Advantages And Disadvantages Of Electric Bicycle: See How Beneficial E-Bikes Are for You!
Bicycles, whether electric or regular, have many similarities. There are varying advantages and disadvantages of an electric bicycle when compared to a regular bicycle. The difference may be little but can have a big impact when you’re trying it out for a ride.
It is not uncommon to see cyclists with e-bikes on weekends when you stroll through the city or are in the mountains. Bike enthusiasts often dismiss that option as something for novices and senior citizens. However, can we really justify this negative attitude? Not at all! We will discuss some of the actual disadvantages of e-bikes in this post, as well as show you some of the advantages of e-bikes.
The Benefits of E-bikes in a Nutshell
When you get to know an e-bike better, you see there are a lot more advantages than you might have thought. As it makes sense to buy conventional bikes, Ebikes can have many advantages like lowering your carbon footprint (compared to other vehicles), getting out of traffic jams or heavy traffic, less physical effort but still getting exercise, and a lot more.
It Takes Less Effort
At first glance, it may seem unsporting, but that is not the case. With an E-bike, you still have to exert yourself and sweat a bit after some time if you go mountain biking. If you get off your bike and walk it, you will have to negotiate steep sections. In addition to covering long distances, this also conserves some of your strength for descending. Besides being adjustable to the amount of support you need when you need it, the engine power can be adjusted as well.
While it is important to remember that you have to descend the steep passages you climbed beforehand, you should forget to do that at the same time. Be aware of your personal limits, even though motorized support might seem convenient and easy to use at first.
Can Be Used as a Training Tool
A bike with an electric motor is a perfect choice for specific training as well. With motorized support, you can control your heart rate well, even if you want to cover longer distances with steep sections.
Reduced Physical Stress
With an e-bike, your body is gently worked - especially your joints, knees, and thighs are less stressed than with a normal bike. The e-bikes are not only beneficial to everyone but are a good option for seniors or since they are easy to ride. This makes it possible for anyone to enjoy nature or the city on a bike.
Environmentally-friendly Mode of Transportation
In addition to riding an e-bike for exercise, you can use it every day to commute to work, visit friends or shop. You can come to your destination much more quickly and without sweat since the motorized support is motorized. A bicycle that runs on electricity can be a great green alternative to a car, and it is an excellent alternative to subways and buses if you do not like to drive. You can ride like how you do with normal bicycles and still make an impact against global warming by leaving harmful emissions out of the equation.
Maintaining Health and Fitness
The benefits of riding a bike are numerous. You need to use your arms, shoulders, core, and your whole body when turning the pedals. Imagine sailing through air currents rather than water currents while swimming in the sea.
Riding an electric bike is important because it gives you exercise. An electric scooter rides differently than a bicycle, for example.
Sports events can also be participated in on an electric bike if you enjoy participating on a bicycle. Even a popular cycling event like Giro d'Italia, which is normally on a bicycle, has an electric bike option called Giro-E.
Effort and Motor
You'll need an electric bike if you want to pedal. It is true. Electric bikes do not move on their own. When you pedal, you activate the motor. "Pedal assisted electric bikes" are what these bikes are called.
Nevertheless, some e-bikes do not require you to pedal, but they are very rare. In addition, they are essentially mopeds or motorcycles, which means they cannot be ridden on public roads without a license.
Electric bikes are easy to ride because the motor assists you in pedaling. Putting less effort into riding, sweating less, and it's even more pleasant. If you don't have a shower at your place of employment, this is especially important for commuting.
For the physically weak or less able, electric bikes are also a wonderful option. On the Internet, you can read many reviews about people who have "a second bicycle life" with their electric bikes.
Increased Speed
In motor assistance mode, you can reach speeds of up to 15.5 miles per hour (25 km per hour). For riding the streets of cities, and anywhere else, this is adequate. Compared to a car in traffic during rush hours (7 miles per hour), that's much faster.
Ebikes use a motor to assist you in pedaling until a maximum speed of 15.5 mph is reached. In other words, if the bike goes faster than this, they are essentially riding a motorbike (more like a moped). Afterward, you can go as fast as you like, but under your own power.
