In recent years, you haven’t been able to get people to stop talking about electric scooters and bikes. As time goes on, both the design and performance continue to improve as manufacturers invest in the industry. For example, you may have heard people referring to electric hunting bikes. But what are they? Let’s explore the niche in this guide!
What’s an Electric Hunting Bike?
Ask some people this question and they’ll tell you that it’s a normal electric bike but with some camo painted over the top. Of course, this is incorrect because the whole model is built differently from what you might call a traditional electric bike.
Let’s imagine that you’re looking at a blank sheet of paper and you want to draw the perfect electric hunting bike. Rather than starting with the frame or wheels, manufacturers often begin with the motor. Why? Because the motor needs to drag a rider as well as potentially lots of equipment and other gear. If the motor isn’t powerful enough, it cannot succeed in the electric hunting bike niche.
Once you have a motor, you can build a solid frame. Since the bike will traverse various terrains, the frame needs to be bulky and strong. However, it needs to also be light so that it can be transported from a trailer or another vehicle. It’s one thing having a strong frame, but this is useless if nobody can move it.
Similarly, when crossing rough terrain, the vehicle needs to have some give, and this is where the front suspension comes in. When it comes to tires, they need traction so generally measure between four and five inches.
As mentioned in the introduction, electric hunting bikes improve every year. One example of innovation in the industry is the walk-assist mode now offered with some models. If you reach a particularly dangerous section of the ride, you can jump off the bike, set the walk-assist going, and walk alongside the bike as it moves at 3mph. At the end of a long day, you might just use this setting to transport equipment while you walk.
Important Details About Electric Hunting Bikes
Of course, this guide is all about electric hunting bikes, so the battery is another important component. When you buy an electric scooter from Dubitz or another provider, you want to know that it won’t die after three miles. To calculate how far you can travel on an electric bike, you’ll need to start by working out the Watt-Hours. While this might sound difficult, it’s the Amp Hours (Ah) multiplied by the voltage.
For example, let’s say that a bike has 40 volts and 8 Ah. In this example, the Watt-Hours is 320. From here, you divide by the average watt-hours per mile. Generally speaking, electric bikes use around 20. Therefore, you can expect to get 16 miles (320/20) from the model.
As mentioned, this is just an example, and you can expect to find bikes with a larger range. Also, even after calculating the expected battery distance for a model, you need to remember that many factors will change how many miles you get from a single charge. This includes:
- Throttle usage
- Rider weight
- Terrain
- Wind conditions
- Weather
Furthermore, you’ll find different motor systems including rear hub motors, ultra-mid-drive motors, all-wheel drive, and mid-drive motors. If you need something for varying terrains, the ultra-mid-drive is one of the better options. Meanwhile, those riding across terrain that isn’t too strenuous will be fine with a rear hub motor (the cheapest of the systems).