Is the VoltRider™ road legal?
In the U.S. and Canada, electric bikes are classified along with conventional bicycles. This means that a pedal-operated, two-wheeled vehicle with a motor that doesn’t exceed 20 mph, unassisted, can be ridden without any license, documentation, or insurance on any road or path that a regular bicycle can ride. Some states and regional entities may enact some restrictions, and you should always check local laws. In the past several years, many other countries have adopted some kind of legislation to legitimize electric bicycles on the roadways or are in the process of doing so.

Can I ride the VoltRider™ on designated bike paths and trails?
As mentioned above (but worth repeating).. yes! However some e-bikes that have been souped-up or exceed the standards and limitations set forth in Federal Regulations may not. The VoltRider™ has been designed to meet all regulatory standards and can be ridden anywhere a conventional bicycle can.

How does an e-bike work?
E-bikes come with different capabilities and designs, but they share basic elements. First of all, vehicles classified as e-bikes have a lot in common with conventional bikes. All such vehicles can be operated partly or wholly by pedaling, in which case they act much as a conventional bike. Energy is transferred from pumping the pedals to the rear wheel by a chain, and usually the bike includes a derailleur that allows the rider to shift gears based on terrain and speed. The VoltRider™ includes the Shimano 6-speed derailleur which makes pedal operation much easier and more efficient than bikes without any derailleur.

But electric bikes are distinct from conventional bikes by their inclusion of an electric motor and a battery to run it. Only the superior lithium batteries are used on VoltRider™ bikes. These store energy as chemical potential energy, which is charged by plugging the battery into a normal wall socket (via a small transformer) for 4-6 hours. One full charge will power the bike for 20 or more miles unassisted (i.e. with no pedaling).

The Pedal-Assist mode (PAS) allows the electric motor to run as the rider pedals. In this mode, the e-bike can tackle hills and reach high speeds without overly taxing the motor or the rider. By relying on both human and electric power, the range of the bike can be about doubled (between 30 and 40 miles) while still providing a relaxing, easy ride with as much exercise as the rider wants.

Won't the extra weight make it difficult to pedal without the motor?
The short answer is yes.. but not much. The effect of weight is largely exaggerated in how a bicycle performs. People spend thousands to shave off a few pounds for a really high-end bike. But since the rider is already at least 5-6 times heavier than the bike, the bicycle weight itself makes minimal difference. A heavier bicycle is slightly harder to ride uphill, somewhat faster to ride downhill and pretty much the same on the flat terrain as a lightweight one.

The addition of a motor and batteries can add anywhere from 15-18 lbs. to a bike and has surprisingly little effect on its rideability. Those extra pounds of weight are more than made up for in their hauling capacity on even the steepest of hills, and trip times with an e-bike are usually between 20-30% faster than a regular bicycle.

What is the range of the VoltRider™?
This is an extremely important question to answer when choosing an e-bike, but for various reasons it is more complicated to answer than the previous questions. The short answer is: the VoltRider™ is capable of about 40 miles between charges in pedal-assist mode (about half that if the rider isn’t pedaling). The longer answer is that many variables affect this baseline number.

Perhaps surprisingly, your individual riding habits are just as important in calculating the range of your e-bike as the bike itself! In general, ranges are calculated assuming that the electric motor is engaged the entire time over flat terrain and no wind, at moderate speeds and with a few stops in between. The VoltRider™ is tested in such conditions with a load of 200 lbs. When shopping around, pay close attention not only to the range of the different bikes but the conditions used in testing, as different conditions can yield very different results for the same bike.

Environmentally speaking, isn't this a step backwards from a regular bicycle?
Surprisingly, electric bikes can have a smaller environmental footprint than pedal-only bicycles. Not convinced? Look at it this way, a human-powered vehicle is using the human metabolism to convert food energy into work, with a conversion efficiency of about 25%. That's the first part of the picture, then we have to step back and look where the food energy comes from.

In North America and Europe, the food is grown with the aid of chemical fertilizers and machinery; it is then transported, processed, packaged, transported, sold, transported again, and finally cooked before consumption. In the end about 10 times more primary energy went in to producing the food than is actually stored in the food itself. The net effect is that for every unit of human energy used on a bike, about 40 times that much was consumed.

By comparison, with an electric vehicle you are taking primary energy from the grid and storing it in a battery at between 60-80% efficiency, and then converting it to work through an electric motor with roughly 75% efficiency. That's a lot more direct than the human route. Once you take into account the energy to manufacture and recycle the batteries, e-bikes end up consuming from 2 to 10 times less fossil fuel energy than their human-powered equivalents!

How much power does it use?
The average power that a typical cyclist will deliver is on the order of 150 watts, or 1/5th of a horsepower. If you’re curious, most modern exercise bikes will display the exact wattage and you can get a feel for how much power you're producing with the legs. A fit individual can sustain 350 watts for about 10 minutes and up to 600 watts for a few seconds, but for continuous riding between 100-200W is typical. Consider that Lance Armstrong's average speed over a 2-hour ride is 20.5 mph. That's just over the legal speed of e-bikes. Lance expended about 1/2 horsepower, or 373 watts, continuously. E-bike motors can peak at several hundred watts and therefore, will make a big difference in getting you down the road and up the hill!

