E-bike gadgets – These are the accessories you really need

When necessary

The short answer: always, as soon as you get on your bike. Helmets are not legally required for conventional pedelecs. But they are a kind of insurance in case of emergency and protect you from serious injuries. These can occur even with seemingly harmless falls, on dirt urban or on the mountain.

In addition, there is the risk that your insurance company will reduce its benefits if you were riding without head protection during a fall. Because modern helmets also look good, there is no reason to drive without them.

Important features

You still have the old bike head protection you bought for your first mountain bike? Hold on. Remember that you’ll be riding an ebike at high speed thanks to the motor.

When choosing a helmet, look for the following features:

• For robust helmets, manufacturers use the in-mold process. This means that a hard foam is injected into the outer shell.
• An outer shell made of carbon offers more protection than one made of plastic.
• Make sure that the helmet fits perfectly and can be adjusted so that you feel comfortable with it.
• If you like to ride fast with a motor, a visor is a good idea. It protects you from sunlight, wind and insects.
• With breathable helmets, riding fun is guaranteed even on longer rides.
• Finally, the look makes a difference. The more you like the shape and colour, the more likely you are to wear the helmet every day.

The cost

You can buy a helmet for as little as 30 euros. But it’s worth spending at least twice that amount if you ride with an electric drive.

Product tips

The CASCO ACTIV 2 is a bicycle helmet that also looks good as an electric bike accessory. It combines robust workmanship with a light weight and excellent ventilation. A visor is also on board.

Unlike all-rounders like the CASCO ACTIV 2, the Abus Pedelec 2.0 is aimed specifically at e-bike riders. Made using the in-mould process, it has a rechargeable LED rear light, an integrated fly net and even a rain bonnet integrated into the helmet. Ladies and gentlemen with long hair can look forward to “ponytail compatibility”. You pay a little more for this helmet. But you also get more for it.

When necessary

Whenever you are riding your ebike in poor visibility. Riders of S-pedelecs must even ride with lights on around the clock.

Pedelecs have one big advantage over a purely muscle-powered bicycle: There is enough electricity on board for a powerful light system. This is why headlights on ebikes are usually not powered by a dynamo, but by the battery.

Important features

• Forget the wattage. This only says something about how much current a light draws from the battery. The decisive factors for brightness are lumens and lux . However, these figures do not tell you where the brightness goes. So it’s best to look at photos, if there are any, or take a test ride.
• Make sure that lights for your ebike are robust and splash-proof.
• Good models often switch automatically between day and night light.
• A high beam function is particularly important if you are riding on poorly lit paths and country roads.

Important: A key selection criterion for ebike lights is that the lights can be mounted on your bike and are compatible with it or its battery.

The costs

You can buy simple headlights for e-bikes for 50 euros or less, but special, high-performance models cost a few hundred euros.

Product tips

The name Lezyne Power Pro E115 stands for a powerful light system with day and night light and 310 lumens. Compatible with batteries from various well-known manufacturers such as Shimano or Bosch, this light for your ebike is convincing in all light conditions.

If you often ride at night on urban roads, dark country roads or gravel paths, it is worth taking a look at the Lupine SL headlight. With a range of 230 m and a light output of 1300 lumens as well as a sensor-controlled daytime running light, this premium solution brings light into every kind of weather and dark night under any circumstances. It can also be operated with different batteries.

You can buy inexpensive headlights for your pedelec from brands such as Busch & Müller, Axa or Sigma.

When necessary

At the very least, you should not do without a good folding lock for your ebike and its components, regardless of whether you store your ebike in the city, in the bicycle cellar or in your own garage. Ideally, you should combine a mechanical lock with a GPS tracker that transmits the movement of your ebike in real time to your phone.

Important features

We recommend the following products for top theft protection:

• At least one high-quality bicycle lock
• PowUnity’s BikeTrax GPS tracker
• HexLox component lock

The cost

You should budget 50 euros for a high-quality lock. Our top favourite for a lot of security costs about twice as much. The BikeTrax GPS tracker from PowUnity costs 199,90 euros and includes a one-year GPS data flat rate. HexLox component locks are available in sets for different components from about 40 euros per set.

