Tag Archive for: Electric Bike

Let’s face it, global warming is a reality whether you believe it to be man-made or not and there are many ways that each and every one of us can help do our part to slow down the effects of our planet heating up and electric bikes may be part of the solution. According to Berkeley Earth, our planet was on average 1.0 degree warmer than the 1850-1900 average temperature, making it “unambiguously” the warmest year on record. That’s a scary fact to consider. The warming of our planet means that sea levels are rising which wreaks havoc on coastal wildlife and fragile marine environment like the Great Barrier Reef. The effects are not only limited to marine life though, mammals and insects all feel the changes that are upon us and must adapt – or face extinction. It is up to us humans to reconsider our choices and way of life in order to make more conscientious decisions regarding our food, lifestyle and transportation.

Congestion, what congestion?

One of the easiest changes a person can make is regarding their transportation choices. With more and more of the population living in cities, growing congestion concerns in major metropolitan areas and our lack of spare time in our busy lives, the argument for electric bikes as an alternative mode of transportation is making a lot of sense. For example, the average distance a person travels to work when living in an urban environment is less than 6.5km (one-way). This distance can easily be covered by bicycle in much less time than it would take in a car, even on a day with little traffic. If we consider the congestion issues that are present in more and more urban cities (think Los Angeles, New York, Toronto and even Montreal!) it starts to become obvious which mode of transportation makes more sense from a time-saving perspective. Now, once you’ve reached your destination, you have to circle around to try to find a parking spot, then park and pay. I speak from personal experience when I say that I have sometimes circled around my destination for over half an hour in order to find a parking spot. Let’s now compare that to an e Bike which took half (or possibly less) time to get to your destination and maybe 90 seconds to find a bike rack, lock your bike and remove your helmet. The time savings are obvious and hard to ignore. As we all know, time is money and having more time to enjoy ourselves or get other tasks done is a no-brainier.

electric assisted bike

Live longer and happier!

Electric bikes are not only more time-efficient than a car for urban travel, they are also an excellent way to combat our increasingly sedentary lifestyle. A hundred years ago, our population was much more active in their day to day chores and their overall lifestyle and we had no need to supplement our day with physical activity. With the increasing ease at which we can order food to our front door, stream movies at home and video chat instead of meeting in person all contribute to an increasingly sedentary population with real, measurable effects on our health. Why not kill two birds with one stone and change your way of getting around? With an electric bike, you are able to be more efficient in your travel and you can stay in great shape! It’s proven that cycling will help your overall health including increasing your cardio vascular threshold, excess fat loss and, most importantly, your happiness. Studies show a strong correlation between happiness and living a longer life; thankfully electric bikes offer you just that.

An eBike for everyone

Now that we covered the financial and health benefits of switching to an electric bike, let’s cover one last point; the versatility of eBikes on the market today. Just like with vehicles, electric bikes come in all shapes and sizes depending on what you like, what you want to do with it and your personal preferences when it comes to brands, colors, options etc. For example, the delivery driver who makes dozens of stops every day with small parcels and boxes will usually drive some type of van. In many cities such as Montreal, New York, London and Amsterdam, these drivers have given up their trucks in exchange for electric cargo bikes. These eBikes come in multiple sizes and styles that will allow you to custom build them to your needs and specifications. Delivery companies have reported up to 3.5x more efficiency in their deliveries and a dramatic decrease in parking violations that cost these companies a fortune every year, not to mention lower maintenance costs when compared to a van.

electric bike

For the office worker who needs something easy and versatile for their morning and evening commute to work, why not try a folding electric bike? These compact eBikes offer all the power of a full-sized eBike in a small, folding design that can be stored in the corner of your office or even under your desk! Gone are the days of rushing to find parking in the morning in order to be at your 9:00am meeting on time, you can now arrive at work, fold up your eBike and go right to your desk. Another benefit of this type of transportation is that the eBike assists you in your pedaling so you don’t arrive at your meeting with sweat stains and stinky feet which, let’s be honest, nobody wants!

Then, of course, there are the more “traditional” electric bikes which give you all the benefits of cycling, with the added feature of being able to zip through the city streets with minimal effort (when needed). Gone are the days of the one-size-fits-all eBikes. Today, there are dozens of great companies making a plethora of design styles. The hardest part today is choosing between all the amazing options on the market!

