What is the top speed of an electric bike? If you ask just about any cyclist this question, you are sure to get various answers. Indeed, there are many ways in which you can measure this maximum speed range of the bike. However, if we try to keep it simple and look at it from two different perspectives, it may become more apparent what the top speed is.
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Actual Maximum Speed of Bike
The first perspective on the top speed of pure electric bikes would be the actual maximum speed of the bike. From this perspective, the electric motor has been developed to deliver the top speed to the cyclist. And from this perspective, it is clear that the top speed is achieved when you use the pedals. The maximum speed is thus the speed at which the motor delivers its power and when the pedal is put in motion. However, this is the only perspective from which we can derive the top speed. From another perspective, we can look at it from another angle.
Handlebars of Bike
Let us presume that we measure the speed by using the handlebars as our measuring device. When the rider is peddling along, the motor will slow down or even stop. And then, the pedaling resumes, and the process is repeated. So the maximum speed can be determined from this point of view. But this would work only if you ride at a constant rate regardless of the amount of pedaling you do.
Now let us consider the other perspective. Suppose that we take the handlebars as our measuring device. This measurement device is attached to the handlebars of the bike. And we measure the speed from this perspective. This method would yield results that vary according to the rate with which the rider rides the bike. And this is not what you want.
How Fast You Pedal
It would be best if you ride your electric bike at a constant speed no matter how fast you pedal. What is the top speed, then? The maximum speed can only be determined when you remove the influence of any external force. The bike is stationary here. And what is the definition of stationary?
Kind of Penalization
A wheelie is simply a fast penalization cycle that involves a lot of momentum. This kind of penalization would require very little force from the rider’s pedal. The party would come from the body of the rider, most of whom are not moving. To measure the top speed of the Electric Bikes, you should remove all these disturbances. Remove the handlebar grip, the motor, and the rider’s body.
What is the top speed, then? The top speed is the highest speed that can be achieved even with very little force on the pedal. Now, if you add in the weight of the rider and the friction created by the tires, you would have another factor. This other factor would determine the force that goes into peddling. So, to measure the top speed, you need to remove all these things. You would end up with the weight, the rate, and the friction of the motor.
Maximum Pedal Speed
The bottom line would be that it would be safe to say that the top speed cannot be measured without removing all other factors. In other words, the top rate would be determined by riding the bike at the maximum pedal speed possible. Once again, you would have to remove the other factors for the calculation to be accurate.
If you want to know how fast your bike can go, you need to use a pedaling force with an attached time for the motor to charge. Then you would add this into the torque of the engine. The motor would then calculate the maximum number of watts produced by the motor based on the force applied to it.
Smaller Motor Size
There is also another factor that you need to consider. This is the time that the motor needs to charge. The bigger the size of the engine, the longer it takes to charge. Therefore, using a small motor might take you more time to reach the maximum pedal speed. Also, the total power might be achieved earlier than desired due to the smaller motor size.
Conclusion:
The above considerations can help you to answer the question, “What is the top speed of an electric bike?” However, several other factors need to be considered as well. For instance, some bikes, like the Recumbent Schwinn Airdyne and the recumbent Stompo frame, are designed to allow them to use one pedal stroke. This means that each pedal stroke can be used to propel and position the bike in a particular place. So, aside from the maximum power and the maximum distance covered, you also need to look at the efficiency of the motor of the electric bike. These should be the prime factors that you would be used to determine its top speed.
