Most people don’t know that in Asia, there are over 200 million electric bikes in use and that is something more and more Americans are paying attention to as the US electric bike market continues to grow year after year.
What’s the difference between an e bike and a regular bike?
An electric bike is exactly what that. A bicycle powered by electricity, using its own motor powered by a rechargeable battery. But just like regular bicycles, electric bikes can be powered by pedal as well and give the rider a great workout.
There are two types of motors used on electric bikes. One is a hub motor and the other is a mid-drive motor. To understand the difference between the two, we have a great blog post that explains both in detail that you will find HERE.
When shopping for an electric bike, it’s important to know what you’ll be using the bike for because the batteries on each bike will differ and if you have a battery that’s too small or too big, you could be either wasting money or not getting the power you need. Your battery will determine how far your bike will travel as well as how fast your bike will go. So, someone who is buying a bike to ride to the store or a nice weekend ride is not going to need the same size battery as the off road rider who needs much more power to get up hills and ride through dirt and sand.
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Why should I buy an electric bike?
There are a number of reasons someone would buy an electric bike. Most importantly, because electric bikes give you all the benefits of regular bikes plus more! For some, age plays an important role. What was once an easy ride to the store has now become more difficult and in some cases, no longer an option. This is where an electric bike can provide everything you need to get back on a bike and make those trips with ease. For others, it could mean getting to places that a normal bike just can’t get to. We’ve had customers our electric mountain bikes because they heard about a great hunting or fishing spot that’s impossible to reach by car and too risky to reach on a normal bike. With an electric bike, they are able to load up the gear and head off, knowing they have the power and range to easily make it.
An electric bike will fall into one of three classes. Class one is the most common and the most affordable. A class one electric bike is a pedal assist bike, meaning you pedal the bike but you’re getting power from the motor to assist you, making riding much easier that a regular bike. A Class 2 electric bike is going to have a throttle that allows you to take off and ride without pedaling. An electric bike that falls into Class 3 will be similar to a Class 1 but will be able to reach speeds of up to 28 miles per hour.
Regardless of the electric bike you choose, you will definitely enjoy the experience electric bikes offer!
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What are some of the reasons I should get an electric bike?
One of the biggest reasons to purchase an electric bike is the health benefit. Studies have shown that riding an electric bike can help steady maintainable heart rates. Also, simply pedaling without assist can lead to leg strains and for some riders, cause more damage to your body. Using an electric bike gives you more power over how much you choose or choose not to exert energy.
An electric bike is also one of the best environment friendly mode of transportation. The number of people you have traded their car for an electric bike to get to work or the store, continues to grow every year. With the ability to maintain speeds close to 30 MPH, you can make that quick trip just as fast, if not faster than a vehicle.
And on top of that, an electric bike is just flat out FUN! You get to experience the outdoors and see over twice as much as you would with a normal bike. And don’t forget about the ease of getting up a big hill with an electric bike. A hill you may have avoided with your regular bike. If you live in a town with many hills, you know what we’re talking about!
Riding an electric bike is as easy as riding a normal bike. With the number of new electric bike riders, we are seeing more and more electric bikes under $1000, making ownership of an electric bike more affordable for everyone. Happy riding!