With electric cars becoming increasingly popular, electric bikes are also on the rise in this modern age.
Electric bicycles, commonly known as e-bikes, have a small market, yet, with this increased demand, it’s experiencing a steady growth to transform the way we currently travel.
What are electric bikes?
One of the first things that you’ll be wondering is what electric bikes actually are and how they work.
They are bicycles fitted with a battery, powering a small electronic motor when you pedal to give yourself an extra boost.
E-bikes are similar to normal bikes in that you can pedal faster to speed up and pedal slower to slow down. However, with this latest technology, you may now find yourself conquering steep hills with total ease.
There are different models of e-bikes, but how they work is similar for each.
As mentioned above, each electric bike has a battery and a small motor. They are commonly situated at the centre of the bike, in between the cranks, or at the centre of the front or back wheel.
The battery is usually rechargeable for these types of bikes, so you shouldn’t have to keep replacing it.
The faster a person pedals, the bigger the boost from the electric motor. This is a great upgrade from your current bicycle, and it can stop you from breaking a sweat when you commute to wherever you need to go.
This could encourage you to get outdoors and exercise more, whether this is to cycle to work rather than use a car, approach hills that you dared not to before, or even consider doing a biking tour for the first time.
There are many different types of e-bikes, encompassing a variety of models and categories.
Electric gravel bikes
Looking into one of the categories, electric gravel bikes could be a worthwhile purchase.
You might consider getting an electric gravel bike to take on different types of roads.
With a gravel bike, you are encouraged to explore your adventurous side and not be limited to certain routes – these types have developed tyres and wider wheelsets.
Their gravel tyre casing is designed with treads unlike those included in road bikes, making gravel bikes an arguably more confident and relaxing ride.
With electric bikes’ impressive acceleration, speed, and power, people are encouraged to take on new physical challenges that they might have thought to be previously impossible.
Click below to scan the current options available for these types of electric bikes.
Wheel size, geometry, included components, and cost can all vary depending on the bike’s designed purpose, as demonstrated with many different types available.
Is getting an electric bike worth it?
If you’re a cyclist wanting to be encouraged to bike more with less effort, getting this type of bike is certainly worth considering.
These designs can help bring new possibilities for people who feel too overwhelmed by the physical strength needed to tackle routes on a normal bicycle.
The bikes can help you cover more distances, steeper gradients, and stop you from running out of energy.
They can also improve your fitness levels since you still have to pedal, and you’ll be encouraged to cover more ground than you would do with a regular bike.
Additionally, this investment could save you more money in the long run if you bike instead of drive a car, reducing petrol costs and road tax.
Further still, since e-bikes run on renewable energy sources, you’ll be doing your bit to help the environment.
Any commuting option that reduces the amount of carbon we emit into the atmosphere, as well as noise pollution, is a good option to investigate.
If you charge your bike with renewable electricity sources, they will run on clean energy with zero harmful emissions.
The production process of the battery does need to be considered, although compared to the harmful impact of driving, e-bikes are still a much better alternative to cars.
Conclusion
So, if you’re wanting to adopt a healthier lifestyle, increase your adventure side, and do your bit to help the planet’s ecosystem, then this type of product is an incredible option.
It needs to be kept in mind that bikes like these can be expensive, although they could save you money in the long run.
Featured image credit: Michi2873 via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 3.0 licence
