Words Jason Tansem
A key factor in choosing an RV is how will you explore your destination when you arrive? Motorhomes offer a very comfortable journey, but you often require a vehicle once you’ve settled at your site, which means a tow package, tow-vehicle, and will you flat tow, dolly or trailer? A fifth wheel or travel trailer lets you drop your RV, but it’s not always convenient or economical to tour around in a half-ton to one-ton truck, especially a dually.
In truth, there is no real right or wrong answer and there are pros and cons to all RV configurations, you just have to get closest to what is right for you. However, many RVers have found a new solution for getting around that works regardless of the RV you’ve chosen and doesn't require gas, towing, or insurance.
You’ve probably seen people silently gliding around the streets of your neighbourhood, RV park, and campground, often effortlessly pedaling uphill and over long distances. Is having an e-bike a feasible alternative to having a vehicle while you RV? The short answer is "YES."
But how do we choose the right bike for us? Here are the key factors to consider when choosing an e-bike.
Jason Tansem
Activity
There are many models and brands, but you can begin to narrow down the choices when you consider where you will ride your e-bike most frequently, in other words, how will you use it? E-bikes are geared toward several kinds of activities, such as cargo hauling, relaxed cruising, trail riding, mountain biking, downhill, road biking, sand and snow (fat tire) riding, traveling, and urban commuting.
Drive
There are two mains types of electric bikes. The most common is what has come to be called a "pedelec". This type of system monitors the rider's pedaling and automatically adds a certain amount of motor assistance – usually depending upon rate, force, and speed. In most countries, the output of the motor is regulated and limited to 250 W, and the maximum speed to 25 kph. When you reach this speed, the motor automatically switches off. There are also fast high-performance e-bikes that can achieve a speed of around 45 kph, but the users need to have a special driver's license, plates, and insurance. The regulations differ in every country, so it's important to ask your local shop for details.
The second type of e-bike is the 'twist-n-go', which comes with a switch or throttle that is used by the rider to trigger the assistance from the motor, similar to a motorcycle.
Jason Tansem
Power
Lithium-ion batteries are everywhere, so it’s no surprise we find them powering e-bikes. More expensive e-bikes have higher-tech batteries that are lighter, charge quickly, and last longer. Batteries degrade over time, holding less charge as they age. The quality of the battery makes a difference, so look for a reputably-named battery manufacturer and make sure the warranty covers the battery for at least two years. Lithium-ion batteries are typically said to last 800 full charge cycles. That's about three years of weekday commuting. They survive longer with careful use, so you should get at least 2,000 half-charge cycles.
We find these estimates somewhat pessimistic, as, in practice, battery life of several years should be easily achievable. A full charge typically takes between two and a half to six hours, depending on the manufacturer, battery capacity, and battery chemistry.
RadRover Step-Thru
Range
The distance an e-bike will go on one charge of the battery is called range. It's probably the most important specification. If your commute involves a big hill, for example, you don't want to run out of juice halfway up. Without power, an e-bike is just a heavy bike. The range depends on the battery capacity, the speed, your weight, profile of the commuting tour, the assistance level you choose, and the percentage of given pedaling power. If you're only going to do ten kilometres of daily commuting, you don't need a 70 km range. Nevertheless, you should buy a bike with a higher range than you necessarily need because the range will drop as the battery ages and loses capacity.
Jason Tansem
Transport
One other factor to consider when buying an e-bike is how you are going to carry them with you. There are some smaller foldable bikes on the market, but if you are going with full-size bikes, you need to make sure you have an adequate rack. Naturally, you want your bikes to be safe, secure, and nearly impossible to steal when they are being transported. You will most likely want to assemble the rack yourself to save money, so make sure you find an option with clear instructions and good tech support.
When we decided that it was time to invest in a couple of e-bikes, we started by scouring the internet. If you go this route, you will find many options for bikes and racks but be very careful because, as with anything, you get what you pay for.
In part two of our e-bike feature next issue, we will reveal the bikes we chose and why. After all, who wouldn't want to park their RV and fetch some groceries or supplies for “Happy Hour” when it’s easy to drive, easy to park, you can get healthy and go green.