Long ago, I have written a blog about adult bike training wheels. There I describe the process of choosing bike training wheels and installing them correctly. In that post, many of you asked, “Can I put training wheels on an electric bike too?”
Well, I can’t answer this question with a yes or no. Then the answer will be biased. So, let’s not just answer but justify it with an explanation. Here you go.
Can I put training wheels on an electric bike?
Yes! You can put training wheels on an electric bike. It can help riders with weak hands to ride the ebike. However, it also has some limitations and difficulties. Installation is a bit difficult here. Moreover, it can’t provide enough safety while riding on uneven terrain.
Anyways, training wheels in electric bikes have both positive and negative aspects. You won’t understand it like this. So, here is the explanation.
Pros
A pair of adult bike training wheels has many benefits for an e-bike. If I specifically say, it can help an old rider ride with stability and efficiency. Besides, it can be a learning aid for beginners.
- Learning aid: Training wheels can help you learn and improve your riding if you are a beginner. Well, it works better with a regular bike. But, you can use it with an electric bike too. Training wheels assist you in balancing and controlling the bike. These are the primary skills a rider needs to keep riding.
- Stability & efficiency: One thing best about the electric bike training wheel is that it offers stability and efficiency together. Like you can get the speed of an electric bike and assist with training wheels. OG riders with weak hands/legs can ride the bike with minimum effort and excellent control.
Cons
Alongside a ton of benefits, training wheels come with some limitations. It can’t provide enough control on an ebike as a regular bike offers. So, riding an ebike with a training wheel is a bit risky. Moreover, it limits the riding arena. Here I describe how.
- Difficult to install: Electric bikes are pretty different from regular bikes. They are heavier and a bit complicated in design. Moreover, there are wiring, sensors, and gear on the back. So, installing training wheels in an electric bike becomes a bit difficult. Furthermore, the components can get damaged if you fail to install them right.
- Not too safe: Suppose you have successfully installed the training wheels. But problems are still there. Riding an e-bike is different from riding a regular bike. As e-bikes are automatic or semiautomatic, you don’t have that type of control over it. So, you won’t get harmony between the training wheel and the bike wheel. As a result, the balance/control gets compromised when you accelerate or suddenly stop. Thus, safety is also compromised in e-bikes while riding with training wheels.
- Limited experience: As I have mentioned, riding an electric bike with training wheels is not too safe. Also, the control/balance gets reduced as the training wheels get smaller. Thus, the riding experience also gets limited. Like, you get scared to ride on uneven terrain. Besides, biking for a long time becomes risky as the safety is questionable here.
| No cons!! You have learned that riding an e-bike with training wheels has many cons. But it doesn’t mean that there is no solution to this. Of course, there are solutions to these cons. You can improve the stability and safety issues. How? Keep reading the blog. I will describe it in detail. |
What to consider before getting training wheels for an electric bike
Before putting any training wheels, you must get a pair suitable for your bike. Again, electric bikes demand distinct types of training wheels. So, you have a few things to consider.
Compatibility
Compatibility is the most crucial factor to consider here. You must ensure the training wheels don’t overlap or affect electrical components. Here, the frame mount is way far better than the axle mount. Because frame mount is a more robust and safer option as an attachment. Whereas axle mount is weaker yet more challenging to install. Besides, it needs the wiring to bypass, which has a risk of damage. So, the frame mount is always the best.
Size
When I am talking about the size of the training wheel, it refers to its height. It is the distance between the bottom of the wheel and the mounting hole. The size should equal or near your bike’s wheel’s radius. It should not be greater than the bike’s wheel radius. Otherwise, the rear wheel will float over the ground, and you won’t be able to ride the bike. If the size is significantly smaller than the bike’s wheel radius, the training wheels will fail to stabilize the bike. So there will be no point in using the training wheels.
Alongside the height, the wheel size is also an important thing to consider. As I said earlier, electric bikes demand better stabilization than regular bikes. So, bigger training wheels are better for electric bikes.
