8 Factors that Affects E-bike Speed and the Solutions

Electric bikes are excellent transportation systems that hasten individuals’ daily commute. Hence, it becomes overbearing when you start experiencing slow e-bike speed. Several factors may contribute to this, but most importantly, confirm the bike is from a reputable brand. Meanwhile, many people also notice that the e-bike is slow after riding for a long time. Is there any logical reason for this?

Apart from the fact that people with poor physical conditions will have trouble riding fast, some components of e-bikes cause slow speed. With the pedal-assisted model of e-bikes introduced in recent years, riders are expected to travel for a longer duration than before. The motor assists pedaled e-bike to travel for a long distance. A faulty motor is one of the significant contributions to slow e-bike speed. This article will unravel why your electric bikes are slow and the recommended solutions, as outlined below.

• Lack of Adequate Knowledge
• Cyclist Fitness and Terrain Condition
• Power of the Electric Motor
• Electric Motor Rewind System
• Different Legal Restrictions
• The Bike’s Battery Voltage
• The Electric Bike Tire
• Gear on Mid-drive Motors

Lack of Adequate Knowledge

If you own a bike, you must understand how it works, including controlling the speed. This will include knowing the maximum speed you can ride in your state. Knowing this will help you decide the terrain to ride on. This is why some local manufacturers do not build an e-bike beyond the restricted speed in an area.

Recommended solution: The closest solution is to acquire as much knowledge as possible via the internet. However, you need to confirm that the information source contains details about e-bike speed. Some manufacturers will include user manuals in the bike’s package. You can ask for one-on-one consultation if you purchase from your local store.

Cyclist Fitness and Terrain Condition

The throttle mode that does not pedal operates on a lower riding speed. When a bike is set on low-speed mode, it is sometimes done for the pedal to assist while riding uphill. If you are using pedal assistance, you may want to set your e-bike speed too high. Also, some cyclists prefer to ride slowly on flat terrain, especially with pedals. This is why they are not the preferred type of e-bike for cyclists. Also, the power and strength of a cyclist will determine how far such an individual can go. For instance, a cyclist with poor health conditions cannot cover the usual riding speed.

Recommended solution: Follow the e-bike speed recommended by the doctor if you are a convalescence cyclist. Also, you need to set the speed rate to be suitable for the terrain you are riding on. For instance, you may want to ride slow on rough terrain.

Power of the Electric Motor

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, an electric motor is attached to a bike pedal. Hence, its power will determine a rider’s extra speed from pedal assistance. The power of an electric motor is directly proportional to an e-bike speed. However, this does not imply they both have a linear relationship. For instance, if you triple an electric motor power, it does not mean the speed will be tripled.

Recommended solution: A motor is compared to the engine of an electric bike. You can get a larger size for better speed performance. Study shows that you can get more than 10 km/h speed by improving the bike’s engine.

Electric Motor Rewind System

The electric motor is a vital part of an electric bike. It contains the rewind system, which also determines your bike’s speed. The rewind is like wires connected or cooled around the motor’s armature. However, the rewind is a sensitive component you do not want to mess up with, especially if you are not mechanically savvy. Any slight error may affect the bike’s motor.

Recommended solution: You can achieve a high e-bike speed when rewinding your motor. This can be achieved by locating the armature. After identifying it, reduce the wind, which will increase the bike’s speed rate. However, this will cause more heat and utilize more electric current.

Different Legal Restrictions

One of the significant factors to discuss is legal rules. The legal restrictions about e-bike speed in most states cover electric motor power. For instance, the United States allows a motor with a maximum capacity of 750 W. Meanwhile, a 750 W cannot account beyond 28 mph. Since power influences speed, any decision made concerning it is crucial. Some manufacturers install speed limiters into electric bikes in response to state speed restrictions. Once the device estimates the maximum number of wheel revolutions per time, it adjusts itself. If this is the case, you may have to ride above this limit when in another state. However, cyclists have it differently for them. People who ride for sports often go at a higher speed. Also, a slower pace is more recommended in the US if you ride along the walkway. This is to ensure the safety of everyone around you

Recommended solution: You can change the speed limiter settings to higher. You can set the wheel to a higher size using the control panel. This will give the limiter impression you are using a higher wheel, thus increasing its speed. If you want, you can also altogether remove the speed limiter. It is usually installed at the controller part.

The Bike’s Battery Voltage

The higher your battery voltage, the higher your e-bike speed. Also, you can focus on the battery’s resistance since a low resistance implies a high battery voltage. A good battery will operate at a high voltage, even when under loaded, and the sag is low. These batteries are usually more adaptable and tolerant. For instance, they can survive in various weather conditions than low voltage batteries.

Recommended solution: You can change your battery or increase the voltage, provided it matches the motor’s capacity. You first need to identify the required battery cell through the e-bike battery pack. If you do not have a professional nearby, input the batteries on a search engine bar to get the needed information. However, be careful not to damage the motor or control panel during this process.

Sometimes, adding more cells to your battery is enough to achieve a high speed. You need to identify if the battery can accommodate more cells and if the batteries are connected in series or parallel. If you notice that increasing your battery voltage is not the solution it needs, confirms if it’s compatible with the motor controller. Hence, when you add extra cells that the battery can contain, it may cause shut down.

The Electric Bike Tire

Your E-bike tire does not directly affect an e-bike’s speed, but it is not a factor to ignore either. If your tire does not provide enough support and stability to the bike while riding, the pace will slow down. A wide tire will not be flexible enough to ride along the road.

Recommended solution: Change your thick tires for slimmer ones to ride faster. This is particularly important if you will be riding uphill.  When riders are most concerned about their safety, they ensure regular tire maintenance. A solution that requires minimal cost is ensuring your e-bike components are in proper condition.

Gear on Mid-drive Motors

Since electric bikes have flexible components, some are built with mid-drive motors. With this type of motor, you can control the gear at your preferred speed. Most people think the rear wheel cogs are the problem, but it isn’t. Changing the cog will give little or no effect. However, if your wheel can contain a 9 or 10 tooth rear cog, it may slightly affect the e-bike speed.

Recommended solution: The solution for a ride on flat surfaces is to increase the chainring size. This reduces the torque effect from your end, thus increasing the e-bike speed.

Conclusion

Electric bikes are essential contributions to the stability of the green environment. Despite this importance, they do not operate as fast as fossil fuel vehicles. Meanwhile, the factors above explained why some e-bike speed is unusually slower than others and its recommended solution. For instance, you may not want to ride too fast for specific reasons. High speed tends to reduce battery lifespan as well. Also, some factors above are highly technical (primarily electric-related components), so this article recommends you seem a professional input. This will prevent you from causing further damage to the electric bike.