Have you been thinking seriously about buying an electric bike? Imagine the feeling of sailing through your neighborhood on a cool-looking e-bike, or taking advantage of this wonderful technology to navigate distant nature trails. Modern electric bikes have been around for only a few decades. In that time, thousands of riders have enjoyed the benefits of owning one. Here are the main reasons you need to know about.
1. Improve fitness
If you already ride a bicycle, you’ll be aware that cycling is one of the very best ways to get exercise. It’s an amazing aerobic activity to improve overall cardiovascular fitness − keeping your heart, lungs, brain and blood vessels healthy. According to Harvard Medical School, there are a number of other benefits to cycling, including that it builds muscle and bone while protecting the joints. Running, jogging and hiking are also popular ways of increasing your fitness level, however they’re definitely harder on your joints and feet.
Electric bikes take things up a notch when it comes to boosting your fitness. Basically, this is because their battery-powered peddle assist allows you to maximize your workout with interval training. In other words, you can get in some high-intensity peddling and then give your body time to recuperate by relying a little more on motor power before your next burst of aerobics. Besides, if you feel you’ve had enough exercise for one day, your e-bike will take you home without much effort on your part.
2. Easy to use
You’ll be impressed by how easy e-bikes are to use. Do you know the expression about how once you ride a bicycle you never forget? Well, becoming comfortable riding an electric bike is not much different. With a few lessons and some practice, you’ll be ready to take off and see your surroundings.
When it comes to picking up a few groceries or running other errands, it’s so straightforward to just hop on your e-bike and head out. E-bikes are, for sure, a very practical choice compared to driving a car that needs more maintenance and attention.
The other reason e-bikes are easy to use is that storage is a cinch. They take up very little room, so are perfect for apartment dwellers or homeowners without driveways. Here’s another point about storage. You can even buy a folding electric bike that can be stowed in the cargo area of your vehicle so you can take it with you on a trip.
(Photos by Ted Allison)
3. Go more places
E-bikes are an extremely versatile mode of transportation. On an electric bike, you can go faster and further than on a traditional bike and readily go to more places. Certainly, you can cover a lot of ground when you drive a car. And, there’s a time and place for using an automobile. However, with an electric bike you can travel up to 35 kilometers distance on battery power alone – further when you factor in peddling and even more with an extra battery onboard (The Cyrusher XF900 is a good example). Top speed for e-bikes is usually 25 km per hour. This is fast enough for many excursions when you want to take in some of the scenery. Having said that, there’s always the option to go twice as fast, or more, if you want.
The construction and power of an e-bike enables you to go places that you can’t on a traditional bicycle, never mind a car! Scaling rough terrain with ease is no problem for e-bike riders. You can also ride for longer on an electric bike, allowing you to really make a day of it when you’re out exploring the countryside. Hikers will recognize the value of an e-bike too for getting out in the back country.
4. Helps your commute
Does your commute to work or school seem to take longer than it should? If you’re like many city dwellers you probably rely on your automobile to get to and from your place of employment or education. No doubt, you’ve experienced the frustrations of traffic jams and scarce parking spaces. The beauty of commuting on an electric bike is that you can avoid much of this hassle and arrive at the office, school or warehouse energized and ready to start the day. Most cities have bike lanes that don’t have the same congestion as roadways for cars. Furthermore, an e-bike is a reliable choice that will get you to your destination much faster than a regular bike would. With peddle assist power, don’t worry about being late or working up a sweat.
5. Affordable option
Let’s face it, owning a car is expensive. Not only do you need to come up with the purchase price, but you have to buy fuel, pay for insurance and spend money to keep the vehicle running well. Electric bikes are a much more affordable option. To begin with, they’re not as expensive to buy - the Cyrusher XF650 is a very affordable option. Plus, you’re not going to have to spend very much money on maintenance. With little more attention than you’d give a traditional bike, you can keep your e-bike in good working order.
The cost of charging your battery is minimal and, down the road, if you need to replace the battery it will be considerably cheaper than the upkeep on an automobile. Here are a few additional places where you’ll save money with an electric bike. You can totally forget about parking costs. Also, you don’t need a license to operate an e-bike so these fees are avoided.
6. Environmentally friendly
It’s important to try to reduce our carbon footprint where we can. Driving an automobile only contributes to air pollution, so switching to an e-bike is a great way to help save our planet for future generations. If you’re worried about the electricity you need to use to charge your electric bike, don’t give it another thought. Sure, this is one difference compared to traditional bicycles but the amount of electricity used is very small. The positive impact that you can make for the environment by using an e-bike is substantial – especially considering the fact that you can travel further on an electric bike than on a regular bike, and you can use it to get to places where you might otherwise rely on your car for transportation.
7. Join a community
This is one of the best parts of owning an electric bike. The steady rise in popularity of modern peddle assist e-bikes has meant there are many more people buying and enjoying them. At the same time, the use of social media continues to explode and individuals turn more and more to online forums to connect with their peers. E-bike riders are just like any many consumer seeking to find others to discuss what they love about the products they’re using. But, joining an online community of electric bike users offers so much more! When you know the thrill and excitement of owning an e-bike, you’ll find an inspiring and supportive community of like-minded individuals ready to share their various experiences with e-bike cycling – a tremendously positive group!
8. Have fun
Finally, riding an electric bike is just so much fun! Remember the point about cycling promoting a healthier brain? On a related note, when we exercise our brains release good-feeling hormones called endorphins that are responsible for boosting the amount of pleasure we’re feeling. That’s one reason riding an e-bike increases our happiness.
If you already spend time outdoors, cycling, running or hiking, you’ll appreciate how much more fun you can have on an e-bike. The opportunity that electric bikes provide for staying longer in the outdoors without feeling tired and exploring many interesting places will surely put a smile on your face.
Conclusion
The versatility, affordability, practicality and fun factor that electric bikes have brought to the cycling world is something to admire. Think what it would be like to own one of the latest high-performing e-bike models with green technology and head-turning design. Give an electric bike a try and it will quickly become your favorite mode of transportation!
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