Let's be honest about one thing before we start: an e-bike is a little heavier than a regular bike, and that's just physics — you're carrying a motor and a battery. The good news is that with a few simple techniques (and a feature called walk assist), moving your e-bike around on the ground becomes completely manageable, even effortless. This guide is part of our Powering Ahead with eBikes: Foundation Skills series — beginner instructional guides from Electric Bikes Brisbane, your local e-bike specialist in Milton since 2013. Modern e-bikes are far lighter than they used to be, and once you know how to hold, lift and assist your bike, that extra weight stops being a big deal.
Watch the Techniques in Action
Sam, co-owner of Electric Bikes Brisbane, demonstrates every technique below on a Kalkhoff with a Bosch Smart System — give it a watch, then read on for the detail.
How to Hold and Move Your E-Bike
Before you push your bike anywhere, set yourself up for control. Sam uses a simple three-step setup every time:
- One hand on the handlebar, one hand on the saddle. Holding both ends gives you maximum control over the bike's centre of gravity, so it stays stable and balanced as you move.
- Move the pedals so they sit in front of your shins. This stops the pedals catching your legs as you walk alongside the bike.
- Put the kickstand up. Simple, but easy to forget — do it before you start moving.
With your hand on the handlebar, you also have the brakes right where you need them. If you're walking your bike down a hill, keep a little brake on to stop it running away from you — that gives you a huge amount of control. The bike simply walks alongside you like a very well-behaved companion, and you can stop it instantly at any time. Sam's note: once you've done this a few times, the size and weight of the bike stop feeling like a big deal.
How to Get Your E-Bike Over a Kerb or Step
When you reach a kerb or a small step, the instinct is to heave the whole bike up in one go. Don't — you never want to lift the entire bike at once. The two-step method is dramatically easier:
- Lift the front wheel up and onto the kerb.
- Move forward and use the saddle to lift the rear wheel up after it.
Breaking it into two steps means you're only ever lifting half the bike at a time. The same technique works for kerbs, steps, trail obstacles on Brisbane's shared paths, and loading your bike onto a car rack.
Using Walk Assist — Let the Motor Do the Work
Walk assist is one of the most underrated features on a Bosch Smart System e-bike. Most riders never use it until they're stuck part-way up a steep hill — and then they wonder why they never used it before. Here's how to activate it:
- Hold down the walk assist button. On Bosch Smart System bikes, this is a dedicated button on the control unit.
- Follow the on-screen instructions shown on the display.
- Keep holding the button as you start moving the bike. Walk assist activates the moment the bike begins to move.
What to expect: on flat ground it feels almost underwhelming — the motor adds only gentle assistance at walking pace. But the moment you hit a gradient, you feel it kick in. On a steep little pinch, the bike can actually move faster than you can walk. The motor takes the heavy lifting out of moving your bike around.
Removing the Battery to Reduce Weight
You won't always need to do this — but it's good to know the option exists. The Bosch 625Wh Powertube battery weighs nearly 4kg. On bikes with a removable battery (roughly 80–90% of e-bikes), you can take it out to make the bike noticeably lighter to lift:
- Carrying the bike up a flight of stairs
- Lifting it into a car boot or onto a roof rack
- Manoeuvring through a tight space
Remove the battery, move the bike, then reinsert and lock the battery back in. Two minutes, done. (See our battery charging guide for how to safely remove and reinsert the battery.)
You'll Get Used to It — and Sooner Than You Think
As Sam puts it: "You will get used to the way, the dimensions and how it moves around." Most new e-bike riders feel a little uncertain in the first week — by week two, the weight and size are second nature. These techniques just accelerate that adjustment. If you'd like to practise in a low-pressure setting, our Milton store runs beginner orientation rides so you can get comfortable handling your bike with an expert on hand.
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Frequently Asked Questions — E-Bike Walk Assist and Handling
How do I use walk assist on a Bosch e-bike?
Hold down the dedicated walk assist button on the Bosch Smart System control unit. Follow the instruction shown on the display and continue holding the button as you begin moving the bike. Walk assist engages as soon as the bike starts moving and remains active while the button is held. On flat ground the assistance feels light; on gradients it becomes noticeably powerful — on steep pinches the bike can move faster than walking pace.
How heavy is a Bosch e-bike battery?
Battery weight varies by capacity. A Bosch Powertube 625Wh battery — the larger capacity option — weighs approximately 4kg. Removing the battery before carrying the bike up stairs or loading it into a vehicle makes handling significantly easier. Most Bosch Smart System e-bikes have removable batteries.
What is the easiest way to get an e-bike over a kerb?
Use the two-step method rather than trying to lift the whole bike at once. First, lift and roll the front wheel up onto the kerb. Then move forward and use your hand on the saddle to lift the rear wheel up. Splitting the lift into two steps means you're only moving half the bike's weight at a time, making it much more manageable.
Why does walk assist feel weak on flat ground?
Walk assist is calibrated to provide assistance at walking pace (up to 6km/h on Bosch systems) and its effect is most noticeable on gradients. On flat ground the resistance is low, so the motor's contribution feels subtle. On an uphill gradient, the motor's torque output is clearly felt — the bike actively pushes forward and can move faster than a person can comfortably walk on a steep section.
How should I hold my e-bike when walking it?
Place one hand on the handlebar and one hand on the saddle. This gives you control over both ends of the bike and keeps it stable. Before walking, move the pedals forward so they sit in front of your shins to prevent them catching your legs. If walking downhill, apply light brake pressure with the handlebar hand to prevent the bike from rolling ahead of you.
