All you need to know about E‑Bikes
An E-Bike can be your greatest companion throughout your daily commute, on long days in the mountains crushing trails or conquering the toughest passes, where is up to you. If you already know what type of E-Bike you need, click below to take a deep dive into SCOTT's E-Bike range by discipline and learn more.
However, if you are completely new to the world of E-Bikes, keep scrolling to find out everything you need to know!
SUMMARY OF THE CATEGORIES
eMTB
SCOTT eMTB offers something for everyone. There’s everything from the more traditional eMTB, equipped with high-torque motors and batteries ideal for those bigger tours in the mountains with lot of elevation and need of assistance. The lightweight eMTBs are for the typical mountain biker that wants a bike close to a traditional MTB when it comes to handling and riding feeling.
eROAD
SCOTT eROAD and eGRAVEL are segments with highly capable, lightweight and versatile E-Bikes. In the eROAD category, we have two models: Addict RC eRIDE and Solace eRIDE. The Addict RC eRIDE is for the traditional roadie, while the Solace eRIDE is versatile and more endurance focused. For those that like to take to take any trail, The Solace Gravel eRIDE has massive 50c tires and flared handlebars, as comfortable on tarmac as on singletrack.
eALL-TERRAIN
SCOTT eALL-TERRAIN bikes are for the commuter, leisure rider or the explorer who seeks for fully equipped do-it-all bikes. The eAll-Terrain range includes bikes equipped with suspension, rack and fenders. The bikes also feature larger batteries that ensures the range for longer days in the saddle, similarly the motors are the most powerful. Bikes in this category are the AXIS eRIDE and the SUB Cross eRIDE Family.
eURBAN
An Urban E-Bike can fill many purposes, from daily commute to weekend excursions and everything in-between. Commuting with E-Bikes are convenient, easy and give a sense of freedom. There’s no time wasted in traffic jams or scouting parking spots; you can just cruise by while getting a mental break for the day. SCOTT Urban E-Bikes have a comfortable geometry which ensures a convenient position for commutes and everyday activities. Front- and rear lights ensure that you are visible, they're well equipped with fenders, rack and kickstand and with the ability to mount bike bags to fit everything you need. Our eUrban bikes are the SUB Sport eRIDE, SUB Tour eRIDE and SUB Active eRIDE.
So, what about E-Bikes?
WHAT IS AN E-BIKE?
An electric pedal assisted bike is like a regular bike, just with the features of a drive unit and battery. However, it’s nothing like a moped, the motor is dependent on your pedalling and only assists as long as you keep pedalling, and as long as the battery has power. The drive unit gives assistance up to 25kph/20mph, after which it becomes a regular bike.
WHY BUY AN ELECTRIC BIKE?
E-Bikes offer great freedom as your ride feels limitless, no commute is too long, no climb steep enough and no trail techy enough. SCOTT E-Bikes are available in all disciplines, from eMTB, eROAD to eALL-TERRAIN and eURBAN, this enable you to find the bike for your needs and habits.
WHAT BATTERY SIZE DO I NEED?
Beside finding the most suitable bike model for your needs and use case, you also need to consider what battery size you really need. Range anxiety is a thing, but it can be eased with the right knowledge. A bigger battery might feel reassuring, but it makes the bike heavier and adds on to the charging time. The battery size needed depends on how much range you need, and range depends on many things: terrain, weather, riding conditions, assistance mode and fitness level.
If you live somewhere hilly or have a long commute you should go for one of the larger battery sizes to be sure that you have the range covered. However, if your commute is shorter or you live in an area which is a bit flatter, you could get away with one of the smaller battery sizes. We have commuter E-Bikes that for many would only need to be charged once a week. Several of our eMTB, eURBAN and eALL-TERRAIN E-Bikes have removable batteries which can be an important consideration depending on where you will charge the battery.
HOW DOES THE ASSISTANCE WORK?
The drive units of SCOTT's E-Bikes are tuned for giving a smooth assistance, no matter the mode you're in. The feeling of the drive unit during the ride will be like having fresh legs - every day. Or as a gentle push on your back, helping you reach your destination a bit more effortless.
What’s up with all the motors?
At SCOTT we have three partners for our eRIDE segment: Bosch, Mahle and TQ. The three motor manufacturers have their unique strengths and purposes, which is why we’ve matched them to fit with the bike and its rider.
Bosch
SCOTT eMTB and eMOBILITY bikes that are powered by Bosch are for those who seek a bike to ride everywhere, anytime, and always feel fresh. The Bosch drive units features a larger capacity battery, which makes the bike heavier, but ensures a longer range, more assistance in the climbs and offers several riding modes to swipe between. With great power comes great responsibility, since the bike gets heavier, more anticipation is needed when crushing the trails. The Bosch motors have up to 85Nm of maximum torque, and battery capacities from 400Wh up to 750Wh.
TQ
The TQ HPR50 motor is mid-drive and is fitted on SCOTT Endurance eROAD, eGRAVEL bikes and lightweight eMTBs. The TQ motor is compact, light and gives a natural and dragless riding feeling throughout the whole ride. This technology allows for a very balanced bike with exceptional handling due to a low centre of gravity. The TQ HPR50 system has a maximum torque of 50Nm and the 360Wh battery can be topped with a range extender of 160Wh, giving a total of 520Wh.
Mahle
The Mahle X20 motor is hub-drive and minimalist for Sportive riders who still want the natural look and feel of a race bike but need that little extra assistance in the uphill. The Mahle X20 system is developed with a dedicated road bike assistance technology which learns from your riding style and adapts its response. It has a maximum torque of 55Nm and is powered by a 236Wh battery in the down tube. For keeping the range anxiety away, it’s possible to add a range extender of 171Wh, resulting in 407Wh.
What does hub- or mid-based motor really mean and how does it affect the riding feel?
A mid-drive motor is directly connected to the pedals giving an immediate feedback to the rider who can. Mid-drives are tuned to optimize the pedalling efficiency for a natural feel and more instant assistance. While it’s design may be less discrete than a hub drive the weight being centred results in a balanced and agile handling.
A hub-based drive unit is located most often in the rear wheel of the bike. These provide power straight to the wheel which creates an assistance independent of the rider's cadence which helps ensure a natural and smooth transition when the assistance switches off and starts to give you power again. The look and riding feel of these bikes are very close to a regular one.
Is there an app for that?
Bosch, Mahle and TQ allow you keep all your E-Bike data collected in one place. The apps allows you to tune the assistance level to suit your needs and have an easy overview of the bike’s status.
BOSCH
FLOW APP
Bosch Flow App stores everything you need to know about your E-Bike in one place. The app allows you to track your rides, customize the assistance modes, keep track of the bike’s location, system updates over air and notifications when service is needed. You can even lock or unlock your bike with certain models.
MAHLE
MY SMARTBIKE
Mahle’s My SmartBike app keeps you updated with everything concerning your bike. You can easily track your ride, have system updates within minutes via Bluetooth and see the status of your bike. Here you can also tune the motor and customize how you like the assistance and pedal response. The app seamlessly integrates with activities recorded via Strava and gives you all the stats about your ride.
TQ
TQ E-BIKE
The TQ E-Bike app gives an easy overview of the bike's settings. It lets you tune the assistance, response and customize what you want to see on the top tube display. Here, you can also find error codes and FAQ about your TQ-bike.
