E-bikes are becoming very popular and can be an excellent entry to commuting or an augmentation to your riding generally. They’re particularly helpful if you’re hauling kiddos or doggos or other types of cargo as they can assist you with the extra weight you’re hauling about. They are also quite useful if acoustic bikes make your knees sore.

And, although it seems as easy as attaching a two-stroke motor to your regular bike, that’s a poor idea, for a whole host of reasons, starting with safety and ending with the environmental issues.

Courtesy of Bicycling dot com, here are some things you should know:

1. Check the legislation requirements and bylaws for where you want to ride your ebike. In Edmonton, you can ride your e-bikes and e-scooters in bike lanes, shared paths, shared streets and parkland. E-scooters are allowed on roads where the speed limit is 50 km/h or under

2. Determine the price you want to pay for your ebike, as they range from a moderate 1000 or so dollars to upwards 6 grand.

3. There are three classes of e-bikes – Class 1 is called a pedal assist and tops out at 32 kph, Class 2’s have a throttle. Class 3 ebikes are pedal assists that top out at 45 k/h. Class 3s can have a throttle but then top out at 32 kph.

4. Torque is the output of an ebike, more torque means you can get up to speed and pedalling is easier. Heavy bikes need more torgue

5. Watt hours are how much energy can be delivered each hour. The higher the number the farther you go, but if you’re speedy, you cannot go as far.

Produced by Karly Coleman.