Are you in a dilemma about getting an electric bike? Then this will be the perfect guide for you as I have come up with some pros and cons of the electric bikes after testing and reviewing them. With the recent successful invention of electric cars, now electric bikes are also in the line. The most convenient transport you can ever get. However, everything has some good qualities and some bad qualities. However, getting something depends on one’s needs and lifestyle. Similarly, this electric bike also has some drawbacks and some benefits.
Pros and Cons of Electric Bikes
Electric bikes are similar to traditional bikes in terms of size, shape, and purpose. But there is a difference that makes electric bikes utterly different from standard bikes. The electric bikes include an electric motor that does the peddling job, and you can also peddle in case of more speed or when you run out of battery. Other than working mechanisms, the electric bikes differ in weight as well.
Pros of e-Bikes
Here are some of the pros of electric bikes.
Eco-Friendly
One of the main reasons why people prefer using electric bikes is because of their environment-friendly nature. Motor vehicles and buses emit harmful gases that are dangerous to our environment. These harmful toxins mingle with oxygen and affect the atmosphere and become detrimental to our health since we live in the same atmosphere and breathe that air in.
It is not something to be taken lightly. Recently, pollution has become a significant threat to our lives, and we face issues like smog, noise pollution, and a high level of air pollution. However, like other transport vehicles, electric bikes are free from that charge. The electric bikes are pretty much similar to regular bikes.
The only difference between them is that electric bikes run on electricity while the regular bike depends on muscle power. Nonetheless, they both possess eco-friendly nature. We actually create a clean and green environment by using these electric bikes as they are an excellent source of reducing carbon footprints.
Easy Start-Up And Less Physical Efforts
You do not need to use up your muscle power when using an electric bike since you have motors that do the pedaling job for you. When you are in throttle mode, the need for pedaling is eliminated. You need a license if you want to ride an e-bike on the streets as they are mopeds in nature. So if you’re rushing to reach your destination well, you will not be covered in sweat like you have run about 5 kilometers, that’s for sure.
One of the main reasons why people avoid using bikes and prefer using public transport is because the traditional bike can be exhausting to use. No one wants to arrive at their workplace or school to some party drenched in sweat. Due to which many people feel embarrassed to use bikes; however, electric bikes can be a good start to use them.
Here, an electric bike proves to be a good alternative. Its style and features allow you to make an entrance into the lifestyle of cycling. Electric bikes require less physical effort and do not race up the heart due to exhaustion. Sweating, stinking, and needing to change clothes or need of shower is no more a hassle since electric bikes give sweat-free rides.
Fast And Far Ride
Another good quality an e-bike possesses is that it will get you to your destination. Even if there is a lot of traffic, you will reach your desired destination faster than a car or other public transport. Nowadays, because of the excessive cars and buses, traffic jams happen pretty often. So, going across a few blocks may need more time than usual due to the traffic rush.
But with an e-bike, you will be able to reach your destination within a few minutes by taking a shortcut or by riding at the side of a traffic jam. You should not confuse the speed of e-bikes with that of traditional bikes as they are much faster than conventional bikes. It allows you to cover large grounds and distance without being exhausted compared to a regular bike which requires pedaling energy.
You can ride an e-bike on a steep incline without any worry. You can pedal to fasten up the speed when climbing up a hill as the electric motor will increase your torque. It offers throttle mode that allows you to ride this bike as a scooter.
Covers More Ground
There have been many innovations in electric bikes over the past few years in terms of battery. An average electric bike can cover about 20 to 35 miles without using motor assistance of e-bikes, so it allows much more area with paddling. A conventional bike, however, lacks this quality. Nonetheless, with the help of motor assistance, you can cover 25 kilometers per hour. Riding streets or other places, this speed is fast enough. It can get you out of the traffic rush faster than an average cars’ speed.
The law allows an e-bike to have a maximum speed of about 15.5 miles per hour. If you ignore the speed limit, the ride will become as fast as a motorbike. It is up to you if you want to go faster than that, but you need to use your muscle power and pedal to achieve speed as the motor of the e-bike has a limited speed. It will only assist you when it reaches 15.5 miles of speed. After that, it all depends on your physical effort.
If an electric bike goes up to 30 miles or even more with moto assistance, such bikes are known as Speed Pedelecs. Their motor assistance also has limited speed. In the UK, it is obligatory to legalize these bikes to ride by registering them with DVLA. The power limit allowed for electric bikes is about 250W in England.
Weight
Electric bikes are sturdier and allow you to carry more weight than conventional bikes. It features a robust frame, sizable chassis, and thick wheels. With the help of which it will allow you to carry your hefty luggage. So due to your weight and also your luggage’s weight will not buckle the bike. An average e-bike weighs about 25kg. At the same time, a traditional bike weighs a lighter that is 10 kg.
If we compare an e-bike to a traditional bike, you will see how an electric bike delivers more torque and allows deep drifting into bike trials. This is something that is not present in a regular bike. The main weight is the battery and the motor of an electric bike, but they are easy to work with.
