Frequently Asked Questions
Our FAQ’s are divided into three sections:
GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT USING EBIKES FOR GOLF
What is “Intelligent Pedal Assist” (PAS) and how does it work?
It is an ingenious technology that adds motor assist as you pedal. You control how much assist you want with the touch of a plus/minus button. It can be programmed up to 9 percentage increments. This allows you to get as much exercise as you want. You can set it to PAS-0 and not use the motor at all if you want maximum exercise. Or, you can use the throttle and ride it like a scooter without pedaling at all.
Do I need a special license to operate an ebike on the road?
Class 2 and 3 Ebikes are governed by bicycle rules, so no special license is required. Always consult your local bicycle laws.
Can any ebike be used for golf?
No. There are 9 elements that are needed to make an ideal ebike for golf which are described here. If you have, or are considering purchasing an ebike, try to get as many of these features as possible. At the very least, you need a sturdy rack on the back and fat tires. We also strongly recommend low step through frame since you are getting off-and-on between every shot except putts…over 50 times off and 50 times on per round! It is easy with a step-through.
Can I use a high-bar bike for golf?
We have a lot of customers with ebikes that have a high bar between the seat and handlebar such as the one shown here. It is not ideal for golf because you can’t swing your leg up over the clubs on the back. So you have to lean the bike over toward you to effectively lower the bar and lift your leg over it. That might not be too difficult for normal use where you get on and off a couple of times per ride. But doing it between every golf shot might be too much for some people. Step thru ebikes are much better for golf.
How fast are ebikes?
Class 2 ebikes are limited to 20 mph with throttle only, which is quite a bit faster than traditional golf carts that top out at about 13 mph. But as a practical matter, you probably won’t ride it over 15 mph on the golf course, even though the larger-diameter soft tires handle bumps a lot more smoothly than a traditional sit-down golf cart, especially if you have front shocks and a suspension seat like our golf bikes. Class 3 ebikes can get up to the high 20’s on throttle only, and over 30 mph when you also pedal. Of course, speeds depend on a lot of variables including the rider’s weight and fitness, wind, hills, tire pressure, and surface. Riding on grass is slower than on pavement.
How much will ebikes actually speed up the round?
To be sure, the practical limitation is whether or not everyone on the golf course has a bike, or their own cart. Because ebikes are so inexpensive, they can supplement a cart-fleet and get a golf course to the point where everyone can ride straight to his or her own ball. Golf is an experience to be enjoyed, so we are not advocating rushing the round, just eliminating waiting half the time in a cart while your partner determines which club to use, takes a few practice swings, finally hits the ball, wipes the club off, puts it back in the bag, and gets back in the cart. Then you can go repeat the process for your shot while he or she waits and watches.
But when you can ride to your own ball, you can play a true form of “ready golf”. As an example, when we go out on our bikes when no one is ahead of us, we can easily complete a round in 2 to 2 1/2 hours without rushing. …just reducing the long waiting periods between shots.
We are not advocating rushing.
Golf is a game to be enjoyed.
We just want to eliminate sitting and waiting
half the time watching someone else play golf.
What is the impact on the grass?
A fat tire ebike has LESS THAN HALF THE POUNDS-PER-SQUARE INCH impact on the grass as a golf cart!
Golf carts weigh 1,000 pounds plus two 200 pound riders = 1400 pounds. Golf cart tires are 18” tall x 8” wide and do not “squish out”. There is about 3 inches of circumference in solid contact with the ground. 3×8=24″ x 4 tires = 96 square inches in contact with the ground. 1400 pounds divided by 96 = 14.58 pounds per square inch for golf carts.
Fat tire ebikes weigh 70 pounds plus a 200 pound rider = 270 pounds. 20×4 inch tires with 12 pounds of air pressure squish out to 5 inches wide. The larger diameter tires and combined squish have about 4.5 inches of circumference in solid contact with the ground. 5 x 4.5 = 22.5 x 2 tires = 45 square inches in contact with the ground. 270 pounds divided by 45 = 6 pounds per square inch for ebikes.
It’s not even close. Ebikes are easier on the turf than golf carts!
We also discuss this on the Golf Course page along with other golf course topics.
Is an ebike powerful enough to go up steep hills?
