The e-bike selection has never been as large as it is this year. And never before have there been so many sporty, stylish and technically mature models. Velomotion.de gives you an overview of new releases and important insider tips for purchasing.
Electrical assistance on bikes has made huge leaps in popularity and image in recent years. The e-bikes of the season (we'll say goodbye to the artificial word "pedelec" for now) are mature, state-of-the-art products that appeal to an ever younger group of customers. "Especially in urban areas, more and more young people are discovering the diverse opportunities and possible uses of an e-bike in everyday mobility," confirms the two-wheeler industry association. According to the ZIV, around 1,6 million electric bikes are currently on German roads; In the coming years, the association expects around 600.000 e-bikes to be sold per year.
Customers are getting younger and sportier
The most popular are the electric bikes, in addition to the group of seniors, especially among the 40 to 49 year olds. And there are also changes in use: According to a representative Forsa survey commissioned by Bosch eBike Systems, 23 percent of employees can imagine riding an e-bike to work and sometimes leaving the car at home. Ten percent of the survey participants now see the e-bike as a potential piece of sports or fitness equipment. "Among touring cyclists and athletes, the sense and nonsense of electric assistance on the bike is often discussed controversially," says Reiner Kolberg, operator of the platform www.e-bikeinfo.de. "But if you put common prejudices aside, you quickly realize that cross and mountain e-bikes are a lot of fun and even road bikes with motor support make sense."
A matter of type: the right electric bike
Industry insiders estimate the market to have up to 2.000 different e-bike models. How are you supposed to keep track of that? Our tip: ask yourself what you would like to do with your e-bike in the future. Do you use the bike as a means of transport in the city, or do you prefer a leisurely bike tour? Rather on short or long distances? Do you prefer to be on the road or would you like to be on agricultural paths or gravel roads? Or should it really go off-road? "The industry produces suitable models for every application, some with different equipment, gearshift and engine variants," explains journalist and cyclist Caspar Gebel. "Research on the manufacturer's website and detailed comparisons are worthwhile."
Well invested: Investment in quality
A frequently voiced criticism of e-bikes is the price. You can now get more and more (e-)bikes for your money. "Regardless of whether it's a normal bicycle or an e-bike: high quality, low weight and high-performance, resilient components that meet the high demands of sport and everyday life simply cost money," emphasizes the experienced bicycle specialist and publisher of various specialist magazines Marcus Degen . "For a decent e-bike, you have to reckon with around two and a half times as much as a comparable bike." In the expert's experience, this quickly gets you in the range of 2.500 euros and upwards - and for example with full-suspension high-tech e-mountain bikes or fast S -Pedelecs, also quickly well above that.
Not an end in itself: good material
Experts such as the tester and e-bike expert Ernst Brust repeatedly point out that pedelecs are ridden faster and braked more often, harder and with a higher dead weight than conventional bicycles. "The mechanical operating loads are greater as a result," explains the expert. The frame, fork and handlebars are therefore particularly exposed to particular loads. Quality manufacturers take this fact into account with their bikes, which of course is also reflected in the price.
Tip: look at the components
"Prospective buyers should always keep an eye on the components of an e-bike and, in addition to the gears, pay particular attention to the brakes, the lighting and the tires," emphasizes Christian Malik from the e-mountain bike specialist Haibike. “Hydraulic rim or disc brakes, for example, offer good deceleration even at higher speeds and on long downhill stretches. If you are used to it, you should also choose a bike with a coaster brake, but only as a supplement.”
Good lighting is also important. Powerful and maintenance-free LED lamps with parking light function, such as those from Busch & Müller, Axa, Trelock or Herrmans, ensure that the route is well lit. When it comes to tires, you should pay particular attention to good puncture protection. Innovative and a recommendation for frequent drivers is the new airless and therefore flat-less Serenity tire from Hutchinson. Overall, the built-in components also offer good starting points for assessing the quality of an e-bike. "Particularly providers of supposed bargains like to save here," says Malik.
Spoiled for choice when it comes to the engine
There are big differences, especially in the engine. The slightly more expensive, but very harmonious mid-engines are becoming increasingly popular in this country. In terms of sales figures, Bosch is ahead by a nose, but so are other major manufacturers such as Panasonic (built into the Swiss Flyer models, for example) or the Cloppenburger Derby Cycle factory with its in-house Impulse 2.0 drive (brands including Kalkhoff, Raleigh, Focus ), have proven and powerful models in the program. New to the market this spring is the shifting specialist Shimano with its “Steps” mid-motor concept, which will first be available on e-bikes from the Hercules, Falter and Pegasus brands.
"In addition to front wheel hub motors, which are primarily used in inexpensive city bikes, rear wheel motors are also an interesting alternative - especially for sporty bikes and mountain bikes," emphasizes Josef Haider from the manufacturer KTM. For example, the Austrians rely on the small and powerful Panasonic rear wheel hub motor for the eRace model, which promises a lot of driving fun off-road.
A battery is not always the same battery
In recent years, the performance of batteries has continued to increase and manufacturers like to advertise with more and more range. In practice, however, the producers of discount e-bikes in particular rarely live up to this claim, as comparative tests show. A study by the expert organization Dekra recently also showed that, in contrast to models from quality manufacturers, e-bike batteries in discount pedelecs deteriorate significantly at low temperatures. Our tip for practice: A comparison of the watt hours (Wh) provides information. If the number is not specified by the manufacturer, it can easily be calculated by multiplying the volts (V) and the ampere-hours (Ah).
More security please
Helmets are compulsory for drivers of fast S-Pedelecs (support up to 45 km/h). But wearing a helmet is also a good recommendation for all other e-bike riders, since they usually ride not only more frequently and over longer distances, but also at higher average speeds. Good helmets are now available in a wide variety of fashionable variants: from the functional city helmet from Abus (models Urbanaut or Pedelec from Abus, from 69,99 euros), to the cool helmet in a skater design (models Stoker or Muni from Bell), to the sporty one Visor helmet for fast e-bike riders (Evolution by Cratoni, www.cratoni.de 119,00 euros). We also recommend functional cycling clothing that is comfortable and increases visibility with bright colors and reflective details, such as from the German manufacturer Protective, which has its own collection for the needs of e-bikers.
A good lock, with which the frame and rear wheel should be connected to a fixed object, offers security when parking. U-locks or practical folding locks, for example from Abus or Kryptonite, achieve good test marks. Experts also recommend using two different types of locks to make it more difficult for specialized thieves. Special bicycle boxes such as the BikeBox from WSM (from 1.009 euros including delivery) are ideal for the home garden, with which the e-bike can be parked out of sight, the weather and theft. Of course, good insurance is also recommended, such as the special e-bike insurance from Enra, which not only protects against theft, but also against vandalism, battery damage and accident damage, and even offers a pick-up service.
Advice and service is available from specialist retailers
Of course, you can also buy an e-bike online or in a hardware store. However, qualified advice, the opportunity to take a test ride, personal adjustments and the important after-sales service are only available from qualified bicycle dealers. Our tip: You can get a few bargains with last year's models.
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