Does the battery recharge while you pedal?
For some reason this is one of the most commonly asked technical questions we get. The answer is that on most hub motor e-bikes it is certainly possible to recharge the batteries while pedaling – BUT – only when you are moving at a speed faster than the motor can attain itself. Recharging from pedaling is not really the intent of the electric drive as it is with, say, a hybrid car.

In general, with an e-bike you draw a net amount of power out of the battery pack to assist you riding. You then replenish this energy from the wall outlet, rather than by working extra hard later on in the trip. There is one e-bike kit on the market that has a specific “regen mode” that allows you to work against the motor and recharge the batteries continuously while riding at lower speeds. But it’s like hauling a heavy trailer with two flat tires, so unless you're seriously in it for the exercise there is little point.

Does the VoltRider™ have regenerative braking, like in hybrid cars?
Regenerative braking doesn't yield much "juice" back into the battery. Even hi-tech hybrid electronics on electric automobiles regain less than 10% of the original charge. Therefore, given a choice of either regenerating or freewheeling, you will get more range with freewheeling unless you have a very hilly route.

What is battery "memory"?
Battery "memory" is a term used to describe the harmful effect of repeated "partial" discharge and re-charge of certain kinds of batteries. Generally, this "memory" effect has been associated with Nickel Cadmium batteries and results in a reduced life span.

The lithium-ion battery used in the VoltRider™ is not affected by repeated partial discharge and re-charge. In fact, the battery's useful life is actually prolonged by immediate and thorough charging after every use, regardless of depth of discharge.

What’s the deal with brushed vs. brushless motors?
Broadly speaking, there are two types of electric motor:

 •  Direct Current (DC) - simple but comparatively heavy and inefficient

 •  Alternating Current (AC) - smaller, lighter, and more efficient over a broader speed range

In general, DC motors have brushes to transfer power to the rotating component and AC motors do not. However, most of the brushless motors fitted to electric bicycles are a hybrid of the two types, often called “Hall Effect”. These are not quite as clever as a full AC motor, but do away with the brushes, so they are generally more efficient and more reliable than the straight DC type. Hall Effect motors are now almost universal on electric bikes, so don't concern yourself too much with these categories.

What is a controller?
Think of the motor as the muscle and the battery as the heart, using this analogy then the controller would be the brain. The speed, torque, and performance of the e-bike is pre-programmed in the controller, by the manufacturer, compatibly with the motor size, voltage and amp-hours (Ah). All wires on an electric bike go to the controller. The throttle on the handlebars, when turned, sends a signal to the controller, which is a little box of electronics (just behind the VoltRider™ battery) that distributes the power from the battery to the motor. This controller makes riding the bike a smooth experience rather than just switching the power on and off like a light bulb. Riding an electric bike without a controller would be like driving a car where the only way to control it was to have it wide open or nothing at all.

A poor quality controller normally fails in the early stages of usage, which is a sign of poor design and workmanship by the manufacturer. It is essential that the dealer can readily replace the part; otherwise your e-bike is basically just a regular bike.

Will any charger work?
It is important to use only the charger supplied with your battery pack purchased through VoltRider™. Using the wrong charger may create a fire or safety hazard.

Should I get a conversion kit or a pre-built e-bike?
There are two approaches to acquiring an electric bicycle. Either you can start with a regular bike of your choice and install a conversion kit for the electric drive, or you can purchase one of the many commercial e-bikes that are on the market. When you buy a pre-built e-bike, you get the convenience of having a turnkey product, hopefully with warranty and shop support, and a system (battery, charger, bike, and motor) that is generally well integrated and slick.

With the conversion kit approach, you have unlimited choice in the bicycle type and style, however, along with the kit comes the installation which can justifiably deter a lot of people. In general, most hub motor kits require some familiarity with bicycle mechanics and that you are a competent hands-on type of person. (see more on this on our The Competition page).

How do I reach Customer Service?
Most days we’re on the road spreading E-grins™. If you need to contact us please email us at Info@VoltRider.com. If you have specific questions you need to discuss, email your question and your phone number and best time to call (indicate time zone please) to Info@VoltRider.com. We’ll do our e-best to get back to you ASAP.

What payment forms do you accept?
We accept payment by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, PayPal, personal check or money order. Checks and money orders must clear before we ship.

Is it safe to use my credit card on your site?
We use a secure web order form from __________ to protect our customers from theft and fraud.

Is there sales tax on electric bicycles?
There is no sales tax except for a 9.25% sale tax when shipped to the state of California.

How do I place an order?
Orders are accepted by mail, fax, phone or online through the internet. How will my VoltRider™ be shipped? All bikes are shipped by UPS and are insured. A shipping and handling fee is added to your order upon checkout. What is your refund policy? Please consult our Warranty & Returns page.

Is my information shared?
All transactions and inquiries through VoltRider™ are confidential. We do not share our customer information with outside companies. How secure is your web site? We at VoltRider™ guarantee that we are using the state of the art in encryption software to ensure the security of your information when submitted on our site. Our secure server software (SSL) is the industry standard and among the best software available today for secure commerce transactions. It encrypts all of your personal information, including credit card number, name, and address, so that it cannot be read as the information travels over the Internet.