Ebikes and other powered bicycles are a great way to make running daily errands on your bicycle even more accessible, especially in cities and towns with hilly terrain. There are a variety of different powered bicycle choices for today's cyclist to choose from: internal combustion engines and electric motors, bicycles built specifically for powered assist, and conversion kits to convert virtually any bicycle into a powered vehicle.
Motorized bicycles have been in existence for over a century now, as the first motorized bicycles back in the 1880s and '90s were the precursor to the motorcycle. They come with both two-stroke and four-stroke internal combustion engines, and typically range from 25 cc to 50 cc in size. Individual states in the US and many countries have specific laws regarding the maximum size engine allowed on a bicycle before it requires a motorcycle license to operate. Some states in the US do not allow additional passengers to ride on motorized bicycles.
With battery technology improved at such a rapid pace recently, ebikes (electric powered assist bicycles) have seen a huge surge in popularity. Batteries have gotten lighter, more powerful, and more efficient, making it possible to go farther and faster without adding too much weight to the bicycle. In addition to ebike brands, there are also all sorts of conversion kits to transform your bicycle into an ebike. Some include a full drive-train, motor, and battery-pack, while other kits consist of a replacement wheel (for either the front or the rear wheel) that houses the drive assembly and motor. Many ebikes also offer some sort of "pedal assist" functionality so that the rider can pedal and take advantage of the motorized assistance, especially when the hills become steep.
Motorized bicycles have been in existence for over a century now, as the first motorized bicycles back in the 1880s and '90s were the precursor to the motorcycle. They come with both two-stroke and four-stroke internal combustion engines, and typically range from 25 cc to 50 cc in size. Individual states in the US and many countries have specific laws regarding the maximum size engine allowed on a bicycle before it requires a motorcycle license to operate. Some states in the US do not allow additional passengers to ride on motorized bicycles.
With battery technology improved at such a rapid pace recently, ebikes (electric powered assist bicycles) have seen a huge surge in popularity. Batteries have gotten lighter, more powerful, and more efficient, making it possible to go farther and faster without adding too much weight to the bicycle. In addition to ebike brands, there are also all sorts of conversion kits to transform your bicycle into an ebike. Some include a full drive-train, motor, and battery-pack, while other kits consist of a replacement wheel (for either the front or the rear wheel) that houses the drive assembly and motor. Many ebikes also offer some sort of "pedal assist" functionality so that the rider can pedal and take advantage of the motorized assistance, especially when the hills become steep.
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Companion Bike Seats are a great addition to ebikes and powered bicycles, making it even easier to shift to your bicycle to run daily errands. Carrying a passenger up a hill on a bicycle is not necessarily an easy task depending on the size of the passenger, but add a motor to help out and you're both on your way! We've even had several customers customize their ebike and bike seat by installing the battery-pack directly into the stash-box of the bike seat. Since the stash-box is water-proof it's a perfect storage compartment for the batteries, keeping them out of the way, dry, and safe under lock-and-key. |
With today's ebikes, there are three ways power is applied to one of the two wheels: hub-motors, mid drive motors, and friction drive motors. Hub motors can be found on either the front wheel or the back wheel. Mid drive and friction drive motors usually power the rear wheel. It's not recommended to install a Companion Bike Seat onto an ebike with a front wheel hub motor; going up steep hills will shift most of the weight off of the front wheel and it may slip on the street rather than grip and drive the bicycle up the hill.
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By far the most common ebikes are rear-wheel hub motors. Some of them have a wire that feeds in through one side of the rear axle to provide power to the motor and control the speed.
We've designed customized ebike pegs to accommodate this wire, making Companion Bike Seat compatible with an even wider range of ebikes. These ebike pegs are threaded so they can screw directly onto the axle without requiring an axle nut to tighten them down. They also have a cutout slot in one of the pegs to accommodate the wire that threads back into the axle. Pictured here is closeup a Sondors ebike rear hub with a Companion Bike Seat installed on it. Note the wire feeding in through the cut-out in the peg and back into the axle. |
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