Environmental awareness: a win-win

At the end of the day, we all have to do our part for the environment. Why not make some small changes in your lifestyle that will also positively benefit our planet? Swapping your car for an eBike may seem like a huge change but you can start small and work your way up to where you feel comfortable. Even by taking your eBike to work just once or twice a week, you are greatly reducing your greenhouse gas emissions and benefiting from a healthier, more active lifestyle. It’s time to take action and rethink your transportation choices you’ll never look back!

Why ride an eBike?

In Europe, electrical assist bicycles have been gaining steady popularity over the past decade. However, North America is still catching up with the trend. Electric bike is designed to improve the entire experience of cycling, helping you to go up steep hills and getting to places without perspiring or getting tired. 

So how does it work? 

When you start riding your eBike, the motor, based on your velocity, weight and other factors, kicks in and assist you in pedaling. It allows you to accelerate smoothly and go further distances. There are usually several levels of assistance that you can choose from, depending on how fast and easy of a ride you would like to have. Electrical assist bikes usually come in different styles and shapes, so everyone can pick something suitable to their needs. Whether it is for commuting to work every day or taking longer rides on rougher terrains.

There are a lot of benefits that an eBike can bring you – they can make your day to day commute a lot easier and ultimately improve the quality of your life! Here are our 7 main reasons why:

1.Get (and stay) in shape

Our first reason for getting an eBike is an obvious one. Cycling, whether by traditional or electric bicycle, is a great way to get in shape and tone your muscles. You’re not just working your legs on, you’re also strengthening your core, shoulders, and glutes, just to name a few. All while being low impact and easy on your joints!

In addition, eBikes are an ideal way to work on your cardio because you can select different levels of assistance, allowing you to build it up at your own pace. Feeling short of breath? Crank up the assistance until you stabilize your breathing. Breezing along without any effort? Turn the level assistance back down and get working!

2. Ride longer, and faster

Gone are the days where 75km rides seemed impossible. With an eBike by your side, this is no longer the daunting task that it once was. One fully charged battery on the electric bike will allow you to go as far as 110-130 kilometers. And, if you add an extra battery on your eBike, the distance doubles! Yes, we are talking about 200 kilometers bike rides! With electric bicycles, you can redefine your limits.

Besides, why not do it at a good speed too? Riding around at 10km/h is fun for a while but who doesn’t like to feel the wind in their hair? With an electrical assisted bicycle you easily gain speed up to 32km/h with the motor’s help. Certainly, there’s nothing like speeding past traditional cyclists without any effort.

3. Use on multiple occasions

There is a great variety of electric bikes  – cargo, tandem, folding, mountain, commuter, among many others. Stopping to buy groceries on your way back from work, or picking up kids from school, might become a way easier task with an eBike – cargo bikes allow you to carry larger loads with no effort involved! Other bikes, like commuter electric bikes, will not only reduce your travel times between home and work, but also allow you to take long distant camping trips and several day tours.

Another amazing option that exists within electric bike industry is a folding eBike – ideal for city living where storage is limited, or when you want to take your eBike with you on a trip –  it fits easily into the trunk of a car.

4. Avoid traffic

Tired of wasting your time in a traffic jam on your way to work? Today, most urban cities have incorporated bike lanes into their existing and future roadways. On an electric bike, you get access to these cycle routes that cars and motorcycles cannot reach. Moreover, an electrical assist bike also gives you an advantage of higher average speed than a regular bike, which means that you will be arriving to work faster and without breaking a sweat! You get to avoid all traffic jams and eliminate hills and headwinds, which makes eBikes the most reliable and fastest mode of transportation!

5. Save Money 

Cars can be expensive – when you factor in gas, insurance, maintenance and the cost of the car itself, the figures may appear quite high. On the other hand, an eBike is relatively cost-free once you buy the bike itself. Yes, it does also need maintenance from time to time, but the difference in its price is substantial. Besides, electric bikes do not require a license or insurance, as well as parking and the cost associated with it! So think of the savings you can make by switching over to an eBike for most, if not all of your transportation.

6. Help the Environment

How much of carbon dioxide is emitted by your car on the daily commute to work? In contrast, eBikes are carbon-free, use very little electricity to charge the battery and only need some good old fashion elbow grease to get you from point A to point B. Besides, there’s nothing quite like a deep breath of fresh air on a warm summer morning. You’ll be experiencing a lot more of this once you stop using your car (or bus) in order to get around on your electric bike!

Conclusion

To conclude, riding an eBike is simply fun! You will catch yourself smiling all the time while you ride your electric bike. Being outdoors, relieving stress, saving money and being more efficient in your travels are all great reasons to smile!