Using your bike

• If your battery has a key switch, turn the key to the on position.
• Press the power button on the display.
• Choose the assistance level with the + and – buttons. The motor starts after the first full turn of the pedals and stops when you stop pedalling.

To switch the lights on or off on most displays, keep the + button pressed for about 3 seconds while the display is on; this also lights up the display. Some displays have a separate light button. The display manual, which we send by email with the user manual, explains all the functions of your display.

With the assistance at level 0, the display switched off or an empty battery, you can still ride as on a normal bike or tricycle, although it feels heavier.

Most of our models have a walking mode; the product page of your model says whether it has one. It helps you push your bike or tricycle while you walk beside it, for example up a ramp.

You start it from the display, usually by keeping the minus (–) button pressed: the motor then moves the bike at up to 6 km/h for as long as you hold the button, and stops when you release it. The display manual explains how it works on your display.

It reaches 6 km/h on flat ground and goes more slowly uphill. It is only for pushing: it does not have the power to move the bike with someone sitting on it, and it is not meant for steep slopes.

No. All our bikes and tricycles are pedal assisted: the motor helps only while you pedal, and stops when you stop pedalling. It starts after the first full turn of the pedals, so you make that first turn with your legs alone.

On models where a throttle is offered as an option, it is only a starting aid: a short push for the first metres, for example when pulling away uphill. Do not use it for longer periods as on a motorcycle: this greatly reduces the range, and it can overheat and damage the controller and the motor.

In most EU countries, motor help without pedalling is only allowed up to 6 km/h, as in the walking mode. Our throttle is not limited to 6 km/h and cannot be limited, so it may not be used on public roads. Please see "What regulations apply to electric bikes in Europe?".

The Eureka is our only tilting tricycle: the front part of the frame, with the rider, leans into bends like a bicycle, while the rear part with the basket stays level. A lever with a yellow tip on the right of the handlebar locks and unlocks the tilt.

• Ride with the tilt unlocked, keeping your balance as on a bicycle.
• Use the lock only for parking and, if you wish, for pulling away; unlock it after the first few metres.
• When you stop, for example at traffic lights, the front leans over, so put a foot on the ground as on a bicycle.

Riding with the tilt locked is uncomfortable: the tricycle is not fully rigid, the rider's weight makes it pull to one side and cornering becomes difficult.

The Eureka suits people who can ride a two-wheel bicycle. It is not suitable for people with balance problems or for people who have never ridden a bicycle; for them we recommend one of our rigid tricycles, which is all our other models. The Eureka is our most compact and lightest tricycle, has no suspension and is designed for roads and paths in good condition.

No model has a coaster brake: all our bikes and tricycles have hand-operated lever brakes.

Most of our tricycles have no parking brake, so on a slope they can roll. On some models, such as the Eureka, the brake lever has a parking lock; the Specifications of the product page show whether a model has one. For the other models, simple brake-lever locks are available on the market and can be added. None of our tricycles has a reverse gear.

You can charge the battery on the bike, or remove it and charge it at home. The charger supplied with your bike plugs into an ordinary household socket. On most models the battery is locked with its key: unlock it and lift the battery out. On some models the battery is screwed in place and is normally charged on the bike. The battery does not charge while you ride.

From fully discharged, charging takes about 5 hours for every 10 Ah of battery capacity: about 5 hours for a 10 Ah battery and about 10 hours for a 20 Ah battery.

To keep your battery in good condition, do not leave it empty. If you are not going to use the bike for a while, store the battery fully charged at room temperature (about 18 °C) and recharge it at least every 2 months.

The user manual is not supplied on paper. When your bike is dispatched, we send it by email, as a PDF, to the address used for your order, together with useful tips for your bike.

If you cannot find this email, please check your spam folder. If it is not there, contact us with your order number or the name used for the order, and we will send it again. For an older or second-hand bike of our brand, we can also send the display manual if you tell us the model or send a photo of the display.

Spare parts are ordered by email from our after-sales service, at service@bikelec.com. Please send us:

• your order number, invoice number or the name used for the order, or the serial number of the bike
• the part you need
• photos of the part, showing any label or connector

Our workshop checks availability and sends you a quote, with the shipping cost added. You can order a replacement charger the same way: send a photo of the charging socket of your battery.

Standard bicycle parts, such as an axle nut, can usually be bought in any bike shop.

We supply parts for our own Rodars models. For a bike of another brand that you bought elsewhere, please contact the shop where you bought it.