FAQ e-bikes

Technique

An electric system consists of a number of main components:

  • The battery: integrated into the luggage carrier or located behind the seat tube (depending on the model);

  • The motor: built into the frame at the bottom bracket;

  • The display: fitted on the handlebar;

  • Sensors: every electric system has a speed sensor, which as its name suggests, measures how fast the bike is being ridden. In addition, riding behaviour is determined by a rotation sensor or a pedal force sensor depending on the model. The Impulse system in addition has a fourth sensor, namely the shift sensor. This sensor cuts out assistance for a quarter of a second while you are shifting which enables you to keep on pedalling while shifting.

  • Together the sensors determine the amount assistance provided by the motor based on your assistance level setting and the pedal force you are applying. You set the assistance level yourself using the handlebar grip control.

An e-bike with the assistance switched off will always require greater pedal effort than a non-electric bike, given that you are still carrying the weight of the electric system (around 5 kilos). In addition to this the bike has gears, which means that you can select a suitably lower gear.

Every electric system has a speed sensor, which as its name suggests, measures how fast the bike is travelling. In addition, riding behaviour is determined by a rotation sensor or a pedal force sensor depending on the model. The system with a rotation sensor works very simply. As soon as you pedal (forward), the sensor sends a signal to the motor. You will sense this in the assistance you receive. It makes no difference how hard you pedal, the assistance is constant.

The rotation sensor provides:

  1. A high level of reliability (owing to its simplicity)

  2. The right assistance in situations in which although the rider is pedalling, but not much force is being applied to the pedals.

  3. Safety. The rotation sensor detects whether the rider is pedalling forwards or back-pedalling. This means that assistance will be disabled directly and reliably if the pedals are at a standstill or back-pedalling. With the pedal force sensor, the force you apply to the pedals determines the extent to which the motor assists you. It is actually the same as an ordinary bike, except with a little help! The pedal force sensor ensures a highly natural cycling experience by measuring pedal force. Dual sensor technology (DST) therefore provides the optimum combination of the benefits of both types of sensor, resulting in an extremely reliable and safe electronic system which gives a pleasant and natural cycling action.

Yes of course, it holds for all models that the level of assistance can be easily set on the handlebar grip control which is fitted on the left-hand side of the handlebars.

V-brakes are the modern version of hand-operated brakes with brake blocks and provide excellent braking performance thanks to advanced design and large brake blocks. The use of modern plastics gives these brakes greater grip.

The roller brake is a highly advances braking mechanism based on a drum brake system. This ensures superior braking performance, even in wet weather. It is an enclosed and well-protected system which means it is maintenance-friendly. It works by means of small rollers that apply pressure to the brake shoes in the brake drum, which causes the bike to brake.

An electric bicycle is not much heavier than a normal bicycle. You can find the weights without a battery in the specifications for a bicycle. See below the different weights of our batteries:

Bosch:

Battery in frame

  • 300 & 400 Wh: 2.5 kg

  • 500 Wh: 2.6 kg

Luggage carrier battery:

  • 300 & 400 Wh: 2.6 kg

  • 500 Wh: 2.7 kg

PowerTube (in frame):

  • 500 Wh: 2.8 kg

Shimano Steps:

  • 418 Wh & 504 Wh: 2.5 kg

Our e-bike feature Walk Assist. You use it to activate manual assistance without the pedals having to turn. This can be useful if you are walking up a hill wheeling the bike or don’t have the strength to push your bike along. Walk Assist will provide assistance at walking pace up to a speed of around 6 kilometres per hour.

Maintainance and use

Yes. Your Gazelle dealer has been specially trained to carry out maintenance and repairs on your bike. In addition to this he has special computer software available to be able to correct any malfunction rapidly and he can always fall back on Gazelle’s Service and Warranty department.

Yes, the components in it are splash-proof and will operate normally in the rain. However, you must not immerse your e-bike completely or clean it with a pressure-washer.

Service intervals will depend on use. We advise you to have your bike serviced once a year.

You can switch your e-bike on and off simply by pressing the on/off button which is located on the handlebar grip control or on the display.

Display

Yes, this is not a problem because all the components are splash-proof.

We advise you to go to your dealer to have the display holder position and fixing checked. In actual fact the display holder must not be too loose, too tight or fitted over the rotary bell. This will prevent the display from operating correctly. Check the 3 pins on the display holder too. Are all 3 at the same height? If not ask your Gazelle-dealer to look at this.

Miscellaneous

This is of course highly dependent on what you want to use the bike for. The weight of an average bike is around 20 kg. This is an excellent weight for normal use. If you have more sporting aspirations you will find them fulfilled in the Hybrid bikes in which weight is a prime consideration. Accordingly, many of these bikes are in aluminium or even carbon and weight around 15 to 17 kg.

Yes, a motor-assisted bike must stop providing assistance at speeds in excess of 25 km/h. Gazelle e-bikes comply with this rule and are not subject to any registration number or registration document obligations. Moreover, this bike is what is known as an EPAC (Electrically Power Assisted Cycle) and it complies with European standard EN-15194. In addition to these there are also the so-called Speed pedelecs, which are e-bikes that provide assistance up to 45 km/h. In terms of legislation this is a moped, which means that you are obliged to insure the bike, you need a moped driving licence and must apply [in the Netherlands] for a blue registration plate. Gazelle Speed pedelecs have been given European approval under Framework Regulation 168/2013. This means that these Speed pedelecs require to be approved by a test body such as the RDW [the Dutch Transport Authority].

Yes. The assistance will build up gradually and is so natural that it is just as easy as riding an ordinary bike. Take care not to set off in too high a gear, a lower gear will require less effort from you and your battery, thus increasing your range.

Yes, Gazelle e-bikes comply with the stringent EMC guidelines in EPAC standard EN-15194. EMC stands for Electro-Magnetic Compatibility and applies throughout Europe to all manner of electrical applications. The EMC standard governs radiation incident upon and emitted by electrical devices. Accordingly, it is safe to ride a Gazelle e-bike; this also applies to wearers of pacemakers or ICDs.

You can contact your Gazelle dealer if you have a problem with your Gazelle e-bike, e.g. with the battery, the motor or the display. He can help you out with the problem.

The Easyflow features a specially designed low step-in. Getting on and off is therefore easy for everyone. Depending on how high you adjust the saddle, the distance to the ground is between 70 and 88 centimeters. So you can always stand safely with both feet on the ground.