Before You Buy an eBike: The Ultimate Buyers Guide!

If you’re unsure what electric bike to buy, this guide will answer all your questions! You’ll learn exactly what to consider when purchasing an eBike. Here’s what we cover:

00:00 – Introduction
00:57 – Measuring Your Inseam
01:55 – Bike Geometry, Frame Style & Finding the Right Fit
05:32 – Motor Power & Type
06:57 – Acceleration Test
09:28 – Hill Climb Test
10:52 – Ease of Use/Hub Drive Vs. Mid-drive
11:52 – Battery Size & Range
12:39 – Riding Style
14:40 – Recap

About Biktrix:

Biktrix designs and manufactures high-quality electric bikes for customers around the world. Our eBikes are powerful, well-built, and highly customizable. Visit our website to discover the perfect electric bike for you!

Learn More:

www.biktrix.com (US)
www.biktrix.ca (CA)

MUSICBED SYNC ID: MB01TBAR4ANQN7Z

Today, we’re going to answer the popular question, “How do I choose the right ebike?” With so many different kinds out there, it can be tough to decide which one will serve your needs best. Ordering over the internet without ever seeing the bike in person only makes it harder. But don’t worry, we’re going to walk you through the most important factors to consider when choosing your new ebike. The single most important aspect of choosing an ebike has absolutely nothing to do with the range, power, or even whether it’s a mid drive hub drive. Forget all of that for now. Above everything else, your bike needs to fit you properly. If a customer tells us that they’re unhappy with the bike they purchased, nine times out of 10, it’s because the bike is the wrong size. So, when ordering online, how do you know if your bike is going to fit? To be certain, we’ll have to take some measurements. Since we humans come in many shapes and sizes, simply choosing the recommended bike size for your height is not accurate enough. You’ll need to measure your inseam, the distance from the bottom of your feet to the point where your pant legs join. To do this right, you’ll need a tape measure, a hard rectangular object like a book or a clipboard, and a wall. This will be our measuring point. So, we’ll use the wall to make sure that the top edge is level. You don’t want this angling up and you don’t want it angling down as this would skew the measurement. When you take the measurement, make sure that it is square to the wall. All right, so Landon here is going to demonstrate how to take the measurement. With your back against the wall, place the item you’re going to be using to measure at the top of your inseam. Make sure it is square to the wall. Then extend the measuring tape that you’re going to end up using to the ground and take the measurement at the top right on the edge here. So Landon’s measurement here comes in at 33 in. Once you know your inseam, there are two important bits of bike geometry to compare it to. But before we jump into that, we need to talk about frame styles. Step over and step through. Stepover frames have a top tube that runs between the seat tube and the down tube. This design provides excellent frame strength, but it also means you have to be tall enough to stand over it. Step throughs, on the other hand, have no top tube at all. This makes the point of entry very low, so it’s a super accessible design. A step through is a great choice if you’re on the shorter side or if you have injuries or physical conditions that might limit your mobility. All right, back to bike geometry. If you think a step through is right for you, the most important number to look for is the minimum seat height. Minimum seat height is the distance from the top of the seat in its lowest position to the ground. It can be larger than your inseam, but not by more than one, maybe 2 in. This will ensure that both your feet can touch the ground while you’re seated on the bike. If you’re more interested in a stepover frame, you’ll need to pay attention to a second measurement, standover height. Standover height is the distance from the top tube to the ground. It is very important that your inseam is 1 to two inches larger than the standover height to ensure that you can comfortably stand over the bike. You’ll still need to make sure that the minimum seat height is within range. On this bike, the minimum seat height is 34.6 in and the standover height is about 29 in. That makes it the perfect fit for Landon with his 33 in inseam. As you can see, he is able to easily mount the bike in a standover position. He can stand flatfooted with no discomfort. When up on the seat, he is still able to reach the ground with his toes, and there’s enough room to adjust the seat upwards if they want to get a better leg extension on their pedal stroke. Thank you, Landon. Let’s move on and see what a good fit looks like for a smaller person. Russell here is going to try out the Challenger. Russell, what is your inseam? My inseam is about 29 1/2. Okay, so with a 29 1/2 in inseam, he’s going to need a bike with a minimum seat height of about 31 to 32 in and a standover height of well under 30 in. That is exactly what we have here. As you can see, he mounted the bike with ease and can stand