Pros and Cons of Electric Bikes

Efficient, fast, and very eco friendly, electric bikes have revolutionized short-distance commuting. Electric bikes are becoming increasingly popular, especially among commuters, as they allow them to get from one place to another quickly, without having to deal with traffic jams.

With tons of positive benefits from using electric bikes, it’s hard to see some drawbacks of these revolutionary vehicles. However, there are still some notable cons when it comes to riding electric bikes.

While electric bikes are environmentally friendly because they reduce carbon emissions drastically, they improve physical and mental health as they provide you with a great workout like a conventional bike, and will allow you to save drastically on fuel, they are pretty costly, and they are much heavier than a regular bike, and you constantly need to charge them for them to be useful.

In this article, we will tackle what electric bikes are and the main advantages and disadvantages of riding an electric bike.

Let’s get right into it.

What are electric bikes?

Electric bikes, also known as e bikes, have an integrated battery and motor installed either on the rear wheel or a hub motor type that provides you with the speed boost you need. Most e bikes can travel a maximum speed of 20 mph and can travel distances of up to 20-50 miles on one charge.

Just like an ordinary bicycle, there are also different types of electric bikes designed for diverse terrain. In addition, there are two main different types of electric bikes. Specifically, the pedal assist electric bike activates the motor by pedaling, and the throttle assist electric bike starts the engine by cranking the handles.

Pros and Cons of Electric Bikes

Electric bikes are pretty similar to a standard bike when it comes to look and how they function, but when it comes to electric bikes compared to a normal bicycle, most would prefer the former because riding electric bikes won’t wear them out as much, and will make traveling faster and easier.

Despite this, there are still some disadvantages when riding them. Here are the main advantages and disadvantages of riding an electric bike.

Advantages of electrical bicycles

Health and keeping active

Electric bikes don’t purely rely on the motor to travel as you can ride your electric bike just like how you would ride a traditional bicycle. Riding electric bikes will surely provide a great workout, especially with pedal assist electric bikes wherein you have to engage with the motor by continuously pedaling.

Riding an electric bike will give your shoulders, legs, muscles, and lungs a great exercise. Moreover, if you’re having a bday day, riding your electric bike can be a great mood enhancer as cycling around town and seeing beautiful sights can help relax our minds, improving our mental health.

Speed

Human beings can’t maintain high speeds, especially when traveling longer distances or facing strong winds, but with electric bikes, you can do this without exerting much effort.

Most electric bikes can maintain a speed of 15-20 mph, and some high-end electric bikes can even go up to 80 mph, which makes them better than a regular bicycle when it comes to commuting or when you are in a hurry.

Distance

E bikes are perfect for longer distances as the electric motor enables electric bike riders to cover significantly more distance than regular bikes. The distance an electric bike can travel after one full charge depends on the motor efficiency and the battery capacity. However, the average electric bike can go up to 20-50 miles.

Eco-friendliness

With the ever-growing consciousness of being environmentally friendly, most people are looking for ways to reduce their carbon emissions. What better way to do this than by opting for e bikes than motorcycles and cars?

E bikes use electric motors, which means they don’t release harmful emissions like traditional modes of transportation like buses and cars.

Shifting to electric bicycles means that not only are you reducing the use of nonrenewable sources of energy like gas, but you are also reducing the amount of harmful gases that reach our atmosphere like carbon dioxide and methane which excessively traps heat in the atmosphere, causing global warming.

Perfect for people with disabilities

It’s no surprise that electric bicycles don’t require as much effort to ride as conventional bikes do because of their motor and battery, which means that they are great for people with disabilities and older people who are no longer in shape or can’t exert effort anymore.

Pedaling traditional bicycles can cause joint pain, especially for older riders, especially on steep terrains, but with an electric bike motor helping you all the way, pedaling will be much easier.

Cheap mode of public transport

With fuel prices rising worldwide, running a conventional car has been more costly than ever. On average, you might need to spend at least 50 cents per mile for a small car like a Sedan; contrary to this, you only need to spend around 5-10 cents per mile on electric bicycles.

In addition, you also don’t need to pay for any special license, and registration as an electric bike is also considered a regular bike, so you can also go on bike paths and bike lanes. You also won’t need to pay additional fees for parking.

Reducing traffic jams

An electric bike can also significantly reduce traffic jams in cities. In large cities, most people commute to work by cars or motorcycles, and since you are opting for an electric bike, you are allowing one less car on the busy city streets, which results in less traffic.

With more people opting for an electric bike to use for commuting, it will drastically reduce traffic jams and save the environment.

Great for steep terrain and headwinds

Everyone who has ridden a regular bicycle in the past knows how hard it is to pedal through strong headwinds or steep terrain like hills, but with an electric bike powered by a powerful motor, riding these kinds of terrain is made easier and faster.

Riding through powerful headwinds can be pretty exhausting, but with an electric bike, you can just utilize the integrated motor, and you won’t have to overexert effort anymore.

