Lisa Sylvester – Page 25

After hearing about the electric bike trend, you may be wondering whether an e-bike is something you want or need. I certainly had a lot of questions before buying! So, before buying my first electric bike, I spent a lot of time researching the benefits of buying one. After all, they're pretty expensive and I wanted to know that I was making a good decision. And I came up with 18 great reasons to buy one. Not only will you have a lot of fun riding an e-bike, but you'll also save money on driving a car and be able to go places you never could on a regular bike before, like up a huge hill and over challenging terrain. You'll get regular exercise, help protect the environment, and overcome physical limitations. By the end of this article, all your doubts will be wiped away when you realize what a great option electric bikes are to traditional bikes. What Are The Reasons You Should Buy an E-Bike Right Now? Although some reasons for buying an e-bike will be more important to you than others, there are more than enough good reasons to help you make the decision to get one. Check out all of the 18 reasons I found that helped me and my husband decide to buy an e-bike and why buying one right now is a good idea. 1. E-Bikes Go Fast! You won't believe how fast you can actually go on an electric bike. Most e-bikes today go 20mph just by pedaling, while others might go up to 28mph with a stronger motor. Don't think of this like a motorized vehicle, however. It doesn't go anywhere near the speed of a motorcycle! However, it's definitely faster than peddling regular bikes. On a regular bike, an average person would have to be going downhill to get to 20mph or more. But an e-bike will get you going 20mph or more on a straight-away or riding uphill. This is thanks to the assistance of its motor, which will likely range from 250 Watts to 750 Watts. How long will your e-bike motor last? Well, it depends. 2. They're Easier to Ride Than Non-Electric Bikes Not only do e-bikes let you ride fast, but you also won't have to put forth as much effort to ride an e-bike. Just start pedaling and the motor will kick in, propelling you forward with less effort. E-bikes easily get you moving with this "pedal-assist" feature. This is super beneficial because it helps riders spend more time on their bike. There's no longer a reason to be afraid of going too far or getting too tired. Want to know exactly how to ride an e-bike? 3. Your Electric Bike will Get You Up Every Hill Here's the truth... you most likely can't ride a bike up a steep hill without getting overly exhausted or giving up. And it's no fun having to push your bike the rest of the way up the hill. Or worse, you'll probably just avoid even trying to get up a hill. Unfortunately, this really limits where you can ride. I've had a really nice traditional bike for years that has barely been used because I couldn't even get out of my neighborhood. And getting back home was even harder when I was already tired! Now, with pedal assist, I can ride up every hill I need to. Sometimes I've even challenged myself to go up a really big hill just for fun. From my point of view, this is one of the biggest reasons why you should buy an e-bike right now. You'll soon be riding places you never thought you could. You can ride a hill like this, even in the dirt, with a fat tire e-bike. Did you know you can even ride e-bikes WITHOUT pedaling? Take a look! 4. Buy an E-Bike Right Now for Exercise What could be better than having fun while you exercise? Don't listen to the naysayers who don't understand how an electric bike works. They might tell you that riding e-bikes aren't really exercising. But in truth, electric bikes have numerous mental health and physical health benefits. But do you think they're riding 20-40 miles on their bike in one shot? Probably not. Pedaling takes effort, even if you have a little help from the motor. You will just burn calories over perhaps 15-20+ miles of relaxed biking, rather than hard effort over 3-10 miles. Riding e-bikes really is the best of both worlds... you get exercise, even when taking a leisurely ride, that's fun and doesn't make you feel like you want to fall flat on your face after doing it. So, can you really get exercise on electric bikes? 5. One of the Top Reasons You Should Buy an E-Bike: They're Cheaper Than a Car You might be thinking that there's no way you're giving up your car, and I'm not suggesting you do. But once you start riding e-bikes, you'll realize how easy it is to get places you would've once gone to in your car. Whether you ride your e-bike to a college campus, work, or the grocery store, you'll save money in gas, maintenance, and wear and tear on your car. Since your e-bike battery just needs to be charged, you don't have to buy gas or take your car in for maintenance as often due to less driving. Although buying an electric bike is a big investment, spending $1500 on one will save you thousands of dollars. Your alternative? Buying a $5000 really old used car that could cost you as much as the e-bike the first time it needs repairs! Thinking