Our Golf Ebikes 500 and 750 watt motors and will handle golf courses with hills quite well. They also have 7 gears, so you can gear down for hills and gear up for high speeds and long rides between holes if your course is spread out. Ebikes are, by design, meant to “assist” the rider’s own leg power. So they don’t have low-end torque and are not necessarily powerful from a dead start or up hills. But in first gear, you can pedal up fairly steep inclines with full pedal assist. If you have extremely steep hills, you can walk beside your bike by feathering the throttle, or using the walk-mode.
How does an ebike handle on wet grass, cart path edges, rocks, etc?
With low-pressure fat floatation tires, ebikes are very stable on wet grass. We have purposefully ridden up, down, and sideways on the steepest wet grass hills we could find without experiencing any slippage. These tires can also safely cross over ridges such as the edge of cart paths, as well as over small rocks on cart paths. Obviously, common sense always applies. For instance, if you are riding up over a cartpath ridge, approach it straight-on rather than at a slight angle.
Will Ebikes attract younger golfers?
Yes, that is one of the benefits of single-rider devices. They allow the game to be played faster which is critically important for youth and young adults. Younger generation players are attracted to fitness so will like the ability of ebikes to provide as much exercise as they want. They also have the appeal of environmentally-friendly electric power.
Will Ebikes appeal to older golfers?
Absolutely. Riding a bike is easy. We all know how to do it. Riding an ebike is even easier than a traditional bike. Older golfers know they need exercise. But walking or jogging can be hard on older joints and muscles. When walking 18 holes becomes too difficult, riding a bike will EXTEND our ability to play golf, and provide much-needed smooth rotational exercise at a time in our life when exercise is vitally important. That is also good news for golf courses and the golf industry because it will keep older golfers playing more often and more years.
“Innovation can help golf attract the younger generation.”
Green Sports Alliance
What if it is raining?
Although there are some creative canopies for bikes available, as a practical matter, Ebikes don’t provide any protection from rain and it would be difficult to use an umbrella in the wind created by the forward motion. But then, most golfers don’t like to play in the rain anyway, even if they can retreat to a conventional cart between shots.
What are the advantages of folding ebikes compared to non-folding bikes?
It is very quick and easy to fold an ebike as shown at the 30-second mark here. They will easily fit into most car trunks…all the easier with a hatchback. If you have a mini-van, all you have to do is fold the handlebars down. If you have a hitch-mount bicycle rack, you wouldn’t need a folding bike. But if you don’t want a rack on the back of your car, a folding bike is a great advantage. As a bonus, folding bikes have the lowest step-through height. The hinge technology is very strong. There is no movement in the joints when locked. You can even take them for modest off-road rides, in the mountains, and on the beach. I’ve been riding my folding ebike for several years and it carries my 230 pounds easily…still just as solid as the day I bought it. A non-folding bike is surely stronger, but it is a distinction without a difference unless you are racing or riding over jumps and logs.
Ebikes usually weigh 60 to 70 pounds (27 to 32 kgs). Our heavy duty Golf Ebikes weigh 70 pounds.
Can ebikes include holders for a drink bottle, cooler bags, scorecard board, a sand bottle, and cell phone?
Yes. All those things are commonly available on Amazon, Ebay, Walmart and other stores. Our Golf Ebikes include a drink bottle holder. We encourage all ebike golfers to carry a sand bottle to fix our divots and help keep the course in good shape. We want golf courses to know that ebikers are good for golf. You can get your own sand bottle (many are available on Amazon and other sources) or use one supplied by the course. All courses will gladly provide a bottle and sand for you…just ask. You can carry it in one of the side pockets of your bag. Or, consider getting a wire basket such as the one shown in this picture. They are designed to hook over handlebars, but we recommend hooking it on the right side of your rear rack. It can carry a sand bottle, water bottle, range-finder, clipboard, and other items. Search for “wire bike baskets” which are available on Amazon and many other places for about $15.
If you fold your bike for transport, you would want to unhook it because the ebike folds around on that side. I recommend a cloth or thin foam pad between the basket and the frame so it doesn’t scratch the frame, and bungee it down to the gear cassete guard.
How comfortable is the seat?
