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Are Electric Bikes Worth It?

Electric bikes are unlike regular bikes. You can think of them as souped-up pedal-based bicycles, which run on a battery and go farther and faster than they do.

Electric bikes have an integrated electric motor. This motor helps to move the bike when the user is not pedaling or wants assistance with pedaling.

These bikes have been gaining popularity like never before due to their eco-friendly nature, low maintenance, low noise, and advanced features. Between 2020 and 2023, the e-bike market may grow from USD 14 bn to USD 20 bn at a ~8% rate, much faster than traditional bikes[1].

The main benefit of e-bikes is freedom of mobility by reducing the manual work of pedaling. They make pedaling easier with their pedal-assist and throttle mode.

E-bikes are the future. Over time, they will replace gas-guzzling cars and bikes. But there are still naysayers out there, so today, we will explore the question – are electric bikes worth it?

How Do Electric Bikes Work?

The design of electric Bikes leverages electric power as much as possible. The overall structure and design are the same as traditional bikes. The electric motor is designed to add to human pedal power but not completely replace it.

People can still pedal as much as they want. When biking to exercise, one can always pedal fast, as usual. The pedal assist and throttle modes are meant for longer distances and irregular terrains. These features only add to your pedal strength but don’t interfere with the actual pedaling.

How To Operate An Electric Bike?

Electric bikes are run in the same way as regular bikes. Pedaling activity remains the same. There is no extra resistance that the motor makes, which can reduce your speed. As usual, the bike will consist of 3 to 8 gears, which can be operated easily.

When you need a bit of help, pedal-assist can be turned on via a button present on the handlebars. You will begin to feel the pedaling become easier. That is nothing but the electric motor, adding power to each pedal you make.

For long rides or when you are tired, you can even take a small break. You can and sit back and let the motor do all the work. The “throttle mode” or “electric-only mode” will move the bike for you.

What Can I Use My Electric Bike For?

In terms of uses, e-bikes can novitiate almost any kind of terrain. They can travel in steady traffic for your daily commute, so you don’t have to negotiate traffic snarls every day.

Kids love e-bikes, which let them move about much farther than they could go earlier. Getting them started early on electric bikes teaches them a good lesson on protecting the environment too.

If you are into cycling as an exercise, e-bikes can be helpful. You can get in all the pedaling you want and then cruise back home with the pedal-assist feature.

Some e-bikes are explicitly designed for mountain biking. Those are more powerful variants with bigger motors.

Are Electric-Assist Bikes worth it?

The motor assistance is the best feature of an electric bike. It is what makes it different from regular ones. Think of all the times when you wanted to reach your workplace without breaking a sweat. Maybe you went mountain biking with your friends but got so tired that you needed some help. An electric-assist bike would have helped you out.

You can pedal whenever you want and for as long as you want, but the moment you want a break, the motor can do the work on your behalf. By simply twisting the throttle located on the left handlebar, you can use the “electric assist” mode.

Electric Assist Bikes are worth the effortless and fantastic riding experience they provide.

Best Electric Bikes

When it comes to selecting an e-bike, there are many options. Some of the top manufacturers for bikes used for all purposes are Ancheer, DJ Mountain Bike, Nactro, Swagtron, Macwheel, and ECOTRIC.

Ancheer has a wide variety of e-bikes, but its “Power Plus” is perhaps the top-selling product. It has 21-speed gears, a 500W motor, a top speed of 20mph, and 26-inch tires. It can take riders up to 330 pounds. It is perhaps the ultimate all-purpose bike.

You can explore other great bikes are the Ancheer Blue Spark, Speedrid Fat Wheel Electric Bike, and the Hicient Electric Bike.

Electric Bikes 2

Buyers Guide: Electric Bike

Choosing the right electric bike is very important. It may hinder your efficiency and hamper your comfort in the long-run. Apart from comfort and quality, a few other points to be considered while buying an electric bike.

Some of them are as follows:

Battery Life

When it comes to selecting an e-bike, battery life is one of the most important factors. After all, how long your battery works determines how good your investment was!

Usually, electric bikes tend to have a battery life of around 3 to 5 years. Some of the bikes offer battery swapping in case of depletion of older batteries. Look for bikes that fairly have enough battery life.

Motor

All the advanced features have their ultimate source as the motor. Electric bikes consist of an integrated electric motor responsible for various modes it offers, including pedal assist and electric-only or throttle mode.

The former makes partial use of the motor. Simultaneously, the latter utilizes the motor to the maximum extent to provide an effortless ride to the user.

Motor capacity varies, but most countries allow up to 500W motors on e-bikes. For more powerful motors, you need to get a license to ride in most places.

Speed Range

Electric Bikes generally offer a substantial speed range of 20-28 miles per hour. However, the range or mileage up to which you can ride depends on whether you are pedaling fully or partially or dependent on the throttle mode.

Design

The design of electric bikes has improved over the years. It has become sleek and lightweight. But the internal frame and suspension should be made of high-quality material that remains sturdy. The bike should also have a subtle design so that no disturbance of any kind is caused to anyone.

Final Verdict

Before I leave you, let me summarize the main pros and cons of an electric bike:

Pros:

  • You can get a bit of exercise with short bouts of energy and then breaks using the pedal-assist
  • You reduce your carbon footprint significantly.
  • You can get rid of the noise pollution that normal motorcycles create.
  • You won’t have to do a lot of maintenance, except for changing your batteries maybe 4 or 5 years out.
  • You can save money (compared to a car, and if your commute is not too far off)

Cons:

  • You need to have a good charging facility around you. Otherwise, it is too much effort, and you will probably end up not using your bike.
  • The initial cost may shock you! E-bikes can cost anywhere from USD 500 to USD 5000. Don’t compare e-bikes with regular bicycles.

All in all, my answer to the question that “are electric bikes worth it” is – yes, e-bikes are worth it. But you need to know why you are buying it!
If the answer to that question is to impress your girlfriend or boyfriend, you are way off. But if you want a reliable riding option that helps you a bit more than your regular pedal-based two-wheeler, then e-bikes can literally “get you far.”

References:

[1] • E-bikes – global market size | Statista

Written by Lee Hill

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