of buying a cheap electric bike? Read this first: 6. Electric Bikes Are Safer Than Regular Bikes At first impression, many people might worry about the safety of an e-bike due to its motor and speed. However, riding electric bikes is actually safer than riding a non-electric bike, at least once you know how to use the throttle. This is because you can quickly speed up and get yourself out of a dangerous situation. This is especially true if you live or work in a big city or a highly congested area with a lot of traffic. You can accelerate at an intersection to go with the speed of traffic after having stopped at a light. This keeps you visible and gets you out of the intersection faster when other cars are speeding up rapidly. And intersections are a common place for accidents to happen. Here's another reason that e-bikes are safer than regular bikes that you probably wouldn't think of. Because it's electric, it continually pushes power to your attached light, making it brighter and stronger than the average battery-operated light on a regular bike. Want to learn more about electric bike safety? Read this article! 7. E-Bikes are Better for the Environment It's hard not to focus on protecting the environment when the earth is at stake. However, even if you haven't given thought to an e-bike's environmental impact, know that it has far fewer negative implications than any motor vehicle or public transport. Since they're battery-powered, they don't release potentially toxic gases into the air. So, go green! Your electric bike will help the environment the more you ride it... and the less you drive your car. 8. New Laws Make Electric Bike Riding Legal For so many years, electric bikes were simply misunderstood. Without ever having been on an e-bike, authorities were calling them "mopeds" and assuming they should only be ridden in bicycle traffic lanes. Fortunately, new e-bike laws have just recently been written that recognize them as bicycles in many states. Now they're classified based on their power level and allowed on trails and bike paths in many states and federal recreation areas. Just make sure you check your state's laws and the area you wish to ride in before assuming that it's okay. So, if you've thought about buying an e-bike in the past but didn't because you couldn't ride it where you wanted to, then you may be in for a surprise. This could be a huge reason why you should buy an e-bike right now! Want to know where you can ride e-bikes in the USA? Read this: 9. You Can Ride One Even if You're a Big Person My e-bike has a 275 lb payload, as do most quality bikes. Further, there are electric bikes to fit every size rider. Most websites have size specifications on their sales page. If they don't, and you're not an average size person, then I'd honestly skip even considering ordering that bike online. There's nothing more important than fitting comfortably on your electric bike. After all, you'll be riding it long distances. If you feel like you're a giraffe on a toy, then your feet won't be placed properly on the pedals, making it harder to sustain pedaling. Further, if you're a taller person with relatively shorter arms, then you may find your torso is too far from the handles, which means you'll have to lean over more. The point is, make sure you find out the dimensions of your bike before buying. You can definitely find the correct size and weight requirements if you look closely. Are you overweight? Find out if there's an e-bike for you! 10. E-Bike Are For Short Riders Now Too Yes, I had to put this reason for buying an electric bike all on its own. I've spent my life hearing the bogus "one-size-fits-all" statement. I'm barely 5'2" and have attempted to drive many cars where I couldn't safely reach the gas or brake pedals. So, when purchasing an e-bike, the very first thing I considered was "Will I fit?" I also assumed I'd have trouble finding a bike that works for me. But here's the good news... there are bikes for shorter riders! For starters, find a bike that calls itself a "step-thru". You'll have no problem with a middle bar that's too high to step over or that you have to jump off on... ouch! Then look at the size specifications of each model to make sure your arms will comfortably reach the handlebars and your seat height can be adjusted. Getting a bike with adjustable handlebars is also a huge plus. Learn about the best e-bike for a smaller person here. 11. You Should Buy an E-Bike Right Now Because the New Generation Ones Are Better E-bikes have evolved! Many companies that have been around a while have added amazing features to make riding even easier and more enjoyable. Rad Power Bikes (where my husband and I got our bikes) have actually now created the 4th generation of some of their models, meaning that they are always improving them. Wouldn't you rather buy a 4th generation model, that also has lots of reviews, than one you've never heard of before? Plus, now bikes have powerful front lights, adjustable handlebars, as well as more powerful motors and batteries. And some bikes even fold up! So, there are a ton of new features to look at. 12. Now There Are Many E-Bike Models to Meet Your Needs Further, you don't have to choose from just a few different electric bikes. You can spend hours researching them online, trust me. Besides choosing from different colors and styles, different bikes come with different options. So, you can truly choose a bike that is best for you. You don't have to settle! A great way to get started is by looking at the type of electric bike that would be best for you: Folding electric bikes, fat tire bikes, electric mountain bikes, or even commuter e-bikes. 