Electric bikes are becoming increasingly popular, but what are the advantages of adding a motor to your pedal power?
Whether you’re new to cycling or a seasoned rider, there are various reasons why you might want to try an electric bike, ranging from health and fitness to financial and environmental advantages. Consider testing an e-bike before you buy one. Check out rental e-bike options, and enjoy your test ride.
1. It Helps To Improve Your Fitness
The effort required to keep yourself moving may be less than on a regular bike, but you’ll still be turning the pedals and exerting a significant amount of energy.
According to studies, riders’ hearts may be working at more than 90% of the level of non-assisted bike riders’ hearts, but they perceive less effort.
2. It is Easier To Go Up Hill
Many cyclists struggle on hills, and even if you’re a seasoned climber, your speed will likely drop below 15mph on many of them. That means the motor will kick in and provide assistance, with the amount determined by the level of the aid you’ve selected.
You’ll be fresher after cresting a climb, so you’ll be less likely to stop to rest and more likely to continue.
3. Faster Riding
Regardless of your fitness level, an e-bike will allow you to ride faster. This is due to faster acceleration and hill-climbing.
In most countries, an e-bike motor will cut out once you exceed 25kph/15.5 mph (although this increases to 20mph in the USA), so you may find yourself riding unassisted if you’re already relatively fit and riding a performance machine.
Your overall speed will likely increase unless you ride somewhere wholly flat.
4. Less Muscle Strain
Extra help means less strain on your muscles and joints, primarily since the motor will provide the most assistance on hills and accelerations, where the most effort is required. You’ll need less time to recover and be ready for another ride.
It’s also helpful if you’re new to cycling and haven’t yet developed the muscles to move fluidly on the bike.
5. Less Stress On The Heart
Riding an e-bike is less stressful for your heart than riding a regular bike. The motor smooths out the periods of greater exertion, but riding still provides an aerobic workout. This is supported by evidence from a Norwegian scientific paper.
6. Cheaper and Faster Than a Car or Other Transport
An e-bike is more efficient and less expensive than a car for short-to-medium-distance trips.
You don’t need to tax an e-bike to ride it, and while cycling insurance is a good idea, it will be much cheaper than car insurance.
The cost per mile is also negligible compared to a car, and an e-bike is frequently faster for urban trips. It’s also non-polluting, which is better for the environment.
An e-bike ride is also less expensive than public transportation and is point-to-point, so you won’t have to walk as far at either end of your journey.
Conclusion
Electric bicycles are becoming increasingly popular around the world. Their accessibility and mobility have not only made biking more accessible. Still, they have also elevated the sport to unimaginable heights, with bicycling now a viable option for new and experienced riders, whether on high-altitude roads or leisurely cruising city streets. Like the electric bicycle, a rocking chair can also be a comfortable addition to your home.