Alexandra Ramirez
1. NAKTO
Best Overall Electric Bike
5/5 Product Rating
It is powered by a 250w brushless drive motor and has a 36v 10ah battery pack. There I plenty of power in this bike for wherever you want to go.
Features include a telescopic front fork suspension, seat springs, low step frame design, adjustable seat and handle bars, battery pack and more. It makes a great cargo carrying bike with the front basket and rear cargo rack. The centrally mounted battery pack makes the bike well balanced and easy to ride.
The easy tilt seat design makes battery removal quick and easy. It is not required to remove the battery to charge it, adding to its convenience. The selectable motor assist is via pedal or twist throttle which prevents the rider from becoming tired. The battery pack can only be removed with an ignition key that is supplied with purchase of the bike.
This convenient electric bike can reach 18-25 mph and can travel a distance of 22-35 miles. This will vary according to the weight of the rider, the terrain you are traveling over and overall electric assist usage.
Other features include a front and rear light, horn, bell and the cargo rack and basket. Light assembly of this bike is required. There is a unique serial # stamped on the frame that all NAKTO electric bikes have. The bike weighs roughly 70 lbs. Tools are not included with the bike so you will need to use your own to assemble but no unusual tools are necessary.
The battery charger is included along with complete owner’s manual and instructions. Online instructional videos are available also. There is an easy shift, 6 speed Shimano gear set and step through frame that makes the bike easy to get on and off.
– Jonathan Maxwell
2. Swagtron
Best Overall Electric Bike – Runner Up
4.7/5 Product Rating
This Swagtron is powered by a removable Lithium-ion battery pack. Since the battery pack is removable, you can bring it inside to charge it.
This powerful and convenient bike can go up to 15 miles per hour and can travel up to 15-30 miles on one single full charge.
This economical and stylish bike has a wide leather seat with an alloy suspension seat post, Kenda 26” tires with alloy double wall rims that provide a smooth ride. The 250w, 36 brushless alloy motor and LiFEPo4 battery gives riders all the power they crave.
– Jonathan Maxwell
3. Tomasar
Best Budget Electric Bike
4.6/5 Product Rating
The oversize 26” Kenda Balloon Cruiser Street Tires with aluminum rims with quick release axle on the front and a waterproof disconnect on the rear.
This is an excellent beach cruiser with its 100 hand welded aluminum frame that is very lightweight. The front disk brakes are standard and are easy to use.
The battery can charge within 4 hours and a charger is included so you can recharge the battery whenever you need to. This terrific electric bike can last 15-30 miles per charge and can reach speeds of 15-22 mph. The step through frame makes it easy to get on and off the bike. The quick release front axle makes transport easy and extra storage is available with the basket that can be attached from the front.
– Jonathan Maxwell
Electric Bike Buying Guide
Electric bikes haven’t been around a super long time, but they are still making waves due to the convenience and enjoyment they provide. They are an excellent choice for those who don’t like or can’t use the leg powered bikes but who do not want to use a car or motorcycle.
Each of the top ranked electric bike choices that we have featured has great power, good speed capabilities, solid construction and fabulous style as well. If you are looking to get an electric bike and enjoy the convenience and eco-friendly performance they provide, any one of these choices will do.
Read our buyer’s guide below to learn more about choosing the right electric bike. With so many choices and so many factors involved, sorting through all of the available models on the market may seem like quite a challenge. We have provided the information that will make this task much easier.
What is Electric Bike?
There are many reasons that getting an electric bike may appeal to someone. There are many benefits to have one and three of the most important factors are very appealing to most people. We have listed the top reasons as well as other pieces of information that will make choosing an electric bike much simpler.
Electric Bikes Save Money and Time
Many people are turning to electric bikes as a viable means of transportation to and from work, school, the grocery store, on leisure rides and social events as well. Using electric bikes to do these day to day things can save the rider time and money in many ways. We’ve outlined these ways below.
- Riders can use bike lanes and paths rather than having to deal with traffic or wait for a bus.
- Locking your electric bike right in front of where you want to go is a lot faster and cheaper than having to worry about finding a parking space, especially in places where parking is a premium and difficult to find without having to walk a long way.
- Recharging an electric bike’s battery is much cheaper than having to fill a car with gas or pay for the bus.
- The costs to maintain and repair the electric bike will be a lot cheaper than it costs to maintain and repair a vehicle.
- You can travel farther for less money on an electric bike than you can with any other means of transportation. Studies have been done about the efficiency of electric cars. They are definitely an economical choice.
Electric Bikes Contribute to a Healthier Lifestyle
Even though an electric bike uses less leg power it promotes a more active lifestyle and does involve exercise. Having an electric bike contributes to having a more fit and active lifestyle and that means being healthier. Adding an electric bike to your regular day to day travel adds regular light activity to your day without you having to arrive to your destination feeling tired, being sweaty, or feeling worn out. It is a great choice for daily commuting to work.
Many people use electric bikes as a form of exercise. It offers a high level of control for anyone who may not have been active before and wants to ease into it a little more slowly. Electric bikes are a great investment for anyone who is:
Getting over an injury or illness
New to working out
Who is elderly but still wants to ride
Looking for a lower impact exercise
Getting started on a new exercise plan
Getting back into exercise after not doing it for some time.
Types of Electric Bikes
There are two main types of electric bike:
- Pedelec – This type of electric bike monitors the pedaling the rider does and automatically adds motor assistance. The amount of assistance depends on the pedaling rate, pedaling force and the speed the bike is traveling.
- Twist n Go – Twist n Go electric bikes use a trigger that the rider controls that when switched on will trigger assistance from the motor. They will either be on/off switches or a variable grip design. Current twist n go electric bikes will only get assistance from the bike’s motor if the rider is pedalling when he hits the switch.
Electric Bike Batteries
Electric bikes run off of batteries so it stands to reason you will need to ensure that the battery you use for your bike is a good quality one.
Battery Types – There are many different types of batteries on the market but the two main types are nickel and lithium. There are good and bad points to both but lithium tends to be the more popular type due to the high energy storage capacity per kilogram that is more than other types offer.
Battery Sizes – A battery’s size is very important when it comes to charging time. Battery size is not referring to the actual size of the battery but the capacity to store energy. A battery with a larger capacity will be larger and heavier than a battery with a smaller capacity. A Larger battery capacity will take longer to charge than a smaller one but it will provide a longer run time.
Battery Temperature – Batteries typically don’t do well in cold weather. The chemical reaction that provides the electrons used to give the battery power work slower the more the temperature drops. Charging the battery inside where it is warm and only using it when you need to ride in the cold can reduce the strain the battery experiences in cold weather. A few models offer battery stacking which means that if you only need the bike for a short trip you can use one battery but if you’re taking a longer ride you can stack the battery to double or triple the energy capacity.
Conclusion
There are many reasons why a person might choose an electric bike. We’ve outlined several reasons above, the most popular reasons being saving time, money and getting exercise. They are very fun to ride and involve a lot less effort while still providing exercise.
With so many different models on the market, choosing one could be a challenge if you don’t know what you’re looking for. With the information in this buyer’s guide you can look through the different models and understand what each one offers the rider.
The right knowledge can make choosing the perfect electric bike much easier. They are a great alternative to conventional bikes and other motorized forms of transportation that is eco-friendly, enjoyable to ride and much less hassle to deal with than a car.
Resources
- Watseka – http://www.watseka-bikes.com/
- Yukon – http://www.yukontrailinc.com/
- Malibu – http://www.x-tremescooters.com/
