Professionals from Puy-de-Dôme provide nine tips for choosing the right electric bike

The electric bicycle is becoming more and more a privileged mode of transport and is now recognized by many Puydomois. “We have seen an increase in requests for several years,” says Christian Boyer, co-manager of the BoutiCycle store (rue Ramond in Clermont-Ferrand).
The electric bike definitely allows you to do more kilometers. “This is more relevant to our territory because the landscape is not always flat”, commented François Coiffier, co-manager of the Cyclable store (boulevard François-Mitterrand in Clermont-Ferrand). With the help of these two professionals, we give you nine tips before taking the electric bike plunge.

1-Choice of type of electric bike

Mountain bike, road bike, urban cycle, cargo or folding bike, the choice is wide. Therefore, it is important to clearly define your needs so that your travels are as pleasant as possible. Do you exclusively walk the paths of the Puy-de-Dôme and love to climb the slopes of the Chaîne des Puys? Opt for an electric mountain bike. Conversely, do you want to combine the city and the trails? The urban cycle is the best balance between the two.

You need to go to work but need to take public transport, so choose the foldable electric bike. Finally, more impressively, the cargo bike will allow you to “take your children to school” or “carry a lot thanks to its elongated shape”. Therefore, the first thing to do before buying a bike is to determine your use of it.

2-The battery

The choice of battery is important as it will determine the range and performance of the bike. Honestly, you can’t really choose your battery because it’s integrated directly into the bike. However, some information needs to be known. First of all, François and Christian both indicate that “the reference brand in terms of batteries is Bosch”. “After ten years, the batteries are still efficient, their autonomy is slightly reduced,” says François.

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Obviously, their autonomy depends on the use and type of bicycle. Climbing the Puy de Dôme or walking around town won’t have the same effect on the battery. Hence, again, the need to choose the right type of bike. Do you take long daily trips or short walks once a month? In concrete terms, depending on the model, your bike can cover between 50 and 160 km. The price of a battery varies from 500 to 1,000 €, the better it is, the higher the price of the bike.

In town or on the roads, there is a wide range of electric bikes. Image file.

3-The price

The price range is wide and depends on the type of bike and battery quality. If you can find electric bikes for less than 1,000 euros, the widest range is between 2,000 and 3,500 euros.

The bikes can go up to 8,000 euros but we are talking here about rare bikes and mostly intended for professional use. François Coiffier also wanted to point out that the price of electric bicycles “has increased by 10 to 15% and may continue to improve in the coming months”.

4-Weight

It depends on the type of bike and the battery. On average, the weight of an electric bike is between 22 and 26 kg with two exceptions. In fact, a folding bike weighs between 15 and 20 kg, while a cargo bike weighs between 40 and 50 kg. For comparison, the weight of a classic bicycle is between 15 and 20 kg. Therefore, it is better to recharge your battery before embarking on an adventure as moving around with such a heavy bike can be difficult.

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5-The engine power and regulations

You should know that there are two types of power for electric bikes. The first cannot exceed 25 km/h and is not subject to any specific regulation. The latter, on the other hand, can reach 45 km/h. However, in this case, you will need to hold a gray card, insurance and register the bike.

6-Equipment

While helmets are only mandatory up to 12 years of age, they are strongly recommended for all practitioners, regardless of age. In addition, the driver must wear a high visibility vest when the light is low. The bike, meanwhile, must be equipped with a bell and regulatory lights. Remember that to protect against the theft of bicycles or batteries, it is more than advisable to have a high-quality lock (between 50 and 100 euros).

The electric assist allows you to cover more kilometers with less effort. Image file.

7- Maintenance

Maintaining an e-bike is no more demanding than a classic bike. An annual review is recommended. You should know that many shops do not keep motorized bicycles (these classic bicycles are equipped with electric assistance). This is the case of two shops Cyclable and BoutiCycle. Moreover, they definitely refuse to motorize them because, usually, “the bicycle is not suitable and its use may prove dangerous”. In other words, it is better to buy a new bike. A mandatory condition, moreover, to claim national aid for the purchase.

8-Test your bike

In order for your bike to fully suit you, and for you to be in the best possible condition, it is necessary to test the bike. Most stores carry it, so take advantage of it!

9-Find out about help

As we have seen before, buying a new electric bike is a big investment. Assistance is available depending on resources. There are supports at national and local levels. For the former, they are conditioned and capped. For seconds, all cities do not distribute aid, this is the case of Clermont-Ferrand. Note that the two types of assistance can be combined. The conversion bonus also allows drivers who want to exchange their car for an electric bicycle to receive help.

Now all you have to do is weigh the pros and cons. And if you’re not ready to try, know that C.Vélo, Clermont-Ferrand’s self-service bicycle system, is experimenting with folding electric bicycles for T2C subscribers.

Hugo Raymond