How Big A Motor Do I Need For An EBike? (Explained)


Ebike-mid-drive motor

 

How Big A Motor Do I Need For An EBike? We all asked this question when we were in the process of buying a new electric bike.

this question is important particularly because it entails some factors influencing the purchase decision, and the most important of these factors, of course, is the cost.

 

As it is known, the larger the motor size, the greater the battery size, and they are one of the most expensive parts of the electric bike.

That is why choosing the right motor size for your actual needs will save you a lot of money.

 

In this post, we will explain to you the uses of all types of electric bicycle motors in terms of power, starting from the 250-watt motor to the 1500-watt motor.

 

And also for you from us a gift at the end of the post, which is a table that helps you make your buying decision in the least possible time.

 

How Big A Motor Do I Need For An EBike?

 

As we mentioned earlier, we will discuss each type of electric bike motor and determine its use, but before we start, we must know what are the factors through which we will determine the use of the motor in each category.

 

These factors are:

1- The type of road you will most likely walk on
2- The weight of the cyclist
3- Price category
4- Loading Heavy stuff

 

Caution: We will mention in this article the power of each motor, but it should be noted that the power coming out of any motor may differ even if they have the same wattage due to the presence of several factors that affect this like, the manufacturing materials and the law regulating electric bikes in your country, as well as The different methods of testing the motor according to the manufacturing.

 

Now let’s start discussing each type of e-bike motor.

 

250-watt Motor

 

The 250-watt motor is the first category in the world of electric bikes, and therefore there are some limitations in its multiple uses, and we will explain them in detail in the next part.

 

1- The type of road.

 

As we mentioned, the 250-watt motor is the first category in electric bicycle motors, so it is very suitable for riding inside the city, whether it is to go to work, the supermarket, or any other place that has a paved road.

 

Does this mean that I cannot go up the hill with a 250-watt motor?

 

Generally, if you are a light or medium weight cyclist, you can go up the hill with a bike with a 250-watt motor, but this will require a strong

effort on your part to help the bike with the required torque and driving force.

 

If you do not use the pedal, your speed will be very slow when going up the hill with an electric bike with a 250-watt motor.

 

Tip: If you want to buy a 250-watt bike and are likely to spend some time riding up the hill, make sure the motor is mid-

drive because it will help you a lot in terms of torque and weight distribution as you go up the hill.

 

2- The weight of the cyclist.

 

When we talk about the weight of the cyclist, the 250-watt is more suitable for light and medium weights, but if you are a heavyweight and want to buy a bike with a 250-watt motor, it is possible, but all the places to ride the bike will be inside the city, as for the rise of the hill, the matter It will be very difficult for heavyweights.

 

 

“We wrote an article dedicated to everything you need to know about your needs in an electric bike. If you are a heavy

bike rider, check it out Here.”

 

3-Price category.

 

The 250-watt category is the cheapest category in electric bikes because it is the first category, so it is an excellent choice if you have a limited budget.

 

4-loading Heavy stuff

The 250-watt bike can be a helper for you in case of emergency use of pulling a trailer or loading many things on it, despite the motor in
the first category, but it can be a good helper for you if the torque of the motor is strong.

A final thought about the 250-watt motor.

 

As a general rule, the 250-watt motor is very suitable for riding a bike in the city, for all weights. It is also very suitable for those with a limited budget, and you can rely on it to carry heavy things if the torque of the motor is strong.

350- 500 watt Motor

When talking about the middle class, which starts from the 350-watt motor to 500-watts, the matter becomes more interesting because of the multiple uses and the wonderful performance.

1-The type of road.

 

The category of electric bicycle motors from 350 to 500 watts is suitable for all types of roads, whether inside the city or for riding off-road and riding uphill.

But to be more specific, the 500-watt motor (med-drive) would be more suitable for going up the hill without the need to use the paddle.

In the case of the 350W motor, it will take some small effort on your part to help the bike go up the hill.

 

2- The weight of the cyclist.

 

This category is more than excellent for light and medium cyclists, and it may be acceptable for heavyweight cyclists, depending on their weight.

 

If the cyclist weighs 242 pounds, which is equivalent to 110 kg or more, the matter will be somewhat difficult and may require some effort to go uphill or when loading heavy items on the bike.

 

Note:  in most European countries, the 500-watt motor is the maximum for electric bikes, according to the law regulating electric bikes, so if you are a heavyweight rider living in a European country, you can buy the 500-watt, but the torque should be 80 Newtons so that you can enjoy your bike more. so avoiding 50-60 newton motor is your best bit in this case.

