The ultimate guide to choosing the best e-bike for Delivery

These days, you'd be hard pressed to leave the house and not encounter an electric bike. 

E-bikes are rapidly growing in popularity across the globe as an innovative, green transport method. For couriers specifically, they provide a cheaper alternative to a car and exhaust far less energy than a traditional bicycle. In addition to promoting safe and efficient deliveries, electric bikes also promote healthy and positive lifestyle habits that promote both physical and mental wellbeing as you work.

Dare I say, they are the perfect vehicle for last mile delivery, but with so many distributors popping up which is the best bike to go for?

In this blog we will discuss the foundations of what an ebike is as well as the key considerations every delivery rider should check prior to investing.

Understanding the basics 

First things first, prior to making this sustainable investment, it is essential that you are well acquainted with what exactly an ebike is, and what's more, how they work.

An electric bike is a bicycle manufactured with an electric motor to assist you as you ride. These bikes come in many different shapes and sizes, however Zoomo bikes specifically have their battery seamlessly integrated into the frame making them both sturdy and aesthetically pleasing.

The electric motor works through your input. As you start to pedal, the motor engages assisting you to ride faster or simply maintain pace. This electrical assistance is not to be confused with a throttle.

E-bike laws differ greatly depending on where you are located, so it is important to become familiar with the rules and regulations relevant to you prior to jumping on a bike.

Choosing an electric bike for delivery

When it comes to investing in an e-bike for delivery specifically, it is important to prioritize hardware and software that caters to the courier lifestyle. Delivery riders tend to use their bikes more frequently, and bear greater loads than the traditional commuter electric bicycle user and thus these bikes tend to be more solid. 

At Zoomo, our courier targeted bikes are heavier than the average commuter bike as their frame embeds a variety of hardware and software technologies including IoT and theft recovery capabilities.

With a heavier and more reliable bike, delivering using thermal hot bags on your bike instantly becomes more safe, more comfortable and more efficient.

Key Considerations

As to which electric bike is best, well that is up to you. 

However, as you look to acquire an ebike, we suggest you read over the following recommendations to ensure your bike will withstand a delivery rider's lifestyle.

1- Acquire a battery made for delivery.

Get a battery as big as possible. The longer you ride, the more you can earn.

Batteries are measured in amp hours (Ah) so keep this in mind as you talk to electric bikes distributors. Generally, entry level e-bikes have 36 volt / 11 Ah batteries, some even less. For delivery, you should be looking at a bike that has at least 13 Ah to keep you on the road for a 4hr shift. Our Pro plan and enterprise riders get 17.5Ah batteries.

2- Hydraulic Brakes are a must!

Mechanical disc brakes are cheap and easy to replace, but do not have anywhere near the stopping power of their hydraulic counterparts. You’ll notice the difference when you are flying down a hill with a hot pack full of food and need to stop at a traffic light - hydraulic disc brakes will stop your ebikes instantaneously.

Not only do hydraulic brakes have the capacity to ease the muscles in your hand, but they can also save your life.

3- Protecting your bike with a front hub motor.

There are three standard motor setups in the ebike world. Mid drives, rear hub motors and front hub motors. 

Zoomo believes the front hub motor is the lowest maintenance and is most suited for delivery riders as they require less servicing due to their amount of exposure at this point in the bike. Zoomo manufactures their bikes with this in mind and it is reflected in our design.

In saying this, our Zoomo Sport has a rear drive motor and provides subjectively better traction on looser terrain. The rear drive also directly complements the Sport’s front suspension by eliminating the need for the motors electrical cable to bend and flex with compression.

4- Add on a rear rack to make life easier!

Along with a solid mudguard, a rear rack makes sure that your bag never gets caught in your tyres. This bike feature can hold a large basket, box or bag on top of your bike preventing your fatigue as you work. Longer shifts and shorter trips only mean one thing… More $$!

5- Avoid foldable bikes at all costs.

As aforementioned, it is key that an electric bike for delivery stays solid. 

Foldable bikes do not have this assurance as they are more likely to break in courier instances due to their flexible structure.

6- Get as much suspension as possible. 

7- Ensure you have integrated lights to prevent theft and keep you safe.

The final consideration you should take into account prior to investing in an electric bike, is how much money you could save in making the sustainable swap. When it comes to costs associated with micro-mobility vehicles, like ebikes, you can say goodbye to petrol and road taxes forever. Operating costs tend to be strictly around servicing and electricity, which due to the size and build of electric bikes tend to be far lower than cars or other vehicles.

Should you not want to invest in an e-bike outright, some companies like Zoomo offer subscriptions models to provide you with flexible payment options and get you up and riding ASAP.

The best bike for delivery

‍

Let’s cut to the chase and the reason you ended up on this page to begin with. What is the best electrically assisted bike for delivery?

It is a classic case of ‘spend now, save later’. Better quality e-bikes, like Zoomo, come with easily replaceable parts and are cheaper to maintain as, you guessed it, they are less likely to break.
We have you covered, see our range of world class ebikes.

At Zoomo, we have a range of flexible payment options to assist you in getting you off the ground and earning as a courier quickly, safely and efficiently.

Our plans feature a range of add ons depending on the plan you choose including servicing, wear and tear replacement, damage cover and theft prevention technology. Plans start from $39 a week.

Should you decide to look elsewhere for a bike, look for a solid frame with a big battery, hydraulic disc brakes, a rear rack, extra suspension and integrated lights. Get insurance or a smart-lock to protect against theft, and make sure you're covered for maintenance and servicing.

If you have any other questions regarding to the above, please do not hesitate to reach out to one of our experts in store or on the Zoomo website.

‍

‍