| Frequently asked Questions click here for customer feedback |
| Why should I buy from R Martin? R Martin only sells and supports electric transportation products. We work with our manufacturers to build the best value electric bikes, and electric scooters available. We carry many models so that you can choose the best model to fit your needs. R Martin has been selling and supporting electric transportation since 2005. We were one of the first companies to offer high capacity lithium batteries on electric bikes. We were here yesterday and we will be here to support you tomorrow. We are always adding new products and we provide support after the sale. All of our products are designed for the US market and include both pedal assist (pedelec) and a throttle. The range of our bikes is more than most competitors. We use 36v and 48v packs. Most models use the best lithium battery technology. We offer the lowest prices for bikes with this type of power. We also fully support all of our products and stock parts in our Austin, TX warehouse. We offer our products through select dealers that offer sales and service. You can also purchase products direct from our warehouse in areas where we do not have an established dealer. You can contact us 7 days a week. Sales and service professionals are available by phone: Sales - 877-324-5329 (877-eBike29) ext 1. 8am to 9pm CST 7 days a week. Service - 877-324-5329 (877-eBike29) ext 2. M-F 10 am to 3pm CST. Email: Sales - sales@rmartinbikes.com service - service@rmartinbikes.com Our address is: R Martin Limited 2041 S Lamar BLVD Austin, TX 78704 What are the differences between the models with the bracket mounted motor and the hub motor bikes. Our "R" model bikes (R10, R11, R12, R13) use a patented high efficiency motor that is mounted on the bottom bracket (pedal crank). They power the bike through the front chain ring so that your gears can operate along with the motor. This provides very high torque for hills in your lower gears. You reach the top speed as you shift to your higher gears. This technology is only available on higher end electric bikes. This design also means that the front and rear wheels are standard bike components. Most electric bikes use a hub mounted motor in either the rear or front wheel. They are spoked into the wheel and turn independently from the bikes gears. They deliver the same power in any gear. Both designs work well. Our "R" models are unique and are our top rated models. How do pedal assist and the throttle work? Pedal assist works automatically when you start pedaling. You do not have to switch it on. The motor will come on to assist you making pedaling really easy. You can also use the throttle whenever you want. When you use the throttle, you can cruise along without pedaling on flat ground. You control how fast you go by how much you turn the throttle. You can pedal while using the throttle as well. The motor and pedals are independent of each other so you can pedal as much or as little as you like. The more you pedal, the longer the range. If you want to use the bike without power, just turn it off with the key or power switch. It pedals just like a normal bike. Does the charger come with the bike? Yes. Each bike comes with a charger. One end is plugged into the bike or battery pack and the other end to the wall. All of the chargers are "smart chargers" and switch to a trickle charge when the battery is full. Don't leave the charger plugged in too long after the battery is full. A few hours is OK. How much assembly is required? Our bikes arrive mostly assembled. We have to remove the pedals, front wheel, and sometimes the handlebar to ship the bikes. Assembly is easy and all instructions are provided by email or with the bike. You need only basic tools like screwdrivers and wrenches. What is the weight limit for R Martin electric bikes? The weight limit is 250 lbs for most of our bikes. With a heavier load, the bike should be pedal assisted more often and you should be careful to avoid bending your wheels or braking spokes. How much does it cost to charge an R Martin electric bicycle? It costs only pennies for a full charge on our electric bikes. Always recharge your battery after use. There is no "memory". Do R Martin electric bikes pollute? There are no emissions from our electric bicycles. Of course, there are batteries that will have to be replaced every two to five years. These should be taken to a recycling depot in your city. There is also the issue of where the electricity comes from. In Austin we have the option to choose wind power for our electricity supply. This is considered green power. You can also plug the charger into a solar panel system through an inverter. We have customers that live completely off grid and use our electric bicycles as their main transportation. Electric bikes are extremely efficient and use less energy than other types of powered transportation. Because electric bikes can replace