Riding an E-Bike

Feel like a kid again

Many of us have gone on vacation and rented electric bikes, aka e-bikes, and thought about buying one when we returned home. Most of us never did. Then, the pandemic hit and there was a bike shortage. Suddenly, e-bikes felt like the greatest contribution to green living since the electric car.

According to Statista.com, approximately 130 million e-bikes will be purchased between 2020 and 2023. They also predict sales will reach about $20 billion in the United States alone by 2023. It’s difficult to find an e-bike these days because they move out of shops so quickly, but it’s well worth the effort to find one so you can ride a little more effortlessly.

You still get plenty of exercise using pedal-assist bikes. The battery assist does exactly that: assists. Class 1 e-bikes simply provide assistance while you pedal up to a top speed of 20 miles per hour. Plus, you can turn off the assist until you need it, which is good news for your heart, lungs, and blood pressure, which all clearly benefit from aerobic exercise.

When faced with a particularly arduous climb, you simply crank your bike’s motor to its highest setting and breeze uphill like some sort of cycling superhero! Riding gets you outside, active, and heading somewhere, anywhere, else. E-bikes provide that added oomph to get you going.

Choose between electric cruisers, commuter bikes, and mountain bikes. The cruisers offer just the right amount of power for short jaunts. You can purchase commuter e-bikes with more powerful batteries and motors for longer journeys. Electric mountain bikes work great off-road on designated trails as well as on city roads. They’re designed especially for tougher terrain and can be more costly than other types of e-bikes, from $500 to as much as $10K. The more you pay for your e-bike, the longer your battery will last. Do your research. Rent one or test drive one first. Just remember to watch your speed, learn how to break properly, look out for cars and pedestrians, wear a helmet, bring water, and pay attention to how far you travel on your charge. Before you know it, you’ll ride like the wind!