Our Golf Ebikes come with comfortable seats with a suspension post. If you want a wider seat, they are commonly available for under $30. Search “wide ebike seats.” I bought one made by Schwinn at Walmart that is super comfortable.
Do 3-wheel trikes work for golf? Are they as good as 2-wheeled ebikes?
We have some customers with trikes. A trike doesn’t need to use our Bag Carrier as a kick stand as with 2-wheeled ebikes, so the Bag Carrier Frame is mounted to the back of the trike.
A trike is stable on level ground, but not as desirable as a 2-wheeled ebike on the golf course. With a trike, it is always “even with the ground,” so going across side-hills means that it will lean at the same angle as the hills. With a 2-wheeled ebike, you are always “perpendicular to gravity.” So even on a side hill, you are upright and more stable. Since the entire goal of using an ebike on golf courses is to be able to ride straight to your own ball, side hills can’t be avoided.
To be sure, trikes don’t require balance. But balance is mostly automatic as long as you are moving forward…and moving forward is easy with an ebike because you don’t have to pedal. You can take off with the throttle, and then add pedaling if you want to. So 2-wheeled ebikes are better for golf than 3-wheeled trikes.
Do I get a tax credit if I purchase an ebike?
With the aims of protecting the environment and promoting green transport, Congress has launched a proposed bill called The Bicycle Incentive Kickstart for the Environment, or “H.R. 1019 – E-BIKE Act.” It has not passed yet, but we will make a big announcement if/when it does. Skyrocketing gas prices will add incentive for this bill. With the growing popularity of ebikes, many people are leaving their car in the garage and riding their ebike to work or school and for local errands. It is reasonable to understand that if large segments of the population do this, it can make a HUGE impact on fuel consumption. So this kind of legislation is gaining support.
What are the liability issues for golf courses?
Liability and responsibility is not any different than the normal liability rules on the golf courses. The golfer is responsible for any accidents or damage whether walking, riding in a rented cart, or riding his or her own ebike. Because ebikes are new to golf courses, some may still be concerned about liability. We provide a simple liability and responsibility waiver you can print and have ready to hand the courses where you play if it comes up in conversation. We suggest you print it, sign it, and take it with you if you are going to a new golf course and aren’t sure if they welcome ebikes.
Ebike Golf Course Etiquette
First and foremost, be a good golf course citizen and follow all the rules of the course.
We encourage you to get a sand bottle from the course and repair all divots.
Since fat tire ebikes have less than half the impact on grass than golf carts, most courses treat ebikes like bag carts and allow them to go wherever bag carts can go in normal course condition. Being able to ride straight to your own ball is one of the unique advantages of ebikes, and it speeds up the game dramatically.
Some courses will treat ebikes like golf carts which will require you to enter and exit at the markers, and to park on paths near greens.
When a course is wet and “cart path only” ebikes should also stay on cart paths.
It is important to recognize that ebikes are new and golf courses are adapting. If you have any questions about protocol, please ask your course manager.
How to Approach Golf Courses
Click here to see some suggested wording for how to approach your local golf course. This will continuously be updated as the market develops. Before you approach a golf course asking for permissino to ride your ebike, please review all of the information on our Golf Course page.
If you have questions that are not covered in these FAQ’s, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Questions about the Quick-Attach Golf Bag Carriers – Patent Pending
Is it difficult to balance with the golf bag on the side.
No, not at all. You don’t even feel it. As kids, we all remember placing our left foot on the pedal, pushing off, then swinging our leg over the seat. But we could also coast as long as we wanted standing on the pedal without ever thinking about balancing. It is automatic.
The only time you “feel” the weight is when you stand the bike up from the kick stand angle. But as soon as you are riding, even slowly, balance is natural and you won’t feel the weight.
Because you feel it when standing the bike upright, we recommend “going light” with a carry bag rather than a full-size staff bag, even though the Carrier will handle a large bag, and your balance will be automatic no matter how much it weighs.
Can you use the “Bag Carrier As Kick Stand” on slopes?
Yes, it will lock your bike to the ground slopes. It doesn’t need to be on level ground. Click on this picture to see an example.
Does the bag carrier fit on all ebikes with a rear rack?