comfortably over the bike with his feet planted on the ground. When he gets up on the seat, he can still touch the ground with his toes. Now, let’s see what an improperly fitted bike looks like. Remember, this bike has a 29 in standover height, so it’s very close to Russell’s inseam. As you can see, this doesn’t look very comfortable. He has to be on his toes and standover position, and getting up on the seat is going to be very difficult. Not only is this awkward, but it also puts you at a higher risk of falling. Thanks, Russell. For a proper fit, you must always allow for some safety room. If your inseam is equal to or smaller than the standover height, you’re looking at the wrong bike. And if it’s really close and you’re just not sure, we always recommend sizing down. Remember, you can always raise the seat on a smaller bike, but there’s nothing you can do to fix a bike that is too big. Fit truly is the most important aspect of purchasing a new bike, and measuring your inseam is the best way to check for fit. Make sure you take the time to measure yourself and find a bike that’s right for you. You would never want to buy a pair of shoes that are three sizes too big. So, don’t make the same mistake here. A properly fitted ebike will give you comfort, confidence, and a happier time in the saddle. Next, it’s time to consider the amount of power you need. It can be difficult to nail down exactly how much is enough without actually trying a bike in real life. To help you understand what the difference between a 350 watt and a 100 watt motor feels like, Marina is going to show you some demonstrations. Here are the competitors. Four bikes, each with a different motor. Together, they span the range of what we offer. All right. First up, we’ve got the Swift Light. So, it has a 350 W hub drive motor, which is our least powerful, but also our most affordable ebike. Next up, we’ve got the Juggernaut Hub Duo. So, this one has a 750 W hub drive motor. quite a bit more powerful than the Swift Light. Um, but actually the same size motor as this one here, the Juggernaut Classic Duo. So, the Classic Duo’s got a 750 W mid drive motor. Same level of power, but the mid drive versus hub drive will make a pretty big difference in speed. Finally, we’ve got the Juggernaut Ultra Duo. So, this one has a 1000 watt mid drive motor, which is one of the most powerful motors on the ebike market. So, this one packs a punch. And just for context, we’re going to throw in a regular pedal bike as well. As for the ebike riders, we’ve carefully chosen a group of people who all weigh between 150 and 160 lbs. So, rider weight will not have a significant effect on the results. All right, let’s do our first demonstration. If a customer feels their bike is too powerful, the takeoff speed is usually what scares them. It’s those first few seconds when you accelerate from a dead stop that are going to feel the most intense. And the sudden burst of power can be intimidating if you’re not ready for it. So, to show you what acceleration looks like on each bike, we’re going to do what might be the shortest race ever. Our riders are all lined up here on the starting line, and they’ll race to the finish line, which is just 30 ft away. Okay, let’s go back and analyze what happened. Right away, we can see some really significant differences between each bike. While the most powerful bike is crossing the line, the least powerful bike is barely getting started. Another thing to note is that the pedal bike is right near the front of the pack. This may come as a bit of a surprise, but there are a couple reasons why. First off, our ebike riders were using throttle only. no pedaling. Secondly, David is an experienced cyclist. We’ll let him explain why he was so quick. So, I ended up uh a lot closer than a lot of people might expect. A lot of this comes from I I ride quite a bit. I play a lot of sports that involve building muscles in my legs. Also, my bike weighs considerably less than most ebikes and is geared really well to accelerate quickly. Back to the race. The 1000 watt mid drive is leading the cyclist by an entire bike length. So to understand how powerful this motor is, imagine having a fit cyclist pedaling with all their might to propel you and then turn it up a notch. Moving on, the 750 W mid drive actually finishes toe-to-toe with the road cyclist as seen here. And the 750 W hub drive, well, it trails just behind that. These first three bikes can deliver enough power to make you feel like you’re on a small motorbike with the 1000 watt mid drive being the most exhilarating. Finally, the 350 watt hub drive comes across at a relaxed pace well behind the pack. The speed of the motor on this bike would be similar to that of someone starting off on a pedal bike in a casual manner. These results say a lot about how motor power can change your riding experience. The Swift had a very mellow start and finished well behind every other bike. For some folks, that small amount of power may be all you want. Meanwhile, the Ultra Rider beat an experienced road cyclist with throttle only, no pedaling. Now, time for our next demonstration. If