The 6 Reasons an eBike Will Change Your Life
If someone told you that it was actually painless to save cash, drop pounds and be eco-friendly at the same time, you probably wouldn’t believe them. If you’re reading this, you’ve probably considered commuting to work via bike or walking to a few of your errands. Maybe you’ve tried these things a time or two, but your efforts probably fell flat. Whether it was too hard, took too long, or was just simply too exhausting, rest assured, you’re not alone. Plenty of people would love to work more exercise into their busy days, and save cash at the gas pump. But not all of us have the fitness to jump right into a riding or walking routine — sometimes we need a little extra help.
And that, my friend, is where an eBike can change your life completely.
Studies have shown that swapping a standard bike for an electronic-assist version, one where you still pedal and do some work, but have a bit of a boost when the going gets tough, can make you ride longer and more often.
Get happier… without a shrink
Studies have shown that getting out in nature can actually decrease likelihood and symptoms of depression. So that morning and afternoon ride to work (with a little boost so it’s not too hard) can actually help boost your mood for the entire day. You’ll likely feel more productive and peppier: Swedish researchers found that exercise at work (or, in this case, before and after work) can actually make workers more productive — so your boss will be able to reap the benefits of your low-impact workout as well.
Skip traffic… and never be late for happy hour
Speaking of better mental status, you’re going to be infinitely happier when you realize how much traffic you skip thanks to the ability to pedal in the bike lane versus waiting in traffic jams every morning. Bike commutes are much more predictable, time-wise, than driving (and finding parking). So as your commutes become more predictable, you might find yourself with more time to get some extra work done, or fit in an extra workout during the week because of it. And not sitting in traffic is it’s own major mental boost: AAA has noted that 80 percent of drivers experience road rage. How great would it be to not be part of that statistic?
Ride with your friends… without getting dropped
One of the cooler parts of having an electronic-assist bike is simple: you can now, without any real training, keep up with your buddies when they go on cycling pub crawls or casual weekend rides. You might not be able to hang with a pro racer (but why would you want to?), but for normal rides with faster friends or your partner, you can now go on the ride without getting nervous about being left behind. So often, we skip out on fun rides to the beach or to the bar because the idea of hanging on and not getting left behind as soon as there’s a slight hill is so embarrassing that we’d rather miss out on the fun altogether. So avoid FOMO with your fast friends and get riding! (And your partner, by the way, might actually have to get in your draft when you really bump up the assistance. That’s always a bonus.)
Save the environment… and save some cash
Who needs a Prius or a Tesla when you can spend a fraction of the money and have an ebike that just needs an occasional recharge? A Tesla will be a six-figure investment. An e-assist bike and a train pass for the longer trips, plus a few Uber rides thrown in for those bad weather days or times you just can’t ride where you need? Even with maintenance, you’re looking at under $7,000 in the course of a year, including buying the bike. A study done in Copenhagen showed that it’s six times more expensive for you, and for society, to drive instead of cycle. The environmental impacts are equally impressive, so you can enjoy feeling a certain sense of smugness about how green you are compared to your co-workers. Yes, even the Prius owners!
Commute to work… and avoid getting sweaty
One of the best parts about an ebike is simple: whenever you start feeling yourself sweat (not just because you’re dreading a certain upcoming work meeting, but because you’re pedaling a little harder), you can just turn on the electronic assist and power away while lowering your heart rate. You’re at work on time, and you haven’t soaked the back of your dress shirt. Talk about a win! (And if you do find that you love the feeling of a morning workout on your commute, there are plenty of great brands making fabulous commuter-chic clothing that will blend flawlessly with your ebike, of course.)
Get in shape… without crying on a hill
Electronic-assist bikes offer you the best of both worlds when it comes to fitness: you can go as hard as you want, but you always have a secret extra gear that regular bikes just don’t have. So when the option becomes ‘get off and walk’ or ‘give your bike a bit of juice,’ you can keep pedaling hard, but get that extra kick to get up the hill, no walking required. The low-impact nature of being able to adjust how hard you’re riding makes this a tolerable workout for any ability or fitness level, and you can slowly back off the electronic assist as you improve (which will likely be pretty darn quick once you realize how much better life is on a bike).
This post is written by our newest collaborator at Karmic Bikes. Molly Hurford is the author of “Fuel Your Ride,” “Saddle, Sore: Ride Comfortable, Ride Happy” and “Mud, Snow and Cyclocross: How ‘Cross Changed US Cycling.”
She is also an ex-racer, van-lifer and writer for Bicycling Magazine. Try to keep up with Molly on The Outdoor Edit or on Twitter. She’s still fast & curious!