Yes. Bike racks vary significantly. The size of the tubing, the height, the arrangement of cross-bars on the top, and support bars from the frame…all different. Our universal-fit adapter makes it possible to attach our Carrier to any bike with a rack on the back. We haven’t found any where it won’t work. We even have customers who mount it to motorcycles and scooters which they use just to transport their clubs to and from the course. You can see these photos at the bottom of the Gallery.
How difficult is the Golf Bag Carrier installation?
If you know your way around a screw driver and wrench, you will not have any trouble installing the Golf Bag Carrier. Click here to see the installation instructions
How important is the Mudguard? Is it necessary?
Our Diamondplate Rubber 6×12 inch Mudguard attaches to the FRONT fender of fat-tire ebikes to prevent grass clippings, mud, and water from being thrown up on your feet and the bike.
Golf courses are always fresh-cut. If you golf in the morning when there is dew on the grass, the front tire will throw grass up and cover the underside of your bike. So we highly recommend it. Note that it is designed for fat-tire ebikes with FULL front fenders. It does not work on short half-fenders.
What is the Bag Carrier material and coating?
It is made of 5052 aluminum with a durable textured powder coating.
Why did DivnickGolf invent a bag carrier for ebikes when its telescopic adjustable loft club makes walking so easy?
That is a great question. Divnick Clubs are telescopic for easy travel and the Adjustable Loft Club can be used for the whole game which makes it VERY easy to walk. Even so, most of our customers use our clubs for travel, but they play with a full set at home where an ebike is a perfect solution. And of course, even if you are only carrying the “Whole-In-One Divnick Club” you can play the round a lot faster on wheels.
More about the motivation to develop Ebikes for Golf…
I have been asked many times what my motivation was for developing this ebike golf system. It is pretty simple. I’ve always liked to walk and get exercise while I golf. But now that I’m in my 70’s, my joints and muscles are sore after a round of golf, and I know that will progress over the years. I didn’t want to graduate straight into a “sit-down couch with 4 wheels,” so I started to look at single-rider options. But they didn’t offer any exercise, and they are way too expensive for most golf courses. I knew ebikes were exploding in popularity around the world and I’ve always liked biking, so I thought,
“Why not combine two of my favorite things…golf and biking!”
Because of the health benefits, ebikes will keep me golfing more rounds per month and more years. Every golf course has hundreds of golfers my age. That means a lot more course-revenue for more years, and that’s a big winner for the golf industry.
Steve Divnick
Inventor – www.divnick.com
Is the Bag Carrier different for Golf Ebikes than other ebikes?
It is the same. However, our Golf Ebike racks are heavy duty which makes it easy to drill holes through the tubing and bolt the Bag Carrier bracket directly to the rack rather than using the universal under-clamp piece that is included in the kit and used for other ebikes. You can see this in the Installation Instructions.
If you have questions about the Bag Carriers that are not covered here, please don’t hesitate to ask.
“I want you to know how pleased I am with your golf bag carrier. I thought it might make it difficult to balance since it is hanging on the side of the bike, but balancing is automatic. I can’t even feel it. Before getting your carrier, I used a tow-behind 2-wheel cart, but it was tippy, and I had to put my bike’s kick stand up and down between every shot which was a real hassle, especially on uneven ground. Your bag-carrier-as-kick-stand feature is fast and stable. It works smoothly and is quiet. When other golfers see me pull up to my ball and lean the bike over against the bag, then see it auto-tilt back when I take off, they want to take a closer look.
My RadRunner ebike with your bag carrier has given me the opportunity to continue to play golf when I thought I might have to give up the game. As an added bonus, I can ride my bike to and from the course which saves on gas. My home course has several steep hills and I just can’t walk the 18 holes any more. But I do still want to get some exercise while I play, and using a sit-down cart doesn’t provide that. My ebike with pedal assist is the perfect solution. I get just as much exercise as I can handle, and that is good for my health, and will keep me playing the game I love for many more years.
If the exercise, speed, and convenience wasn’t enough, I’ve crunched the numbers and it will pay for itself in 1 or 2 years just in cart-rental savings. That might not be exciting news for golf courses, but I am paying them green fees, and a lot more often than if I had to rent a cart, and hopefully for a lot more years.
Thank you for your great invention and service.”
Oakley Smith
Questions about the Golf Ebikes
How easy is it to fold the bikes?
