It depends on the e-bike - At Charge, all of our e-bikes do. You can shift gears just as you would on a traditional, manual bike. It’s one of the things that make our bikes so great—they have all the features of traditional bikes, but the addition of an electric motor makes them more versatile, more functional and more fun.
A common question people have when shopping for an electric bike is, “Do electric bikes have gears?” The answer is it depends on the e-bike.
At Charge, all of our e-bikes do, in fact, have gearing systems, so you can shift gears just as you would on a traditional, manual bike. It’s one of the things that make our bikes so great—they have all the features of traditional bikes, but the addition of an electric motor makes them more versatile, more functional and more fun.
Our City and Comfort e-bikes are each equipped with a 7-speed manual shifter. To use them, you just twist the gear shifter on the handlebar and select a gear. The Charge XC, our rugged off-road bike, has an 8-speed manual shifter. It’s located on the underside of the handlebar.
With all our bikes, the lower the gear, the easier it is to pedal. High gears give the least amount of assistance. Gears should only shift while you’re pedaling forward.
Shifting Gears
To make it even easier to pedal, however, it’s the pedal assistance that will really give you that extra boost. That means you can climb the hills without tiring yourself out completely and have the ability to head out on any route with confidence that you can make it back feeling exhilarated and energized no matter how steep the terrain.
Our City and Comfort bikes both have five pedal-assist modes. The lower the mode, the less of a boost you’ll get, and the higher the mode, the bigger the boost. So, mode one provides the least amount of assistance, for those times you just want a little extra help, while mode five steps things up so you can step your level of effort down significantly. These bikes are also equipped with a throttle, which you can use to cruise with no pedaling at all.
The Charge XC has three pedal-assist modes—eco, trail and boost. It also has a walk-assist mode.
You can still choose to pedal and shift gears when you like and experience the same feel of a regular bike, but at any time, you can choose to kick-in the power of that motor to help you conquer hills with little or no effort. The motor provides flexibility and lets you choose your ride, your way.
Get Back in the Saddle
One of the best parts about electric bike technology is that it makes biking more accessible to more people. Even if you haven’t ridden a bike in decades, you can hop on an electric bike and let the adventures begin.
Charge e-bikes are as safe, useful and enjoyable for retirees who haven’t ridden for decades as they are for college students and young professionals looking for a better way to commute. They’re equipped with a fantastic set of standard features too that will make them your ride of choice no matter where you’re headed.
Each Charge e-bike comes with the following:
- High-quality, aluminum frame that’s lightweight, but t yet built to last , and ready to ride in any weather.
- Powerful, motor, which that provides electric assist up to 20 mph.
- Locking, removable battery that gives you up to 50 miles on a single charge and can easily be recharged on or off the bike.
- Folding handlebar and petals that open and close in seconds—meaning you need less space to store or transport your bike.
- Comfortable seats and grips, so you can get there and back with ease.
- Puncture-resistant Goodyear tires that offer unsurpassed, all-weather traction and robust flat protection.
- Automatic tire pressure sensors that take out the guesswork and show red when you need air, or green if you're good to go!
- High-powered, integrated front and rear lights and reflective tire walls that ensure you can see and be seen, day or night.
- A sturdy rear rack that makes it easy to attach baskets, crates, or bins for all your daily essentials.
So, if you want a bike with a gearing system, we’ve got you covered. If you want a bike that shifts gears and takes traditional biking to a whole new, incredible level, we’re ready to move to you.
Want to see for yourself how electric bikes work? We’d love you to take a test drive on one of ours. We have dealers and test ride centers across the country. Schedule an appointment today.