Want to get more miles from your e-bike without running out of battery? These five expert tips will help extend your e-bike battery range, improve battery life and keep you riding longer—whether you’re commuting, touring or climbing hills.
By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Lifestyle Editor
Riding a bike is a blast. And, after years of riding a beach cruiser along flat bike paths that run alongside the ocean, I am now a big fan of e-bikes.
That’s because some of those bike paths are long, have ups and downs and hills. After riding e-bikes as a tour guide, I must admit I became spoiled and am now an e-bike rider and owner.
And so, based on my vast experience and knowledge – as well as answering countless questions from customers about the range of e-bikes and making sure our bikes don’t run out of power when taking guests on a tour – I am an expert on providing tips on how to extend the battery power range of your e-bike. I give guided e-bike tours and ride regularly, so these are practical battery-saving techniques I use myself.
Note that most e-bikes have a range of 40-50 miles, or three to four hours, depending on various factors, which include the e-bike itself, the rider (weight is big factor here), the terrain and number of hills in the ride. Regardless, there are certain tips that anyone can use in order to get the most range out of their e-bike.
1.) Lay Off The E-Bike Throttle
I love the throttle. Especially when I approach a hill. I can mash it (I prefer the thumb throttle to the motorcycle style) and be at the top before I finish yelling “wheeeee!!!”
But I also know that using the thottle like that can quickly drain the power level. So I always have my eye on the display and pretty much limit using the throttle for three purposes: to get moving from a standing start (it takes e-bikes a couple of seconds to get moving if you just try and pedal so using the throttle is a big help there, especially on an hill), to help me get up a hill and for a few fun moments during the ride. I don’t just lay on it the whole time because that drains the battery and if I’m going to be out for more than two hours – or more than say 25 miles – I use it sparingly.
2.) Use Lower Assist Levels When Possible
A huge way to exend a batter’s range is not to have it in the highest gear all the time. Let’s say you have five levels. Keep it between two and three. My e-bike is so good that I can easily cruise in one on a flat surface. Find you “cruising speed” as the airlines call it.
3.) Shift Gears Efficiently On Hills
Okay, I mentioned mashing the throttle when going up a hill and really that’s fine for short or small hills. But if you have a steep and/or long hill, you’ll get more battery range if you use the highest gears rather than the throttle. The bike may cut out on you from time to time but that’s normal; just keep pedaling. And do it smoothly without stopping. The e-bike will then just glide up the hill.
4.) Reduce Extra Weight and Wind Resistance
One of the criteria of e-bike battery life is the weight of the person riding it. Of course it take more juice to propel a 200-pound person than a 150-pound person. So if you are 200-plus pounds, keep that in mind and really pay attention to tips 1,2 and 3.
5.) Charge Your Battery Correctly
When not using your e-bike, make sure it’s fully charged before you go out again. Sometimes the level of the bars can be deceiving. It may show full bars but might be right on the cusp of being down one. Or, some bikes also have a voltage display that is more telling than the number of bars on the display.
E-bike BatteryQ&As
How long does an e-bike battery last?
Most lithium-ion e-bike batteries last 3 to 5 years or roughly 500 to 1,000 full charge cycles depending on usage and care. During use, you can pretty much count on three hours and you can stretch to four by following the tips in this article.
Does pedal assist save battery?
Yes. Lower pedal-assist levels use less power and can significantly increase total riding range.
Is it bad to leave an e-bike battery fully charged?
Yes. Keeping it at 100% for long periods can reduce long-term battery health..
Bonus: E-Bike Backpack
Here’s a cool e-bike accessory, a backpack. While made for motorcycles, it can also work for e-bikes because it has shoulder straps so you can put it on your back while riding. The Trident model is large enough to pack clothes for a couple of days if you’re going on on a short road trip, which is possible on an e-bike.. It’s from Viking Bags and it also has saddlebags and more, which you can check out here:
www.vikingbags.com/pages/motorcycle-saddlebags
Kevin Wilkerson is an e-bike owner, an avid e-bike rider and is an e-bike tour guide in a major tourist destination.
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