It is very easy. You can see this at the 30-second mark in this video. If you have a mini-van, all you have to do is lower your back seat and fold the handlebars. You can also fit it into a trunk or the back seat of a convertible like another of our customers.
Is a folding bike less durable than a non-folding bike?
It makes common sense that a non-folding bike is more rugged. But the folding mechanism on our Golf Ebikes is so durable that there is no movement in the frame, and it provides the lowest step-thru height of 16 inches which makes it easy to get on and off between every shot. The Golf Ebikes are designed for general off-road riding, including hunting, so they are plenty durable for golf. If you want to take it over jumps and logs, then I would recommend the non-folding Explore..
How important is the battery?
The battery is by far the most expensive component in the bike, and a name-brand battery like LG, Samsung, or Panasonic is more powerful, lasts longer, and can be recharged many more times than non-branded batteries. Click here to see an amazing report and why a name brand battery can save you hundreds of dollars a year.
What are the dimension specs of the 20×4 inch Golf Ebikes?
Click here or on the picture to see the Golf Ebike dimensions
Click here to see the folded dimensions
Click here to see the Explore dimensions
What is the relationship between Divnick Golf’s GolfEbikes and the ebike manufacturers?
DivnickGolf challenged ebike manufacturers around the world to make a bike with the 9 essentials for golf described here. The 20×4 inch folding bikes described on that page meet those qualifications, along with the non-folding 26×4 inch Explore.
Who is responsible for the Warrantee and after-sales service?
GolfEbikes is an Authorized Dealer, so the manufacturer’s warrantees fully apply to our customers. The manufacturers are responsible for the ebike warrantees and GolfEbikes is responsible for the Golf Bag Carriers and other golf related questions.
What are other ebike support resources?
When we send the shipping tracking confirmation to you, we will include links to the manuals and other support materials. We encourage you to join the Facebook Groups for your ebike and learn from what many other people are experiencing.
- Youtube is rich with “How to” ebike content that applies to all ebikes including maintenance, adjustments, fixing flats, and anything else you will ever need to do on your bike. Many ebike components are the same across all manufacturers, so you learn a lot from YouTube and get instant answers.
- If you ever have any questions about your ebike, we encourage you to look at all these resources. If you still have questions, you will be able to contact the manufacturer’s Customer Support directly at the emails we will include with your shipment.
- DivnickGolf is responsible for questions about golf and the Bag Carrier.
TROUBLE SHOOTING GUIDE FOR GENERAL EBIKE QUESTIONS
It might be fastest to use the Internet as a Trouble Shooting Guide Just type in a question or keyword in your favorite search engine, and you will probably see several answers. For instance, you will eventually need to adjust your brakes. If you search, “Adjusting Ebike Brakes” you will find dozens of references and tutorials. Here is one that I use: https://www.towerelectricbikes.com/how-to-adjust-bike-brakes
How easy is it to assemble an ebike?
The ebikes come mostly assembled. There are just a couple of things to insert and tighten. All the wires and cables are already connected. The necessary tools are included. Package contents and assembly instructions are included. If you prefer to have someone else assemble it for you, most local bike shops will assemble for a modest charge. Ebikes have already become so popular that some locations have mobile assembly services.
How do I change the Intelligent Pedal Assist (PAS) settings and other programmable options?
The 750 Watt Deluxe GolfEbike comes with 5 levels of pedal assist so you probably won’t need to change it. The Ranger comes from the factory with the default PAS 0-3 settings, so we recommend that you modify it. More assist levels doesn’t provide more power, it just divides the power into smaller segments.
With the Ranger, PAS-0 is pedal-only. PAS-1 is 50% power and we think that is too fast for the initial setting. We recommend changing it to 0-5 or 0-7 for a slower starting assist, and more increments to accommodate whatever level of help (exercise) and speeds you want. It is very easy to change following the steps and illustrations in this one-page printable PDF
Do these ebikes have a “walking mode”?
Yes, and it is very easy to engage. You just press-and-hold the – (minus) button on the handlebar. After a 1-second delay, the bike will start moving at a walking pace until you release the button. This is handy if you need to walk the bike up stairs or up a ramp, or up a hill that is too steep to ride. Experiment with it so you are used to the pace.
If you have questions about the ebikes that are not covered here, please don’t hesitate to ask.
