We understand that sometimes there is a lot to take in. That’s why we’ve put together some Frequently Asked Questions to help with some of the common inquiries we get. If the answer to your question is not below, please do not hesitate to get in touch via the Live Chat, phone or email. We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have.

Is it easy to ride an electric bike?

Yes! If you can ride a conventional push bike you can ride an electric bike! They incorporate the latest technology but ensure that all the functions are kept nice and simple to ensure easy operation.

Where are your bikes designed?

Our range of electric bikes are designed in the UK ensuring quality, reliability, style and durability.

Do I need a licence to ride an electric bike?

No. 

In the UK you must be over 14 years old to ride an electric bike, but you don’t need a licence, nor do you need to register it or pay vehicle tax.

Your steed is an “electrically assisted pedal cycle” (or EAPC, or e-bike, or Pedelec) if: the bike has pedals that propel it; the electric motor won’t assist you when you’re travelling more than 25 km/h (15.5mph); and the power doesn’t exceed 250 watts.

The cycles that meet these requirements (which affect two-wheeled bikes but also tandems and tricycles) can be ridden on any cycle paths and anywhere else that bikes are normally allowed.

You may find off-road bikes that can go faster than 15.5 mph by flicking a switch, but for UK law these are not compliant with EAPC regulations for on-road use.

If your e-bike doesn’t meet these regulations – either because the motor is more powerful than 250W, or if it assists you when you’re riding more than 15.5 mph – it will need to be registered, insured and taxed as a motor vehicle. In this case, you will also need a driving licence, and you must wear a motorcycle helmet.

What is the law with regard to electric bikes?

The law is very simple in respect to electric bikes and treats them in exactly the same way as conventional push bikes so long as the following are adhered to:

  • The electric bike cannot exceed 15.5mph in power assisted mode.
  • The motor must be a maximum size of 250 Watts.
  • Power is immediately cut when the brakes are applied.
  • The minimum age for riding an electric bike is 14 years of age.
  • An electric bike must weigh a maximum of 40kgs.

Who are electric bikes aimed at?

Anyone over the age of 14!

They are great for commuters who would prefer to cycle rather than drive or use public transport but don’t want to arrive at work all hot and sweaty or perhaps feel the distance they have to cycle is just too far on a conventional push bike. Also commuters can rapidly save money on commuting costs. For example, in London an annual zone 1-2 Travelcard costs £1,104. In just over twelve months you could have paid for a new electric bike and your commuting after this costs next to nothing whilst at the same time keeping you fitter and helping the environment.

Also those of us who are possibly not quite as fit as we’d like to be but who still love the freedom and the greenness of cycling can benefit massively from an electric bike.

Suddenly hills are easy to go up again and those distances that seemed daunting before are now nothing to fear whilst at the same time helping you get fit again!

Electric bikes can also allow the whole family to go cycling together again with the older or slightly less fit family members using electric bikes to keep up with the rest of the family.

Electric bikes can also be a useful part of cardiac rehabilitation programmes. Health care professionals will often recommend a stationary bike be used in the early stages of a cardiac rehabilitation programme as this can reduce deaths in people with coronary heart disease by around 27%. Cardiac patients may subsequently feel safer progressing from stationary bikes to electric bikes rather than to conventional push bikes as they require less cardiac exertion for those who have experienced heart problems.

Anyone who is environmentally aware and wants to improve their green credentials but doesn’t feel fit enough or want to use a conventional push bike will love an electric bike.

Electric bikes use very little energy (only 3p per full charge) and give off zero emissions making them exceptionally environmentally friendly.

Studies have also shown that people who have an electric bike will use it far more often than a conventional push bike and will also travel further on it.

Essentially electric bikes are for everyone and once you’ve been on one, you’ll wonder why you didn’t get one years ago. Just to put things in perspective in 2010 in Holland (the bike capital of the world) the Dutch spent more on electric bikes than they did on conventional push bikes and in China there were estimated to be 120 million electric bikes on the road in 2010! Electric bikes are the future and once you’ve been on one, you’ll understand why!

Are electric bikes safe?

Electric bikes are just as safe as conventional push bikes and arguably are even safer! As they assist you with pedalling this can mean that you are less tired and thus more alert to what is going on around you. You can also power away at junctions and keep up with the flow of traffic easier. Going up hills requires a fraction of the effort and therefore you’re not so out of breath! On top of this the range of electric bikes have very bright LED lights fitted as standard which are powered directly from the battery ensuring that you are always seen by other road users.

Are electric bikes difficult to look after and service?

No!

Our range of electric bikes are just as easy as conventional push bikes to look after and service as most of the parts are the same.

Tyres, chains and gears will require attention from time to time as they would with any conventional push bike. The 250W electric motors that e-bikes use are designed to be maintenance free as are the batteries. This means that any standard bike shop should be able to service and maintain your electric bike for you.

The key thing to remember with electric bikes is that the battery needs to be charged regularly (at least every two months) even when not in use. Never leave it discharged for a prolonged period. In the winter months bring the battery indoors and charge at room temperature rather than trying to charge in a cold garage.

How often should I service my bike?

Initial bedding in service: after 1 month of ownership or 100 miles riding (this must be completed within 2 months of purchase).

Low Use Riders (riding a couple of days a week throughout the year, generally dry days. Typical distance 5-20 miles per week): Quarterly Service with the change of seasons including 1 major service every 12 months.

Medium to high use riders: (Regular riding/commuting throughout the year, all weather conditions. Typical distance 20-100 miles per week): Quarterly Service with the change of seasons and a minimum of 1 major service every 1000 miles.

How do I clean and maintain my e-Bike?

Never clean the bike with a power hose, use a damp cloth and dry down after cleaning.

