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Electric Bike Power Needs

Regular and eBike Power Needs

Electric bikes are slowed by wind resistance and steep grades. Find your electric bike power needs, and manufacturers power claims before you buy an Ebike or Ebike kit.

As we have said, most electric bikes are not like electric motorcycles or scooters. Except for a few high powered rides, most ebikes need some degree of pedal assist to get down
the road. Here's why.

Regular Bike Power Needs

Lets look at the power needs of a regular bicycle first. The chart and graph below shows
that it doesn't take much power to get started, but that the faster you go, the power
needed increases exponentially. This is major important for all regular and electric bikes.

Energy - Watts

100

300

2,000

1,700

600

300

400

500

Ebike Motor Types

Electric Bike Power Needs

Electric bikes are not much different from regular bikes on flat roads and no wind. The chart and graph below shows that for a 150lb rider and 60lb bike, the power needs at start up are doubled, but that once going, the power needs are similar to the regular 22lb bike.

Steep Grades

The other variable that increases power needs exponentially is steep grades. The chart and graph below show that a 1% increase in grade almost doubles the power needs to maintain a 10mph speed. The power nearly doubles again from 1%-3% and so on. 

E Assist Bikes

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