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| FAQs For our Electric Bicycles |
Does the charger come with the bike?
Yes. Each bike comes with a charger. One end is plugged into the bike or battery pack and
the other end to the wall.
All of the chargers are "smart chargers" and switch to a trickle charge when the battery is
full. Don't leave the charger plugged in too long after the battery is full. A few hours is ok.
How much assembly is required?
Our bikes arrive mostly assembled. We have to remove the pedals, front wheel, and
sometimes the handlebar to ship the bikes. Assembly is easy and all instructions are provided
by email or with the bike. You need only basic tools like screwdrivers and wrenches.
How much does it cost to charge an R Martin electric bicycle?
It costs about a nickel - based on .6 of a KWH per charge. A KWH is the way the electric
company measures usage. The amount of electricity needed per charge depends on how low
the battery is. Generally, we don't recommend running the battery completely dead. You
should charge after every use.
Do R Martin electric bikes pollute?
There are no emissions from our electric bicycles. Of course, there are batteries that will
have to be replaced every two years or so. These should be taken to a recycling depot in your
city.
There is also the issue of where the electricity comes from. In Austin we have the option to
choose wind power for our electricity supply. This is considered green power. We will also be
offering solar chargers soon that will deliver a completely green charge.
How Far can an R Martin electric bicycle go?
It depends on several factors - terrain (hills etc), wind, tire inflation, battery and motor size,
weight of rider, riding style. Our numbers are conservative when we quote distance.
Most of our bikes will easily get you 20 miles or further on the motor on flat ground. We have
reports from some of our customers that are getting over 50 miles on a charge with some
pedaling.
Hills are always a big power drain for any electric vehicle. We recommend that you assist by
pedaling on hills. Depending on the number and steepness of hills, this can double or triple
your travel distance. You can also increase travel distance by starting off with a few cranks of
the pedals to get you going.
Keep tires inflated properly to increase distance.
We test all of our bikes and always quote a conservative number for estimated distance.
I see electric bikes advertised with 1000 watt motors. Are those better?
We only advertise the electrical wattage of our motors. Any other number is almost impossible
to verify without a special dynamometer machine. Some ads state an "output" wattage that is
higher than the measured electrical power used. You should compare bikes based on the
electric wattage.
Our batteries and motors are matched to give good performance with long battery life. For
example: our 36 volt, 10Ah batteries can deliver 360 Watts for an hour. With our 350 watt
motor, you could travel for 1.03 hours at peak usage. If we used a 500 watt motor, this would
drop to well under an hour. Although the 500 watt motor would be more powerful, the
batteries would run out too quickly. Keep in mind that the motors don't use peak wattage all
the time. It is usually much less on level ground.
Damage can also occur to your batteries if a too high wattage motor is not matched with the
proper batteries. In our example above, a 500 watt motor would draw more current than the
batteries are built for (360 watts). This can cause the batteries to fail.
Can I pick up my electric bicycle in Austin and not have to pay for shipping?
Yes
Where can I get parts?
We supply a complete line of parts for all of our bikes. Check our parts page.
How often do the batteries need to be replaced?
Generally every year or two or approximately 300 charges for SLA batteries. Lithium batteries
will last twice as long or more. Remember, keep your batteries charged. It is not good for any
of our batteries to run them all the way down.
How much do batteries cost?
A 36 volt SLA system uses three SLA batteries. A 48 volt system uses four. Regular SLA
Batteries cost between $28/each to $38/each. The battery connections are soldered inside the
pack.
Our lithium battery packs are not serviceable and must be replaced. These are the top of the
line packs and cost $400 - $465. They will last for years if you keep them charged.
What is the difference in SLA, NIMH, and Lithium Batteries?
SLA stands for sealed lead acid and are the most economical. Our batteries use a gel that
means that there is nothing to spill and the batteries can be operated in any position. These
batteries will hold a charge for months between charges. You should always recharge SLA
batteries as soon as you can after riding. They will last much longer if they are always
recharged immediately after use.
NIHM are Nickel-Metal_Hydride batteries. These batteries are lighter and will last longer. They
will lose charge much quicker than SLA batteries and so they need to be recharged more
often. They cost about twice as much as SLA types. For a 36 volt system, there are typically 30
batteries strung together. The main advantages are the reduced weight and longer life.
Lithium batteries are the newest commercially available battery technology. Our current
lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4 or LFP) types will last many times longer than SLA and twice
as long as NIMH types. They do not need to be recharged immediately after use - but you
should recharge often (like a cell phone). They are much lighter, environmentally friendly,
and safe.
In general, the less you run any of these batteries down before recharge, the longer they will
last.
The batteries don't have a "memory".
What are some of the differences between models I should consider when picking
an R Martin electric Bike?
In general, our bikes with derailers (gears) are designed to be pedaled more. They usually
have lower amperage batteries (AH) that are lighter. You can use pedelec or pedal assist mode
to get longer distance. Of course, you only have to pedal as much as you want. The bikes
have a regular throttle that operates the bike in fully automatic mode without pedaling.
Pedaling will increase the distance.
Our bikes without gears are what we call our commuter bikes. They are really easy to pedal
but will go faster than you can pedal much of the time. These bikes are typically only pedalled
a couple of cranks to take off and pedal assisted on hills.
Yes. Each bike comes with a charger. One end is plugged into the bike or battery pack and
the other end to the wall.
All of the chargers are "smart chargers" and switch to a trickle charge when the battery is
full. Don't leave the charger plugged in too long after the battery is full. A few hours is ok.
