Is it Possible to Ride an Electric Bicycle Without Battery Power?
Electric bikes have gained immense popularity over the years. According to Deloitte, they predict that 130 million electric bikes will be sold between 2020 and 2023. Their popularity can be attributed to many reasons. Some people choose to ride them due to the continual rise in fuel prices. Since they do not require fuel, you will not need to worry about fueling them. Yet others want to reach their workplace without sweating like they would with an ordinary bicycle. Even though electric bicycles are convenient, there is one question you may have: can you ride an electric bicycle without battery power? After all, batteries can run out of power. The good thing is that you can ride the bicycle without battery power. We will explain how that is possible and instances when it may be necessary to ride the bicycle without its battery below.
How You Can Ride the Bicycle Without Battery Power
An electric bicycle contains more components than a normal bicycle, such as the electric motor, battery, throttle, and so on. With more components, it makes sense that people would be concerned about ruining them by riding without any battery power. However, there will not be any strain on the bicycle but your muscles instead. So, you can ride the electric bicycle like you would a normal bicycle. Fortunately, you will never be stranded whether or not there is battery power. When you decide to ride it without power, bear in mind that the electric bicycle is heavier than the typical bicycle. That means it would especially be difficult to ride it up a hill. To minimize the fatigue of riding a heavy bicycle, you could push it instead.
Instances When Riders May Need to Ride the Electric Bicycle Without the Battery or Battery Power
Typically, most people choose to ride an electric bicycle like a normal bicycle due to lack of battery power. However, some cyclists deliberately ride their bicycles without battery power as a form of exercise. In addition, with the bicycle being heavier than ordinary bicycles, the cyclist will gain more benefits from them. Some of the benefits of riding the bicycle would be stronger legs, posture improvement and quick reduction of cholesterol levels. If you are about to board a plane, you will have to remove the battery from this bicycle. Remember, you are not allowed to board a plane with electric bicycle batteries. Electric bicycles use lithium batteries, and they are incredibly destructive. Lithium batteries short circuit very easily, produce extreme heat levels and cause inextinguishable fires. So, before you board a plane, ensure you leave the battery at home. Forgetting to charge the bicycle’s battery is normal. In fact, how many times have we left our houses without charging our smartphones? As stated earlier, some people ride bicycles without a battery to exercise. However, you may not feel like exercising that much. Therefore, you could take out the battery, and the electric bicycle will be lighter. With the battery off, you will be able to ride without feeling the extreme tiredness you would feel with a heavy bicycle. Lastly, you may need to put your electric bicycle on a chairlift to reach your destination. Most chairlifts have weight limits for bicycles. An electric bicycle is usually too heavy for most chairlifts. So, for the chairlift to accommodate the bicycle, it becomes necessary to take out its battery. If you put a heavy bicycle on the chairlift, the entire chairlift will come crashing down at high speed, which will significantly wreck your bicycle.
Tips to Prolong Its Battery
It is quite tiresome to ride an electric bicycle without enough battery power. It, therefore, becomes necessary to do what you can to save its battery. First, reduce as much weight as you can. For instance, if you ride with a rucksack, you will strain your muscles while navigating a hilly area. Also, the more effort you apply to ride up a hill with heavy items, the faster the battery power gets depleted. So, check if you are carrying unnecessary items in the backpack. Alternatively, you could leave it behind if you do not need it. Next, ensure that the bicycle has enough pressure on its wheels. Little air in the wheels means increased friction when cycling on hard surfaces. As a result, you will apply more effort to pedal. The more effort you use, the faster the battery drains. Besides draining your battery, low pressure generally slows you down. So, in case of danger, you may not be able to swerve fast enough to avoid it. Also, you can switch the battery on and off depending on the terrain you are riding on. For instance, if you are riding on a flat surface or down a hill, turning off the battery makes sense. This is because such terrains do not strain the cyclist even with the battery off. However, it is a different case when riding up a hill. In such an instance, you can turn on the battery since it is attached to a turbo mode component. As a result, you will effortlessly cycle uphill. Lastly, do not let the battery drain to 0%. Batteries work at their optimum levels from 20-to 100%. If you habitually drain it completely, its life will be shortened. Consequently, you would end up replacing the battery.
Conclusion
Riding an electric bicycle without battery power is possible. So, if you run out of battery power, you will not be stranded. You can ride it without the battery and charge the battery at your own time. Though inconvenient to ride without any battery power, you will be exercising your muscles. Therefore, the electric bicycle is beneficial to the user with or without battery power. If you detest riding an electric bicycle without battery power, it is up to you to properly care for the battery. Most electric bicycles run out of batteries because cyclists forget to charge them. If you are forgetful, you could have a reminder on your phone. In this way, you will always remember to charge the battery whenever necessary.