 

3-Price category.

This category is average in everything, even in price, because there are very many types and models that you can choose between them.
It is suitable for riders with small and medium budgets But as advice, do not buy the types of bikes in this category from unknown brands, such as what is sold in Walmart or some large supermarkets, because they are often of poor quality.
Personally, I would definitely prefer buying a small class from a reputable manufacturer to buying a medium-class from an unknown manufacturer.

4-loading Heavy stuff.

 

If you plan to load heavy things or tow a trailer with your electric bike, then this category is the right one for you because the torque is often strong and the battery is also large.
Specifically: the 350-watt motor will be very suitable for carrying heavy weights inside the city But if you plan to go camping and go up the hill and you carry heavyweights on the bike, the 500-watt will be your best choice.

A final thought about the 350- 500 watt Motor.

 

The 350-500 watt electric bicycle motors are suitable for all types of roads and are also suitable for all weights of cyclists, in addition to the diversity in brands, which gives them a price preference, and you can use them to load heavy things easily.

 

750-watt Motor.

 

The 750-watt motor is one of the high categories, so in my opinion, it is suitable for two types of people, either heavyweight cyclists or people who love the high performance, acceleration, and riding  uphill

 

1-The type of road.

This category is more suitable for off-road riding and going uphill due to the power and torque of the motor.
What distinguishes this category is that it gives the cyclist high confidence in his bike as he can rely on it at any time.
For this, as I mentioned earlier, if you are a fan of high performance, this category is the best for you.

2- The weight of the cyclist.

If you live in the United States of America and you are a heavyweight cyclist, then this category is the ideal category for you because it is considered the first category in the high categories.
It will also make your cycling experience a really great experience because you will not need to make any effort when going up the hill or riding Off-Road Plus the power to ride in the city.
If you are a small or medium-sized cyclist, the importance of this category for you is in performance, not in daily use.

3-Price category.

This category is a relatively high category in price due to its features, so it is not suitable for small or medium budgets.

4-loading Heavy stuff.

 

This category is perfectly suitable for use in loading high-weight things on the bike due to the power and torque of the motor. If you are one of the people who use the bike to load large weights, this category is very suitable for you.

 

A final thought about the 750-watt Motor.

 

Electric bikes with a 750 Watt motor are the ideal choice for heavy-weight cyclists and for all types of roads, in addition to their ability to carry large weights, but their price may be a little high.

 

1000-watt motor.

 

How Fast Does A 48v 1000w Electric Bike Go(Solved)

 

 

The 1000-watt electric bikes are one of the most reliable and meet all your uses, but the high price is defective.

 

1-The type of road.

 

Due to the power of the motor and the high torque, this category will be suitable for all types of roads.

Note: US law in most states allows a maximum of 750 watts, so you will see that most of the 1000 watts are motors that are not from well-known manufacturers, and in most cases, it will be a Hub Motor.

 

Personally, I do not prefer that you consider this option for the sake of your safety and the safety of the people around you.

 

“You can see this post to find out what is the maximum speed of a 1000 watt bike with a 48-volt battery from Here ” 

 

2- The weight of the cyclist.

 

The weight of the driver will not be very important here because a motor with this power will be suitable for all weights.

The advice I can tell you is that if you are a heavyweight electric bike rider, your best choice is the 750-watt and not 1000 because in most cases the motor is of the hup type, which will reduce the torque while going up the hill and in the end, you will not feel a real difference between the two types.

 

3-Price category.

 

This category has high prices if you buy it from a well-known brand (which happens, but illegally, at least in the United States), but if you buy it from some sites such as eBay, the price may be cheap.

 

4-loading Heavy stuff.

 

You can load heavy things in this category, but you will not feel much difference between it and the 750 Watt mid-drive.

A final thought about the 1000-watt Motor.

 

Electric bikes with a 1000 watt motor, you can use them on all roads, and they are suitable for all weights of cyclists, and they can be loaded with heavy things, but what is wrong with them is the price and they are illegal in many countries, so I personally do not recommend them.

 

Table to help you get the right motor for you.

As we promised you in the first post, we will share with you a table that shows a comparison between the types of electric motors, so that you can determine the right type for you.

 

 

Table to help you get the right motor for you.

 

 

Conclusion.

As a general rule, the 350 to a 500-watt motor category is the category that you will need in your electric bike due to its versatility, whether in terms of the type of road or the weight of the cyclist or loading heavy things in addition to the reasonableness of its price.

 

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