Living in the city provides many advantages, but it also offers a lot of challenges. One of the most basic of these is just getting around. The denser the population where you live, the more difficult it can be. A hybrid electric bike can help make getting around easier, which is why many urbanites are turning to it as a means of alternative transportation. Here are some benefits of using an electric bike for getting around the city.
Save Money on Parking & Gas
As a car owner, you could spend hundreds of dollars a month on fuel, especially if you have more than one vehicle. An e-bike runs on an electric motor that is powered by a rechargeable battery. This means that there is no need to buy gasoline, and the cost of charging your battery is absorbed into your monthly utility bill for your whole home. Fully charging your bike battery costs about seven cents. Since the best electric bikes 2022 can go 20 to 40 miles on a single charge, even if you ride frequently, you could spend less than $30 a year to keep your e-bike running.
You can park your electric bicycle at the rack just like you would a traditional bike. Since spaces at a bike rack are not in high demand, there is usually no charge to park them as there would be to park a car in a crowded urban setting.
No Traffic Headaches
Different kinds of e-bikes are categorized based on the size of their motors. Some communities have stricter regulations on e-bikes with larger motors, so you should check the applicable ordinances in your community to make sure that you are in compliance. Generally speaking, however, e-bikes with smaller motors are allowed to go anywhere that traditional bikes can go. This means that you can use bike paths and trails to get around and don’t have to get stuck in dense traffic. Even electric bikes with smaller motors can reach speeds around 30 miles per hour, so you may be able to reach your destination even more quickly than you would be able to in a car since you don’t have to fight as hard against traffic.
Relative Affordability
Even a used car could set you back thousands of dollars, and then you would have ongoing costs of fuel, insurance, registrations, maintenance, etc. While local ordinances vary, you should not have to register your e-bike with your city as a motor vehicle unless the engine is on the larger and more powerful side. The maintenance of an e-bike is easier and less expensive than it is for a car. You may still want to ensure your e-bike in case it gets stolen or damaged. This would usually be covered under your renters or homeowners insurance, but if you want a separate e-bike policy, it would probably cost a lot less than you would spend to insure a car.
E-bikes can cost up to $2,000, which is still probably less than you would spend on a quality used car. Affirm bicycle financing allows you to pay it off in instalments, making it more accessible and affordable when you purchase from an online retailer.
Review City Living With an Electric Bike.