Posted by Paul Hoyle on 13th Jan 2025
Important questions to note when choosing an electric bike battery.
1 - Your rider weight?
2 - Who are you riding with?
1 - Are they riding EMTB?
What distance are they riding on their electric mountain bikes?
If you are riding with a group of people who cover a large portion of miles, battery range becomes a crucial factor to your overall enjoyment. Additionally the altitude they are covering is a huge factor. Riding terrain with lots of uphill sections will put an increased demand on the battery draining it faster. To maximise your e-bikes ability to cover these miles - in a mode which isn’t placing lots of demand on the rider the size of the battery is important to consider.
If your group is riding short distances - perhaps only an hour or two with a limited number of climbs, a smaller battery could suffice, with enough WH to maintain a stronger output mode.
What electric bikes are your group riding?
Furthermore, the e-bikes your group are riding is another crucial factor. If they are covering a large portion of miles and altitude, whilst riding e-bikes fitted with larger batteries (600Wh) and up. It's likely the best choice to choose an eMTB with a comparable battery size, within 200Wh of what they are riding. Opting for a bike with a much smaller battery, smaller outside of the 200wh range will likely force you to conserve battery and leave your EMTB in a lower output mode, whilst those with larger batteries can utilise a higher output mode, because of the battery discrepancy, possibly leaving you at the back of the pack, far more fatigued and constantly concerned about your battery life.
Your fitness relative to those in the group?
Lastly, the relative fitness and weight of the members in your group in relation to yourself will likely either exacerbate or limit the impact of the last 2 points. If you consider yourself in very good physical condition, and are possibly lighter than those you ride with. Choosing a bike with a smaller battery possibly won't impact your overall enjoyment, if you are happy to sit at the back of the pack and can make up the power discrepancy from sheer physical fitness then opting for a smaller motor could be an excellent consideration. On the other hand if your group is either similar or greater to yourself in terms of fitness, opting for a smaller battery could simply ruin your time on the trails.
2 - Are they riding mechanical bikes (non electric)?
If you ride with people on mechanical bikes, the requirement for a larger battery is no longer as strong. It's still important to consider your fitness levels and weight in relation to those around you. And you can then tailor your assistance mode to maintain a similar cadence to your group, or select a larger battery.. if they are riding large distances that you aren't accustomed to. However a smaller battery will more than likely be capable of matching the distances covered by those without electric assistance if you are of comparable weight and fitness.
3 - Are you riding solo?
If you are riding solo, the only important factors to consider are your personal riding goals and your physical condition. If your goal is to ride large distances (25 kilometers for example) and spend long days in the saddle, a larger battery will likely be the go to option. However if you are only covering short distances and are never too far away from a charger then a smaller battery will suffice.
3 - What characteristics do you value from your electric bike?
It's no secret opting for a larger battery size will impact an EMTB's handling and agility on the trails. So it's important to consider what you value from your time spent in the saddle. If you prefer your ebike to be poppy and agile on the descents, a smaller lighter battery powering a less powerful system will likely fulfil your needs. However if you are simply looking for a bike to deliver maximum range and plenty of roll over capability a larger battery powering a more powerful system is likely better suited to your needs.
