Whether you're tooling around your neighborhood buying wood chips from the hardware store or using higher levels of pedal assist to head high speed to your place of work, there is an electric bike for you.
When the main goal is to get from point A to point B using an electric bicycle, there are a few questions which come to mind.
1) Is it practical to replace my car with a bike? Replacing your car with a bike is more practical and more practical. Aside from the obvious ecological benefits and financial advantages, more cities are changing their layouts to favor bike travel over automotive travel. If you have seen more bike lanes popping up in your neighborhood you are not the only one, this is a national movement to get people riding bikes instead of cars. Soon in many major cities it will be less practical to travel by car to get to your neighborhood store.
Ditching your car will save you money in ways you probably haven’t even considered. Beyond gas money there is car maintenance, registration, and insurance to consider. Being healthier will save you money too - less sick days and less trips to the doctor. Hey no car washes to pay for either! There are loads of practical reasons to make the switch from car to an electric motor.
2) Now that I have made the decision to give up my car for a bike, which one is the right one for my ride needs? We will go more into detail a little later but the main things to consider are A) How far do I have to commute? - Range, it is all about the battery when it comes to selecting a bike for commuting. You want high capacity cells and trusted brands. B) Do I want to use this bike for anything other than my work commute? - This will dictate what kind of wheel assembly, handlebar and battery set up you will need. C) Price Range vs Materials and Components - Everyone is on a budget today and cost is a major factor, but whatever you budget is, keep in mind what you really want on the bike versus what you are willing to pay. A bargain isn’t a bargain if it doesn’t do what you bought it for.
What is the best electric commuter bike for travelling? Distances that might have previously seemed tough become easy with an e-bike. There are probably more electric motor bikes designed for commuting than for any other purpose, but which e-bike is the right one for your daily travels and casual adventures.
You will need a bike with a powerful motor, front and rear hydraulic disc brakes and enough battery life to get you through your trip. Long-distance travel on an electric-bicycle can be supremely rewarding for those who are up for a challenge — which is less of a challenge and more of a pleasure with an electric bike! For sustained travel, you'll want a bike that both rides like the wind and has an amazing range so you won't run out of charge when you're only halfway to your destination.
Just as with people, an electric commuter bike shouldn't be all work and no play. There are boundless other purposes to which you can put your electric bike during the evenings, on the weekends or even on your lunch break. Below you will find a few ways to let your bike loosen its tie, kick off its shoes and play just as hard as it works:
- Go on weekend adventures: If your commuter bike's fat and sturdy tires are itching to tear up some gravel, you can take it out for a spin anywhere from the park to some mountain trails. Just because a bike is meant for commuting doesn't mean it's not a fast, powerful beast durable enough to handle whatever you're up for. Many electric-assist road bikes are sturdy enough to tackle much more demanding trips than a conventional ride around the block.
- Relax: Have you had a hard week, and you're not really in the mood for anything strenuous on your days off? Why not pick up some food and a bottle of wine and head out for a relaxing evening of food and drink in the park or by the river? Bring your friends too, whether on e-bikes or regular ones. Since commuter e-bikes often come equipped with helpful rear racks and are sturdy enough for panniers, hauling everything you need for a fun, relaxing night will be no trouble at all.
- Run errands: You don't drive your car to work anymore, so why should you drive to the store? Even walkable distances can be more pleasant with an e-bike, especially for errands like grocery shopping, which will result in lots of bags to bring back. You can easily stow those back in your bike's rack and be on your way.
- Get fit: Errands are a breeze with an electric commuter bike, and exercise is too! With the pedal assistance, you can start small and gradually increase your fitness goals until you're pedaling harder. Just because you have an electric motor helping you doesn't mean you're not working — studies have shown that people are active for 95% of the time that they're riding an e-bike.
- Cross-train: No matter whether your sport is running, tennis, soccer or anything else requiring strength and stamina, why not fit in a workout on your trusty e-bike? A good, solid ride keeps your muscles toned and your overall fitness high, and using the assisted mode of your bike doesn't mean you'll exercise less — it means you'll be able to work out much longer than usual, which has great benefits for your endurance.
- Knock some seconds off your time: If you're looking to race like a pro, the fastest electric road bikes can go to 28 mph. For a speedy, sporty thrill, invest in an e-bike commuter that runs like lighting, with a powerful motor and throttle boost so you can tear up the pavement on your days off.
- Travel: Long-distance travel on an e-bike can be supremely rewarding for those who are up for a challenge — which is less of a challenge and more of a pleasure with a touring electric bike! For sustained travel, you'll want a bike that both rides like the wind and has an amazing range so you won't run out of charge when you're only halfway to your destination.
Which e-bike is good for a daily commute of 25km? Electric commuter bikes are optimized for urban travel. A great electric commuter bike generally has smoother thinner tires for less resistance and to use the motor and battery more efficiently. It has a sturdy frame and often comes with a metal rear rack for carrying your things, but it is not so heavy that it can't maneuver in traffic.
Rather than being designed and geared toward a specific niche usage, like mid drive motors or bosch motors for an electric mountain bike or an ultra light racer. A commuter bike must be ideal for casual, safe city travel. Knowing which drive motor to choose depends on you and your journey. For most people a rear hub motor works great for general commuting and light off-road. Once you are up and riding many find their commuter bikes doubling as adventure or travel bikes on evenings and weekends.
If you are looking for something that can be used on and off road for weekend play or if you are more comfort minded you may want to consider a wider more rugged tire set up and upright handlebars. Wider tires provide better traction and the freedom to leave the pavement with little penalty, and a suspension fork will help tame some of the rougher roads you might explore. This can also be good for commuters in areas where the roads are less cared for. Upgraded front suspension is also something to look out for in this case. Ensuring you are ready for every bump in the road. Good hydraulic brakes are a must, too, for slowing a heavy bike at high speed. This is not a place to skimp.
How to commute with an electric bike? It is easy to make excuses as to why riding a standard road bike won’t work for you, but your electric bike lets you commute much longer distances than you could by pedal-power alone. Not only this, but you can arrive at your destination without being exhausted or drenched in sweat.
For many people lately their commute is their job, using cargo bikes for food delivery and courier services. Professionally, an e-bike can be an important part of a job or small business. If this is you, you’ll be looking for a bike that’s powerful and strong enough to haul your required cargo. Large battery capacities are a feature on delivery and cargo bikes, in order to handle big loads and long days. For anyone employed in the delivery business, electric bikes provide a cheap means of transporting cargo, especially in urban areas. Running costs are low.
Also, an electric bike can easily wend its way through heavy traffic and won’t need a parking spot when it reaches its destination.Electric cargo bikes are usually quite heavy. In conjunction with the big loads that they’re expected to lug, the drain on batteries can be considerable. Look for a high capacity battery or a dual battery system . You’ll also need a reasonably powerful motor and a system that expresses considerable torque.
Electric bikes can certainly replace your auto or public transport commute. You won’t have to pay for bus or train tickets and you can avoid standing in crowds and queues. By switching to e-biking, you’ll never have to waste time trying to get a ride sharing app to load properly in a weird or spotty coverage area. No sitting in gridlock traffic burning your gas money up and losing countless radio contests. You can use all that extra time off the freeway to meet up with your new cycling buddies.
Conclusion
Replacing a driven commute with an electric bike is good for your health, wallet and the environment. By doing so, you can avoid the costs of fuel, car maintenance, registration, tolls and parking. You’ll also reduce your carbon footprint and any emissions you would otherwise contribute by driving. Whether you are just trying to get outside and get in shape or just trying to do your part for the environment by having one less car on the road, commuting with an electric bicycle is a great choice.