However, an electric bike does not feature easy portability due to its sturdy weight. It can be an issue, especially if you are renting on an upper floor. It needs more space to be stored, and you may require the assistance of a car to transport them.
Maintenance
Electric bikes require pretty much similar maintenance as conventional bikes. To maintain a bike, whether a traditional or electric bike, what you need to do is keep a check on tire pressure, regularly clean and apply lube the chains for the smooth ride and also change the worn-out tires and brake pads. This type of maintenance does not require professional help but some essential tools to easily take care of your bike.
The additional thing you need to do in electric bikes is charging the battery and its replacement when the battery wears out. Other vehicles like cars or motorbikes require more maintenance than a bike. Electric bikes need a minimal amount of care, such as replacing the worn-out parts, checking the tire pressure, lubricating the drive system, chains and wheels.
If these are taken care of once in a while, you are good to go. The repair of an electric bike is as easy as repairing a traditional bike. The repairing and maintenance of electric bikes are not costly at all. However, seeking the help of a specialist may be expensive and difficult. There are qualified and professional motor dealers such as Shimano and Bosch, who can deal with bikes with their equipped systems.
Cons of e-Bikes
Here are some of the cons of electric bikes.
Charge And Battery Range
The average travel speed of an electric bike is about 32 to 56 kilometers with motor assistance. In other words, you can achieve this speed on charge. You may need to stop somewhere to charge your bike’s battery. If the bike’s range is large enough for a short trip, it is not a big deal. You can charge your bike when you are back from the round trip. You might need to charge your bike on your way if you ran out half of your battery.
You may not make it back home with half a depleted battery since electric bikes are the latest technology, so many workplaces or colleges do not facilitate by offering to charge your bike. You need to think twice if you are planning on going on long rides on the electric bike. Generally, you can not charge the battery until you get home. An average electric bike battery takes about 3.5 to 6 hours to be fully charged. It needs a long time to charge, so you need to wait for it to be charged if you want to go somewhere or go through public transport.
You need to fully charge at night so that it is ready to take you to your workplace. Otherwise, you will be late for work if you want to be charged in the morning. You can ride the electric bike even if it is not fully charged as it holds 80% capacity. This may prove to be convenient, but it has a bad impact on the battery. You can always rely on your physical strength and peddle in case your bike’s battery dies out.
Cost
Electric bikes are more expensive than regular bikes since they include many features which a conventional bike doesn’t. You should count the cost of the battery and motor as well. However, if you cannot afford an electric bike, then a regular bike is also a good option. Here are some of the cheapest e-Bikes priced under $500 in the market.
The cost of an electric bike’s battery depends on the size and model of the bike. Standard batteries are less expensive than Proprietary batteries. If lithium-ion batteries are adequately treated, they can hold up to 800 to 100 cycles of charge. You will need battery replacement in 2 to 3 years if you use an electric bike almost every day.
Proprietary Parts
If your electric bike consists of proprietary parts, then you can only get them from the manufacturer. The proprietary parts include a battery, motor, or drive system. There are problems that you may face with proprietary parts. One of them is their availability, and they are very hard to find for replacement purposes.
They are only available from the manufacturer. Proprietary parts different from ISO standards, so you may not be able to get proprietary parts if the dealership is not available near you. Another problem one could face is cost. The proprietary parts are available at a higher price than standard parts.
Some manufacturers are also cunning; they charge these parts more than their actual price since they know you do not have the option of getting them anywhere else. If in the future, the manufacturers go out of business, that makes the chances of getting and finding proprietary parts almost impossible.
Frequent Maintenance And Consumable Parts
Since electric bikes are used more often because of their speed, a conventional bike does not feature much. These may get you faster, but that also means that the bike’s maintenance needs to be often done. The frequent use may wear out the parts such as tires, brake pads, and chains. It may not be a problem at first since it is not difficult to do, but over time, it becomes a tiring job to do, and it also adds up to the cost.
The complex parts of an electric bike are a motor and battery. Either one of them fails and it will result in hiring a professional specialist to fix or replace the damaged component. The replacement may become challenging since you cannot find them in every bike shop easily.
There are two ways to access these parts: either order them online or find a manufacturer or dealership from whom you can get these parts. Because of additional torque, the eclectic bike may require high-end and stronger chains. A cheap chain may work for a traditional bike but cannot handle the powerful torque of the 750-watt motor. For high speed, you will require some high-rated tires that are generally more expensive than standard bike tires.
Related e-Bike Guides: Best e-Bikes Under 2000 Dollars | How e-Bikes Work
To Conclude
This was a detailed review where both the good aspects and unlikable aspects are shown. You can judge for yourself if the drawbacks outweigh the pros or the pros outweigh the cons. E-bikes can be very fun to ride and are considered to be suitable for exercise. If you are considering buying an electric bike for yourself, this guide can help you.