How much assembly is required?
Our bikes arrive mostly assembled. We have to remove the pedals, front wheel, and
sometimes the handlebar to ship the bikes. Assembly is easy and all instructions are provided
by email or with the bike. You need only basic tools like screwdrivers and wrenches.
How much does it cost to charge an R Martin electric bicycle?
It costs about a nickel - based on .6 of a KWH per charge. A KWH is the way the electric
company measures usage. The amount of electricity needed per charge depends on how low
the battery is. Generally, we don't recommend running the battery completely dead. You
should charge after every use.
Do R Martin electric bikes pollute?
There are no emissions from our electric bicycles. Of course, there are batteries that will
have to be replaced every two years or so. These should be taken to a recycling depot in your
city.
There is also the issue of where the electricity comes from. In Austin we have the option to
choose wind power for our electricity supply. This is considered green power. We will also be
offering solar chargers soon that will deliver a completely green charge.
How Far can an R Martin electric bicycle go?
It depends on several factors - terrain (hills etc), wind, tire inflation, battery and motor size,
weight of rider, riding style. Our numbers are conservative when we quote distance.
Most of our bikes will easily get you 20 miles or further on the motor on flat ground. We have
reports from some of our customers that are getting over 50 miles on a charge with some
pedaling.
Hills are always a big power drain for any electric vehicle. We recommend that you assist by
pedaling on hills. Depending on the number and steepness of hills, this can double or triple
your travel distance. You can also increase travel distance by starting off with a few cranks of
the pedals to get you going.
Keep tires inflated properly to increase distance.
We test all of our bikes and always quote a conservative number for estimated distance.
I see electric bikes advertised with 1000 watt motors. Are those better?
We only advertise the electrical wattage of our motors. Any other number is almost impossible
to verify without a special dynamometer machine. Some ads state an "output" wattage that is
higher than the measured electrical power used. You should compare bikes based on the
electric wattage.
Our batteries and motors are matched to give good performance with long battery life. For
example: our 36 volt, 10Ah batteries can deliver 360 Watts for an hour. With our 350 watt
motor, you could travel for 1.03 hours at peak usage. If we used a 500 watt motor, this would
drop to well under an hour. Although the 500 watt motor would be more powerful, the
batteries would run out too quickly. Keep in mind that the motors don't use peak wattage all
the time. It is usually much less on level ground.
Damage can also occur to your batteries if a too high wattage motor is not matched with the
proper batteries. In our example above, a 500 watt motor would draw more current than the
batteries are built for (360 watts). This can cause the batteries to fail.
Can I pick up my electric bicycle in Austin and not have to pay for shipping?
Yes
Where can I get parts?
We supply a complete line of parts for all of our bikes. Check our parts page.
How often do the batteries need to be replaced?
Generally every year or two or approximately 300 charges for SLA batteries. Lithium batteries
will last twice as long or more. Remember, keep your batteries charged. It is not good for any
of our batteries to run them all the way down.
How much do batteries cost?
A 36 volt SLA system uses three SLA batteries. A 48 volt system uses four. Regular SLA
Batteries cost between $28/each to $38/each. The battery connections are soldered inside the
pack.
Our lithium battery packs are not serviceable and must be replaced. These are the top of the
line packs and cost $400 - $465. They will last for years if you keep them charged.
What is the difference in SLA, NIMH, and Lithium Batteries?
SLA stands for sealed lead acid and are the most economical. Our batteries use a gel that
means that there is nothing to spill and the batteries can be operated in any position. These
batteries will hold a charge for months between charges. You should always recharge SLA
batteries as soon as you can after riding. They will last much longer if they are always
recharged immediately after use.
NIHM are Nickel-Metal_Hydride batteries. These batteries are lighter and will last longer. They
will lose charge much quicker than SLA batteries and so they need to be recharged more
often. They cost about twice as much as SLA types. For a 36 volt system, there are typically 30
batteries strung together. The main advantages are the reduced weight and longer life.
Lithium batteries are the newest commercially available battery technology. Our current
lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4 or LFP) types will last many times longer than SLA and twice
as long as NIMH types. They do not need to be recharged immediately after use - but you
should recharge often (like a cell phone). They are much lighter, environmentally friendly,
and safe.
In general, the less you run any of these batteries down before recharge, the longer they will
last.
The batteries don't have a "memory".
What are some of the differences between models I should consider when picking
an R Martin electric Bike?
In general, our bikes with derailers (gears) are designed to be pedaled more. They usually
have lower amperage batteries (AH) that are lighter. You can use pedelec or pedal assist mode
to get longer distance. Of course, you only have to pedal as much as you want. The bikes
have a regular throttle that operates the bike in fully automatic mode without pedaling.
Pedaling will increase the distance.
Our bikes without gears are what we call our commuter bikes. They are really easy to pedal
but will go faster than you can pedal much of the time. These bikes are typically only pedalled
a couple of cranks to take off and pedal assisted on hills.
| All R Martin Electric Bicycles come with a 60 day warranty. MORE All of our products are classified as bicycles so that you can ride in bike lanes, the road, and even on sidewalks. Better than most scooters and gas mopeds. LAWS How far can I travel on an R Martin electric bicycle? How much does it cost to charge? more Pay with Paypal, Credit Card Check, or Money order Payment Options R Martin electric bicycles offers Government Sales through Texas HUB - an historically underutilized business. |
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