Can Electric Bikes Go Up Steep Hills? This question is one of the most common questions among people who want to buy an electric bike for the first time.
It is a very logical question if we take into account that who wants to get an electric bike is a person who wants to rest while riding a bike, or that his daily trips are long distances, so he wants to get Help from the bike while riding.
One of the most common challenges for regular cyclists is riding a bike up a hill Because they put in a lot of effort while trying to ride the bike up the hill.
So This question about can an electric bike go up a steep hill is an important question.
Now let’s answer the questions directly.
Can Electric Bikes Go Up Steep Hills?
Generally YES, the electric bike can go up a steep hill, taking into account the way of riding your ebike and also the capabilities of the electric bike itself compared to the steepness of the hill.
As we explained in the previous answer, there are several factors that affect the experience of riding an electric bike up a steep hill
Including the possibilities of the bike and the way you ride the bike, as well as the degree of incline of the hill itself
In the next section, we will explain to you what you need to do in order to ride your electric bike up the steep hill with ease.
Tips you should do as a cyclist riding up a steep hill?
We will discuss some tips that you should keep in mind while cycling up the steep hill.
1-Keep an eye on the hill.
The first piece of advice for you is to look carefully at the hill and avoid any rocks or obstacles in front of you because these rocks and obstacles can stop you completely and therefore it will be very difficult to start moving from zero speed while you are in the middle of the hill.
2-Start with the high power.
Always set the bike to the highest power possible. If you have speed modes on the bike, choose the high power or the economy because they will set the motor to give you the maximum torque.
3-Using Pedal assistance at the beginning is a good idea.
Regardless of the motor power of your electric bike, using the pedal at the beginning of the hill is a very good thing for two reasons, the first is that you will give the bicycle more torque and strength.
The second is that at the beginning of going up the hill with your electric bike, it will be easy for you, on the contrary, if you start using the pedal in the middle of the hill because the gravity factor will not be on your side.
when you are in the middle of the hill most likely you will need to pedal while standing.
4-Low your seat height.
When riding an electric bike up a steep hill, you do not want your body resistance to be high, so it is preferable to reduce the height of the electric bike seat so that there is no high resistance that increases the pressure on the electric bike.
5- Balance your body.
When riding an electric bike up the hill, one of the important tips is to keep your body balanced on the bike, because the position of your body will increase or decrease the pressure on the electric bike.
For example, if you make your body lean forward all the time, the rear wheel will rise from the ground, so it is preferable to keep your body balanced on the electric bike.
6- Your Weight is an important factor.
The weight of the cyclist plays an important role in whether or not it is easy or difficult to ride a bike up a steep hill Incline.
For example, if you are a heavyweight rider, you should expect that you have to pedal all the time on the hill in order to compensate for the pressure that your weight puts on the bike.
7- Adjust the air in your ebik tire.
Air pressure in an electric bike tire can make it more difficult or easier to get up the hill.
Because if the air pressure is low inside the tires, it will increase the friction, which makes it difficult to climb the bike up the hill
But if the pressure is too high, there will be no friction at all, which also makes it difficult to go up the hill with an electric bike
What features you should have in your ebike to ride up steep hills?
As a general rule, the most important features that you must have in an electric bike in order to ride your bike up a steep hill are the power of the motor and the range of the battery because the higher the slope of the hill, the more torque you need and also the higher the battery is used
1-Motor Power.
You can see this post that explains in details the power of the motor that you need according to the multiple uses with a comparison between all types of motor Fom HERE
2-Battery Consumption.
The second factor in the features that should be in your electric bike is the battery or voltage range, because the steeper the hill, the more voltages the motor consumes from the battery in order to obtain the required torque, and therefore you will need a larger battery
But it should be noted here if the slopes that you meet in your daily commute are not large, then a medium-sized battery may suffice.
You can view this post that explains in detail all types of batteries, starting from the 36 volts to the 52 volts in terms of the life span of the entire battery and also the life span of a single charge from HERE
The Easy Ways to ride your ebike up steep hills.
In the next part of this post, we will explain the most important ways in which you can ride your bike on a steep hill. We will start from the most difficult and even the easiest ways, then explain the advantages and disadvantages of each method.
1- Turning the Motor Off.
2-Use Pedal Assist.
This method relies on the use of the pedal assist completely, and this method will use part of the motor power and the cyclist will do the rest of the effort by using the pedal.
What distinguishes this method is that the cyclist does not make much effort, and also that it is considered the fastest way to ride a bike on a steep hill.
The disadvantage of this method is that it still depends on the effort of the cyclist.
3-Using full throttle
This method relies on using the motor completely and also with a little help from the cyclist using the pedal assist.
What distinguishes this method is that it does not require any effort, and in my personal opinion, it is more suitable if you are old or riding your bike on a hill that is not very steep.
The disadvantage of this method is the speed of battery depletion due to the fact that the motor will not draw a large watt to give the bike the required float and also that it is very slow, so if you are a heavyweight, do not expect more than 6 mph.
Conclusion.
There are three ways to climb a steep hill using an electric bike, namely, complete dependence on the electric bike driver, or relying on the pedal is fully established, or relying on the motor completely.
The second method, which is to rely on the Pedal Assist, is the best because it is the fastest and also keeps the battery longer.
