With a highly refined specific design, a contained weight, and models for all types of road riding (touring, sportive, performance), electric road bikes now represent a serious option for cyclists. But what does this type of bike actually offer and how do you choose the model best suited to your needs? Probikeshop helps you see things more clearly.
WHAT THE ELECTRICALLY ASSISTED BIKE HAS TO OFFER...
The last discipline to go electric, road cycling very quickly caught up with hyper refined models both aesthetically and technically. These bikes will surprise you with their dynamic behaviour and comfort.
The great advantage of these bikes is that they offer better effort management according to your desires and daily form, and allow you to broaden your riding horizons, particularly with hillier routes. Providing measured and proportional assistance, the electric road bike proves ideal both for beginners or those with average fitness and for competitors wishing to ride frequently without subjecting their bodies to too heavy a training load. It is also the perfect tool for a recovery session or technical work focusing solely on pedalling, regardless of the route profile or weather conditions — a bit like a home trainer, but with the pleasure of riding outdoors!
With sometimes only a modest weight penalty, the electric road bike thus offers unrivalled versatility and unique comfort to tackle the most iconic climbs, spice up your routes or rediscover the joy of cycling.
UNDERSTANDING ELECTRIC BIKES
VAE or Speedbike
There are currently two types of electric bike: VAE and Speedbikes.
The VAE is the most common. It is a bike equipped with a motor with a maximum power of 250 watts providing assistance up to 25 km/h, which only operates when you are pedalling yourself.
The Speedbike is less common. Providing assistance up to 45 km/h, its use is strictly regulated since under current French legislation, it must be registered and have a registration document as well as a number plate. It must also be insured, used with a motorcycle helmet and gloves, and must not be ridden on cycle paths.
THE MOTOR
Regarding the motor unit, it can be positioned at the bottom bracket or in the rear wheel.
Rear wheel motors offer very low noise and direct power transmission for more dynamic handling. They also allow a conventional drivetrain to be fitted at the bottom bracket. On the downside, they make rear wheel removal more difficult and shift the centre of gravity towards the rear.
But the most advanced technology, equipping an increasing number of models, is that of the motor integrated at the bottom bracket. This solution, fully integrated into the frame, offers the best efficiency/reliability ratio, with an optimal weight distribution, a low centre of gravity, and handling very close to that of a conventional bike. The motor power is generally 250 Watts (maximum permitted). The difference between motors will therefore be mainly based on torque. In practice, the motor engages automatically when pedalling, and beyond 25 km/h the system disconnects to allow higher speeds to be reached without any pedalling resistance. This type of motor is thus programmed to provide light assistance at start-up and then increasingly greater assistance as the power output of the cyclist increases, for a smooth pedalling sensation.
THE BATTERY
The battery, initially placed on the down tube, is now increasingly integrated directly into the frame, allowing the latest generation of electric road bikes to display a clean design very close to that of non-assisted bikes. The power, expressed in watt-hours, corresponds to the voltage (in volts) multiplied by the capacity (in amp-hours), with the understanding that the higher the power, the greater the range. On road bikes, batteries are generally 250 Wh in order to limit the extra weight and maintain the most natural riding feel possible.
Electric road bikes offer a more than sufficient range to consider a good outing of 50 to 100 kilometres, or even more, depending on the elevation of the route, weather conditions (wind, temperature), the rider's weight and physical fitness. For less fit cyclists wishing to use electric assistance for the vast majority of the route, or for those wishing to cover longer distances, it is possible to bring along a second battery in a backpack. Conversely, a cyclist in good condition riding on a mildly hilly route will only use the motor on the steepest sections but will complete the rest of their ride in muscle-only mode.
THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER
Unlike other electric bike models, road bikes make do with very simple on-board computers that allow switching between modes and checking the battery level. Depending on the model, this may be a small console on the handlebars, or a discreet button integrated directly into the top tube, near the stem. If you want access to more data about your ride, you will need to equip yourself with a traditional cycle computer / GPS.
WHICH E-BIKE FOR MY RIDING STYLE?
Largely determining the behaviour of your future bike, the frame material deserves careful consideration in order to find the one that suits you best, according to your constraints and budget.
Aluminium frames generally offer a good compromise between comfort and performance at an affordable price. However, demanding riders and competitors often criticise them for excessive weight and a lack of stiffness. This material has nonetheless undergone significant developments in recent years, and it is now possible to find high-end aluminium frames offering performance close to carbon. Two types of aluminium are mainly used: 6061 and 7005, the former being considered lighter while the latter, being more resistant, allows the amount of material needed to build the frame to be reduced. Some manufacturers also offer frames made of scandium. Combined with aluminium, it allows a weight saving of 10 to 15%.
Carbon, meanwhile, is the material of choice in current road cycling. It can be combined endlessly with various fibres, allowing frames that are particularly light and responsive to be produced, but more physically and technically demanding. The density and orientation of the carbon fibres give specific properties to each model (elasticity, stiffness, reactivity, comfort, aerodynamics…). Considered somewhat too elitist for those who simply want a leisurely ride, they are particularly well suited to experienced athletes or competitors.
Once the material has been selected, the other criteria for choosing your bike will mainly depend on your riding style and terrain: do you ride exclusively on the road or do you like to venture onto trails from time to time? In the first case, opt for a classic frame with narrow wheels and tyres. In the second case, opt for a Gravel model, with clearance at the chainstays and fork allowing wider tyres to be fitted.
Furthermore, the choice of motor technology — in the rear wheel or at the bottom bracket — will strongly influence your future model.
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