Smart eBikes And Their Features

Electric bikes are seeing massive innovations year after year. And one of the ways we see a dramatic improvement is in their smart functionality. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, ‘smart eBikes’ refers to electric bikes with wireless connectivity. Functions that unlock additional features, programs, and performance that would be unavailable if you didn’t have a smart device.

Many smart eBikes are designed to connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth for people on the go. However, a few eBikes have smart connectivity to tablets, computers, and other smart devices. There’s a lot to know when it comes to the world of smart eBikes, so we hope our post serves as a helpful introduction to what you can expect if you want a “smart eBike.”

Smart Devices, the New eBike Display, and Controller:

Depending on the eBike you purchase, your motor display may be a simple switch or button to change your motor settings, or sometimes something bulkier like an advanced LCD touchscreen. Simple motor controller setups aren’t distracting, but they suffer from a lack of options to control and monitor your motor like advanced displays do.

While you may have more control with a more prominent display, the larger size can distract or throw off your handling, besides being more expensive and prone to getting damaged if you crash.

For these reasons, some eBike manufacturers have decided to include a simple motor controller, but with additional wireless smartphone functionality. Your smartphone becomes your display. And since it is a downloadable app, it comes packed with readouts and metrics far beyond what you get with a simple, isolated LCD display.

These applications can even be updated, providing you with more readouts and metrics over time. Furthermore, since you simply mount your smartphone or connect your smartwatch, you take it off when you’re done riding for easier bike storage. As long as you own a smart device released within the last few years, you’ll have greater control over your eBike performance than ever with a smart eBike!

Dynamic Motor and Pedal Assist Configuration:

While not quite as popular yet, some smart apps will even let you configure your motor or pedal- assist settings while riding. Want to change how the cadence or torque sensors measure your performance? Do you want to set a custom speed limit on the motor so you can maximize your range? Or do you want to unlock even more power, helping you accelerate beyond the stock settings put on your smart eBike?
With the latest smart eBikes, you can not only select your pedal-assist level but configure each of your pedal-assist levels along with the motor and other eBike components as well!

Track Your eBike, and See Where You’ve Been:

While some displays have basic GPS functionally, smart eBikes are often loaded with mapping features unmatched by traditional bike setups. You’ll be able to keep an accurate history of where you’ve been riding. And with some apps, even find out individual details about your performance over each ride as well.

If you need to leave your eBike alone for a while, smart eBikes can be marked on a map, helping you remember where you parked it. Theft is a common problem with eBikes, and you’ll be able to track where it gets taken, along with several other anti-theft features we’ll discuss next.

Lock Your eBike Down Against Thieves:

Security locks help deter thieves, but they can be broken into and are also expensive and cumbersome to take on every ride. With smart eBikes, your app will provide you with several different locking down options, including automatic locking once you’ve moved a certain distance from your eBike.

A few apps even have a theft alert, which notifies your phone and sets off an alarm if someone tries to use or move your bike. If you’re worried about your bike getting stolen, you’ll have plenty of anti-theft protection by purchasing a smart eBike over a traditional one.

Conclusion: A Dynamic eBike Option that Changes by the Day:

The above features are just a few of the most popular features in smart eBikes right now, but this market is rapidly changing by the day. A few less common but well-reviewed features we haven’t addressed include air quality monitoring, automatic emergency contacting, HD camera viewing, and more!

As mentioned, many smart devices interact with eBikes through a downloadable app, which has the potential to be updated to unlock even more features. With a traditional bicycle, you don’t expect the performance to change much. With a smart eBike, though, you have a rare vehicle that might be significantly better after a year than it was the first time riding it. As such, be sure to visit Best Electric Bikes again soon, where you’ll find updates on the latest smart eBikes as they hit the market!