This column is imagery correspondence between Byron the Bicyclist, Maddie the Motorist and Patty the Pedestrian. It is meant to inform and entertain.
Dear Byron the Bicyclist;
Range. How far can an e-bike go before it needs charging?
Signed, Maddie the Motorist
Dear Motorist Maddie.
What is the range of an e-bike? I am going to discuss pedal-assist e-bikes, which require the rider to pedal and then provide additional power using an electric motor.
The ranges I have seen advertised for these e-bikes are from 32 to 160 kilometres. It depends on the level of pedal assist the bike is set at (adjustable by the rider), the temperature of the battery, the terrain and the battery capacity. Some manufacturers will sell you two batteries so you can increase your range. Some bikes also now have the ability to regulate the assist-level once you put in your destination, ensuring you have enough power to get there.
For most people, e-bikes give a longer range for their rides than a manual pedal bike, and require less hard effort. You don’t need to be super fit to cover the more challenging hills.
Williams Lake is hilly. An e-bike effectively “flattens” the road when you go up hills, making it easier to arrive at your destination fresh and composed. Some e-bikes have as many as five different settings of pedal assist. Regenerative braking on some e-bikes can also help recharge the battery as you ride.
As exercise is more moderate, many will prefer e-bikes over regular bikes.
B.C. has limited the power of e-bikes to 500 watts and their assisted speeds are limited to 32 km per hour, but this is enough power and speed to be a big help for riders.
Range is also about how far people are willing to walk, bike or e-bike. A study done at McGill University in Montreal many years ago found that, on average, people were willing to walk 650 metres or cycle 2.2 km. With e-bikes and improved Montreal bike routes since then, e-bike ranges would likely be well over that distance today.
In terms of energy use, the bicycle is already the most efficient means of human transportation, and electric-assist increases this range significantly.
Signed; Byron the Bicyclist
Bert Groenenberg has been walking or cycling to work in Williams Lake for over 30 years. And yes, he does drive too.
Read more: COLUMN: Learning to Share the Road
Read more: COLUMN: Sharing the Cariboo roads
ruth.lloyd@wltribune.com
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