Before cleaning your e-bike it’s good practice to remove your battery. The cleaning process is just like cleaning a regular push bike. It’s best to use a bike cleaner or just a warm damp cloth.

Be careful to avoid the electrics & battery terminals. Never use a high-pressure cleaner to wash your electric bike, it could damage the electronics. Never fully submerge your electric bicycle in water.

How far can I travel on an electric bike?

Approximately 40-50 miles on a 250w Bike. This will vary on the bike type and motor you have purchased. See individual product listing for details.

The batteries that are used on the range of bikes are the latest Lithium Polymer batteries available thus ensuring you get the maximum range possible. The bikes, however, will be used in different ways, by different riders and on different terrain and thus the range of the battery will vary accordingly.

Generally speaking, using the motor in assisted pedalling mode on a medium setting (the most used setting) should allow you to travel about 40-50 miles. You’ll be able to go even further if you use a lower setting. If you use only the throttle and don’t pedal at all the range will be less at around 20 miles.

Other factors such as the hilliness of the terrain that you are on as well as the weight of the rider will also affect the distance that you can travel.

If you are using your electric bike without using the motor, then the only limiting factor will be your legs!

How long does it take to charge the battery?

A full charge should take about 4-6 hours for most e-bikes.

The majority of our e-bikes use the latest Lithium Polymer batteries which help ensure the fastest charge times. Lead Acid, Ni-Cad and NiMh batteries will take significantly longer to charge.

How much does it cost to charge the battery?

Approximately 3p for a full charge! Yes, we know; shockingly great!

How long will the battery last until it needs replacing?

Most batteries have been designed to last for over 1,000 full charge/discharge cycles.

The majority of electric bikes use the latest Lithium Polymer batteries. These are the latest battery technology available for electric bikes and although their initial purchase price is more expensive than most other electric bike batteries their lifetime costs are the best.

How long it takes you to do 1,000 full charge/discharge cycles will depend on how often you use your bike. To put this in context, however, if you use your bike every day and use up the entire battery (40-50 miles of cycling on medium pedal assistance) your battery should last about three years.

A full battery charge cycle is when your battery is totally depleted and is then fully recharged. If your battery is only half depleted and you fully charge it this only counts as a half charge. You can, therefore, see that the Lithium Polymer batteries that the bike ranges use, should last for many years.

Lead Acid, Ni-Cad, NiMH and Lithium-Ion batteries will need replacing far sooner than Lithium Polymer batteries. At best they should last for about half the expected life of Lithium Polymer.

I’ve heard that some batteries have a ‘memory effect’. Do yours?

The Lithium Polymer batteries used in most of the range of electric bikes do not have a problem with memory effect.

‘Memory effect’ or ‘floating voltage’ are the common terms used for voltage depression which is usually associated with Ni-Cad and NiMH batteries. The effect is that the battery fails to deliver its original full capacity, seemingly to have ‘remembered’ previous part charge levels.

How safe are the batteries used on electric bikes?

The Lithium Polymer batteries used on the majority of our range of electric bikes are very safe.

Lithium Polymer batteries are the safest batteries that you can get for electric bikes and are acknowledged as being safer than Lead Acid, Ni-Cad, NiMh or Lithium Ion batteries.

What is the environmental impact of electric bike batteries?

The Lithium Polymer batteries used on the range of electric bikes cause the minimal environmental damage possible for electric bike batteries. Lead Acid, Ni-Cad and NiMh batteries cause slightly more environmental impact. This is still far less than utilising a car!

Can I cycle my Electric Bike normally instead of using the motor?

Yes, is the simple answer!

The motor can be turned off and you can use your electric bike like any conventional push bike which is great if you only want to use the motor for assistance at certain times such as when you have a steep hill to go up.

The range of e-bikes also allow you to do totally the opposite and use the motor to do all the work. This is done by using a simple throttle to control your speed (up to 15.5mph) and is very simple to use.

The main way the motor will most likely be used, however, is to provide assisted pedalling. The range of e-bikes are manufactured using the latest assisted pedalling technology. Our simple to use digital controllers are mounted on your handlebars and allow you to decide how much assistance you would like as you pedal. There are six different settings ranging from low to high and you can alter these at anytime depending on the terrain, the speed you wish to travel at or your own fitness level.

How much does an additional/replacement battery cost?

For current pricing on electric bike batteries please see the electric bike batteries section on the manufacturer’s websites.

How much does an electric bike weigh?

Our bikes vary dependant on manufacturer. On average our bikes weigh around 20kg’s which is only about 5kg’s heavier than a conventional push bike equivalent.

Electric bikes are, however, generally speaking heavier than their conventional push bike equivalents due to the fact that they have an electric motor and a battery. In order to help minimise the weight of the bike all e-bikes are manufactured using premium parts and encompass the latest technologies.

The bikes with Lithium Polymer batteries are the lightest you can get for the power they provide and clearly any weight saved helps when the bike is being used without powered assistance or for helping maximise the distance you can go using powered assistance.

Do you offer a best price guarantee?

Yes!

If you can find any product that we sell in the Electric Bike Store cheaper in the UK, we will not only match the price but beat it. We believe in giving our customers the best prices possible.

Do I need to wear a helmet on an electric bike?

There is no need to wear a helmet although as with riding any bike we would recommend that you do.

What warranties do you offer?

We are very confident in the quality of the range of electric bikes and our warranties reflect this. We offer a standard manufacturer warranties on our bike frames, batteries and mechanical parts.

Do you sell accessories such as batteries, motors, spare parts?

If you have any inquiries regarding battery prices, motors or spare parts for a new build or existing e-bike get it touch with us via the Live Chat, phones or email info@electricavenues.co.uk.

We will be able to beat other retailers on prices.

Free shipping

Free shipping on all orders over £400