You like it or not but E-Bikes are going to be the next big thing. E-Bikes are the future of Bicycle especially the Mountain Bikes. Bicycles have been around for a very long time. Pairing Humans with Bicycle you get great transport which is far more convenient and efficient. Humans are very slow and inefficient when you tell them to walk a certain distance but when you combine the energy with a Bicycle then you get a 5 times more efficient result. So, this makes us cover a certain distance by spending 5 times less energy. Great Isn’t it?
As technology has been improving in almost every area, we have seen a great improvement in the Bicycle industry too. People should take a closer look at this as it is energy-efficient and promotes Eco-friendliness as well. The Electric Bicycle or commonly known as E-Bikes is going to take over the Bicycle market sooner or later. E-Bikes are also not new but they have gained popularity in the recent few years when we started to get high capacity and yet lightweight batteries. As Bicycle was already more energy efficient an E-Bike will maximize that energy by 5 times more giving you an increased range, and reduced effort.
The best thing here is you don’t even need to have a license to ride the Electric Bike and you can use it in almost all cases. There’s an E-Bike for everyone, whether it’s shopping, carrying kids or just regular door to door commute. These can completely replace driving and you can easily skip your car. It helps you avoid traffic and parking. An E-Bike is also not so expensive though the market has already received a massive boost of 90% over the past couple of years and it is not going to slow down any time soon. Do let us know in the comment’s if you already own an E-Bike or going to buy one and now let’s check out what are the major difference between an E-Bike and a Regular Bike.
Difference between an E-Bike and a Manual Bike
How is an Electric Bike different from a Regular Bike? An Electric Bike looks just like a Regular Bike but it is an enhanced version of a Regular Bike by adding an electrical drive system. The Electrical Drive system further consists of a Motor which is mounted either at the center or below the frame, a battery which gives power to the motor and mounted usually at the rear rack, and a system which integrates the power and throttle which is the handlebar for controlling the power.
These are 4 major components which are different from a regular bike apart from this all the other components such as handlebars, pedals, seats, frame, wheels, disc brakes, and the suspension is same as a regular bike and there is no such difference. The place where the component is placed also differs depending upon the type of bike it is.
Let’s talk about the most important thing first – The Motor: It gives a great performance as it gives power to the crank instead of giving it directly to the wheels. In this way, it maximizes the performance a lot and has a better torque as compared to other motors. The motor here is also positioned in such a way that it distributes the weight throughout the E-Bike, basically, it is present at the center of gravity. A mountain E-Bike will have the motor at a different place while a cargo bike might have it at a different place.
The battery is one of the components which decides the price for the E-Bike. It is the most expensive component of the E-Bike. The battery on the E-Bikes is also removable which makes it easy to carry around for charging. A normal E-Bike battery with a battery capacity of around 35 V to 40 V will get you around 35 to 45 Miles depending upon your weight and other such factors.
Lastly, we have the throttle and the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism then delivers the power to the wheel. The throttle is integrated into the handlebar just like a motorcycle, we have to twist it and it will allow you to control the drive mechanism. Once you pedal the bike the Drive mechanism then converts torque via the gears and let you control the speed of the bike.
Riding Experience – How does it feels riding an E-Bike over a Manual Bike.
A Regular bike is still a great way of transportation, it was invented more than 200 years ago and people have been using it till now. A regular bike is fun but it has its own advantages as well as disadvantages. It is just like riding a regular bike but with more boost at every pedal. The harder you pedal the more and more boost you will get. There are also no special skills or driving license required to ride an E-Bike just feel the wind and watch nature go by.
The first thing comes here is the stamina, if you are low on stamina and don’t have enough power then you will have a hard time riding a regular bike especially on hills. This will also affect your health and fitness. The E-Bike, on the other hand, solves this problem. It makes the ride very easy and convenient. When riding a regular bike where you had to pedal it regularly, on the E-Bike the battery and the motor give you boost when you pedal it. You don’t need to be strong enough to ride an E-bike, it gives you more enjoyment and better health. Without applying much effort, you can achieve a longer distance in a short period of time. The E-Bike provides you enough assistance so you can get to your destination without hurting your muscles.
