The Advantages of Riding an Electric Bike

An Awesome Experience!

·        Get the experience of riding a bicycle without the sweat.  Less Sweat, more fun!  In hot weather, it’s possible to stay cool and dry by transferring a bit more load to the electric motor.  In colder weather - or if you feel in need of exercise - just throttle back, or turn the motor off.

·        Use an electric bike for local errands. Why drive a 6,000 lb S.U.V. - 2 miles to the corner store or post office; when an electric bicycle will get you there in the same amount of time - without the wear and tear on your car, and without polluting our atmosphere?

·        Use an electric bike to commute to work. If your one-way commute is 10 miles or less; why not ride an e-bike instead of driving? If you take surface streets; you'll probably arrive at work in the same amount of time it would've taken you to drive, perhaps even less if you must fight morning and afternoon traffic, since a bicycle is much more maneuverable.

·        Get a little exercise. Even though your bike is electric; you can still pedal along with it as much as you care to. 

·        It will keep you fit!  Surely a non-electric bike will keep you fitter than one fitted with a motor? Well, that depends on how much you use it. Research has found that 46% of conventional bikes are used only once or twice a week; with a further 30% being used only twice a month.  

·        By contrast, a recent survey of electric bicycle owners reveals that a third ride their bike at least once a day and 81% use the bike at least once a week.

·        Shrink Hills!  Riding an electric bike is so much more enjoyable in hilly country, into strong winds, or when carrying heavy loads, users tend to make better use of them. The motor provides up to half the effort, but more regular use means more exercise for the rider.  A quality Electric bike will increase your average cycling speed and eliminate the strain when a gradient looms.  In hilly country, the effect is nothing short of miraculous. Many users seem to notice that hills seem to get steeper as they get older, well Electric Bikes are the perfect solution.

·        Safety!  There is no doubt that an electric bike helps to keep you out of danger - the faster your acceleration, the sooner you can get out of trouble. And with no need to rush the hills, you won’t be tempted to ride downhill at breakneck speed as you can use the power assist to get up the next slope.  It is recommended that you wear an approved cycle helmet, reflective clothing and lights; a flashing red LED attached to your clothing is well worth having on day and night.

·        Green Machine!  The amount of energy used by the electric bikes is very small compared to a moped, motorcycle or car. In terms of fuel consumption, an electric bike achieves about 800-2,000 mpg. No other commercially available vehicle can match such performance.

·        Beats Congestion!  Beat the Congestion! Make the most of those ever improving Bus lanes and cycle paths.  In theory a car will travel at higher speed on average, but in practice speed often falls below 10mph in cities - often much less in an overcrowded city. The problem is congestion - motorcycles get around this to some extent, but they are still confined to the road network and require additional tax, fuel and insurance.

·        An electric bike can maintain a higher average speed than a bicycle but can take advantage of the same network of cycle facilities, giving access to areas that cars and motorcycles cannot reach. The result is often a faster door-to-door journey time than any other type of vehicle. And by taking advantage of the uncongested cycle network, but eliminating hills and headwinds, electric bikes are often the most consistent mode of travel at local distances.

·        Laws governing electric bicycles:
There are new federal guidelines concerning electric bicycles, and each state/municipality will have codes of their own. Suffice it to say: electric bicycles powered under 1000 watts - that do not exceed 20 mph - are generally still classified as a "bicycle", and will not have restricted use. Check your Federal, State and Local Municipal codes for specific regulations.