If you’re new to the world of e-bikes, you may have a lot of questions. Among them are questions about the differences between e-bikes and mopeds, scooters, and other true motor vehicles. Riding a motor scooter, as we know, doesn’t take pedals to put the wheels in motion and keep them moving. Do you need to keep pedaling for an e-bike to work, however? Let’s break it down across the three classes of electric bicycles. For Class 1 E-Bikes: Definitely Class 1 e-bikes also go by the name “pedal-electric bicycles,” or “pedelecs.” This means that the rider’s pedaling activates the e-bike’s motor. In this class of e-bike, the motor assists pedaling rather than replacing it altogether. The motor can help you pedal faster and achieve speeds you may not have achieved fully manually, and as you get up to speed, you’ll be able to relax a bit and maintain a comfortable speed without having to push hard for it. In fact, once you reach 20 mph, the motor disables itself for safety purposes. Of course, the laws of physics dictate that you’ll be able to coast on your e-bike without pedaling, though, for pacing purposes, this isn’t always advisable. For Class 2 E-Bikes: Not Necessarily Here’s where e-bikes blur the lines between bicycle and motor vehicle. Like any pedelec, you can use your e-bike’s motor to assist your pedaling. However, a Class 2 e-bike also comes equipped with a handlebar throttle, which triggers the motor without having to pedal. This means that you can rest your legs without having to exert energy just to get started. Of course, you should remember that this boost comes at a price—your battery life. The more you rely on your throttle to take over for your pedaling, the harder your motor works, and the more battery power you expend. If you haven’t been diligent in keeping your battery charged, this could leave you without supplemental power at a time when you find you need it most. Fortunately, Ebike Essentials keeps cyclists moving with long-lasting e-bike batteries for sale. While they still require a charge, they’ll allow you to ride with confidence when you need to give your legs a rest. Class 3 E-Bikes: It’s Complicated Class 3 e-bikes, which achieve or even exceed speeds of 28 mph, are for serious riders only. The maximum speed separates this class from the rest. Whether you need to keep pedaling for an e-bike to work depends on the presence of a throttle. If there’s a way to trigger the motor without using your feet, you don’t need to keep pedaling. If this is a true pedelec that moves fast but is limited to pedal assistance, you’ll need to pedal until the needle hits 28 mph and disables the motor.