Consequently, the manufacturer limits your speed on your vehicle. (You can keep pedaling, though, and go faster - just put in a little more effort.)
E-bikes can reach speeds of 30 miles per hour or more. In this case, we are again referring to motor assistance. "Speed pedelecs" are these types of bicycles. In the UK, these bikes need to be registered with the DVLA to be road legal since their motors assist the rider in a limited way.
A bicycle motor's power is restricted by law in England - it cannot exceed 250 watts.
Battery Range
It can take between 2.5-8 hours to fully recharge a flat battery, depending on the charger and battery. Nevertheless, you do not need to run the battery down before charging, as there is no "battery memory." No need to worry about recharging it!
Ebikes can still be ridden on the road if their batteries run out. Normal bikes weigh a lot. It is simply a matter of pedaling on. Unlike a car running out of fuel, it won't simply stop.
Long-distance Travel
The ride of 20-30 miles is pretty long on a regular bicycle if you've ever done it. Electric bikes allow you to cover more distance with the same amount of effort. Depending on its capacity and your riding style, you can go between 40 and 75 miles with a single charge.
Climbing With Ease
When riding an electric bike, you can ride over uneven terrain and climb hills or mountains much more easily. Unless you are very active, climbing hills or mountains can be tricky.
You can also easily handle headwinds with an electric bike. What headwinds??
Having fun with friends and family - Many people find that riding electric bikes allows them to spend more time having fun with friends and family members, as they can go on recreational bike rides together. It could be the key to enjoying leisure rides more often if you are new to cycling or struggle to keep up.
Electric bikes have such a sleek design that makes them easier to use than other kinds of bikes, cars, or scooters. While sitting on a board, you get to feel the wind blowing through your hair! I think most people would agree that it has a pleasing aesthetic appeal, but this is a subjective matter. You must stand the entire time while riding a scooter, which can be just as much fun. There are advantages and disadvantages to everything, but the sleek design of an electric bike deserves credit.
Easy Parking
If you live in the city, you won't have to worry about finding a place to park your car. It can take hours and cost a lot of money in cities such as New York and Austin. If you have an electric bike, all you need to do is attach it to a bike rack or post, and you are ready to go on your merry way. You should, however, make sure to secure it properly to prevent theft.
Another benefit of the electric bike is a shorter commute. Although it is possible to go faster than 20 mph on e-bikes, there is no legal limit. You will feel like a superhuman after experiencing this increase in speed. Your standard bicycle will take you less than half the time to reach your destination.
Saving on Fuel Compared to a Car
Over $2,000 is spent in America every year on gas, so switching to a bicycle-powered by electricity will save you a ton. Keeping your car is fine if you adore it, but why not try riding your bike more often and saving those $2,000 you're spending on gas?
Things You Need to Consider: Cons
There are, of course, some disadvantages to e-bikes, which you need to get your head around before buying one.
High Costs
Buying an e-bike is an expensive proposition. Although the bike is not cheap, you get a great bike that supports you reliably and can be used in many ways. If the price is worth it, you must decide for yourself.
An electric bike involves a significant upfront investment. It's not uncommon for people learning about electric bikes for the first time to be surprised at the cost, which typically ranges from $1,000 to $10,000. Even though owning an e-bike requires a significant investment up-front, the good news is that once you've made the investment of purchasing such a bike, there are relatively few expenses associated with operating it. Comparatively, the cost of purchasing an electric bike is actually not too bad, especially when compared to the cost of buying a car or a high-end traditional bicycle.
Considerably Heavier Than Regular Bikes
In spite of dramatic advances in electric bicycles' technologies and components, electric bikes remain noticeably heavier than conventional bicycles. When you're transporting your bike or out riding, and your battery dies, this becomes a problem.
In comparison with normal bikes, e-bikes weigh a lot more than 20 pounds on average. Having to carry a bike up and down a few steps can be very tiring. Likewise, riding with an empty battery requires more effort.
