Electric Bike Battery Chargers

"Oh Boy!... You'll Get a Charge Out of This!" 

We will talk about electric bike battery chargers in a moment, but first....   In 1865, pedals were attached directly to the front wheel of a two wheeled vehicle, which was known as a "velocipede".

That technological improvement was so successful that indoor riding halls similar to roller rinks could be found in most cities. People just loved riding those bikes. So some things haven't changed all that much.

People still love riding their bikes. Especially folks who have electric bikes. Just as the addition of pedals to the front wheel made all the difference for people back in 1865, the addition of an electric motor to today's bike has transformed the way people use them.

Along with electric motors come batteries, and along with batteries come electric bike battery chargers.

Engineers are always trying to strike a balance when it comes to batteries. Electric bike motors need batteries to run.

Everybody wants a battery to store lots of power. The more power a battery can store, the bigger it is. The bigger a battery is, the heavier it is. The heavier it is the more power you need to carry it.

So now you need a bigger motor. Which means a bigger battery. If you keep going like this, you'll end up with a motorcycle! This is where the battery chargers step in.

You don't need such a big battery if you recharge it frequently. So engineers can design batteries as small and light as possible.

The idea is that the trade-off for carrying less weight around in battery form is having to recharge the battery fairly often.

So the right electric bike battery charger is essential equipment. And do yourself a favor-have at least two battery chargers. Keeping one at work means a lighter load on the commute and always having it handy.

The first consideration for selecting an electric bike battery charger is what type of battery you have. Most common is the Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) battery. Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) and Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) batteries are also found on electric bikes.

The next factor is voltage. 12, 24, 36, and 48 are the usual voltages. Recharge rate is another spec you'll want to know. And, last but not least, is budget. Prices range from $49 to roughly $200. Even an expensive charger is a cheap investment in the well-being of your battery, though.

It's often the case that the charger your bike came with isn't the most sophisticated one available. Basic chargers work by applying a set charge rate and then shutting off with a timer. This may result in batteries being undercharged or overcharged.

The risk of overcharging is very high if there's been an interruption in power. The timer will reset and start over, regardless of how much charge the battery actually has.

New to the battery charger market are the "smart chargers". These have microchips in them whose sole purpose is to prevent your battery from getting fried. They can charge more quickly without the danger of an overheated battery.

The smart chargers use fancy-schmancy algorithms to make sure your battery is always perfectly charged. It's no surprise that these chargers are among the most expensive.

Fast chargers are another category for you to consider. The up side to them is they get the job done as quickly as possible. The down side is that a fast charging is harder on the battery.

So if you want your battery to last as long as it can, a fast charger probably isn't for you.

Overnight chargers are also a popular choice. They do a very gentle job of charging. Not the speediest charger, but you'll get the most life out of your battery this way.

Those cyclists back in 1865 were early adopters of the newest technology. The folks who have electric bicycles today are just like them; embracing the latest advances and enjoying all that cycling has to offer.

The bottom line is "Think Electric Bicycle!"

Ride With The Wind...

Trey Taylor
Electric Bike Guy

     Electric Bike Battery Chargers