It might seem cheeky to tell someone who rides bikes that riding an e-bike can be even better than riding one with only a human motor. Before anyone rolls their eyes, hear us out. Trust us, we know how this sounds, but virtually all the staff of Best Electric Bikes ride regular bikes as well as e-bikes. You might call us cyclophilic. In addition to our love of e-bikes, we ride traditional road, mountain and gravel bikes as well, so we get it. And just as each of those types of bikes allow riders to do different kinds of riding, an e-bike can enable a rider to leave their car parked more than a regular bike would.
We’re not going to state the obvious about the enjoyment or health benefits of riding; anyone already riding bikes gets it. What we are going to do is point out how an e-bike can give riders more opportunity to do something they already love.
Selling points for any cyclist
Before we go any further, we want to be clear that we aren’t advocating for anyone getting rid of their bike(s). But adding an e-bike into the mix can offer a number of benefits. The points that follow are true whether someone already commutes and/or runs errands by bike or not.
More time outside riding. A busy life seems to be the price for living in the 21st century. For the recreational rider, the desire to ride more is a common experience. Finding more time to ride can be next to impossible, unless we start riding not just for fun but for transportation. An e-bike makes getting around on two wheels practical because riders can travel across town almost as quickly as a car once time for lights and parking are figured in.
Less sweating. When we’re out for a recreational ride, sweating isn’t an issue. We expect to break a sweat; it’s a pretty sure sign we’ve had fun. However, if we wish to ride to work or any other appointment where we need to look like buttoned-up adult upon arrival, an e-bike is a much better option for getting around. Trying to pedal easily enough to avoid dripping with sweat can leave us riding so slowly as to make the commute impractical. Add in one good hill and sweating becomes inevitable. The obvious compromise is an e-bike, which can allow us to ride 18-20 mph without looking like we just walked out of the gym.
Active recovery. For the dedicated rider, active recovery is a way to ride more without increasing fatigue. The idea behind active recovery is that following a day or two (or more) of hard riding, a ride that is very easy—like the effort required to walk—will flush lactic acid from muscles and help the legs to recovery more quickly. An e-bike makes active recovery rides much easier.
Less time in intersections. Experienced cyclists know that the more time we spend getting through an intersection, the more likely we are to be hit. Put an e-bike in PAS 5 or Turbo and it’s possible to accelerate from a green light faster than a driver can get through the intersection. Less time in intersections = increased safety.
For the rider who already commutes
Someone already versed in bike commuting can be the hardest to sell on the idea of an e-bike. It’s understandable; because they already ride for transportation they know the ins and outs of using two wheels—not four—for transportation and we’re rarely harder to reach than when we have a working solution. An e-bike, however, can increase a rider’s versatility. That’s the crucial question: Can an e-bike allow a cyclist to leave their car parked more? And the answer is yes.
Shorter commute times. For the current bike commuter, reducing the time commitment of commuting can be a major incentive. Imagine turning a half-hour commute into a 20-minute commute, or even a 15-minute one. We’re still not convince that time is money, but time is valuable and the opportunity to have the fun of a bike commute while reducing the amount of time required to do the commute seems like a win-win.
Greater flexibility. Much as most of us who ride would prefer to ride more and drive less, there are times when riding a regular bike will require too much time because of the speeds we ride. The issue only grows when we look at trying to run errands like picking up kids from school or stopping by the store for groceries. An e-bike—especially a cargo e-bike with a seat and big basked to allow for passengers and bags of groceries—can shorten a commute enough to make stopping off at the store and picking up junior from school as quick as the old commute without the stops. And there’s more to a grocery run than where to put everything. All the extra weight slows us mortals down. With an e-bike, we can ride home just as quickly as we rode to the store. When a rider can do more than ride to work and back again, they will ride more often.
What to consider
Based on what we are seeing in the market, 2023 seems to be the year of the cargo/utility e-bike. We are seeing an increasing number of manufacturers offer e-bikes that can do more than serve as transportation for one person.
Cargo and utility e-bikes combine the upright position of a commuter with the ability to tote a passenger as well as household necessities like groceries, though the smaller package of Charmin might be necessary.
E-bikes with mid-drive motors are more likely to appeal to cycling enthusiasts, in part because the rider’s pedal stroke governs the action of the motor, better integrating the motor’s output with the rider’s pedaling.
Running an errand and not needing to get in the car feels liberating. See our page on the top choices for electric bikes to find one for you.
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