Electric Touring Bikes

Whether city street, country lane, or mountain incline, now nothing is out of reach with e-bikes. Electric touring bikes pick up the slack on potentially arduous routes, letting you explore more.

Comfort and practicality come together to provide the ultimate solution for when you can’t decide which bicycle style you need. Even the most casual of cyclists will itch to use their bicycles more, whether cycle-commuting to work or venturing out on the weekend.

Our wide selection of touring bikes now includes electric touring bikes. When browsing our catalogue, be sure to check out parts and accessories specific to electric bikes.

Types of electric touring bikes

While all e-touring bikes provide added power to your pedalling, they do fall into different camps in an important way:

Does the e-bike have a mid-drive motor or a hub motor?

Mid-drive motor

Mounted between the pedals, a mid-drive motor attaches to them and the drivetrain. This means that a mid-drive motor adds to the force supplied by the pedals. This system makes a hub-drive motor:

• More responsive to the force you are applying, and maybe faster to adapt to your inputs.
• Adaptable to multiple types of riding, meaning you can use your commuter bike for your weekend outings as well.
• Suitable for moments of increased force during a ride, such as steep ascents or a rough trail.

However, a mid-drive motor also:

• may have a larger battery to accommodate the stronger motor.
• Experiences more strain due to the two forces in a small area, and therefore can need more frequent maintenance. This could lead to the replacement of parts more often as well.

Although slightly heavier, these mid-drive motors will give you the closest experience to riding a traditional bicycle.

Hub motor

The motors and batteries here are cleverly packed into the inside of one of your bicycle’s wheels.

A rear-hub motor’s position — drivetrain adjacent — means a quick and reactive response to the need for some electric assistance.

The front-hub motor, on the other hand, is, naturally, in the front wheel. This effectively adds power to the wheel that isn’t supplying the forward motion to the bike. As a result, the motor is less responsive to your pedalling and doesn’t give the same level of strength as a rear-hub motor. The front wheel is applying both force and direction to your bicycle in this situation. This is noticeable when you ride, and you will need to take some time to calibrate your steering if you are new to this style of electric bike.

Browse the superb selection of electric touring bikes at Bikester. Our rear-hub motor machines are Rabeneick designs, while powerhouses Cube, Kalkhoff and Ortler dominate the mid-drive range.

Electric touring bikes for city use

Because your city cycling experiences are almost always pavement and stop-and-start affairs, a hub motor will serve you better. Due to the storage location of their batteries, they tend to be smaller with less range. This means more frequent charging, which is typically easy in the city, particularly if you’re a cycle commuter, travelling from home plug point to office plug point.

Electric touring bikes for mountain use

The sheer responsiveness and subtle conversation happening between your mid-drive motor and your feet mean that they are the best option for mountain trails. You will notice the difference over varying inclines and surface types, when your electric assistance leaps to your aid almost before you know you need it.

Whichever motor mount you decide on, make sure you are running on e-bike wheels. Specifically designed to be tougher wearing, they are held to higher testing standards and will add security to your ride.

At Bikester we stock only the best-regarded brands. These manufacturers are at the forefront of research and development within the industry, and they bring the newest materials and methods to your parts and accessories, as well as frame and kit.

E-bike parts and accessories

Whether mid-drive or hub-mounted, your lights can be directly wired to run from your on-board electrical system. So you ride without worrying that you may be left in the dark at any time.

E-bike brakes are almost all disc brakes. This is a superior braking system, and at the higher speeds that electric bikes reach, you will appreciate it.

Because e-bike chainrings experience higher forces than their traditional cousins, your electric touring bike will come equipped with a strong chainring. But it will experience a lot of wear and tear! We have spares on our site, along with other components that you may want to modify.

Other options in electric e-bikes

There are many more than 10 reasons to own an e-bike, and there are many e-bikes to own!

For riders who find themselves exclusively in urban environments, we have an extensive range of urban e-bikes to check out.

Mountain enthusiasts who find that city cycling doesn’t quite cut the mustard can browse our e-hardtails and full suspension e-bikes.

Electric gravel bikes blend the two milieus for a rough-riding experience that can also get you around the concrete jungle.