The ubiquity of the lockdown has inevitably changed lives around the globe, interrupting the way we connect, shop, work — and commute. With the uncertainty of the new role of public transportation in major cities, electric bikes are going to become even more desirable and common post lock-down among avid and casual cyclers alike.
Today, urban planners and city officials are looking ahead to usher in a new vision for city mobility — one that looks a lot more like the bike-friendly streets of Amsterdam or Copenhagen.
The accessibility of bicycles and bikeable pathways will become instrumental in how cities are designed and built. In the UK, there are aspiring plans to launch an ‘active travel’ campaign designed to encourage the rapid adoption of bicycles in communities across the city.
E-bikes are central to this revolution, thanks to innovative technologies that promote cycling both for commuting and exercise. This includes both the battery-powered assistance and high-power motors that give the e-bikes their speed and function. Battery technology is rapidly developing and evolving, encouraging riders to go greater distances, faster.
2020 and beyond holds high expectations for e-bike technology.
E-bike motors and batteries are improving rapidly
The biggest challenge bicycle engineers face today is the factor of weight — heavy batteries and heavy motors are more difficult for average riders to navigate, requiring greater effort to pedal or turn.
In the first design iterations, the additional power source and hub motor made e-bikes significantly heavier (and thus more challenging to carry up stairs or onto trains) than regular commuter bikes.
That’s why innovation in the next-generation of e-bikes focused on creating lighter mechanisms, from batteries to frames.
Lighter is Better
RIDEL’s ORA, for instance, is designed with a sleek one-piece magnesium alloy frame, coupled with 250 W BAFANG motor, making the electric bike impressively lightweight.
These sleek designers provide riders with agile feedback, instilling confidence in riders of all skill sets.
These impressively lighter bikes on the market today are much more appealing, with its improved battery chemistry and energy to power over multiple terrains or easily climb hills.
This technological innovation offers a lighter e-bike that still delivers on quality pedal assistance.
Enhanced Data
Collecting and analysing data has also allowed e-bike product designers and engineers to understand the key functions customers are using. The logged mileage in combination with harvested data found that e-bikes required less battery capacity.
This trend of lighter bikes has been seen across the market, where new collections from legacy brands include smaller batteries and lower energy capacity.
Ridel - Better E-Bikes
Ridel E-Bikes collection features a range in battery size, from 500W engine on the TRIPSER, built with 4.0 super fat tires and dual suspension for all types of outdoor terrain, to the lightweight EKO with a 250W engine that lets you cut through city traffic with ease and confidence.
500W is ideal for mountain bikers as the intelligent power assist system allows riders to truly go the distance
The future ubiquity of e-bikes
At first, e-bikes were viewed with questioning by inexperienced and serious riders alike.
First-time riders viewed them as high-powered mopeds, inaccessible to the regular commuter, while serious riders viewed them as an impure adaptation of bicycles.
Larger retailers or legacy brands feared their own adoption of e-bikes could tarnish the craftsmanship of their original road bikes frames.
We don't want no skepticism
This skepticism evolved in due time as engineers envisioned sleek new designs, custom packaging and sizing issues associated with batteries and accompanying hub motors. Modern e-bike and their electromagnetic functions have captured a new wave of consumers eager for extra speed, strength and distance, without sacrificing on design.
Better riding conditions
Nowadays, riders can truly go the distance in virtually any riding conditions. The RIDEL TRIPSTER lets riders take full control of their ride with 20×4.0 wheels and hydraulic brakes to manage any speed. And with a smartly designed LCD display, riders can track their ride, speed, distance, battery life and more.
The SNUGGER is optimal for riding up and down hills, or plowing through the snow.. Thick tires, front suspension and a powerful 750W watt 48V rear hub motor delivers impressive acceleration and hill climbing to glide over any terrain.
The future is E-Bikes
With power-assistance, e-bikes are helping more people ride — farther, faster and with greater efficiency. As technological innovation continues to evolve, we’ll also see the global community of e-bike riders grow, reminding us that e-bikes are here to stay.
