What is an Ebike? Ebike 101
What is an ebike?
An ebike is a bicycle that uses a battery-powered electric motor to help move the bike and rider.
Most ebikes are a lot like normal bikes, with three added parts:
- Motor – Turns to provide assistance
- Battery – Powers the motor
- Controller – Lets you adjust the level of assist, turn the motor on and off, and other functions
Types of ebikes
Electric assist comes in two flavors:
- Hub-drive – The electric motor lives in the bike’s rear or front hub and helps turn the wheel. This design tends to be smaller and lighter. Our Confluence gravel ebike uses a rear hub-drive motor.
- Mid-drive – The electric motor lives in the bike’s bottom bracket and helps turn the crank arms. This design is often larger and bulkier, but allows for more torque and keeps the motor’s weight low and centered. Our Tributary, Notch, and Moraine ebikes use mid-drive motors.
- Not sure which one to choose? We can help you figure out which eGravel bike or which eMTB will work best for your riding needs. Your local bike shop can also help you decide.
Ebike classes
Modern ebikes are divided into three classes based on the type and level of assist:
- Class 1 ebikes only provide assist when you’re pedaling, and the assist shuts off above 20mph. Our Confluence, Moraine, and Notch platforms are all Class 1 ebikes.
- Class 2 ebikes use a throttle to control the assist, rather than requiring you to pedal. The assist shuts off above 20mph.
- Class 3 ebikes only provide assist when you’re pedaling, and the assist shuts off above 28mph. Our Tributary platform is a Class 3 ebike.
Why would I ride an ebike?
There are a million good reasons to ride an ebike. In fact, there are no bad reasons. You don’t even need a reason — these are just some of the possibilities we see in electric assist:
- Building confidence quickly when you’re just starting out or getting back into riding
- Riding more without overtraining (perfect for those recovery rides)
- Riding as many singletrack laps as possible without zapping your legs on that long, steep return trail
- Scouting future routes for bikepacking adventures without losing time and energy chasing dead-end roads
- Riding your mountain bike from home to the trailhead and back
- Fitting more gravel rides into your busy schedule
- Venturing down every little side path and road just to see where it goes
- Bringing your cast-iron skillet, hand-crank coffee grinder, camp chair, and hardcover novel on the overnighter without worrying about the weight penalty (#BikeGlamping anyone?)
I’m on board. Where can I ride my ebike?
You can generally ride a Class 1 ebike anywhere you would ride on a normal bike. This includes paved streets, bike lanes, gravel roads, and paved or natural-surface bike paths that allow ebikes. However, ebike regulations vary from place to place, so check your local laws or the posted rules of the trail or path before riding.
When it comes to electric mountain bikes (eMTBs) like Notch and Moraine, access gets a little more complex. Most soft-surface trails that allow motorized and non-motorized use are open for eMTB use, but your local singletrack trails, parks, and forests may or may not allow eMTB use. Always research an area’s ebike policy before riding; when in doubt, check with the local land manager.
Ebike dictionary
These terms are helpful to know as you start your ebike journey:
Amp – A unit to describe how much electrical current is flowing through a certain point at any given time. On an ebike, this is the “volume” of electricity flowing from the battery to the motor.
Amp Hour (Ah) – A unit to describe the amount of electrical current a battery can release in one hour. On an ebike, this helps measure overall battery capacity.
Torque – A unit to describe rotational force, measured in Newton meters (Nm). An ebike’s torque is the maximum rotational force that its motor can generate.
Volt (V) –A unit to describe the strength or “force” of an electrical current. On an ebike, higher voltage means the battery can deliver more power to the motor.
Watt (W) – A unit to describe the amount of electric power output. On an ebike, watts refer to the power the motor can provide to assist the rider.
Watt Hour (Wh) – A unit to describe the amount of power output that can be sustained for one hour. This is useful when considering battery life; for example, a 500Wh battery can power a 250-watt motor for two hours under ideal conditions.
Want to dive deeper into ebike knowledge? Our friends at People for Bikes have created Ebike Smart, a free online rider-education program that features videos, quizzes, and more to help you become an ebike expert.
Get Ebike Smart: https://www.ebikesmart.org/
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