E-Cargo bikes are true car alternatives. With enough capacity and range to get groceries or run the kids to school, you can get your daily errands done without breaking a sweat - or sweating about finding a parking space. Durham Cycles sells e-Cargo bikes from Yuba, the industry leader in the category! Check out the Kombi E5 for a ton of cargo capacity in a small space, or the Supercargo for even more storage space and luxury accommodations for the kiddos!
Mid-drive bikes have a smooth and natural feeling assistance. They have higher performance and torque compared with similarly powered hub-drive bikes and they are generally easier to service. Since the mid-drive motor is isolated from all the other components, adjusting brakes or changing a flat tire is a breeze. Mid-drive bikes were designed from the ground-up as e-Bikes, so you know they'll withstand the rigors of heavy use. Durham Cycles sells mid-drive bikes with motors from Bosch and Shimano, industry leaders with a network of trained and certified technicians.
Hub-drive bikes represent the best value in e-Bikes. Because no special bicycle frame is needed, they tend to be less expensive than mid-drive bikes and can often be lighter. Hub-drive motors also have a "punchier" application of torque, which some riders like. Maintenance can be a bit more complicated on a hub-drive bikes, so Durham Cycles only sells traditional wheel, class 1 e-Bikes, which are the most reliable and easiest to service.
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Classes of eBike
- Class 1 e-Bikes, or low-speed pedal-assisted electric bicycles, are equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that stops providing assistance when the bicycle reaches 20 mph. Generally speaking, Class 1 e-Bikes are legally allowed to ride anywhere bicycles are permitted, including bike lanes, roads, multiuse trails, and bike-only paths. Laws may vary by city and state.
- Class 2 e-Bikes, or low-speed throttle-assisted electric bicycles, are equipped with motors that can exclusively propel the bicycle, but that cannot provide assistance when the bike reaches 20 mph. As the application of the throttle can be damaging to trails, some municipalities and states have additional restrictions on Class 2 e-bikes. In our experience, because class 2 e-Bikes can reach high speeds without any rider input, they can be unsafe on trails where the limitations of the rider would otherwise ensure a safe speed.
- Class 3 e-Bikes, or speed pedal-assisted electric bicycles, are equipped with motors that provide assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that stop providing assistance when the bicycle reaches 28 mph. Generally speaking, Class 3 e-Bikes are restricted from bike trails and multiuse paths, but are allowed on roads.