Product tips

If you secure your ebike with the ABUS folding lock Bordo Granit XPlus 6500/8D5, you’ve already taken good precautions against theft. It easily outshines similar bike locks like the Axa Fold Pro 100 and is also worth the hefty price of around 100 euros. And don’t worry: the folding lock from Abus is easier to transport than the name suggests.

However, professional thieves can cut even granite locks within seconds. A high-priced pedelec is significantly more expensive than conventional bikes. And so it is advisable to rely on modern security standards when it comes to ebike theft protection that connects cyclists and bicycles with a tracking app and thus lets the biker immediately recognise any unauthorised movement directly on the phone.

This is where the BikeTrax tracker from PowUnity comes into play. You can mount him invisibly inside the motor housing of the ebike. By activating the guard mode in the corresponding smartphone app you immediately receive an alarm if your bike moves without permission. You can track your ebike live from anywhere and at any time. In the event of theft, you can send the data and the theft report directly via app to the police. Thanks to these features, thieves really don’t stand a chance. A must-have for cyclists and their ebikes.

HexLox component locks make the trio perfect. The inconspicuous bike accessory blocks the way for Allen keys. It prevents from thieves unscrewing the components – a protection for the seat post, pedals, saddles, and co. that is as simple and smart as it is effective.

When necessary

Because regular cleaning has a direct effect on the functionality and service life of bicycles, cleaning agents are indispensable e-bike accessories.

Important properties

For successful cleaning of your ebike, we recommend these tools:

• Brush
• Cloth
• Bucket of water
• possibly surface cleaner
• Chain cleaner
• Chain oil

In the “cleaning products” category of bike shops and suppliers of ebike accessories, you will find complete tool sets that contain several cleaners and oil, as well as brushes. With such a set, you have everything you need to make your ebike shine.

Alternatively, it is sufficient to buy chain cleaner and chain oil plus perhaps a surface cleaner.

Costs

Single cleaners for chain and surface can be bought for about 8 euros, cleaning sets start at about 30 Euros.

Product tips

Muc-off offers a selection of high-quality care products for bicycles and e-bikes. You will also find what you are looking for at Tunap and Dynamic. We also recommend Dr. Wack’s F100 chain oil for e-bikes.

When necessary

Whenever you need to carry more than you can fit in your jacket pockets, backpack or the basket. Suitable biking bags make transport with an e-bike more comfortable and safer.

Important features

E-bike bags share most of the important features with conventional biking bags.

Make sure that they

• offer as much space as you need
• are robust enough to stand every weather
• have a suspension to your e-bike, whether to the handlebars or luggage rack
• are rainproof

Bags for electric bikes often have padded compartments to carry the battery and display.

Costs

You can get simple bags including suspension for your bike for prices starting at about 30 euros. For high-quality versions with several compartments for sorting your belongings, battery and co. you can expect to pay around three times as much.

Product tips

The eBack Single from Vaude is a bike bag for the luggage rack that is specially designed for e-bikers. It has its own battery compartment, a laptop compartment and a removable laundry compartment. The bag has a total capacity of 28 litres.

As you would expect from Vaude, the bag has a high-quality finish and is made in an environmentally friendly way. As a perfect complement from the same manufacturer, we recommend the eBox handlebar bag with smartphone compartment.

If you are looking for an inexpensive and smart solution for your e-bike, take a look at the Büchel bike bag. This is a simple bag for luggage racks without a separate compartment for a battery. Not an e-bike accessory in the true sense, it can be combined with most common e-bikes, is spacious and inexpensive.

With the KLICKfix adapter, you can attach bags, shopping baskets or other bike accessories to the handlebar, saddle or frame.

When necessary

It’s worth changing for an e-bike ride if you’re going on a long and sporty trip. Because even tours with a conventional bike don’t feel good in street clothes. Everything chafes, something pulls around your neck and your freedom of movement suffers. And let’s not even talk about sweating or the weather curcumstances.

Cycling clothes is not only breathable. They are also tailored to the movements of cycling. That and extras like padding in the shorts distinguish them from normal fitness clothing. When you’re riding at high speeds thanks to the motor, this is especially important.

Important features

Make sure that cycling clothes are breathable, robust and comfortably cut. Ideally, nothing slips or pinches. Trousers need good padding and the jacket should be windproof and waterproof. In winter, suitable gloves and a hat are a valuable addition.

If you regularly cycle with your e-bike, it is worth investing in cycling shoes. They ensure a secure grip and good power transmission