A look behind the scenes of e-bike technology

Last week a customer came into our shop and said: "I don’t understand it all. Why does the e-bike ride so differently from my old bike?" A fair question! That’s why today I’ll take you on a little discovery tour through the inner workings of your electric companion.

The motor – where the magic happens

To be honest, at first I also thought a motor is just a motor. Far from it! The position makes a huge difference.

Mid motor – my personal favourite It sits where your pedals usually are. Sounds odd at first, but it’s brilliantly thought out. The weight is perfectly centred, and when you cruise through Berlin, you hardly notice a difference from your normal bike. Except that suddenly you can climb every hill without getting out of breath.

I’ve been riding with a mid motor to work myself for three years. From Prenzlauer Berg to Mitte, every day. And I have to say: It just feels right.

Rear motor – for the sporty among you It pushes you from behind. Quite direct, quite powerful. A colleague swears by it – he likes the feeling of being “pushed”. It’s also quieter than most other motors.

Front motor – becoming rarer You hardly see these anymore. It pulls from the front, but on wet roads (and we have plenty of those in Berlin) the front wheel can slip.

About power: It’s measured in newton metres. Sounds complicated, but it’s simple. More Nm = more power uphill. For Berlin, 50-60 Nm is perfectly enough. Unless you plan to regularly ride in the Alps – then you might want more.

The battery – your energy supply

This gets interesting because every other customer asks: "And how far can I go with it?"

The capacity is shown in watt hours (Wh). The higher, the more energy. But – and this is important – the actual range depends on so many factors that I never give a specific kilometre figure.

An example from practice: Last month I had two customers with identical e-bikes (500 Wh battery). One got 80 kilometres, the other only 45. Why? The first rode leisurely in eco mode, the second sped around in turbo mode and had headwind on top.

My rules of thumb:

• 400 Wh: Completely sufficient for city rides
• 500-600 Wh: If you want to go out into the surrounding countryside sometimes
• 700+ Wh: For long-distance riders or heavy e-bikes

What many don’t know: Batteries don’t like extreme cold or extreme heat. In winter, it’s best not to leave your e-bike outside.

The electronics – the brain behind it

This gets technical, but I’ll try to explain simply.

The controller This is basically the computer of your e-bike. Hidden away, but crucial. It decides when the motor starts and how strong the support is.

The sensors – so your bike “understands” what you want

Cadence sensor: Notices that you are pedalling. Simple and reliable, but sometimes a bit jerky when starting off. Nothing bad, you get used to it.

Torque sensor: This is the Rolls-Royce among sensors. It measures not only if you pedal but also how hard. The result is so smooth that you can forget you’re riding an e-bike.

A customer said recently: "At first I thought my motor was broken because I didn’t feel it at all." That’s exactly the goal!

The display – your cockpit

In the past, displays were tiny and only showed the battery level. Today they are small computers. Speed, distance travelled, sometimes even GPS navigation.

A tip from me: You don’t need the most expensive display. The basic functions are usually enough. Save the money for a better motor or battery instead.

Why it all fits together

The great thing about modern e-bikes is: when everything is well matched, you forget all the technology. You get on, ride off, and only think: "Damn, why didn’t I ride an e-bike sooner?"

I experience this daily in our shop. Customers come in sceptical ("Isn’t this cheating?") and leave grinning.

My conclusion after years in the e-bike business

The technology is now so mature that you don’t have to worry. A good e-bike just works. Period.

But: Get advice! Everyone rides differently, everyone has different needs. What’s perfect for my colleague might not suit you.

If you still have questions – you know where to find us. And yes, test rides are always possible. Usually that’s the moment the decision is made.

PS: Next week I’ll write about e-bike care in winter. Spoiler: It’s less complicated than you think.