Noobie question please

[Salad Dodger]

Hello

I am new to the idea of electric bikes, although I do a bit of weekend cycling on an ordinary bike.

Please can I ask a really dumb question?

As I understand it, on a pedelec bike,whilst you pedal the electric motor assists.

If you pedal faster than 15mph the motor stops assisting.

But what happens when you are going downhill? If you stop pedalling and just freewheel downhill, does the motor then cut out? (Unless you keep turning the pedals)?

Thanks in anticipation of an answer.

(The reason I ask is that my journey to work involves some big hills, and I am trying to assess whether a pedelec would have enough range for the occasional commute...

 

[flecc]

Yes, downhill it still cuts out if not pedalling, or if pedalling the motor will run up to 15 mph and cut out above that speed.

Best option for range on a hilly route is to avoid downhill braking as much as possible so that the kinetic energy gained carries you along for some while without power after the downhill stretch.

 

[cwah]

I advise you to test an electric bike first in a shop to see what 15mph means. For me it was really slow.

Having an electric bike means you are going to add 10 kg to your normal bike. You are probably going to be faster on hills, but you're going to cycle slower on flat road due to the additional weight (The motor won't help you anymore)

 

[Mussels]

I have hilly and fairly flat routes to work, I find the hilly route quick as the motor means I go up one side at 10mph, gravity takes me down the other at 30 or 40mph and I get a higher average speed.

 

[Salad Dodger]

Thanks for clarifying that for me, folks.