Why buy an electric bicycle?

Why buy an electric bike? The reasons are multifold. I have been an e-bike owner since 2009, and I’m currently exploring options for my next e-bike investment. After scouring over 100 websites and absorbing advice from professional cyclists to senior e-bike enthusiasts, I’ve gathered invaluable insights I’d love to share. This article will catalog everything I’ve discovered.  Update – In June 2023, a year ago, my wife and I purchased a pair of Royal Dutch Gazelle ebikes and have thoroughly enjoyed riding them. You can read the reviews of my Gazelle T9 Medeo HMB and my wife’s Gazelle T9 City ebike. 

The primary benefits of e-bike ownership are multifaceted, with advantages including financial savings, health improvements (both mental and physical), enhanced work performance, and a reduced environmental footprint. Let’s delve into each of these factors in greater detail.

Here are the top benefits of buying an electric bike.

Financial Savings

According to Statista, the average American embarks on 2.7 daily trips, each covering approximately 9.6 miles. These distances are comfortably within the range of most e-bikes, which means the first and most immediate advantage you’ll notice is the significant savings in your travel expenditure. Depending on the specifics of your commute, you could save hundreds of dollars each month.

Below is an estimated cost breakdown over four years. Of course, these are sample figures—you might find a more affordable bike and probably already possess some necessary gear. Therefore, your actual savings could be even more substantial, depending on your circumstances.

Downsizing from a two-car household to just one car (or three cars to two) could save even more if you choose to sell the spare vehicle. Subsidies can also reduce your overall costs – check the state by state subsidy list. Additionally, in specific urban and suburban locales, traveling via e-bike could be faster than commuting by car, taxi, or subway.

Physical and mental health improvements

With the financial benefits established, let’s shift focus to health advantages. While e-bikes require physical exertion, they demand significantly less effort than traditional bikes. This means you’re getting exercise—boosting your metabolism and aiding weight loss—without needing a shower upon reaching your destination. This moderate level of physical activity is also beneficial for mental health, reducing symptoms of depression, fostering creativity, improving emotional control and self-confidence, and enhancing sleep quality.

Over the long term, these health benefits can be transformative. Losing excess weight is a gift that keeps on giving throughout your life. Good health is invaluable and often hard to regain once lost, so incorporating a routine like e-bike commuting is a superb way to maintain optimal wellness.

Photo by Wolfram Bölte on Unsplash

In our current climate of recurrent COVID lockdowns, outdoor activities like e-biking offer a fun and healthier alternative to spending hours in front of the TV—especially when you can enjoy the company of friends. The great thing about e-bikes is they accommodate varying fitness levels, enabling everyone to ride together. More athletic individuals can pedal more, while others can rely more heavily on battery power.

Enhancing work performance Through E-Biking

Regular exercise and outdoor activities like e-biking can increase mental clarity and creativity, contributing positively to your professional life. Biking enhances mental health, enabling you to bring more value to your organization and colleagues.

To optimize these benefits, consider using apps like bikemap.net or similar tools to help you discover quiet bike routes through neighborhoods or parks—some of which you might not have previously considered.

Why buying an Electric Bike Will Reduce Environmental Impact.

The environmental benefits are tremendous. Bike Engineer Zach Krapfl lays out the numbers in the video below. He compares traveling by bike, electric bike, car, electric car,  truck, train, and plane.

The bottom line is that an electric bike can be more than 50x more efficient than the average vehicle.

In conclusion, owning and riding an electric bicycle can be a transformative experience on multiple levels. These simple lifestyle modifications can improve your health and well-being, foster a sense of community, and contribute to environmental sustainability. Stay tuned for our next article to discuss the best safety equipment and gear for all weather conditions and other related topics. Please connect with us if you have feedback or wish to subscribe to our updates.