Electric bikes balance

Pedal-assisted bicycles

The motor of an e-bike activates and assists pedalling. There are different types of motors on the market, and different types of e-bikes are made depending on the use of the bike itself.

In recent years, this category of bicycles has seen a steady increase in demand: it is an excellent solution for those who want to pedal with more trained cyclists and want to enjoy breathtaking views that would otherwise be reached after months of training.

At Cicli Mattio we will be able to advise you on the right model, listening to your needs and your idea of cycling.
First of all, the choice must be guided by the use you want to make of the e-bike: whether you prefer to ride on the road, whether you want to buy an electric city bike to get around town or whether you want to try the off-road experience with an electric MTB or gravel bike. 

An electric bicycle has a motor, which varies according to the brand of the motor and the type of bicycle.

The second element that distinguishes an e-bike is the battery, whose capacity usually ranges from 250Wh to 800Wh.

The e-bike allows pedalling with the help of a motor driven by the rider, who pedals the motor which, depending on the chosen setting, more or less compensates for the force that will be applied to the pedals. Most e-bikes have a small display or a power button that allows you to turn on the motor and usually choose between four levels of ‘help’, from the ‘softest’ which consumes little battery power to the ‘boost’ or ‘turbo’ mode, which allows you to pedal with minimal effort but which should be used sparingly because the battery consumption is very high.
Remember that if you are very well trained on an electric bike, you can also reach high speeds such as 50 km/h, but the motor help will stop as soon as you reach 25 km/h as per current regulations.

The models you find at Cicli Mattio are pedal-assist bicycles: the motor is an aid, but if you don't pedal, the bicycle remains stationary! Pedal assisted bicycles require a push from the pedals to start the motor.
The maximum power of the motor, as stipulated by Italian law, must be 250W (0.25kW) and the maximum speed attainable must not exceed 25 km/h.

The motor of an ebike usually has 4 levels of assistance (the most common include the BOSCH motor, which offers ECO, TOUR, eMTB and TURBO modes).
These modes must be used according to the route and the gradient, and the right gears must be set accordingly.
Anyone who says that the ebike is effortless is lying, but it does give you an extra boost when you need it.

Want to challenge yourself without the help of a motor? Check out our road or MTB bikes.

The price of an electric bike varies depending on the type of bike, the material, the equipment, and the motor.
At Cicli Mattio you can find electric bicycles starting from 1,200€ up to the most equipped and powerful models from over 14,000€.

To calculate the average cost of charging an e-bike, it is necessary to convert Wh (watt-hour) into kWh (kilowatt-hour), which is the unit of measurement used by energy suppliers.
Today's standard e-bike battery sizes range from 250 Wh to 800 Wh (watt hours). For example, assuming a cost of around €0.50/kWh for a 500 Wh battery (i.e. 0.5 kWh), the total charging cost would be only €0.25!

An electric bike weighs more than a standard bike and this depends mainly on the motor and the battery.
But how much?
A standard e-bike usually weighs between 20 and 25 kg, including motor and battery. The motor can weigh between 3-4 kg, while the battery affects the final weight by 2.5-4 kg.
Another factor that affects the weight of the bike in general is the frame material. 

Recently, various brands such as Focus, Santa Cruz and Trek have brought so-called lightweight e-motorbikes on the market: these are electric bikes for off-road use whose weight has been reduced to a minimum by choosing materials for the frame and, above all, a reduced and thus lighter battery and motor. Weighing between 15 and 20 kg, with these lightweight e-bikes you have the advantage of pedalling on an extremely ‘rideable’ and manoeuvrable electric bike!