Because the wheel weight often plays a lesser role thanks to motor power, heavier and more robust parts are used in some cases - which make the already heavy wheel even heavier. The availability of ample electricity enables new solutions such as ABS brakes. So far, the trend is particularly evident in the more heavily loaded e-mountainbikes, but the industry is also developing separate solutions for other pedelecs. Do special e-bike components make sense, or is it just marketing? Is the trend in components moving towards a complete separation between E and non-E?
Lothar Schiffner, Ergon: "we offer a suitable product for every cycling discipline"
"In the Ergon portfolio, we have a saddle model for e-mountain bikes in two versions. This is due to our philosophy of offering a suitable product for every cycling discipline, and e-mountain biking is such a discipline with new requirements: You ride up steeper climbs, and almost never standing up, because that makes little sense with a motor. So this saddle has a ramp at the back to stabilise your position and a wide, soft nose at the front when the rider's weight has to be pushed all the way uphill. The padding is also slightly more comfortable. Beyond that, we don't currently see any ergonomic problems with the e-bike that can't be solved with existing saddle models."
Dominik Voss, Magura Bosch Parts & Services: "the requirements for components have increased"
"E-bikes are heavier, go faster, often carry heavier loads and are also used more often as a car replacement. The increased demands on components such as brakes are therefore obvious! Magura therefore offers brake components specially developed for e-bikes: Additionally reinforced brake discs offer even more braking power and overheat later, while optimised pad compounds increase durability. But developments like these are just the beginning. We are convinced that e-bikes and e-cargo bikes need special components."
Stefan Franken, Schwalbe: "We see increased demands on tyres for e-bikes"
"In general, we see increased demands on tyres for e-bikes. In terms of durability, but above all in terms of cornering grip and puncture protection. Less experienced riders often take bends too quickly, and a puncture on an e-bike is even more annoying than on a bicycle. That's why we only recommend tyres in the two higher of three quality classes for e-bikes. The corresponding labelling is of course also helpful for us when communicating with dealers and end customers, as it makes it easier to keep track of our huge variety of models. However, since we introduced the first e-bike tyres over ten years ago, tyre technology has also evolved. The trend is that at some point, all higher-quality product lines will be e-compatible, but still have no disadvantages for normal cyclists in terms of weight or rolling resistance."
Moritz Dittmar, SRAM: "... the division into 'E' and 'non-E' would thus be a thing of the past."
"We are mainly active in the sporty segment, but the technology of e-mountainbikes is also used in SUV pedelecs and e-touring bikes. The EX1 as an e-MTB gear system with eight gears, high robustness and shifting under full load certainly made technical sense, but the market did not accept it. The concept will not be pursued any further. Instead, I assume that all mountain bike components will be designed to be more robust and wear-resistant in future, in line with the increasingly radical chassis and trails. The division into "E" and "non-E" would therefore be a thing of the past. When it comes to suspension forks or brakes, a manufacturer of heavy e-bikes could simply use the next most robust class, i.e. provide enduro parts for an e-all-mountain bike."
Jörg Spaniol, MYBIKE: "The trend towards special pedelec parts even starts a vicious circle in some cases"
"The claim that an e-biker is generally faster on the road or has to cope with a higher weight seems daring to me: cyclists ride 100 kilometres per hour with seven kilos of light material. The additional weight argument is not necessarily convincing for mainstream pedelecs either: the drive and battery add around eight kilos to the system weight of bike, rider and luggage. That's only a few per cent for a total of 120 or 130 kilos. In very few cases do they require more heavy-duty parts. In some cases, the trend towards special pedelec parts even starts a vicious circle: the more robust parts are heavier and therefore justify additional parts especially for heavy bikes ... For many of the parts on offer, the advert as "suitable for e-bikes" could simply be replaced by "particularly robust". Such "heavy duty" products for non-motorised intensive users, cargo cyclists or heavyweights would be a real enrichment of the range."
Is the focus of e-bike components on comfort?
Even though pedelecs are ultimately bicycles, some comfort parts are used more frequently on them - also because weight counts less.
Spring supports
If you ride with motor assistance, you pedal less hard and therefore sit "heavier" in the saddle. E-bike components such as a suspension seat post are definitely a plus - if they work. High-quality parallelogram seat posts (see above) are more effective than the standard telescopic models. Despite their sometimes considerable additional weight, they are useful on tours.
Suspension forks
E-bike components such as special pedelec suspension forks (e.g. the Suntour NEX shown) are not absolutely necessary. If the standard suspension fork allows the spring stiffness to be adjusted, this can be more helpful. This is always the case with the more expensive forks with air springs, but rarely with steel spring forks in this price range. The Suntour NEX therefore comes from the factory with slightly stiffer springs and torsionally stiff steel stanchions.
Tyres
There is no question that e-bikes are first and foremost bicycles in terms of riding dynamics and can therefore also roll on bicycle tyres. However, in addition to an emphasis on grip and puncture resistance (see Schwalbe's statement), practical experience speaks in favour of a considered choice of tyres: On a pedelec, it is more difficult to take the weight off the front and rear wheels to get over kerbs. Thicker tyres definitely reduce the risk of puncturing the inner tube on edges and obstacles.
Brakes
Whether pedelecs really need special brakes or whether powerful models from the bicycle range will also do the job is open to debate - see the statements from SRAM and Magura. However, the ABS brake technology from Bosch and Magura is a special feature of e-bikes. It cannot currently be used on muscle-powered bikes. A new automatic gearstick from Shimano also relies on electricity and electronics from e-bikes.