speed isn’t your thing, there’s another reason you might want a powerful motor. Torque. If you ride in areas with a lot of hills, torque is what you need to climb them with ease. In this challenge, we’re going to send all our bikes up this hill at the same time. Three, two, one. [Music] going right down. Get right down. This is where the more powerful motors really showed their strength. They climb the hill much quicker, all while requiring far less effort from the rider. If you like to go fast or live in a very hilly area, it’s more than worth it to spring for a mid drive. But remember, you can’t tackle hills like that on a mid drive unless you’re making proper use of the gears, which brings us to the next point of consideration, ease of use. Some ebikes are easier to use than others. This mainly comes down to what type of motor they’re equipped with. A mid drive motor, such as this one here, relies on the chain to get the power to the rear wheel. So, the gear you’re in heavily affects both the torque and the speed you can achieve. You really need to know how to operate the gears properly in order to get the most out of the bike and prevent damaging the drivetrain. Hub drives, on the other hand, are located right in the rear wheel. With no gears involved, this makes them significantly easier to use because while the bike might have gears, as far as the motor is concerned, it doesn’t matter which one you’re in, it will always perform the same way. If you’re someone who isn’t familiar with multi-speed bikes, you might appreciate the convenience of a hub drive motor. For those who want that mid drive performance, but don’t have experience using gears, we still recommend taking the dive. It’s something anyone can learn, and it will be well worth it in the long run. For a more detailed comparison of hub drive and mid drive motors, please watch our video on that topic. Next on the list is range. Unlike power, you can never have too much of it. The range can be tough to estimate accurately as it does depend on many factors such as pedal assist settings, throttle usage, rider weight, wind, terrain, and more. The simple answer is to go for the biggest battery you can afford. You may be surprised at how far you are able to ride with an electric assist helping you out. Many of our customers enjoy riding 40 to 50 km on a single ride. Almost all of our ebikes offer a variety of battery sizes, so range needs typically won’t limit your choices too much. If however you need to go for more than 60 kilometers on a single charge, you’ll have to look at a dual battery ebike like the Juggernaut Duo or Juggernaut Ultra Beast. Finally, you need to consider how you’ll be riding your bike. Of all the bikes that match your criteria, which one’s going to best suit your riding style? Let’s take a look at the different bikes we offer and what they’re designed for. Our Juggernaut is the most versatile and featurerich lineup. You’ll find just about every option within the Juggernaut range. Hub drives, mid drives, steproughs, stepovers, a dual battery, full suspension, you name it. Choose an affordable base model or go for high-end performance with the most range, power, and torque possible. For ride anywhere versatility, you’ll want the Juggernaut. The Stunner series is an excellent choice if leisurely cruising is your style. These greatl lookinging bikes put comfort first with an upright riding position and a plush oversized saddle. They still have enough power to handle some pretty serious hills and come in fat tire options suitable for off-road use. Our Monte Capro series represents the pinnacle of ebike quality and performance. With ultra light carbon fiber frames, top-of-the-line components, powerful motors, and sporty mountain bike geometry, these bikes are made to push the limits. When it comes to light duty riding, the Swift series is a great option. Being easy on the wallet isn’t their only strong point. These bikes are lightweight, nimble, and stylish, which makes them a go-to for city cruising with an extra boost. Finally, if you’re looking for something a little different, our specialty series includes options like cargo bikes, folding bikes, and retro moped style cruisers. Take the Cuddy with you on a road trip. Haul your little ones around on the Skycat or go burn some rubber on our Challenger. All right, so let’s review. To find your perfect ebike, start by measuring your inseam. Decide between step through and step over and then check the bike geometry to ensure a good fit. Next, you’ll need to determine the power level you’ll need and whether a hub drive or a mid drive motor would be best. Consider your range needs and whether or not you’ll need a dual battery system as well. Once you’ve narrowed it down by all of those factors, choose from the bike styles that best suit the type of riding you do. Well, I hope you found this video both informative and helpful. If you’re still not sure which bike to choose, feel free to get in touch with us. Our friendly ebike experts will take the time to understand your needs and help you choose the perfect ebike. Thank you for watching. [Music]