13. You Can Longer Rides and Go Farther Electric bike batteries today are so powerful that they can take the average rider 22-50+ miles on a single charge. Some can apparently go even further, but it's unlikely you would need to. But there's no doubt you can do a full-day outing on most e-bikes without worrying about its battery life. This means that you can go out on back-country trails and even ride to other towns if you want to. No problem (unless you're on a standard bike). Ready to learn how to use an electric bike step by step? Read this: 14. E-Bikes are Easy to Park No matter where you are or where you go, you can park your electric bike. It'll almost always be free to park and you can always find a space. You might drive around a city block for 20 minutes trying to park your car. But an e-bike can often be pulled up and parked right in front of the building you're going to. So, not only can you save time (and not have to leave for work 20 minutes early), you won't have to walk half a mile back to your car when it's dark. And, think about how nice it will be to drive right up to a popular park, lake, or beach, without hunting for a spot to park or paying parking fees. 15. You Can Insure an E-Bike Really, you can! If you're like me, one of the first things you're thinking about when considering buying an electric bike is how to keep it safe. I'm still finding it hard to believe, but you can actually buy insurance exclusively for your e-bike. Just search online for "how to insure an ebike" and you'll find several listings. Before buying separate insurance though, make sure to see what your current home and auto insurance offers if your bike was stolen. 16. You Can Ride Your Electric Bike in the Dirt You don't need to be a "dirt biker" to take your e-bike off-road. But you do need to have the right bike and tires. Just like regular bikes, some e-bike models will be better for riding on the road, while some are made for the dirt. So, if you run out and buy an electric bicycle right now, you definitely want to know what your bike's main purpose for you will be. That being said, many bikes can drive nicely on the road as well as on a dirt path or in the sand. Looking for an electric bike you can easily ride in the sand? Check out these top models. 17. You'll Feel Better I'm not a healthcare professional, but it's long been known that exercise reduces stress. And cycling on your e-bike provides enough physical exertion to knock out stress. And if you commute to and from work on your bike, you'll get a daily dose of endorphin release, which is what makes you feel like you're ready to tackle what comes next in the day. Further, if you're a senior citizen, you'll get all of the above plus access to an easy and enjoyable way to get the daily exercise you need... without it being overly strenuous. Get More E-Biking Pros and Cons for Seniors 18. And the #1 Reason Why You Should Buy an E-Bike Right Now is: You'll Have a Ton of Fun! Okay, so perhaps I should've listed this as the number one reason for buying an electric bike today. But, sometimes you have to save the best for last. Seriously though, you might decide to get an e-bike just for fun! I don't think you'll talk to anyone, even someone who primarily uses their bike for commuting, who doesn't think that riding their bike is a thrill. Why Are E-Bikes So Popular? E-bikes have become really popular because of all of the benefits of riding one. They allow access to the world of bicycling to so many people who otherwise wouldn't be able to ride a bike due to lack of strength, age, or disability. Almost everyone, regardless of physical shape, can ride in a relaxed fashion and get where they need to go in a timely manner. Further, electric bikes let strong, physically capable people go faster, farther, and have more fun! What Should I Look for When Buying an Electric Bike? First, consider your main reason for buying an e-bike. Do you want to commute to work or ride to take care of errands? Or is it for exercise or recreational purposes? Once you know the answer to this question, you should look for the features that would make riding your new electric bike easy and enjoyable. So, find an e-bike that's easy to ride based on size, motor power, and goes as far as you'll need it to on a battery charge. Naturally, you'll want to consider the cost of an e-bike as well. You can find a great bike to ride in the middle price range, one that has a strong company warranty and has gathered lots of valid user reviews over time.