony ground better than smaller ones due to a lower angle of attack.
Finally the condition of your bike will also have an impact on your power consumption.
Oiling your chain. Using the correct oil for the conditions you will be riding can reduce friction thereby preserving battery life
Reduce weight carried.
Choose tyre tread that is appropriate for the ride.
Check you have the correct tyre pressure.