Capacity
After compatibility and size, capacity is the area of concern for electric bike training wheels. Electric bikes are heavier than regular bikes. So, you need a heavy-duty training wheel to stabilize the bike. However, 200 to 250 pounds is the standard capacity for electric bike training wheels. If you weigh 140 lbs and the bike weighs 40 lbs total weight will be 180 lbs. Here a 200 lb training wheel will be suitable for you. Here are the minimum capacity ranges for different amounts of load.
| Total Load (Rider+Bike) | Minimum Capacity Range |
| 170-190 lbs | 210 lbs |
| 190-210 lbs | 230 lbs |
| 210-230 lbs | Above 250 lbs |
Material
Last but not least, you should check the material the training wheel is made of. The performance and durability of the training wheel solely depend on the material it is made of. However, steel construction is most common in bike training wheels. It’s heavy in weight but last longer than other material. So, try to get a pair of training wheels with a whole steel body. Try to avoid cheap quality plastic material.
Anyways, padding is also crucial for the training wheels. Rubber is the best for padding. Again, try to avoid plastics for padding.
| Freaky Suggest: Considering all the factors above, Bike USA will be the best training wheel for your electric bike. It’s heavy-duty and can carry around 250 pounds. Besides, it features bigger wheels of 24 to 27 inches. Also, it comes with a frame mount, which is easy to install. |
How to put training wheels on an electric bike
I hope you have gotten a perfect pair of training wheels for your electric bike. Now it’s time to put them on the bike. However, training wheels come with 2 types of mount.
It can be either an axle mount or a frame mount. Their installation process is not the same. But I will describe them together. Follow them step by step and install the training wheels accordingly.
- If the training wheels have an axle mount, you must disconnect the wiring first. Find the motor wiring and disconnect it from the controller. Click a photo to remember from where you disconnected the wiring. After installing the training wheels, it will help you connect the wiring again.
- After disconnecting the wiring, remove the connectors. Also, loosen the axle nut and remove it through the wiring. Now, pass the training wheel and the nuts through the wire. Then attach the connector again and reconnect it with the controller.
- If you got a pair of training wheels of frame mount, the above steps are unnecessary. You can just set it right and tighten the bolts. That’s it. If there is an axle mount, the above steps are a must. Then put the training wheels straight and parallel with each other. Lastly, tighten the bolts, and you are all done.
| Freaky Tip: Throughout the post, I have mentioned that training wheels provide poor balance on uneven terrain. So, I suggest not riding on rough tracks like gravel or hills. Instead, use it for short commutes within your city. |
Frequently asked questions about e-bike training wheels
Can training wheels be added to any bike?
Training wheels can be added to any bike if you ask about adult bikes. But the condition is it should be of the correct size. Besides, it should be compatible with the bike. So, any training wheels can be added to any bike. But very few are suitable to ride with.
Why are training wheels bad?
Not really. Training wheels can help in learning bicycling. Besides, it allows the OG rider to balance the bike with minimum effort. But a bike training wheel limits the riding opportunity. Training wheels are terrible at riding on uneven tracks. The stability gets poor when you ride on rough terrain with training wheels.
Is it good to use training wheels?
It depends, actually. If you have arthritic hands, it is good to use training wheels. It will save you when you are out of balance. But if you are strong enough to balance the bike, don’t use training wheels. It will cause a risky and inefficient riding experience on uneven terrain.
Conclusion
I was tired of myths and misconceptions about bike training wheels. Initially, training wheels and electric bikes are not fitting with each other. Because installation seems to be impossible. Also, compatibility is questionable here. I think these conflicts are not valid now. Because I have answered the question, you are searching for. That wasn’t all.
I have also described how it comes to be possible. Besides, I have explained both the positive side and negative sides of it. Furthermore, I have answered some related questions to your query. So I hope there will be no more confusion.
Keep enjoying your ride.
Cheers!
