The Evolution of Electric Bikes: Support Healthy Lifestyle and an Eco-Friendly Community
Wish you could avoid your stressful morning commute? Tired of looking for parking spots all the time? I’ve got you. Without that hassle, life would be much better, am I right? With the help of an electric bike, you can avoid all of this and gain a lot more benefits as a result.
Using an electric bicycle to get to work or to the coffee shop down the street is a fun, safe, cost-effective, and healthy way to get around. Furthermore, driving an electric bicycle will benefit your city, particularly if you live in a densely populated area, by alleviating traffic congestion and improving urban air quality and public health.
What Is the Difference Between Electric Bikes and Normal Bikes?
Electric bikes, also called e-bikes, are in general, very similar to regular bikes. They have the same wheels, handlebars, and frame types as standard bikes. The pedal and brakes function in the same way. The only distinguishing feature is the addition of a battery pack and a motor. The battery powers the motor, which assists in propelling the bicycle forward while you pedal.
The fun begins as soon as you start pedalling. The motor fires up, and the transformation from a regular bike to a “superbike” begins. Note that an e-bike doesn’t change the activity of cycling; it simply makes it more comfortable.
To make pedalling easier, electric bikes come with a pedal assist or a thumb throttle. The pedal assist can be adjusted to suit how much effort you want to put in. Setting it in low strength means your legs do the majority of the work, whereas setting it to maximum means you still have to use your legs, but it’ll just be going through the motions of pedalling because the motor does all of the work.
What Are the Benefits of Riding an Electric Bicycle?
Go Faster
When compared to a traditional bike, e-bikes allow you to increase your average speed due to the motor’s boost. That is, you can go at a speed equal to or greater than that of a regular bicycle even when exerting the same amount of effort and carrying the same amount of weight. And if your bike has a throttle-only mode, you can use it to travel up to 20 kilometres per hour without pedalling at all, which allows you to rest your legs.
Reach Longer Distances
Your overall riding range is increased by an electric bike since it moves more quickly than a regular bike. In perfect conditions, some e-bikes may go up to 50 kilometres on a single charge. Even more, Lithium-Ion battery packs can be added to your e-bike to rapidly increase its range. Double the range with double the battery capacity.
Get Improved Versatility
Another great reason to buy an electric bicycle is the ultimate versatility it offers. A selection of compatible accessories and three riding modes—pedal-only, pedal-assist, and throttle-only—allow you to customise your e-bike experience to meet your unique demands.
Will you be attending work? Put your work bag in the back storage basket and make use of the pedal assistance for a sweat-free ride. Dropping off the kids at school? Attach a special cargo carrier to your e-bike to transport up to two small children comfortably.
Make an Eco-Friendly Impact
Switching to a reusable water bottle, taking green steps in the laundry, eating locally, etc, are all great ways to make your life greener. Using an e-bike can also help you reduce your environmental impact. Electric bicycles are a sustainable, environmentally friendly substitute for gas-powered vehicles when it comes to short distances. They are more energy-efficient than traditional modes of transportation such as gas-powered cars or trains and can help to reduce urban congestion.
Benefit Your Health and Wellness
Riding a bike whether outside on a stationary bicycle stand is a great way to incorporate cardio exercise into your daily routine, regardless of your fitness level. The same applies to an e-bike. Even when using pedal assist, you are still using human power to move!
You can still operate an electric bike like a regular bike in pedal-only mode with no electric power if you prefer a more conventional riding workout. Additionally, nothing beats riding along and taking in the landscape and fresh air while getting your daily exercise.
How to Choose the Right Electric Bicycle?
Today’s e-bike market offers a wide range of models. Just with ordinary bicycles, there are alternatives for practically any riding style. Manufacturers are constantly trying to create batteries that are smaller, lighter, and have more range. Prices have also decreased. So how do you start? The main factors to think about while buying an e-bike are listed below.
Riding Style and Intended Use
Before you go out and buy an electric bicycle, decide how you plan to use your bike. An electric mountain bike can be the best choice if you want to ride for recreation and fitness, especially if you want to travel off-road. However, the additional cost of sophisticated suspension systems and expensive components might be too much if you merely intend to ride on simple dirt roads or crushed gravel trails. Although these bikes are normally made with experienced competitive cyclists in mind, if you are a road cyclist seeking for a boost to get up steep hills, an electric road bike can be of interest to you.
Wide-tired hybrid-style e-bikes with upright seating positions are probably your best choice if you plan to ride mainly on the pavement with the exception of a brief stretch of flat dirt road. These e-bikes often referred to as hybrid, pavement, urban, cruiser, townies, and trekking models, are fantastic for anyone who desires a more comfortable ride and wishes to go farther, faster, and more easily.
Size and Weight
Weighting 20 kg or more, most electric bikes are big and heavy. While lightweight models are available, they will have shorter ranges and less power because batteries and motors are heavy, and frames must be built stronger to support that extra weight.
Weight is less of an issue if your e-bike will be stored in a garage, eliminating the need to lift or carry it upstairs into an apartment. Parents who need to transport their children or individuals who need to transport heavy loads may want to consider an electric cargo bike.
If you live in a small apartment or plan to take your e-bike on public transportation, a folding e-bike may be your best option.
Mid-Drive or Hub Motor
The motor will have a big impact on your e-bike’s weight, range, and performance. The two types of motors are hub and mid-drive. Hub motors, which can be found in the front or back of the wheel, accelerate the wheel to move you forwards. In the frame between the pedals are mid-drive motors that increase the force of your pedal stroke. It’s a subtle but important difference.
Range/Battery
Hub motorised electric bikes often weigh more than mid-drive models because a larger battery is needed to attain the same range. Your local terrain and how much pedal assistance you utilise also have an impact on the battery’s range. Hills, “Turbo” mode and higher levels of assist will all drain more power.
Pedal Assist vs Throttle
Electric bicycles fall into one of three categories:
- Class 1- Pedal assistance on these bikes can reach a top speed of up to 20 kilometres per hour before the motor shuts off. In addition to having a thumb or twist throttle that enables riders to accelerate without pedalling.
- Class 2 – These bikes also feature a maximum assist of up to 20 kilometres per hour. While using the throttle can help you leave a red light quickly, it will also quickly deplete your battery.
- Class 3 – Also known as “speed pedelecs,” provide pedal assist up to 30 kilometres per hour but no throttle. Class 3 models are often not allowed on multiuse trails and shared bike lanes, indicating that they are only meant for experienced cyclists who are at ease sharing the road with cars.
