A ride on a pedelec can be uplifting, after all, the tailwind is always with you. But you should also be able to control said wind. Many pedelec beginners first have to get used to the power of the electric motor. The first few rides on a brand new e-bike are often a wobbly ride - and hold many a surprise in store for beginners and newcomers. The higher weight, the longer wheelbase and the changed centre of gravity of the e-bike take some getting used to for many riders, as does the enormous power of modern disc brakes. E-bikers need to work on their riding technique in order to be safe on the road.
Because only those who know their bike well, have a good riding technique and ride with foresight can avoid accidents and protect the battery and expensive technology. We will show you the most important tips and tricks for riding technique and road safety on a pedelec so that you can enjoy the riding experience of your speedster in everyday life and in your leisure time. So get in the saddle, get set, go!
All beginnings are slow ...
When you bought your e-bike, you received professional advice and technical instruction. Before you venture out into traffic or off-road, you should still complete a thorough dry run. "It's best to use the empty customer car park of a supermarket or a side street with absolutely no traffic," advises Frank Neubauer from Fit4ebike, a pedelec course provider in Baden-Württemberg.
"You do the first few laps without any assistance from the electric motor to familiarise yourself with the bike. After that, you can test starting off step by step with the various support levels." Only those who slowly approach the turbo mode will not be surprised by the tractive power of the motor. After that, practice is the order of the day: cornering, riding with one arm, manoeuvring around obstacles. You should also familiarise yourself with the brakes. The shortest possible braking distance is achieved by applying the front and rear brakes at the same time. But be careful: if you use the wrong amount, you will quickly be thrown out of the saddle. Ideally, the front brake transmits two thirds of the total braking force. "The best way to find the optimum dosage is to practise." You will see: Your dry training will pay off in dicey traffic situations.
Shifting gears is part of the riding technique
Hand on heart: Riding an e-bike can make you forget to shift gears. Frank Neubauer can also confirm this from his pedelec courses. "80 to 90 per cent of my participants neglect to shift gears." On a normal bike, they are forced to downshift on inclines. "On the e-bike, they make do with the motor assistance instead." The result: gears that are too high, combined with too much motor assistance. However, this is neither easy on the knees nor on the material.
It is better for man and machine to pedal smoothly - and to select the lowest possible support level. The trick is to find the right balance between gear ratio and support level. The perfect cadence is a personal preference, but every electric motor also has a speed range in which it works efficiently. "To sensitise the participants to shifting gears again, we always ride a few laps on slightly undulating terrain - with the motor switched off. This allows the participants to practise shifting gears."
Beware of overconfidence!
The cycling fun of your youth is still vivid in your memory, 20 or 30 years later you want to revive the wild two-wheeled days with the help of an electric motor. However, after years of cycling abstinence, pedelec beginners often overestimate their riding skills. They choose off-road routes that are too technically demanding, or plunge into the hustle and bustle of road traffic in their senior years, which overwhelms them mentally. In order to avoid accidents and conquer new terrain, driver safety training can be useful for improving driving technique, among other things. René Kloeters, 39 years old, lives in the Heilbronn catchment area. He bought his first e-trekking bike in 2018 to explore the vineyards in the region with his partner. This was followed by the purchase of an e-mountainbike in 2021. "I wanted to try out more gravel paths with it."
Kloeters has known how important safety on a bike is since a childhood cycling accident that left him with a concussion. This was one of the reasons why he decided to attend a riding technique training course for e-mountain bikers. "There we learnt how to stand properly on the mountain bike and ride easy trails." Since then, Kloeters has also felt confident on challenging terrain. Nevertheless, he prefers trails where he feels comfortable - and always with a helmet. He can recommend riding technique courses, for example from the Alpine Club, the ADFC or private providers, to anyone. "It was really fun!"
Driving downhill off-road
Hut keepers and mountain rescuers in the Alps can tell you a thing or two about it: Most e-bikers get up somehow. If they run out of breath, turbo mode kicks in. But down? For many pedelec riders, the pitfall lies in the steep way back. The high weight of the bike leads to rapid acceleration. If you then lack the necessary riding technique when braking, it becomes dangerous. How do you ride in a controlled manner on winding forest roads or moderately steep to steep gravel tracks? Pedelec trainer Frank Neubauer recommends alternating between braking with the front and rear brakes - in a fluid alternation, so to speak.
"While I release the front brake, the rear brake takes over." This means that the disc brakes do not overheat so quickly. On sandy or gravely surfaces, he doesn't think much of heavy braking on both sides, as is recommended on tarmac. "There is a risk of a wheel breaking off here." Especially on smooth or slippery surfaces, the front brake should be applied as gently and carefully as possible anyway. In addition: Braking is only done with two fingers on the brakes. The remaining hand grips the handlebar grip to maintain direction.
Frank Neubauer, pedelec trainer: "I recommend that anyone who feels unsafe on an e-bike attends a riding safety training course. Technical instruction at the bike dealer is usually not enough. Training makes sense before an accident occurs."
Looking ahead through road traffic
Police officer Jutta Möhring and government employee Pia Coulthard work in traffic accident prevention for the Gütersloh district police authority. They regularly organise action days and training courses for all age groups - from kindergarten to senior citizens - to prevent road traffic accidents. For some years now, the two have observed that more and more e-bikers are involved in road accidents, especially in the 65+ age group. This is partly due to the increasing popularity of pedelecs, but also to the lack of awareness among road users. "In cooperation with adult education centres, we offer road safety training for senior citizens who want to become safer on a pedelec or e-bike," explains Pia Coulthard.
Right of way rules are often disregarded
The most common reason for accidents at junctions was that car drivers or e-bikers disregarded the right of way rules. Accidents caused by riding errors by e-bikers are close behind in second place. In their training courses, the two prevention experts provide important tips for greater safety on the bike. Many of them are obvious: obey the traffic rules, don't ride as a wrong-way driver on cycle paths. "We also recommend that senior citizens in particular test their eyesight and hearing and train their fitness and motor skills." Ride one-handed, give hand signals, keep your balance.
Riding with foresight is also extremely important in road traffic. If you keep an eye on parked cars at the side of the road, you have a better chance of avoiding a dooring accident, in which a cyclist is hit by an open car door. E-bikers should think about other road users, especially at junctions. "Drivers often don't associate the sight of a cyclist with high speeds," warns Jutta Möhring. Many are surprised at how quickly the senior citizen on the two-wheeler whizzes off as soon as the traffic lights turn green. "With modern bikes, it's often difficult for other road users to recognise whether it's a normal bike or a pedelec."
Train your balance!
Especially in city traffic, slow journeys are the order of the day for e-bikers - and often turn into a wobbly ride. However, you can practise staying on track at low speeds: Reduce your speed more and more on a slightly sloping path. If you threaten to tip over, stabilise the bike with a light push on the pedals. The best way to do this is to get out of the saddle and shift your centre of gravity towards the stem. If you often travel with luggage in everyday life, you should also repeat the balancing exercise with fully loaded panniers or a rucksack. You will see: You'll soon be able to ride to the office in the morning in stop-and-go traffic without wobbling, even with folders in your luggage.
Jutta Möhring: "E-bikers should think about other road users, especially at junctions. Drivers often don't associate the sight of a cyclist with high speeds."
