Get Moving With a Motorized Bicycle

Some people may get confused when they hear the term “motorized bicycle” because they picture a moped or even a scooter that is a scaled down motorcycle used for local, intimate travel. A motorized bicycle is an actual bicycle with a motor of some kind attached which helps with the pedaling.

Some of these motorized bikes use internal combustion engines while others may use electric motors. Indeed, the motorized bicycle is rather unusual on some country roadways like the United States while Asian countries, particularly the city areas, have a fairly large population who use them. You can even use the motor alone to propel you rather than pedal all the time.

Types Of Motors Used

As mentioned above, some bikes use an internal combustion engine, which requires fuel in order to operate. With the electric motors, these are actually batteries that can be recharged and as technology gets better, the batteries are enjoying longer life. Lithium ion batteries are growing in popularity, as are alternative recharging sources like solar power.

With the motorized bicycle, you have to choose between a bike whose motor is regulated by the pedaling motion or a bike in which the motor kicked through the use of a throttle installed in the handlebars. The pedal-based motor sometimes will have a crank sensor to detect your pedaling or a torque sensor that measures the rotational force of the pedaling action.

How To Choose Your Motorized Bicycle

When it comes to choosing your motorized bicycle, one of the factors you need to consider is the range that you plan to travel as well as the general terrain. For instance, San Francisco has many hills while Houston covers a lot of square miles but is rather flat in terrain. Each bike has a different range in which it can travel on one fuel fill-up or one battery charge. You need to decide which one would be most beneficial for your needs.

If you have a regular bike, you just might be able to buy a motorized bicycle conversion kit and transform your once pedaling machine into a semi-self propelled one. These conversion kits vary in price, usually a few hundred dollars depending on the power source – internal combustion or electric. If you are handy around a bike and have performed your own maintenance, chances are that you just might be able to handle the conversion on your own. Otherwise, bike shops can do the work for you.

The motorized bicycle is a great compromise, especially in a large city where public transportation is the best way to get around due to all the traffic congestion. The great thing about this type of bike is that you are helping the environment and it is relatively cheap to operate in comparison to motorcycles and cars.