Riding an electric bike provides riders with fresh excitement. It can also be exhilarating, offering a unique experience, which is different from that of a regular bike. 

Electric bikes like the Honbike HF01 are excellent for getting around town, commuting to your workplace, and engaging in mild exercises. Despite the many similarities thay have with traditional bicycles, there are also tremendous differences that can influence your experience when you are purchasing an electric bicycle for the first time, and you might be looking forward to the benefits embedded in owning one of these two-wheelers and also how to ride them. Read through these few tips on riding an electric bike as a first-timer before embarking on your fun-filled trip.

Safety First

There are some important safety tips to keep in mind rolling out your electric bike. Just as it is second nature for car owners to put on their seat belts, it is crucial to wear your helmet before heading off. E-bikes usually travel at speeds in excess of 20 km/h, so a helmet is one of the necessary precautions to protect yourself from injury.

Furthermore, ensure you dress comfortably and avoid loose clothing that could get cling to the wheels or other moving parts of your electric bike. Of course, you almost don't have to worry about this trouble if you own a Honbike HF01, as the best chainless electric bike on the market, this portable bike comes with Monotork clean shaft drive system, thus the rider doesn't have to worry about any chains troubles and security risks.

Check The Tire Pressure And Become Familiar With The Brake

Before setting off, ensure your e-bike tires are appropriately inflated. If they are slightly deflated, you will experience a slower speed rate, which could blow out or result in an accident. 

Another thing to observe is the kind of brake your electric bike has. The brake is an important element to consider before buying and using the bike. Your brake needs to possess a stopping power that aligns with your motor.

Take time to understand if the brake settings fit your style. Try them on a flat surface to ensure you get accustomed to their effect. There’s a connection between the force used in pulling the lever. The harder the force, the stronger the brake grip. However, the rear brake should be used first when braking. 

Ensure Your Electric Bike Gives You The Right Balance

Your e-bike should have a suitable weight for your body size to have a good balance. If your weight is not aligned with your electric bike, it will cause discomfort when riding. So, you must spend considering time climbing on and off your electric bike. You can also start and stop at intervals to effectively get a good grip.

You can adjust the seat height if necessary. Expert riders may only require their toes on the ground when seated, but first-timers may want their feet flat on the ground to feel more comfortable. Also, riders worldwide prefer lightweight bikes, mainly because they are easy to lift, park, and store, especially the foldable electric bikes. They are suitable for young adults, city commuters and older people cycly to schools, mart, or the office.

Check Your Battery Range and Power

When you want to ride you electric bike, you need to consider the battery performance. It could be challenging to ascertain how much battery life is remaining especially when you are not familiar with its location on the display.

If you cover a 15-25km daily, you can utilize a smaller battery range. However, a 400-watt-hour battery capacity or more is best for longer distances. 250-watt battery power is the best fit for downhill or city terrains, while 500-watt battery power is essential for uphill or rough terrains. 

You must keep your electric bike battery fully charged for your first trip. It is a good habit to ensure it is always charged in case of unforeseen contingencies. You can buy an extra ebike battery for your HF01 to double your mileage, it only weights 1.26kg, lockable and removable with keys. Moreover, it can be fully charged with only 3-4 hours.

Pedal Assist And Throttle

There are pedal-assist or throttle electric bikes. You must get familiar with the assisted model of your bike, how it works and the right occasion to use it. Pedal assist helps you ride on various terrains without much effort, while throttles can go directly.

You may need to pedal your electric bike on flat terrains without utilizing the pedal assist. This is to get comfortable with how your electric bike feels when riding. Then you can begin with the lowest pedal assist level and increase it as you progress on your trip to see how it helps with your speed. 

Depending on your purchase, you may select from the classes of e-bikes available: class 1, class 2, and class 3. Class 1 electric bike has a pedal-assist feature but doesn’t have a throttle, and they don’t go above 20 mph. They are widely accepted on city streets, trails, and bike paths.

Class 2 electric bikes have pedal assistance and throttle, are restricted to cars and vehicle terrains, and go up to 20 mph. The class 3 electric bike has only pedal assistance and a max speed of 28 mph. They are similar to the class 1 e-bikes but have a more speed range. You will have to abide by your region's speed limit and electric bike rules. For example, the UK's maximum speed of an electric bicycle is 25 km/h.

Maintenance 

After returning from each trip on your electric bike, you must carry out a few simple checks before storing it—this help to keep your e-bike in good condition. Also, do not forget to charge up your battery and ensure you utilize the correct charger. An incompatible charger could burn or limit the battery life of your electric bike.

As minute as it may, ensure you clean off any debris, dirt, or grime from your electric bike. This will keep your e-bike looking new and clean and prevent tears and rust. Moreso, secure your electric bike in a safe place where it can’t be stolen. Bikes like the HF01 comes with a foldable design that compresses it in four simple steps and stores it in your home, under your office desk, and car trunk.

