Electric bikes are getting popular across the world, and as a result, we’ve received a lot of concerns about whether or not an e-bike is really beneficial. Indeed, if you’ve never ridden one, that’s a fair question, but you’ll quickly realize how much e-bikes can provide once you hop on.
Take everything that makes a regular bicycle fun and practical, then make it better. That’s what you get from an electric bike. Electric bikes are super enjoyable and still offer numerous exercises while delivering greater ride flexibility. It’s also worth mentioning some go really fast, while others are energy-efficient. Plus, an e-bike can potentially replace a car for certain scenes.
An e-bike can quickly become more expensive than your typical 21-speed. If you’re wondering how practical an e-bike is, here are a few thoughts.
Practical Strength & Flexibility
Whether you want to ride on blacktop, backroads, gravel, or the dirt, there’s an e-bike worth buying. As a result, e-bikes are extremely capable and can handle all terrains, just like a traditional bike. As you can see from the different class levels in our previous article, there’s certainly a bike that’ll be useful and practical for your regular basics.
However, what makes e-bikes stand out is their flexibility. With an e-bike, you can go farther and faster than before, and likely have more fun doing it. This is especially true for people out of shape, older, or have health conditions. In addition, it brings all the practicality of a bike to those that couldn’t otherwise ride.
Even if you are in shape, an ebike allows more flexibility for the rider to hit different trails, longer trails, or not have to worry so much about getting tired on the adventure. You will have to keep battery life in mind, but most can go at least 30+ miles on a charge, so that’s not too much concern.
Another thing I want to mention is exercise and the misconception that e-bikes do all the heavy lifting, meaning you won’t get much of a workout while riding. Many people get a bike for cardio and exercise but don’t ever consider an e-bike.
Some e-bikes make rides easy, but almost all allow users to control how much the bike helps with pedaling. This means you can dial it back, pedal, and get your heart rate up, while still enjoying the benefits and increased range of an e-bike.
Furthermore, recent studies suggest that e-bike riders get just as much exercise or potentially more than if they had a regular bike. Why? Because many e-bike owners use it more frequently than a traditional bicycle and go on longer rides. This results in more activities and exercises. Of course, your mileage may vary with that study, but it’s an interesting thought.
Either way, an e-bike gives more people the opportunity to ride a bike and offers greater flexibility or rideability for owners.
Can E-bikes Substitute Cars?
If you don’t like gas prices, ride a bike. While this comment is technically a joke, depending on the situation and needs of the user, an ebike can absolutely be a viable replacement for a vehicle. For example, if you live in a city or have a commute less than around 20miles a day, an e-bike could save you money on maintenance, parking, and gas.
Of course, gas is expensive. The average price of electricity in the United States is $0.10 per kWh. Typical e-bikes on the market get roughly 15–20 Wh/mile. To make that easier to understand, you can ride about 5-miles for one penny or 20-miles for under a nickel. Try doing that in your gas-guzzler or electric car.
Electric Bikes vs Traditional Bikes
So, is an e-bike better than a regular bike, and are they practical? To be honest, this last section is pretty subjective, as everyone has different wants and needs. And for those die-hard road warriors out there (like Cameron who rides the Cannondale above) don’t get offended. I own a mountain bike and a Magicycle fat tire e-bike, and I love them both equally.
When you consider an e-bike can do just about everything a regular bike can, plus a lot more, it makes it pretty easy to see why so many people are falling in love with them.
Yes. Electric bikes are very beneficial and have plenty to offer for both new and experienced riders. There are several great reasons to own an e-bike, and hopefully, a few of the ones we detailed above will convince you to give one a try.
