Types of Electric Bikes
An electric bike is a pedal propelled motorized bike with an internal electric motor utilized to assist transmission. Many different types of electric e-bikes are on the market today, but basically they fall into two general categories: those that directly assist the pedal-force of the rider and those that add a forward throttle, essentially adding more throttle to a moped-like style bike. Many electric bike enthusiasts consider electric bike an alternative to gas-powered bicycles, because of the perceived benefits, such as limited coasting energy use. However, e-bikes do have certain advantages over their gas-powered counterparts. They are generally much quieter, require less maintenance, and are a greener form of travel.
The most important part of any electric bike is the drive system, or the electric motor. Typically, electric motors are mounted in the rear hub in the same way as a motorcycle’s rear wheel drive hub. There are three main styles of drive systems used on electric bikes: direct chain drive (DCTD), belt-drive, and parallel line drive (PLC). Some manufacturers offer a combination of these three systems. Electric motors on electric bikes have been built for a number of years and require only moderate maintenance.
DCTD electric bikes are built by removing the front wheel drive of the motor and mounting it directly to the rear axle of the bike. A disadvantage to this type of design is that the speed of the motor varies by the speed of the pedals pedaling. Many advocates of electric bikes advocate DCTD because it is a cleaner design than other designs, although there is some debate as to whether or not it performs better than a comparable gasoline powered bike. Belt-drive systems place the electric motor between the crank axle and the frame, and use a pulley system to control the torque of the motor. The advantages of this design include more speed and torque from the electric motors, but also a lack of side-to-side motion when coasting or going downhill.