Most of us have memories of what it was like to learn how to ride a bike for the first time. Figuring out how to balance on two wheels, falling down, scraping a knee or arm— these are all things we might’ve had to endure as part of the process.
If you successfully did learn how to ride a bike, then maybe it’s time to graduate onward to riding an electric bike.
WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER PURCHASING AN E-BIKE
Sales of this electric take on the traditional bike have been soaring in recent years. Here are some reasons why you should consider upgrading from a regular bike to an e-bike.
E-BIKES COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL BIKES
Did you know that about half of current e-bikers never considered themselves cyclists before their purchase? People buy e-bikes for different reasons and here are a few of them:
- To keep up with a partner or friend who does consider themselves a cyclist.
- They’re a great alternative to driving when staying local.
- E-bikes are great for the environment in that they don’t emit carbon dioxide.
- To be able to ride a bike without feeling limited by long distances, hilly routes, or even arriving to a destination tired and sweaty.
- For fun!
It’s also worth noting that e-bikes are still a good way to work out! Sure, they may be easier to ride than the traditional bike, but riding an e-bike typically means that you’ll be riding farther distances, pedaling faster, going up steeper hills, and riding more often. Plus, the motor only works when you’re actually moving the pedals themselves— it’s not like the bike is on autopilot.
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HOW TO RIDE AN E-BIKE
Most e-bike newbies learn how to ride the vehicle quickly enough, so there’s no need to worry about reliving your childhood anxieties of scraping all of your limbs. Usually, it takes only one test ride for your body to develop the muscle memory to adapt to the feeling of the pedal-assist machine.
Here are some tips for when you ride an e-bike for the first few times:
- Brake earlier than you would a regular bike— e-bikes are heavier and faster. The power of the pedal-assist makes up for the sluggishness of the heaviness of the e-bike, but at the same time, the law of physics dictates that a heavy, fast-moving object needs more time to be stopped.
- Pedal with a faster rhythm. E-bikes are most efficient when you ride them at a faster pace than a regular bike— and especially when going up hills.
- Try to ride in low-assist modes as much as you possibly can. The motor settings range from “eco” to “turbo” (with the terms varying from bike to bike), with one or two more settings in between. The mode choice directly affects the battery life of the bike, so the more you ride on eco, the longer it’ll last. It’s best to save turbo for when you really need it.
THE COST FOR CHARGING AN E-BIKE
One recurring cost associated with electric bikes is the cost of charging the battery. It’s a common question. And it’s one that is easily calculated, if we do a bit of math.
Find the battery voltage and amp hour rating of the eBike. Use those numbers to get watt hours. For example, a 36V 10Ah battery has 360 watt hours, or 0.36-kilowatt hours (kWh).
Check your local electricity prices. Electricity prices vary widely from state to state, but the average cost per kWh in the U.S. today is roughly 13.45 cents per kWh.
HOW DO YOU CHARGE AN ELECTRIC BIKE?
Charging an electric bike is super simple – just like a mobile phone or laptop, you’ll just need to plug it into any wall outlet. Batteries can take from 2 to 8 hours to charge; the time it takes is dependent on the make and model of the battery. Raleigh bikes use either TranzX, Suntour, Ebikemotion or Bosch motor systems. Each of these will have different battery types and sizes. You can find out more about these individually on our electric bike batteries page. Most of our electric bike batteries will last up to 1,000 charge cycles.
