6 Essential E-Bike Riding Tips for Beginners

If you’ve just got an e-bike and you’re excited to begin using it, you’re going to want some top tips for making the first ride – and all subsequent ones – a breeze. Whether you’re a proficient cyclist making the transition to an e-bike or it’s your first ever time riding a bike, there’s lots you can do to ensure the endeavor is successful!

E-bikes have become very popular in recent years, and people everywhere are getting into using them. If you’re starting out, it’s important to be aware of your bike’s battery life and make sure you’re not going to run out of power when you need it. You should also spend some time getting a feel for how the bike handles.

With that in mind, let’s check out some top tips for new e-bike riders.

Starting Strong: E-Bike Riding Tips For Novices

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Tip 1) Be Aware Of Battery Life

It’s easy to get overly excited by the idea of having a battery that can help you get up the hills and through the long-haul terrain, but you do need to pay attention to battery life, so you don’t over-use it and then find yourself stuck.

Most e-bikes will have a display panel that shows you things like a battery gauge, which will make it much easier for you to keep an eye on how much you’re using. Bear in mind that you will use a lot more battery on the hills and that stopping and starting frequently also eats into the battery.

Higher levels of assistance will also use more power. If you’re depending on your battery to get you home at the end of a long ride, remember to keep an eye on the battery gauge and make sure you’ve got plenty of power to spare.

If you fail to do this, there’s a high chance you’ll end up out of power at some point, and since e-bikes are heavier than normal bicycles, that can be a bit of a drag. Always be aware of the battery life!

Tip 2) Check The Regulations

Some places have different regulations if you’re riding an e-bike versus a traditional bike, so it’s important to be aware of the rules and make sure you are following them. Rules can vary from state to state, so it’s really crucial to spend a bit of time familiarizing yourself with the ones that govern you and making sure you follow them.

This will help to keep all road users safe and ensure you get off to a good start on your new e-bike.

Read Also: Ebike Laws in the United States

Tip 3) Practice Balancing

The first thing to do when you’re ready to ride your e-bike is to practice balancing. For this, you want a nice, open space with no nearby hazards (e.g., moving vehicles, dogs, pedestrians, etc.). If you already cycle, you might think that you don’t need to practice your balance, but you should still take the time to do this.

E-bikes are quite a bit heavier than traditional bikes, and most people need to do some practicing to get the hang of them. Make sure you’ve mastered turning, leaning, and general maneuvering before you try using a new e-bike on a road or sidewalk or near other people or animals.

Steer sharply and less sharply, and try turning a few full circles so you can measure how the bike responds. The more practice you can get, the safer you’ll be on the roads.

Tip 4) Practice Braking

Perhaps even more critically, you need to practice braking. This is really crucial because an e-bike can move much faster than a traditional bike. You need to essentially re-learn how to judge your stopping speed before you can safely ride an e-bike.

Braking should be done smoothly and gradually to prevent injuries. Practice this at different speeds and in different conditions before you ride your e-bike in traffic. Remember that the stopping distance will be greatly increased if you ride it in wet or icy weather.

Tip 5) Test Out The Different Modes

Your e-bike will offer a few different modes, and these will affect how it handles and how much work you have to do versus how much your bike does for you.

Take some time to test these modes out and see how they feel and how the bike behaves before you ride it on the road. Pedal assist can take a bit of getting used to, especially if you are accustomed to a traditional bike, so don’t just take off into traffic without experimenting first.

Remember that the higher pedal assist modes will use more power and drain the battery faster but will reduce the amount of work you have to do. If you want speed, you’ll probably want a higher degree of assistance, but this will have a noticeable effect on the battery pretty quickly.

Tip 6) Start Off Slow

It might be tempting to launch off at top speed and see just what your bike can do, but it’s better to start out a little more slowly and build your confidence. While e-bikes can be fantastically fun to ride and have a lot to offer, you don’t want to end up taking a tumble on your first go.

Stick with the lower speeds while you get used to how the bike handles, especially if you are going to ride it on the roads. This will also make the braking easier to judge as you adjust to the change.

When you feel you’ve gained some confidence, you can add to the speed, and you’ll have a better sense of the handling overall, making the ride more enjoyable. This isn’t a race, so take your time getting comfy with the bike at low speeds first.

Conclusion

If you’re new to e-bikes, following the above guidance should make your first venture into this area a more enjoyable one. Remember not to rush and to give yourself plenty of time to get used to the new sensation of riding a heavier, more powerful piece of machinery. Don’t forget your safety equipment, either!

Reference Sources

Riding an Electric Bike for the First Time – Link
7 Beginner Tips for Riding an Electric Bike – Link
How To Ride an E-Bike – Link
A Beginner’s Guide To Riding Electric Bikes – Link
Electric Bike Laws – State by State – Link
UK Electric Bike Laws and Regulations – Link

Starting Strong: E-Bike Riding Tips For Novices (2024)