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With small wheels and watts of fun, folding electric bikes are an excellent commuter choice.
Folding electric bicycles are sprouting up on city streets, on trains and buses, and in-office buildings and apartment hallways for a good reason. The convenience of a bike that folds down under your desk-but also makes your commute faster and more enjoyable-is hard to beat. As a result, a growing number of ebike companies are racing to design the ultimate commuter machine. Here are a few things to consider if you want an ebike that can handle the worst hill on your way to work, keep up with rush hour traffic, and origami’s down to fit into a trendy bijou apartment easily.
What You Need to Know About Motors
Most folding electric bikes use a hub motor. Hub motors have several advantages compared to the increasingly popular mid-drive motors appearing on other types of e-bikes. One of the main reasons they are used on folding e-bikes is that hub motors are small and don’t take up any additional space on the bike. Hub motors may be on the front or rear wheels. Many electric fold bikes also have a handy walk-assist feature in case you need to hop off for a second or two and help you to push the bike along while you stroll beside it – perfect for navigating busy pavements.
Watt the….
Many electric folding bikes are powered by 250- and 350-watt motors, but watts alone don’t tell a motor’s story. Torque is also a crucial factor worth considering, as it means how much “oomph” a motor provides. A motor with higher torque will feel more powerful and accelerate more quickly. One of the advantages of hub motors is that they require no maintenance. They are an completely independent drive system and retain all of their components inside the motor casing, leaving nothing for you to mess with or maintain.
Regardless of torque and watts, all electric bike bikes sold in the UK are restricted to 15.5mph. This means the assistance provided by the motor cut out once you hit 15.5mph, you can go faster, but it’s under your own steam with no help from the motor. But honestly, on the mean streets of Britain this is plenty fast enough. It is possible to derestrict an eBike, but it is no longer road legal. Please see our article on how to tune your eBike.
Wheel Size
A big thing to think about is wheels size. For example, when shopping for an electric folding bike, the wheels dictate how small the bike can fold down or what kind of terrain it’s built to conquer.
With their small, nimble wheels, quick acceleration and sharp manoeuvrability are a given, making them great for getting about in traffic, narrow bike paths and more, no matter the destination. Then, when you arrive, you’ll be able to bring it inside, rather than locking it to a fence and leaving it outside. Most folding e-bikes use a 20-inch wheel, which means they can pack down to a fairly compact size that will fit into your boot or on a train.
Value
Folding eBikes are generally cheaper than high spec electric mountain bikes or long-range touring bikes. They are a great way of ditching the car, getting some exercise, exploring the city and commuting without arriving at work all sweaty in need of a shower.
Some great electric folding bikes you will love
Raleigh Stow-E-Way
Designed to be packed away at a moment’s notice, the Stow-E-Way has all the power of a classic e-bike in a nifty, foldable model that’ll fit just about anywhere. Powered by a lightweight TransX motor, this folding electric bike takes the sweat out of cycling, making zipping up hills as easy as racing along the flat.
The carefully selected 20″ wheels offer the perfect balance between a smooth ride and space-saving storage, while the bike’s easy-to-use closing mechanism lets you fold it up in seconds, ready to be stored in the boot, the bus, or the tiny shoe cupboard. The dimensions when folded are 880mm x 800mm x 440mm.
2021 Riese and Muller Tinker Vario Electric Bike Black Matt
The Tinker.
An E-Bike of stature.
The Tinker was made to tackle day-to-day challenges in the city: whether commuter hold-ups on the streets, full buses and trains or heavy luggage – the compact frame withstands it all. The Tinker is easy to take along with you on public transport, carry up a few steps or quickly stow in the car.
The Tinker is equipped with a mid-motor, which when compared to a traditional hub motor, mid-drive motors are known for their higher performance and torque. Mid-drive motors drive the crank, rather than the wheel itself, multiplying their power and allowing them to take advantage of the bike’s existing gearing. To visualize this, imagine approaching a steep hill. You would change the bike’s gears to make pedalling easier and maintain the same cadence. A bike with a mid-drive motor can also benefit from that gearing change, which will enable it to deliver more power and range.
Electric bike conversion
If you already have a trusty steed that you just can’t part with, at Electric Bike Sales we are experts in eBike conversions:
Sparticle Electric Brompton System
Turn your Brompton a Brompton Electric Bike! The New Sparticle V9 S886 system for Brompton – Improved performance and neater integration. Still the best performing electric system for your Brompton.
Sparticle Electric Bike System
The New Sparticle V9 S886 system to convert your Bike to an eBike – Improved performance and neater integration. Give your bike superpowers.
