Everything You Need to Know About Pedal Assist

Riding a bike can be a good form of exercise and an environmentally-friendly option. However, most people do not prefer riding bikes due to the strenuous task of pedaling. Pedaling through long routes or inclined terrains can make your legs sore and dampen your bike riding experience. However, the pedal assist feature of e-bikes aims to make your rides smoother, comfortable and enjoyable.

What is Pedal Assist?

Pedal assist is a feature found in e-bikes that simplifies the pedaling task. When activated, a motor fitted on the bike provides power. This reduces the effort required to push the bike forward. You can choose the necessary level of assistance – low, medium and high. The motor will provide a specific power output level depending on your choice.

What are the Benefits of Pedal Assist?

Pedal assist provides a large number of benefits to the riders. It primarily helps you ride the bike easily across rugged terrains, such as inclined, mountainous roadways. Pedaling through such roads can become challenging, even for experienced bike riders.

Similarly, pedal assist also proves beneficial to keep your legs from getting sore. If you are riding a bike for long distances daily, it is natural that your legs will get tired from the continuous pedaling. A pedal assist feature helps reduce the effort required to push the bike forward in this situation.

Lastly, pedal assist can also prove helpful to individuals with physical limitations. Some modes require little to no pedaling, basically turning your e-bike into a scooter. Thus, individuals with limitations can use pedal assist to travel on an e-bike without any worries.

What are the Types of Pedal Assist Systems (PAS)?

There are two main types of pedal assist systems available on e-bikes. They are:

Torque-sensing Pedal Assist System

This system uses sensors that measure how hard the rider is pressing on the pedals. The information is then conveyed to the system and the motor provides power accordingly.

For example, if the rider is pressing too hard, he is having difficulties pedaling. Thus, the motor will provide high power assistance to the rider.

Cadence-sensing Pedal Assist System

This system uses a magnet that measures the pedal crank speed. It provides the rider with manual control to turn the assistance up or down. It is a basic and inexpensive way to have pedal assistance in your e-bike. 

Pedal assist is an essential feature on e-bikes that helps you pedal easier and enables you to move faster. You can use it whenever you find pedaling difficult, such as on inclined, irregular terrains or long routes. With pedal assist, you can easily beat the traffic and reach your destination fresh and with higher energy levels. If you are looking for more information on pedal assist, e-bikes or want to buy an e-bike, reach out to Beachside Bikes. We have e-bikes across different categories and provide a wide range of bike accessories. Happy riding!