a car or gas scooter for many trips, they are considered one of the greenest transportation choices. How Far can an R Martin electric bicycle go? It depends on several factors - terrain (hills etc), wind, tire inflation, battery and motor size, weight of rider, riding style. Our numbers are conservative when we quote distance. Most of our bikes will easily get you 20 miles or further on the motor on flat ground. We have reports from some of our customers that are getting over 40 miles on a charge with some pedaling. Hills are always a big power drain for any electric vehicle. We recommend that you assist by pedaling on hills. Depending on the number and steepness of hills, this can double or triple your travel distance. You can also increase travel distance by starting off with a few cranks of the pedals to get you going. Keep tires inflated properly to increase distance. We test all of our bikes and always quote a conservative number for estimated distance. I see electric bikes advertised with 1000 watt motors. Are those better? We only advertise the continuous electrical wattage of our motors. Any other number is almost impossible to verify without a special dynamometer machine. Some ads state an "output" wattage that is higher than the measured electrical power used. You should compare bikes based on the electric wattage. Our batteries and motors are matched to give good performance with long battery life. For example: our 36 volt, 10Ah batteries can deliver 360 Watts for an hour. With a 350 watt motor, you could travel for 1.03 hours at peak usage. If we used a 500 watt motor, this would drop to well under an hour. Although the 500 watt motor would be more powerful, the batteries would run out too quickly. Keep in mind that the motors don't use peak wattage all the time. It is usually much less on level ground. Damage can also occur to your batteries if a too high wattage motor is not matched with the proper batteries. In our example above, a 500 watt motor would draw more current than the batteries are built for (360 watts). This can cause the batteries to fail. Can I pick up my electric bicycle in Austin and not have to pay for shipping? Yes Where can I get parts? We supply a complete line of parts for all of our bikes. Check our parts page or email us at parts@rmartinbikes.com. How long will the batteries last? Lithium packs will last 3-5 years if you take care of them by always recharging after use. There is no "memory". You should recharge after every use. Recharge at least once a month if the batteries are stored or not used for a while. SLA (sealed lead-acid) typically last 1-2 years. They should be charged immediately after use for the longest life. How much do batteries cost? Our lithium battery packs are not serviceable and must be replaced. These are the top of the line packs and cost $299 - $399. They will last for years if you keep them charged. Packs with SLA batteries can have the individual batteries replaced. A 36v system uses three batteries and a 48v uses four. Each battery runs from $25 - $35. What is the difference in SLA, NIMH, and Lithium Batteries? Lithium batteries are the lightest and most energy dense batteries commercially available. They do not need to be recharged immediately after use - but you should recharge after every use so you will start with a full charge. Like a cell phone battery, they perform better and for longer if you keep them charged. They are much lighter, environmentally friendly, and safe. If they will not be used for a week or more, make sure they are fully recharged. SLA stands for sealed lead acid and are the most economical. Our batteries use a gel that means that there is nothing to spill and the batteries can be operated in any position. These batteries will hold a charge for months between charges. You should always recharge SLA batteries as soon as you can after riding. They will last much longer if they are always recharged immediately after use. NIHM are Nickel-Metal-Hydride batteries. These batteries are lighter and will last longer than SLA types. They will lose charge much quicker than SLA batteries and so they need to be recharged more often. They cost about twice as much as SLA types. For a 36 volt system, there are typically 30 batteries strung together. The main advantages are the reduced weight and longer life. In general, the less you run any of these batteries down before recharge, the longer they will last. The batteries don't have a "memory". Do I need to purchase anything else for my electric bike? All of our electric bikes are complete with everything thing you need including the charger. You may want to add a helmet, lights, carrying bags or a basket. You can find common accessories on our accessories page. |
| Home | About | Contact us | Dealers | Affiliates © 2006-2009 R Martin Limited R Martin is a registered trademark of R Martin Limited |
|
| 1-877-324-5329 (877-ebike29) 512-476-0500 Got Questions? Call us. |