04.What to look for
Accessories such as racks with panniers, lights, mudguards and chain guards, locks and pumps are all convenient to have on board when using any bicycle, although they all add weight.
A
throttle is useful if you’re unable to pedal, quite tired from pedalling or taking off from a standing start. However, this drains the battery faster than just pedal-assist. A combination of throttle capability and pedal assist may be best.
Front hub motor means easier maintenance if you need to remove the wheel for a puncture. Rear hub motors can be quite complex for maintenance.
Puncture-resistant tyres will lessen the potential for repairing the tyres, which is useful if you have a rear hub motor.
Higher watt motor means more torque or take-off potential from a standing start. All will be set to 200W for legal reasons, but a 350W limited to 200W will give greater torque than a 200W motor.