Shuangye ebike
How to increase E-Bike’s range? There are some simple steps you can take to get the most range out of your battery source.
E-Bike’s Range varies based on several factors including:
– Weather conditions (temperature and wind)
– Terrain (elevation changes and road surface)
– Conditions of your components (including tire pressure)
– Riding style (including acceleration, cadence and gear use)
– Total weight (rider and cargo)
– Charge and discharge cycles
To maximize battery life and extend your E-bike’s range, follow these tips:
1.Try to pedal while you accelerate
Because acceleration is the heaviest single use of battery power on your electric bicycle, if you pedal for even a few seconds as you accelerate you can cut your energy usage during that phase by as much as half. That translates to some pretty big energy savings, especially if you are riding in a lot of stop and go traffic.
A lot of people get addicted to the throttle and don’t like to pedal, but think of it as a few seconds of free exercise that also extends your ebike range (and keeps you from having to pedal later when your battery runs down).
2.Slow down a bit (and enjoy life)
If you aren’t in a hurry and you aren’t trying to keep up with traffic for safety reasons, try slowing down just a tad. Even a couple miles per hour will make a significant decrease in the amount of energy you are using to maintain that speed.
Energy use vs speed isn’t linear, so dropping your speed by just 5% is actually saving a good deal more than 5% of your energy. In other words, slowing down a couple miles per hour can have a big affect on your ebike range.
3.Use regenerative braking if your ebike has it
Renegerative braking on an electric bicycle is only possible with direct drive (gearless) hub motors, but if you have it, make sure you use it. And make sure you use it smart by braking ahead of time as you come up to red lights or stops signs so that the majority of braking can be done with the motor.
To do this, only squeeze the brake lever enough to activate the regenerative braking and not enough to apply your brake pads to the rim or disc. Keep in mind this is only for when you have time to brake leisurely. If you need to stop quickly, of course make liberal use of your brakes!
On my bike I can get as much as 5% energy savings with regenerative braking. This means whatever my ebike range would have been, I can go 5% farther thanks to my regenerative braking gains.
4.Keep a second, smaller charger on your ebike
I like to use a powerful charger with a big cooling fan at home (even though my wife hates the noisy fan…) but I sometimes take a smaller charger with me if I know I’ll be out somewhere with a place to charge after a long trip.
This just helps me keep my battery topped off. Even putting 10-20% back into your battery during the day will help keep the health of your battery up, not to mention adding 10-20% to your ebike’s range.
5.Keep your tires pumped up
Tires that are kept at their maximum air pressure rating have less rolling resistance, meaning your battery wastes less energy getting you moving. I’m still trying to find a study of bicycle tire pressure vs energy usage, but similar studies conducted using car tires have consistently indicated an increase in range of about 3%.
If this data holds true for bicycles as well, that means if you have a current ebike range of 30 kilometers, keeping your tires maxed out could add an entire kilometer to your range. Who wouldn’t take an extra kilometer for free?
6.Coasting drastically increases your ebike range
When you know you’ll be coming to a stop ahead, such as before a traffic light or stop sign, let off the throttle in advance and coast to the stop. Riding full throttle until the moment you start braking is wasting precious battery energy. You have to come to a stop anyways, why not save your energy by cutting the throttle an extra 50 yards ahead of your stop?
It might add a few more seconds to your total trip time, but if you can’t live without those three or four seconds, perhaps your ebike range isn’t your biggest worry in life.
7.Go easy on the throttle
I know, it’s fun to twist the throttle all the way back and fly off into the sunset, or just tear away from the traffic light. But each time you accelerate you are using comparatively way more energy than just standard cruising.
If you have a CycleAnalyst or other watt meter, you’ll see that cruising on flat ground might pull 5 or 10 amps, while accelerating can easily max you out at your controller’s limit, often 20 or 30 amps.
Instead of going full throttle when you want to accelerate, try to ease into the throttle and accelerate a bit slower. By taking a few seconds longer to get up to speed, you keep the amount of power used by your battery much lower.
This not only leaves more energy in the battery for a longer ride, it also helps keep the battery cooler, which lets it use that same energy more efficiently. And better efficiency = better ebike range.
8.Keep your battery fully charged whenever possible
Lithium batteries, like any battery, will obviously get the most range when they are completely topped off at 100% charge. You aren’t going to go as far on half a tank, so to speak.
Some people get by with just charging their battery once a week if they are only making short trips throughout the week. The problem with this method is that the battery sits in a partially discharged state for much of its life. This means that if you suddenly want (or need) to make a long trip, you could be in trouble.
When I come home from a ride, my battery generally goes right on the charger. This also helps me not forget to charge the night before and end up waking to a mostly discharged battery in the morning. That feeling isn’t the worst thing in the world, but it’s close.
9.Less tire pressure, more traction
A common myth that continues to make the rounds claims that very high tire pressures leads to less rolling resistance – but once you’re off-road, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
The correct pressure is crucial on the climbs in order to transfer the motor’s power to the ground. Loss of traction and skidding are going to sap your range. Depending on your riding style and weight, we’d recommend 0.9 – 1.3 bar for plus-size tires and 1.6 – 2.0 bar for 2.4″-wide tires.
10.Eyes up. Pick your lines
Looking ahead and anticipating hits on the trail isn’t just important for your safety, but also for the range. Learn to pick your lines and avoid hitting every single root and rock. It’ll take time to learn how to read the terrain like a pro, but as a rule try and keep your gaze fixed down the trail, not at your front wheel.
11.Less weight, more range
The easiest way to save weight is to shed unnecessary load from your backpack. The total system weight, which consists of the electric bike, all the components and the rider, plays a major role in the range.
One easy way to reduce weight is to take a critical trawl through your riding backpack – what do you really need for the day’s ride? We wouldn’t recommend shedding grams on the actual bike, but what about yourself?
However, here’s the best news: e-mountain biking keeps you fit so your range will increase as your own physical condition improves. Have a great ride!
12.Optimal cadence
As mentioned, cadence is crucial. Most motors are at their most efficient with around 75 pedal strokes per minute. The fewer pedal strokes and slower the cadence, the earlier your ride will come to an end. If this occurs, you’ll have to adjust your cadence to suit the cadence zones set by the motor manufacturer so that you end up with the maximum efficiency.
Follow these tips, and you’ll be able to ride farther and enjoy maximum range.
If you are looking for a new way of commuting or want a healthier lifestyle, we are here to help you. Visit our website to learn more about electric bikes and electric scooter or please leave information to us.