Easy storage

Storing an e bike is easy. You can place them anywhere from your garage and even under your desks, especially with folding e bikes where you don’t need to worry about oil or gas leaks. They are also effortless to carry around and store; once you arrive at your destination, you can lock your bike up at the bike rack.

Less regulation

In most countries, an e bike is still considered a standard bicycle, which means they don’t require riders to have a driver’s license to operate one. You also don’t need to register or have insurance to ride them on the road.

However, laws have been put in place that requires riders to be 14 years and older and must wear protective gear to ride an e bike.

Low maintenance costs

Maintaining an e bike costs significantly less than cars or motorcycles. Since an electric motor is far more reliable than ICE engines, you won’t need to worry about them getting damaged constantly, and you will also save lots of money from oil changes.

However, you do have to regularly charge the batteries, clean them, and inflate worn-out wheels.

Sweat-free commuting

One of the most significant drawbacks to using a regular bicycle to work is that you will most likely arrive at your workplace sweaty and hot, especially on a sunny day. But with e bikes, you don’t need to exert much effort, so you will arrive fresh and sweat-free to your office.

Disadvantages of electrical bicycles

Like any other consumer product produced, there are also some downsides to e bikes. Here are the main disadvantages of e bikes.

Expensive

To use an electric bicycle, you first need to purchase them, which can be pretty costly because an e bike’s electric bicycle motors, battery, and wirings are far more expensive than a standard bicycle.

Average e bikes cost from $1500 to $3000; for average powered bikes, they can cost you upwards of $1000, while top tier bikes with a higher maximum speed can run you up to upwards of $5000.

Heavier than normal bikes

With all the added equipment, it’s no surprise that e bikes are much heavier than regular bicycles. Since most recent e bikes are made with sturdier material to withstand electrical forces and carry heavier loads, this makes electric biking harder.

In addition, you also can’t use regular bike racks as they require a particular type of rack or a specialized rack that will be able to carry the bike’s weight. Lastly, since ebikes weigh at least twice that of regular bikes, you can’t bring them with your arms and climb up three flights of stairs.

Repairs are more costly and complex.

While you can easily find and repair broken parts for your regular bike, you can’t do the exact same to e bikes. The e bike industry researches and uses high-tech components that aren’t easy to find in a local bike shop; in fact, there are special shops that only fixes e bikes.

So repairing or replacing damaged parts on your e bike can be more challenging and costly, especially if you have a faulty battery which is the most expensive part of your electric bike.

Slight learning curve

Since e bikes are heavier than conventional bikes, electric biking has a slight learning curve. Compared to a regular bike wherein you only need to keep balanced and be wary of your surroundings, in e bikes, you need to watch your battery range and level, and you will need to meddle with your gears which means they are harder to ride than normal bikes.

Taking a small test ride near your home is best before going on longer trips.

Some e bikes use specialized parts.

E bike parts are not the same as regular bicycle parts, wherein you can customize them by replacing certain parts using different brands. Some electric bikes have proprietary parts in their battery or motor that only their original manufacturer produces.

This means that if you are looking for a replacement for your e bike parts, you might need to contact your original manufacturer, which is hassling and hard.

Charging time

While filling the gas tank in cars and motorcycles only take a few seconds to a minute, fully charging an electric bike can take a long time. Most electric bikes can take up to 3-6 hours to charge fully.

And while you can still use your electric bike without a battery, then what’s the use of the bike’s engines?

Short range

E bikes can only travel up to 20-50 miles on average, which is significantly lower than other electric vehicles. While the battery can last up to 3-5 hours, this is not enough for a whole day of e biking.

An electrical bike is only recommended if you travel short distances like quick trips to the store, gym, or workplace. However, if you want to travel to off-road terrain and go camping, you might be forced to bring a generator so you can charge your ebike.

So if you want to go camping, it might be best to stick with off-road and mountain bikes.

Permission issues

Since electric bicycles are quite a newer mode of transportation, the laws regarding e bikes can be pretty confusing. While most electric bicycles are allowed on paved lanes, many cities worldwide don’t allow 750W or 1000W on the streets.

In addition, the type of e bike you have means you can either go on bike paths or not. Also, the minimum age requirements to ride an ebike vary heavily depending on your type of electric bike.

Not as good of an exercise

Although e bikes still provide a good workout, they are not nearly as healthy as going on a bike ride with your standard bike. You don’t burn the same amount of calories and don’t engage with your legs, muscles, and lungs enough.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it worth getting an electric bike?

Yes, not only will they allow you to travel faster and longer distances without exerting too much effort, but they are also a great way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions which will help save our environment.

In addition, ebikes are reliable and they will provide you with a great workout, you won’t have to deal with annoying traffic jams, and they will be guaranteed to save you tons of money because of their inexpensive operating costs.

Conclusion

E bikes are indeed excellent vehicles that allow people to travel from one place to another quickly with their higher average speed via their motor and battery. However, it’s also important to point out the disadvantages of these vehicle types, like their longer charging time, heavier weight, and complexity.

We hope this informative article has helped you understand the pros and cons of electric bikes.