A Simple to Follow Folding E-Bike Buyer’s Guide

This is a quick guide to what you might look for when choosing a folding e-bike. Folding e-bikes may be used in lots of different situations and how the bike is to be used will determine the importance of the different factors to be considered. So let’s start with the most obvious one…

Power

The amount f power you need on your folding e-bike really depends on the terrain you will be riding it on and if there are any hills or inclines. If there are several high and low sections of your ride/commute you will need more power, but on mostly straight paths and roads you should be concentrating on these other things…

Speed and compactness of folding

If you are going to be commuting and using public transport regularly then you will need to choose a folding e-bike that folds quickly and easily without getting yourself covered in oil from the chain. There are a number of e-bikes on the market that will fold in under 10 seconds, but some take a lot longer. If you don’t need to fold it fast maybe you don’t need it to fold that small either. Again, it all depends on what you will be doing with it and where you will be using the folding feature.

Weight

If your commute involves carrying your e-bike then this is an important factor to consider. In London most stations will prohibit you from unfolding your e-bike and wheeling it because the platforms are too congested. So making sure if you need to carry it for long stretches it doesn’t take the strength of the Hulk just to do so!

How does it ride?

The key to a good folding e-bike is that it should feel like riding a standard sized non-folding e-bike. To do this the wheelbase length of the bike should be similar to the standard adult bikes. Generally the large the wheel of the folder the more stable it may feel whilst navigating tricky road conditions. With a smaller folding e-bike the steering is more sensitive and you will get a firm ride from the high-pressured tyres. You will need to test out a few folding bikes to get a feel for what suits you. Most folding e-bikes will have some kind of seat height adjustment to suit taller riders. Saddles are mostly interchangeable.

Gears

It’s a good idea to match the gear range with the uses that you want to put your folding e-bike to. If you live in a hilly area then you will want to check the range that the gears provide (yes, even with the motor assisting you). To be fair most folding e-bikes these days have the same amount of gears as a normal road bike, even the smaller ones!

Luggage

Check what luggage options there are for the folding e-bike. What will your needs be for commuting, recreational or touring? Try to avoid having a rucksack on your back as this will make you soon uncomfortable. Is there adequate rack and pannier space? Will the luggage on the front of the bike interfere with the front wheel steering? Can you store a briefcase on it? If you need to carry things this will be something you need to think about a lot.

So do you have any other tips about buying a folding e-bike? Do you have any other questions relating to them? If so why not leave a comment or get in touch with us via the Contact page.