What is the future of E-bikes ?

[carpetbagger]

In the last 3 years the number of E-bike manufacturers has increased significantly. With that,existing bikes have changed significantly as well. Hub gears,disc brakes,suspension,lighter batteries with range increases from 30 to 100 miles with the 25a Panasonic battery.
So what next ?
Weight has to be the next most obvious place to improve E-bikes as most are still quite heavy.Over 20kg.
Maybe an option to have an integrated computer like the Garmin 500 which gives everything form speed to height climbed on a ride. Now if this could be linked to the power being used at any time that would be one great toy for looking at your ride stats on a PC.
Quality lights could be another major improvement.
Has anybody else any ideas that they would like to see incorporated on an E-bike to see a continual development ?

 

[Woosh]

electric bikes are still not as reliable as cars - that's where they must improve.
The point is that you don't want a super duper bike that needs looking after every few hundred miles, you want a bike that can be used more like a washing machine.

 

[carpetbagger]

electric bikes are still not as reliable as cars - that's where they must improve.
The point is that you don't want a super duper bike that needs looking after every few hundred miles, you want a bike that can be used more like a washing machine.

I can only speak from personal experience but...touch wood..i have only had minor problems. As you will see in my 5000 mile Kalkhoff Agattu S review probably next week.
But i also agree with what you are saying as well,reliability needs to improve.But don't forget that a washing machine sits in a nice kitchen and an E-bike is open to all the bad weather,dirt and bad bumpy roads that the world can throw at them.

 

[eddieo]

everyone hoping for a breakthrough in battery technology I would think, compact more efficient batteries could really change attitudes to ebikes......You hear chatter but still nothing concrete is announced, but it will happen.

we changed to 20kg bikes last year because of new camper and having to lift them on to a rack. It was an expensive change, but well worth it for a better riding experience.

A top quality bike with a kit makes a lot more sense I think, and once the kit market develops and gets over the problem area of adaptability to a large range of different bikes it should start to flourish

 

[carpetbagger]

everyone hoping for a breakthrough in battery technology I would think, compact more efficient batteries could really change attitudes to ebikes......You hear chatter but still nothing concrete is announced, but it will happen.

we changed to 20kg bikes last year because of new camper and having to lift them on to a rack. It was an expensive change, but well worth it for a better riding experience.

A top quality bike with a kit makes a lot more sense I think, and once the kit market develops and gets over the problem area of adaptability to a large range of different bikes it should start to flourish

Batteries have improved considerably in terms of achievable distance & weight. But i think whilst the 25a battery from Panasonic has gone as far as it needs to with regards the distance achievable like you say improvement in compactness and weight could really impove E-bikes.
Interchangeable batteries between different manufacturers could be another positive improvement.

 

[KirstinS]

a big increase in battery energy density (i.e more AH and less weight) with a corresponding large decrease in price would, IMHO, still be the single biggest factor in impeoving ebiking. Not least becuase the savings cascade down and could be ploughed into better quality parts or funky extras (like the integreated computers mentioned)

as a sweeping generalistion on a £700 bike around 150/200 is the battery (assuming say a 10ah lipo)

That's a big old percentage ( 21 to 28%). And what about weight ? on 20kg bike around 3 or 4kg for the battery is 15 to 20%. Again big old percentages though I do appreciate these are very rough, generalised numbers

 

[flecc]

Definitely consistency of reliability still falls far short of what is acceptable, so I'd place that first. Long battery life is the next, I'd rather pay a lot for a battery that lasts five years than have cheap batteries that mean the bother of replacing every 18 to 24 months.

There's an intrinsic problem with calling for reliability though, and that's the bike side. Inevitably the bicycle parts are more stressed by an e-bike and even unpowered bikes are a nuisance to maintain in many respects like brake pads, tyres/tubes/punctures, chains and sprockets.

To really improve on all those means more weight, not less, a lesson that was learned many years ago on Autocycles and the VeloSolex. So we have that conflict of weight spoiling the cycling experience, but lightness bringing lower reliability and more maintenance necessary.

 

[KirstinS]

[To really improve on all those means more weight, not less, a lesson that was learned many years ago on Autocycles and the VeloSolex. So we have that conflict of weight spoiling the cycling experience, but lightness bringing lower reliability and more maintenance necessary.[/QUOTE]

Totally agree with you here flecc - this is what I was trying to drive at. If battery weight can be significantly reduced then some of that savings could be passed onto parts to increase relaiblilty. Or perhaps higher qualty parts that are longer lasting and light (titanium has its uses for example). I guess this is driven by which comes first - a reduction in battery price or a reduction in weight (both would be nice of course!)

 

[Woosh]

it'll be good when bikes don't need chain!

 

[carpetbagger]

Catch 22 i suppose,reduce the weight and size of batteries and the price goes up,unless there is a significant increase in sales in E-bikes to keep them the same or drive them down. Having said that in past years i have seen maybe 2 E-bikes per year and in the last month i have seen 6 different ones, 4 on the same day !
Things are starting to improve....

 

[GaRRy]

it'll be good when bikes don't need chain!

Well technically they dont. Motor bikes have used shafts and belts for years as alternatives and cant see any real reason why bikes cant as well (especially belts)

 

[flecc]

Well technically they dont. Motor bikes have used shafts and belts for years as alternatives and cant see any real reason why bikes cant as well (especially belts)

Efficiency is the reason, shaft and belt drives are less efficient, not important when power is abundant as in motorbikes, but very important when the rider power is so limited and every human watt precious. Not such a big issue with e-bikes, but the available watts still limited.

 

[GaRRy]

Shaft drives ill agree but pretty certain in motorcycle world its accepted that belts are almost as good as chain and have big advantage in that stay at optimum for longer ( ie no need to adjust) or put another way a badly adjusted belt is better than a badly adjusted chain. Main reason still use chain on motor bikes is that good old reason fashion as race bikes use them.

I also said technically possible. Never said it was a good idea

 

[flecc]

Yes, belt is certainly convenient for owners. Its the need to split the frame to fit them that puts off manufacturers though, adds complexity and weight and could compromise strength.

 

[GaRRy]

Huhh why need to split frame ? Just replace chain cogs with ones for belts an fits just like a chain.

 

[timidtom]

Batteries! Universal fitting, longer life, possibly cheaper. One size fits all? Pity it's not rocket science - now there's an idea ...
Tom

 

[flecc]

Huhh why need to split frame ? Just replace chain cogs with ones for belts an fits just like a chain.

Oh no! Belts are made in a one piece loop, so can only be fitted if a bike has a single straight frame arm between bottom bracket and dropout. Remember, the rear sprocket is inside the rear frame, the front one outside.

 

[GaRRy]

Was thinking just like a motorbike which have continuous chains. But of course bikes has suspension thus allowing to be slipped over swinging arm. Guess would thus be ok for bike with rear sus (yes i know more inefficiencies)

 

[flecc]

I think the best way with a standard bike frame would be to have the r/h seat stay bolted at the top. That's all that would be needed since there is enough "give" in that tube to allow it to be flexed very slightly for the belt to pass through a gap at the top, about 4 mm would be enough.

 

[GaRRy]

Yep. Does make you wonder why no one has done it. Accepting the efficiency loss it has a lot of advantages

Smoother
Longer lasting ( think ones on harley last ten times as long as chain)
No need to lube
Less maintenance

Of course would have to be hub geared (or does it)