Electric is the future, electric cars, electric buses and now some cool electric bicycles. If we want to save the planet when need to embrace electric, and an easy way to do that today is to buy an electric bike, they are eco friendly and great fun. When evaluating what we should be looking for when purchasing an electric bike there are three things that are important, range, wattage and looks!
For range you want to go with a bike that can go at least 20 miles (35kms) in between charges, remember that is a round trip, so 10 miles there and 10 miles back. Now in reality I have found that you can knock off about a third of the “stated” maximum range that is advertised for the bike. The maximums are always the maximum with “optimal” conditions, like no wind, no uphill climbs and no carrying around your fat ass.
So try and find a bike that states it can do around 30 miles (50kms), that will give you a realistic 20 mile range, on electric power, unlimited on people power.
The second criteria is wattage, such as 250w, 500w or 1000w. This is essentially the power output of the bike, the higher the number the higher the output, the faster the bike. Now I know what you are thinking, 1000w all the way, give me power baby!
No, you see, as the electric cycle phenomenon takes off you are going to see governments around the world wake up to the fact that these things are as fast and sometimes faster than a motorcycle, so they will start to regulate them. Maybe even require licensing, which would suck. They are likely to regulate the most powerful electric cycles, plus 500w cycles, so you best bet is to go for one at a maximum wattage of 500, or less.
Finally, you can’t go wrong if you get a bike with a bit of style, my current favourite being this beauty, that has just hit the market.
It uses a 36v Samsung Lithium battery which gives you an advertised range of 30 miles (50kms), it has a 350w Bafang brushless rear hub motor, which will get you up to a max speed of around 20 miles (30kms) and hour. It comes with hydraulic breaks, which is pretty important when you want to stop in a hurry and is better than you!
It is not cheap hitting the two grand mark, but comparable to the price of a new electric scooter, which would require you to have a full drivers licenses to ride. Click here to get yourself one.