Finally, ensure you carefully read your electric bike's user manual and warranty service. Your manufacturer will provide you with the best guarantee to enhance your experience.

Conclusion

We know you can’t wait to have your first experience riding an electric bike. At Honbike, our priority is to provide riders with unique designs compatible with their preference and style. We hope that we have set the stage for you to begin your journey as a first-time electric bike user. 

Cycling is one of the physical activities that are beneficial to the body. Cycling keeps you fit and healthy and it is an excellent way to be active. However, it also exposes the bike cycler to various injuries that might not be their fault. Some of these injuries include pain in the lower back, numb toes, hand injuries, knee injuries, and sometimes even shoulder pain. While you think that you might be doing everything as you are supposed to do, the pain and the injuries still occur. Well, whether you have one or more such injuries, the good thing is that you can easily prevent them all with the right approach. It all starts with a good body posture, wearing the right type and size of cycling shoes, having padded gloves, the right protective equipment, and many other things.

Cycling today is more than just a physical activity. It is the first and the only way of transportation for many people. It is a healthier and more affordable option than driving a car. In terms of health and the lasting pandemic, it is a great way to keep social distance and still get to the place you need to. It is a highly suggested alternative to all other types of transport for daily commute. And not only that, but it also improves the overall health, and greatly benefits the mind and well-being.

With all of the above mentioned, it is important to take care of the body of any physical injuries that might occur and that might prevent safe and healthy cycling.

What types of injuries can occur while cycling and how to prevent them?

As mentioned above, the injuries while cycling with an electric bike can appear even without them being your fault. So, to start, the experts suggest that the right body posture is the basis and the most essential thing when cycling. Cycling on an e-bike with bad body posture is the number one cause of cycling-related injuries.

That is why it is essential to learn more about the injuries when cycling and how to prevent them.

Lower back pain

Lower back pain is one of the most common cycling injuries. It has most definitely appeared to any cyclist, at least once in their cycling lifetime. This type of injury can appear to those who have a weak upper torso. That is because it fails to resist the force that is generated from the legs when cycling. That applies additional pressure on the lower back to work harder than it should. The first signs of such injury can present through fatigue in that particular body area.

To prevent this type of injury can easily be prevented by exercises that will strengthen the upper torso. Such exercises include cat stretches, pelvic tilts, bridges, etc. Also, it is important to mention that you should always keep your back straight when cycling on your folding E-bike. It will reduce the chances of lower back pain appearing.

Shoulder pain

Long-distance cycling and time spend on your E-bike in a certain position can result in pain in the shoulders. This type of pain occurs because of the stress that the shoulders experience, which is normal for such activity. The shoulder pain can be prevented by having a right body posture and flexing the elbows when cycling.

Numb toes

The proper and suitable gear goes a long way into having successful physical activity and enjoying it the most, without any pain. This refers to cycling too. Having comfortable shoes is essential to having an enjoyable ride, especially if you are doing long distances. Numb toes are a common physical injury that happens from long cycling and wearing inadequate cycling shoes. Most commonly, the numb toes come from tight cycling shoes. To prevent that from happening, the straps and the cleats on the cycling shoes need to be properly adjusted, and not too tight. Also, keeping the feet straight when on the pedal is a way to prevent numb toes injury.

Hand injuries

Like the lower back pain and the numb toes, hand injuries are also very common and frequent occurrences among cyclists. This type of injury can occur as numb fingers and palms. It might not be a severe injury, which makes its prevention pretty easy. To prevent such injuries, it is essential to ensure that holding the handlebars is proper. It should be done in a firm but relaxed way so that the palms do not carry and feel a lot of pressure. Another suggestion to prevent such injuries is to frequently change the position of the hands and make sure that the wrist is in a straight position.

Knee injuries

Another common injury that appears from cycling is the one that affects the knees. Some more serious knee injuries can include knee fractures that come as a result of stress on the knees. This is a situation for cyclists that ride fast and regularly. To prevent such injuries from happening, it is best to cycle on lower gears. That will reduce the stress put on the knees. Exercising the knees regularly will build some additional strength in that area and will allow the knee joints to become stronger.

Head injuries

Head injuries are the most dangerous type of injuries that a cyclist can experience while riding their E-bike. This can happen with a fall from a bike, or being hit by a moving vehicle. The best way to avoid such injuries is to cycle your folding E-bike away from the public roads, or at the lanes that are designated for cyclists. Additionally, wearing a protective helmet is a must that will prevent head injuries.

Take extra injury precautions

So now that you've seen some of the most common injuries and prevention steps, you've probably noticed a theme. Proper bike fit, stretching and training can help you prevent most of these injuries! We will explain each one in detail.

Bicycle Accessories

Buying an electric bike that fits your body can help reduce injuries. Once you've purchased the right size bike, you'll want to check components like handlebar height, seat height, and cleat positioning. This is something you can research and do yourself, but talking to an expert at your local bike shop who is already familiar with your bike's specs may be better for you than doing it yourself.

