What is a step through bike

A Step-Thru e-bike is an electric bike designed with a specific lower frame, making it easier for riders to mount and dismount. By “mount and dismount,” I mean that it is easier to get in and ride these types of e-bikes.

These categories of e-bikes are also known as low-step or step-thru electric bikes. One easy way to identify a step-thru e-bike is that it doesn’t have a top tube in the frame, making it easier for the rider to step in and step out.

Now, let me share a story about my good friend who lives in another colony. What happened was that people started shifting towards e-bike technology, and that intrigued my friend to buy a brand new e-bike for him. He purchased a Young Electric 350-watt Cruizer, a step over an e-bike. But later on, he started facing problems because his father was also using his e-bike for normal commuting, and the problem he faced was that he had to lift his leg to be seated on the e-bike.

First, let’s understand what a Step-Thru e-bike is:

Most manufacturers can double the height of a Step-Thru, and I don’t want to say that it’s not a step-thru e-bike, but how difficult or easy it is to step through makes a big difference.

So, if you have a 10-inch step-thru e-bike, you don’t have to keep your foot very high to step it over. On the other hand, if you are talking about stepping over, it becomes more challenging to get your foot up and over.

Therefore, it is essential for you as a rider searching for a step-thru e-bike to know the height you want or need, especially if you feel difficulty lifting your leg or foot and always need to be as low as possible.

If you consider the geometry and mechanics of your e-bike, the 10-inch plus 26-inch wheel is the lowest possible step-through height we can find on the market.

So, if you are looking for the lowest possible point to ride your e-bike comfortably, this is the one you should look for.

Secondly, the most important thing you should know about step thru e-bikes is that not all wheel sizes will be the same in every model. So, when you are searching for the step-thru e-bike, please keep the important points noted, which I am mentioning below:

• Not all Step-through e-bikes will have the exact frame sizes or numbers. The manufacturers offer options like small, medium, and large frame sizes so that riders can accommodate them according to their respective heights and body types.
• You must be aware of the term seat tube length. Now, let me explain it. Actually, seat tube length is the key indicator of the frame size of the particular model, usually measured in inches or centimeters. For a rough idea, consider whether the small frame has a 15-inch seat tube. On the other hand, the large frame could have a 19-inch seat tube.
• Another point is that while one step-thru e-bike may have a 16-inch wheel, like my friend’s, which was 26 inches, that doesn’t mean that the step-thru height is going to be lower. There is always so much clearance from the ground to the bottom part of your e-bike, whether it’s a 16-inch, 20-inch, or 24-inch or whatever size it may be. The reason for this is that as soon as the rider starts pedaling the step-thru e-bike, the pedals might hit the ground, resulting in an accident of the rider.

• So, to ensure proper turning, there must be a certain amount of ground clearance between the ground and your crankset.
• As I mentioned above, the 16-inch or 20-inch wheel size most likely won’t lower the step-thru ground that much. If you are looking to use it as a regular e-bike or if you are used to using the pedal assist a lot, please remember that with the smaller wheels, you are going to pedal more times, so your legs are going to work harder to turn those wheels more and more times.
• In my experience, it’s essential to know how you are going to use your e-bike. If you are going to use your e-bike, throttle assist a lot on a 16 and 20-inch wheel size is not a bad idea, but if you want to ride this bike as a normal, regular e-bike using pedal assist, having a larger wheel size, like 24 inches, is way more practical because you are going to cover more ground with each pedal stroke.
• 1. With a larger wheel size and pedal assist, you will move faster and climb uphill more quickly. This will broaden the spectrum of how you can ride an e-bike with more large wheels versus smaller wheel sets.
  2. If you want to understand more about the Step-Thru e-bike, watch the video below.

Let’s compare Step-Thru vs Step-Over e-bikes:

One reason to consider a step-over versus a step-thru is strength and rigidity, as the top bar adds a bit of robustness.

Traditionally, a step-over e-bike is always better for heavier weights and lower capacities.

The step-thru e-bike comes with reinforced frames or downtube frames. They also have increased carrying capacity.

Another thing to consider when looking at step thru vs step over e-bikes is the range extender.

Every manufacturer offers a range extender as an add-on accessory. It helps the rider by providing extra mileage or range and increasing the overall range of the e-bike.

These Range Extenders are portable, and riders can seamlessly attach and detach them according to their needs.  They also reduce the frequency of charging stops on longer trips.

The step-thru models shine because they are straightforward to access. It becomes easy for any rider to sit on and off in this model. Without that top bar, getting on and off is much easier.

While researching on the Internet and discussing e-bike manufacturers, I found the demographic data, which I will share now. People over 50 prefer to buy and own step-through e-bikes, and the main reason is accessibility.

Well, if you don’t have any mobility concerns as of now, it could happen in the future. Everyone is becoming older daily, and we can’t stop it.

The Step-Thru e-bikes also offer a variety of size options so that riders can buy according to their height compatibility. So, for example, I am 5 feet 4 inches with 29 inseam, and while I can technically be able to ride the 17-inch step over, my inseam is correct at the crossbar; therefore, it becomes very uncomfortable, whereas in the step-thru e-bike models, there is no crossbar to deal with and I can ride the 17 inch quite comfortably however my personal step-thru e-bike which is 18-inch size is also comfortable due to no crossbar. So these are the things one must consider before deciding to purchase.

Try to go with comfortable frames. Everyone doesn’t want to go with the bigger bikes just because they can. I always recommend purchasing a mid-size step-thru if your height is mid-range.

PLEASE NOTE:

• If you want to commute on your e-bike with the range extender installed, consider getting a step-thru e-bike. Because there is no top bar, it is easy to install by sliding the range extender on the lower tube.
• Range extenders are part of e-bike accessories. Therefore, it will be added to the rider’s extra expense.
• Step-through e-bike manufacturers place their batteries in either removable or non-removable, but I always suggest going for a removal option.
• Always purchase an e-bike equipped with a torque sensor; it will give you good traction control while riding.

I hope that this article helped you a lot and that I was able to give you enough information about step-thru e-bikes. If not, please leave a comment below, and I will try to provide you with information on a particular issue. At last, thank you so much for your trust and time. Please remember to revisit ebikeleague and come back with any difficulty or any information you want regarding electric bikes.

WITH LOVE.

Always stay curious and adventurous.