Spring is Coming – How About an eBike?

eBikes are changing the way we think about bicycling — and it’s all good — especially for anyone with mobility issues.

WHAT MAKES THEM AWESOME?
What makes an eBike awesome is that it gets those people back on a bicycle who might have hung up their wheels because of issues like hip or knee replacements, back problems and breathing difficulties. That extra boost up hills smooths out the road and brings the joy of cycling back.

If you are living close to your grocery, dry cleaner, post office, library and restaurants you like to frequent, it’s a cleaner, healthier and hassle-free way of traveling those short distances.  

If you’re considering commuting to work, saving gas, protecting the environment and getting some endorphins pumping before you get there, an eBike will deliver you to the door in less time and you probably won’t need to shower when you get there!

THEY AREN’T A NEW IDEA
Just for the sake of the back story: the idea of an electric-assist bicycle dates back into the late 1800s, with patents that have increasingly refined the concept until the lithium-ion battery, first developed in 1912, was made popular for commercial use by Sony in 1991.

That development, probably more than any other, has led to a lighter and more reliable product and now, the eBike is becoming almost ubiquitous.

THROTTLE ELECTRIC OR PEDAL ASSIST?
There are essentially three classes of eBikes, each depending upon the speed that can be attained when riding and whether there is a throttle on the bike.

The Class-1 eBike must be pedaled for the motor to engage, has no throttle, and will cease to provide assistance when a speed of 20mph is attained. It is considered a “low-speed pedal-assist” machine. You can pedal it faster than that; but, it won’t give you any more “boost” from the motor. 

The Class II eBike is a low-speed throttle assist machine that allows you to motor up to 20mph without pedaling by using the throttle. You can pedal the bike the same way you would any normal bike.  

The Class III eBike is a “speed” pedal-assist bicycle that will attain 28mph and has a speedometer. This eBike does not need a license or registration; but it is also not permitted where the lower speed eBikes can go. It’s meant for the street.

Where you ride, how long you want the battery to last* on one charge, and how much you want the bicycle to BE a bicycle has a lot to do with which eBike you might want to choose.  

* The range on one battery charge is about 60 miles.  

WHAT ABOUT A CYCLING VACATION?
As eBikes have been refined — better motors, lighter weight overall, and new disc brake systems — the touring companies are beginning to add them to their rental fleets. 

Mixing eBikes with regular pedal bikes in a group of travelers helps to “level the playing field” so that even a novice rider can hop on his/her bike in the morning, keep up with the group, and ride more miles each day, no longer having to stop, get in the van, and miss the expansive views of the landscape that can be so unparalleled from the saddle of a bike.

At the end of a riding day, you will arrive with enough energy to enjoy the evening, too!

WHAT ABOUT THE COSTS?
This is a tough question.  You can order an eBike online or pick one up at a big-box store like Walmart or even Costco, for anywhere from $400 and up.

However, it has never been as true that you get what you pay for when it comes to a bicycle — especially an eBike — AND, more importantly, your satisfaction with your purchase will be exponentially better when you buy a bike from a reputable shop.

An eBike is still a bicycle — it needs to be sized, fit, and assembled properly. The quality of the components will make a huge difference in how the bike operates with companies such as Shimano and Bosch investing huge amounts of money on R&D for the motors and drive systems. A lot of what you experience and will find satisfying and FUN will depend upon what the bike feels like under you and how easy it is for you to understand how it operates — all in the realm of what a bike shop is there to offer you.

So the answer to the question?  The price range to get what you want and what you will love to ride is probably between $1500-$2500.

WHAT’S THE END GAME?
Finally, one of the goals of those who advocate for the use of bicycles for short trips, commuting, recreation, and health and fitness is to get “more people on bikes.”  And eBikes are doing just that.

Also to that end, virtually every community has some advocacy organization working to get more protected bike lanes, more bike paths and more connected stretches of existing infrastructure.   

If you’re interested in trying out an eBike, check with your local bike shop and see what they are offering. Then, put on some sneakers and a pair of shorts, and head on out for a test ride.