Suitable Train

Cycling requires repetitive, powerful movements. Each leg pushes independently of the other, putting a lot of pressure and pressure on each leg by picking them out individually! You must also have the proper balance and stability to support yourself on the bike. Your training routine should focus on the full range of motion of your hips, knees, and ankles. You should also focus on your core and shoulders, as they help support you and stabilize your body. Research different training programs! Many are cyclists and will accentuate these parts of your body.

Stretching 

Many joints reach their extreme ranges while cycling, and getting some range of motion in these areas can help you maintain proper tracking and form. Yoga, BJJ flexibility programs, and other flexibility exercises can help keep your range of motion open. CyclingTips has an article on mobility exercises to improve cycling performance that walks you through knee extension, knee flexion, hip extension, hip flexion, hip abduction, hip adduction, and side bend exercises .

Last Thought

Overall, any physical activity can be a reason for an injury. The same goes for cycling on an electric bicycle. Especially when you are in the pedal-assisted mode. But, with the proper knowledge as well as body posture, you will be able to easily prevent them. Careful cycling plays a big part in preventing injuries from happening too.

E-bikes are becoming popular as more people are willing to spend time outside and boost health and fitness conditions. From the moment they appeared on the market as an upgraded version of the traditional bike, the electric bikes are enjoying such a demand that everyone wants to own one. And that is quite understandable. The electric bicycle is different than the traditional bike in a few ways, making it even more interesting for those who are willing to give it a try.

E-bikes have lots of options to choose from. However, the one thing that everyone is acknowledging is great for this type of bike are the modes. No matter if you have a folding e-bike, a cruiser, or any other models, each comes in two modes: pedal-assisted mode and motor-assisted mode. And switching through them is quite interesting and beneficial to the rider.

Owning an electric bicycle as part of the lifestyle carries a lot of benefits to the rider. Starting just as a transportation option, the E-bike is a much more convenient solution than the car. Not only that you will save money, but you will do something good for yourself. You will be moving more, spending time outdoors, and getting to the place you want faster.

To support and encourage people to make this necessary change in their life and lifestyle, Honbike has offered test ride activity for all e-bike lovers. It is one of a kind approach that will inspire and motivate all of you to get moving and to see the benefits of riding an e-bike instead of being stuck in a car. And all of that happening in a week. If you were wondering what is there to do with an E-bike for the entire week, here are some suggestions that might set your mind straight on all the benefits of riding an electric bike.

Things to do with your e-bike for a week

Go to and back from work

Unless you are working from home, you certainly commute daily to and from work. If you were doing that by car, now is the right time to switch to the E-bike. As mentioned above, riding electric bikes has a lot more benefits than being stuck in a car. Not only you will get faster to work, but you will also avoid traffic jams. Enjoying some time outside, and feeling the breeze on your face cannot compare to being in the car. You will become more relaxed and you will have a better mood. Look at the daily commute as time for yourself. If you do not have time to exercise, cycling is a great way to change that. Doing that while going to and back from work has great health benefits. Once you see all the good sides to it, you will never want to get back in the car.

Run errands

If you thought that running errands are only possible with your car, you have got it wrong. Being on the electric bike is a much more convenient solution than doing that with the car. For example, the city centers are crowded with cars and there are not so many parking options there. Finding a free space is a truly challenging thing. However, that is not the case with the E-bike. You can park it almost everywhere and not worry whether you will get a parking ticket. Whether you have to stop by the bank or the market, it always makes all of that easier for you. Also, if you have weekly fitness sessions, or you are learning a new language in the afternoon, riding the electric bike instead of the car is just what you need.

Explore the beauties of your city

Driving a car requires using the same roads and having the same scenery for quite a long time. But when you are riding an electric bicycle, it is a completely different story. The E-bike offers a new perspective of the city or town you live in or work in. Also, you do not have to follow the same road to get to the desired destination. On the contrary, it opens lots of more different options and possibilities. The change of scenery greatly affects the overall mood and well-being. Also, touring the city with an E-bike is much more convenient than with a car. So, if you want to feel like a tourist in your city or town, get on your E-bike and explore some places you might have never seen.

Organize a group E-biking with your friends

Instead of doing the same old coffee routine and going to the same cafe with your friends, try something different. Organize your friends for a group cycling activity. Go to some park or explore some biking trails that you have never done before. While there, do a picnic or have lunch at a spot that you never knew existed. Being out in nature has great benefits to the health. Support and inspire the others to do that and suggest that becomes your weekend or at least monthly routine. You will bond on an entirely new level and feel absolutely great.

Join Our Test Ride

These are just some of the suggestions that you can do in a week if you swap your car with an E-bike. If you are ready to explore the joys of electric bikes, then be sure to check out and apply for the Honbike test ride activity. You will get the chance to experience the beauty with our newly launched HF01 chainless e-bike. Head to the link here and fill out the quick form.