Riding an Electric Bike for the First Time - Tips for Beginners

Getting Started:

Riding an electric bicycle is a fun and healthy way to cover more miles than possible on a regular bicycle. An electric bicycle is similar to a regular bicycle in many ways, but there are also some differences.

To get started, check the tire pressure for the front and rear tires. A simple test is to squeeze the tire to see if it’s soft. The preferred method is to use a pressure gauge if available. Adjust the pressure to your preferred amount of air. The tire sidewall will provide the maximum pressure allowed, but you do not need to use maximum pressure if you prefer a softer ride. Please contact our support team if you have questions about the appropriate tire pressure for your weight. 

Adjusting your saddle is a crucial part of riding any bicycle. You want the saddle as high as you are comfortable riding to ensure proper leg extension. A good rule of thumb is to raise the saddle so just the ball of your foot contacts the ground when you are at a stop. If you prefer a lower saddle height to keep your feet flat on the ground, this is also acceptable, but remember, the higher the better.

Handlebar adjustments are also an important part of riding a bicycle. This generally happens during bicycle assembly, but it’s worth mentioning in this article. When seated, you want your wrists to be straight, and your hands to align with the brake levers. Keeping your wrists straight prevents numbness or pain while riding.

Helmets are a key component to a safe ride, regardless of whether they are mandatory in your area. Make sure your helmet is on correctly and the chin strap has room for 2 fingers between your chin and the strap, but not more. Your helmet should be snug, but comfortable.

It’s time to turn on your electric bike. Different bicycles will have different styles of power buttons. For EVELO bikes, simply press the button on the handlebar to turn on the bike. There are no other switches or keys.

The plus and minus buttons on the left hand side of the handlebar will adjust your pedal assistance level, also known as PAS.  This controls how much power the motor will deliver during your ride. Level zero will provide no motor power - levels one through 3 will provide a light to moderate amount of power, and levels 4 and five will provide maximum power, best reserved for steeper hills.

There are a variety of gearing systems available on different eBikes, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with the specific gears on your bicycle. The EVELO Omega and Galaxy Lux feature the Enviolo Automatic shifting system, the settings of which are controlled within the included smartphone App.

If equipped, you will also find a throttle on the left hand side. Pressing this will provide power without pedaling, and the bike will take off on its own, so make sure not to press this until you are ready - just like the gas pedal in a car. Most bicycles will require a PAS level of 1 or above for the throttle to function.

Most electric bicycles feature a headlight and tail light - power this on or off depending on your preference.

When mounting the bicycle, you can swing your leg over the saddle, or step through the frame on some models - which can be a bit easier. Straddle the bike, then hop on the seat and prepare to ride.

Starting off:

To get started, we recommend starting in PAS level 0 if you have never ridden an ebike before to get comfortable with the bike. If you’re comfortable riding an ebike, levels 1 through 3 are a great choice - this will make pedaling easy, but will also ensure a safe start.

As an alternative, you can gently press the throttle to get rolling, then start pedaling.

While Riding:

When riding, there are a number of settings you can adjust to operate your eBike.

Pressing the up or down buttons while riding will affect your Pedal Assistance level. You will also see the number change on the display panel. The higher the number, the faster the bike will go. This is different from shifting gears.

If you wish to take a break from pedaling, you can press the throttle on the left hand side, and the bike will go on its own power.

Most display panels will offer a number of features, like wattage consumption, an odometer, and a battery gauge to see how much power is left in the battery.

Stopping:

When coming to a stop, you want to use both brake levers simultaneously. Most bicycles in the United States will have the left lever control the front brake, and the right level control the rear brake. Be careful not to squeeze too hard on the front lever.

Make sure your feet can touch the ground when coming to a stop.

If you need to make a quick stop, be comfortable and ready to hop off the saddle once the bike has stopped moving.

Best Practices:

There are a few riding tips that will ensure your eBike lasts as long as possible, and gives you the most range possible.

Pedal with the bike going up hills to extend your range, and put less stress on the motor and electronics. You want to work with the motor for steep hills. Once you reach the top of the hill, that’s a good time to take a break and let the throttle do the work. Using only throttle power to get up steeper hills puts unnecessary stress on the motor, and will significantly reduce your range.

If you’re looking to go as far as possible, use PAS levels 1 and 2, and use the throttle sparingly -  this will maximize your range and battery life.

Storage:

When you’re done with your ride and it’s time to park your ebike - you can charge the battery on or off your bicycle.

Removing the battery and keeping it in a climate controlled environment is recommended, both for charging and long term storage.

Plug your charger into the battery first, then plug your charger into the wall. This is a great way to get the longest life out of the connectors.

Last but not least, a clean bike is a happy bike. Many maintenance issues can be avoided by keeping your bike clean. eBikes with belt drives and internal gearing make this much easier than bikes with chains.

If you have any questions about ebikes, contact our team - we can help!