Electric Bikes: The Modern Way of Exploring The Outdoors

As technological advancements continue to emerge, the common things that we use continue to change as well. An example is a bike in which many people use daily. It’s usually used for exercise or transportation for nearby destinations. Students use it to go to school and some workers use it to go to work.

As electric bikes with extra battery are starting to get introduced to the public, here is a simple guide to help you understand its purpose better. 

What is an Electric Bike?

An electric bike, or e-bike for short, is derived from the common bikes but with a motor. It aims to lessen your effort in cycling by making the work shared by you and the motor. Since the current legal speed limit for bikes is 15.5mph, the motor will only assist you up to that speed. 

Electric Bikes as One of the Modern Transportation Means

Electric bikes can be used by anyone. It can be a good alternative for the common bikes because it can do everything it does, and even more. Electric bike with extra battery will help you power your bike. You can control the power it provides when you pedal. This makes your ride smooth and faster because the motor amplifies each of your strokes. 

Here are some benefits that you can get from using electric bikes:

• It’s easier to go up on hills or steep roads with less sweat.

• It’s faster than normal bikes. This will give you more time to do other things such as leisure.

• It’s a good transportation alternative for normal bikes or cars especially if you’ll go to a nearby destination. This would also be beneficial to the environment!

• Even with the presence of the motor, you still get to exercise. Electric bikes are good for aerobic exercise. You can even control the motor to lessen the power it does. For some electric bikes where Bluetooth connection is available, heart rate monitors with the number of calories burned are available and displayed. 

• It’s modern and fun to ride!

With the benefits mentioned above, it’s also good to know the downsides of using electric bikes. Since it has its motor with battery, electric bikes are much heavier than the regular ones. It’s also more expensive to maintain since you need to change the batteries from time to time. 

How Much Does it Cost?

The cost of an electric bike with extra battery highly depends on the type that you need. The cost is lower for bikes for quick jaunts. This will allow you to save money on going for daily commutes. For trail riding, bigger bikes are needed which means that it’s more expensive. It’s because it needs a stronger frame, bigger tires, and a more robust motor. 

Once you buy an e-bike, you might want to save up for its maintenance cost as well. Just like automobiles, electric bikes also need to have their motor regularly checked. Normally, a tune-up is done every six months or after reaching 500 miles. This costs around $75 to $100. Flat tires cost around $10 to $20 and break adjustments are at $20 to $35.

Electric bikes will save you tons of money compared to using a car. Every battery charge could reach 15 to 20 miles. You won’t have to buy gas now and then! However, you might want to consider buying an additional battery charger just in case you need it. 

For the essential part of the e-bike, the batteries cost around $200. It’s a lithium battery (36V and 10Ah). The prices may vary depending on the brand and charges may differ depending on your local electricity prices. 

Tips in Using an Electric Bike

When using an e-bike, these tips might help you maximize your experience.

1. Make sure to fully charge your batteries. Having a higher voltage will give higher speeds. Bringing extra batteries is also advisable. 
2. Choose smoother tires. If you won’t use your electric bike for mount climbing, using smoother tires will increase your speed.
3. Regularly check your tires. This will prevent any injuries and having pumped up tires will boost your speed as well.
4. Always check your brakes. This should always be included in the maintenance but you can check it yourself as well. 

Wrap it Up

Electric bike with extra battery is a game-changer. It’s environmentally-friendly and more efficient in terms of energy. Even though it’s a bit more expensive than the normal ones, the benefits that we get could match its costs.