One thing you will notice on the E-Bike is the weight. They are not as heavy as a motorcycle but they still weigh around two times than a regular bike. A regular bike doesn’t have the additional battery and suspension weight and weighs around 25 pounds while an E-Bike weighs around 50 pounds. This only affects when you have to store the E-Bike above the stairs or load it in the back of your car.
Benefits of riding an E-Bike
Less Commuting Stress – E-Bikes have a lot of health benefits and one of them is the less commuting stress. You don’t have to waste your time in heavy traffic sitting in your car or public transport. The E-bike removes all your barriers. You can ride on the sidewalks or make your way through parks and bike lanes. It is actually a personal transport so you can get it anywhere you want. It makes you flexible and independent you can go to a much-extended range with 5 times less manpower. You can even climb a hill without breaking a sweat. You can enjoy outdoors which also in return improves your memory, lower blood pressure, and stress levels and also boosts your immune. Do you know? all these physical activities also help you gain better mental health?
Less Air Pollution – You must be already familiar with the amount of pollution a Car or Motorcycle produce. Any kind of transport which burns the fuel has a bad effect on the environment as well as human health. Polluted air can cause asthma and bronchitis which is extremely serious. A car emits an average of 100 G CO 2 Per KM, a public transport emits more than that while an E-bike only emits 22 G CO 2 per KM. You can clearly see the difference here, E-Bikes don’t burn fuels and also doesn’t releases any gases in the atmosphere. E-Bikes also have a lot of environmental benefits and best if you really care about the environment. This can become one of the fantastic environmentally friendly ways of transportation. E-Bikes also last a much longer as they run on rechargeable batteries, you can also recharge them using a renewable source of energy and they last you many years.
Price – Should you invest in an E-Bike rather than to invest in a Motorcycle, Car or Public transport? Let’s see how it compares – A Four Wheel Car being it an Electric or Petrol one will cost you a lot in the first place while purchasing. Then you have to pay for the fuel, maintenance, parking and repairing in some cases. In heavily populated cities, the parking cost is a lot higher than normal and all these things add up to the cost in the long run. When it comes to two-wheel transport such as a Motorcycle or a scooter also costs higher than an E-Bike and you also have to pay for petrol and maintenance. Lastly, public transport: They are cheaper but even with a monthly or yearly pass it will add up the cost over the next few years. When it comes to E-Bikes, you don’t have to pay a lot to actually buy them, Here is the list Best Electric Bikes under £1000 and it will save you a lot in the long run.
Which one is Faster?
An E-Bike is not as fast as a motorcycle and you definitely won’t be ruling the road at a speed of 40 miles per hour but it is faster than a Regular Bike. With E-Bikes, you can travel a lot of distance in a short amount of time. Again, when it comes to E-Bike – they come in two kinds. One has the pedal just to save your back when it is out of battery (It can only go to a speed of 20 to 25 Miles per hour and the other one gives you boost when you pedal on the type as said before, the harder you pedal the more boost you will get and faster you are going to ride. You can also control the amount of assist you want. Majority of the E-Bikes features a button which let you control all that. When riding up the hill or in a wind then you can just set the power to high and while going down the hill just set it to low.
Should you buy an E-Bike over a Manual Bike?
Keep in mind that good E-Bikes are not cheap. Don’t fall for the advertisements and get yourself a cheap E-Bike. You can get a basic model but you will not be much happy with it and maybe regret later on. So always look for an E-Bike with the great build quality and some other expensive components. A large part of the money goes for the motor and the battery, the higher the quality will be the E-Bike will last much longer.
Finally, the main question comes here is should you go for an E-Bike over a Regular Bike? Well Yes! E-Bike is a great investment and if you can avoid some of the minor cons and you should definitely go for it you have such budget. I bought my first E-Bike last year and since then the experience with it is great. I am using it daily and going over 4 miles, I also face long hills in the middle of my ride but with the E-Bike, I can tackle it with ease. In my opinion, you should definitely go for an E-Bike for a better cycling experience, become more active outdoors and enjoy nature breezing throw the wind and the sun on your face.
