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Choosing an electric bicycle for the first time, or even making an electric bike yourself from a regular one can be a confusing process and trying to figure out all the motor power and battery power rating you need can be difficult.
The wattage power of an electric bicycle comes down to the amps of the controller and voltage of the battery that comes with your model, but how much power you need is determined by the weight and terrain you are riding on.
To find out how the power of your electric bike is calculated as well as how weight and terrain affect how much power your e-bike needs, we have gone into some more detail in our best guide below.
Figuring out how much power your e-bike needs or how much power it comes with can be a little confusing if you are a newbie to understanding how motor power in an e-bike works.
The wattage of an e-bike is typically what determines how much power level your bike comes with, so the higher the wattage stated, then the more high-powered motor you will have.
However, the motor power rating is not always that accurate, so a better way to see what power your bike comes with or needs is by multiplying the battery voltage by the amps of the controller in the e-bike power, for example, a high power ebike that comes with a battery voltage of 36V and a controller of 15A will have around 540 watts of power in total.
Most of the time people might assume that having more watts of power with your electric bike is better, but this is not always the case, as some are actually too illegal to operate on the roads of the UK if they are over 250W, and sometimes you just don't need to spend all that money on extreme power when you don't need it!
Now we know that the wattage of the motor that comes with your electric bike determines how much power it has and how to calculate it, there are two main factors that you need to consider when deciding on how much power your e-bike needs.
We have gone into further detail about the two factors below.
Let's start with weight then move on to terrain, both factors are linked, but we will cover each one separately to make it simpler.
If you weigh around the 125lb range, then the lower electric power you will need from your bike as it will be carrying a light load, you would only need the lowest power class of around 250W units for power on your bike.
However, the heavier you are, then the higher the wattage power setup you might need, for example, a heavier rider who weighs around 150 pounds might be more suited to a 350-watt motor or an e-bike wattage of 500 watts.
Now, if light riders also want to take their ebike up a decent hill or even major hills then they would need to have a higher watt ebike of around 350W to even a 500-watt ebike if they are looking for optimal power and support up steep hills.
Once again, the same goes for a heavier rider, if they start with a minimum power of 350W for road use, then they would need extra power for steep hills and off-road use, this could mean a motor power of around 750W would be the better choice.
Deciding on the right motor power for your electric bike that you make or choose on the market comes down to your weight and the style of riding you will be using it for.
If you are a light rider who is planning to mainly use their bike for flat city commutes, then a 250W electric bike would be the best option, however, if you are planning to take that bike up the occasional hill, then a 350W motor would be better, however for extreme off-roading, you might even need extra power up to 500W.
However for heavier riders, you would need to start at a 350W level for road use then work your way up depending on where you will ride, also consider if you will be attaching any cargo to the bike often as this will need more power from the bike to help move it uphill.
For someone who is still unsure about what power electric bike they need watt electric rise, then it might be best to go and test a few different powered e-bikes and see what suits you best weight and activity-wise so as you can be sure you are choosing the right model for you.
To conclude, how much power your electric bike needs all comes down to the wattage, amps and voltage your model comes with and what you are going to be using the e-bike for, whether as a typical rider for commutes, or for adventures which would require a high powered motor.
