Electric bikes are becoming more and more popular. Since emerging onto the market over a decade ago, their price has fallen, the quality and choice has risen and with ever increasing pressure to ease traffic on the roads they have become a very viable alternative to the daily commute by car. But for all this increased interest, are e bikes worth it?
Let’s look at what you can expect from running an e-bike and share the most popular reasons why people love them.
Go further, go faster
Even the keenest of cyclists will sometimes admit to having one hill too many in their ride, or yearn to go that little bit further when the legs simply won’t allow it. With an e-bike, distance and journeys can be longer and more arduous thanks to the motor power which can be switched on to help you go further, faster and longer.
If you are using an e-bike to help with your daily commute then this ability to go further without getting so worn out or looking too bedraggled and sweaty when you rock up to the office, will be a huge benefit.
Yes, you will have to make sure that your e-bike is charged but on many bikes it only takes around 4 to 6 hours to get a full charge and you can then cycle around 40 miles before you need to charge again. So, simply plug in overnight or when you get home and then by the time your morning commute arrives you’ll have plenty of charge in your batteries to support you through your daily cycle to and from work. The best bit about having an e-bike is that even if the batteries are drained and you can’t engage the motor, you can still use good old fashioned pedal power to get you home.
Go out in all seasons
For fair weather cyclists, e-bikes are a breath of fresh air (or at least they don’t cause you to put your bike back in the shed at the first sign of the air becoming fresher!). Whereas you may previously have only cycled for pleasure in the warmer months, due to the extra effort needed to cycle in the cold, you can enjoy riding all year round with an electric bike as you can use the motor power to make your journeys quicker and more bearable.
Save money
It might not seem like it when you first fork out for an electric bike, but in the long run, particularly if you are using it to commute, you will be saving money. Compared to the cost of running a car, even if you cycle some of the time, you will still be saving on the cost of petrol and car wear and tear. The general running costs of an e-bike are low, with batteries lasting for around 10,000 miles and servicing costs very reasonable, particularly if you find a local e-bike supplier who can do it for you without you having to cycle too far.
E bikes are good for your health
Even with the electric motor helping you out up the hills or shortening your journey times, you’ll still be pedaling more which is great news for your health. Cycling has been proven to have many health benefits including:
- Lowering blood pressure
- Strengthening immune system
- Improving mental wellbeing
- Burning fat and building muscle
- Cutting heart disease and cancer risk
Also, because cycling is low impact, that is to say it isn’t weight bearing, then it is less likely to result in injury as a result of overuse. Yes, you could argue that the lack of weight bearing exercise means that cycling doesn’t really build bone density like some other sports, but if you add a little strength training into your overall workout regime you should reap the full benefits.
Safer than regular cycling
If ever there has been a good time to invest in an e-bike then this is surely it. With the motor power behind you, not only are you safer as you can accelerate more quickly to get yourself away from trouble at junctions, but you can also use that power to help you battle the elements such as crosswinds, to make your journey safer and more enjoyable.
Ultimately, we would have to say that yes, e bikes are worth it because you can cover more ground in a shorter period of time, save yourself some money in the long run and get fit. Plus, the future of cycling in the UK is looking good, with the government pledging to improve cycling infrastructure as part of their Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy to make cycling a normal part of everyday life, particularly for shorter journeys. So you can expect to see more cycle lanes and better provision for cycle routes going forwards.
If you need more convincing then take a look around the internet at the vast resource of information available on cycling and in particular electric bikes and see for yourself the many benefits of cycling with added power.
Nippon E Bikes are a conversion specific e bike company specialising in supplying and converting high quality cycles into e bikes with 250 or 1000 watt motors to make cycling a breeze.