eBike FAQ

 

 

What Should You Know Before Buying An eBike? FAQ About eBikes, Answered by Experts

At Fly Rides, our goal is to help you navigate the eBike journey to maximize your fun, and help find the right bike for you. We know first-time buyers have a ton of questions around eBikes, so our team put together this helpful guide to answer some common questions and welcome newbies to the eBike lifestyle!

Already Got an eBike? Head Over to the eBike Owner's Guide

 

Things to Know Before Getting A New eBike 

eBike FAQs

A good rule of thumb is: for every 100 watt-hours of battery, you’re looking at about 10 miles of range (16 km). This will vary based on the rider’s weight and what mode you are riding in. If you’re in turbo mode or the highest torque setting on your eBike, your mileage will go down about 5-10 miles (8-16 km) compared to if you are in eco mode. If you’ve got a 700 Wh battery pack, for example, and you’re riding in turbo mode, you can expect to get about 45-50 miles (72-80 km). You can track your range using the Specialized Mission Control app. Bosch also offers an eBike range assistant to help you calculate how far you can expect to go with a Bosch eBike system given your weight and type of riding.

This is really dependent on how you maintain your system. We have customers that have 17,000 miles on their original battery and motor. Batteries are starting to be rated at close to 2,000 charge cycles until degradation and only charging a little counts as a partial charge. The better you practice maintenance and proper storage the longer your battery will last!

Fly Rides only sells class 1 and 3 ebikes. Class 1 ebikes will go 20mph while class 3 will assist up to 28mph. You can pedal as fast as you want (personal shop record is 52mph) but the assistance stops at the class rating.

Class 1 eBikes are pedal assisted bikes up to 20mph. Class 2 eBikes (which we do not sell) are typically hub motor systems that will pedal assist or throttle you to 20mph. Class 3 eBikes are pedal assist to 28mph (these can have throttles as well but we don't sell them). We believe a bicycle should feel like a bicycle and hub motors with throttles have poor weight balance, poor climbing ability, and are way less reliable.

eBikes can range from $500 on amazon to $17,000. They say quality hurts once but cheap hurts again and again. We believe in carry a range of eBikes that maintain quality and reliability. Our eBikes will be priced $2499-$15999 for every type of rider.

Whatever fits your needs! Watch the video below to hear from experts.

Quality. Mid drive motors have an authentic bike feel, balance the motor/battery weight, climb hills more effectively, and last much longer. Hub motors are usually manufactured in China and are harder to service (which isn't good because they break more!). I always ask my customers; do you want to be biking more or do you want a moped?

A quality shop (like ours) should have certified techs in whatever they sell. Our sales staff go through a rigorous 150 page training doc and ride every day. Our techs are Bosch, Shimano, and SRAM certified, and take any course they can get their hands on!

The industry standard is 2 years on the motor, 2 years on the battery, 2 years on the display and 5 years on the frame. 

Absolutely not! Well, depends on what you buy. We believe throttle bikes are. But pedal assisted eBikes won't move unless you pedal. We find it turns out to be the opposite, eBikers get out and ride more than regular bikers thus getting more exercise. You just go longer faster. Ask a regular biker if he uses his gears to make hills easier? If he says yes, wouldn't you call that the same thing? 

Always feel free to call to talk to an expert. Not all 6' people have the same inseam. An expert can help if you're unsure!

Here's a great article and video to help you choose the right size frame.

 FInd the bike type you want and then research what types of motors come on that specific bike. Road warriors like 28mph while emtbs should stay with 20mph. We are open to help you define what you need as well!

eBike motor technology changes fast - especially on mid- or high-range bikes! We recommend visiting the manufacturers' pages for the most up-to-date specs:

Notable mentions for those looking for low-weight, light-assistance and more of a traditional bike feel: 
Here is a video comparing motors dated 2019, so it will apply to models that you might find in entry-level or closeout bikes.

 

In this video, we go over the difference between 27.5 inch wheels and 29 inch (niner) wheels.

 

 We do, for certain bikes! Some of our manufacturers do not allow discounting, but when we are able, we are happy to honor the following groups of people with a coupon code:

  • Military Personnel and Veterans
  • First Responders
  • Students and School Staff

Ready to Ride?

Itching to get on a bike? Contact us to find your next eBike! Or visit the Fly Rides YouTube channel for more e-bike inspiration and reviews.