Timing and Range of Charging
A regular charge of the battery of the e-bike is necessary to ensure that the pedal assistance does not stop unintentionally. To sum up, this is not a particularly difficult task, but timing is important. Batteries must be recharged by at least one to four hours after they are empty. Make sure you pay attention to the range of your eBike. A lithium-ion battery has a range of up to 140 km, so this shouldn't pose a huge problem, depending on the kind of battery.
Costly Maintenance
There are several highly specialized electric bike parts that are unique to e-bikes, while the majority of e-bike parts are standard bicycle components. Due to the complexities of these parts and the fact that they are sometimes hard to locate, repairing an e-bike component can sometimes be more complicated and expensive than repairing a conventional bicycle part.
Confusion Over Legal Status
The legal status of electric bikes in the United States can be confusing since they are a relatively new invention. Electric bikes with a maximum speed of 20 mph and motors under 750 watts are generally treated like other bicycles, which means they can be ridden on bike paths and lanes and do not need to be registered or licensed. Although some places have different rules that can limit or change how you can use an electric bike, there are some that do not. When riding an electric bike, it's always a good idea to check the laws in your city and state.
What to Consider When Buying an Electric Bicycle?
If you were to purchase an electrical bike over a standard bike, what factors would you consider? Take note of these questions below.
How far do you need to travel? - If you like traveling great distances, it’s worth saving up for the electrical bike.
How much money do you have to spend? - If you don't have $2K for a designer E-bike, you might consider a standard bike (for now).
Do you suffer from joint pain? - Since E-bikes have motor-assisted modes, they are much easier on your knees than regular bicycles
What type of bike do you find more comfortable? - Ebikes are built for everyone, comfort level included.
What impact do you want to have on the environment? - Do you wish to have better sustainable transport than a car? An e-bike might be a good alternative for you.
What are my state's electric bike laws?
Can I get the e-bike I want or go the speed I desire? - Ebikes allow you to pedal faster than you could on your own, so yes, at a reasonable speed level.
My electric bike weighs 50 pounds. Can I lift it? - Remember that if it cannot be moved when the batteries are empty, it is not portable for your life.
Can I ride a bicycle in my city? Are there bike lanes there? Can I ride my bike in my hometown safely?
When selecting the bike type that is best suited to your needs, keep these questions in mind.
Electric Bikes Compared to Cars
Here are some of the benefits of choosing an electric bike more often than a car:
Cars weigh about 2 tons (around 4,000 pounds, with an occupant weighing an average of 175 pounds in America). Cars spend most of their energy moving themselves rather than the driver. An electric bike, on the other hand, is the opposite. In terms of energy use, this will result in huge savings.
The cost of fuel for your electric bike will be $0.00. You spend approximately $20,000 per year on fuel for your car, along with maintenance, parts replacement, inspections, registrations, parking spaces, etc. Utilizing this Cost of Car Ownership Calculator, you can determine whether your car expenditures are really worth it.
Driving distances between states require a car if you intend on covering a large amount of distance. That is unless you're someone like Jedidiah Jenkins, who rode from Portland to Patagonia by bike. It's assumed that you don't like that. You'll certainly need your car if you have a long distance to travel and need to drive at speeds over 60 MPH on highways.
Verdict
It is true that electric bikes can help people of all ages, skill levels, and physical abilities maintain an active lifestyle, but they aren't perfect. Knowing some of the benefits of bike use, as well as some of the challenges involved with buying and using e-bikes, will help you become an informed, savvy consumer, ready to make the right decision when it comes to selecting and purchasing an e-bike.
Consider that while there are definitely drawbacks to owning and riding an electric bike, many people seem to have concluded that the benefits far outweigh any potential drawbacks. This might be one of the reasons e-bikes have quickly become one of the most popular modes of transportation in the world.
Would you consider buying an electric bicycle?
Don't settle for a regular bike when you can aim for a modern e-bike! We hope our "advantages and disadvantages of electric bicycle" blog have convinced you to change into e-bikes in the near future. In case you're looking to buy a new electric bicycle, try our ZuGo Rhino Fat Bike Electric Bicycle!
