3. Maintenance: like all vehicles, e-bikes also need some love to keep them in tip top shape. They usually require annual tune-ups, new tires, brake pads, and having the battery replaced every 2-5 years on average. Over a period of 5 years, maintenance can cost $754 per year for e-bikes. A car also requires tune-ups, and having the engine oil and other liquids, the air filter etc. changed annually. A year in maintenance costs can add up to approximately $1,186 according to the American Automobile Association (AAA) in 2017. It’s expensive maintaining any vehicle but e-bikes definitely come in cheaper. And don’t forget, Momentum e-bikes come with a warranty. To learn more about our warranty, hit the link, select your location and search ‘warranty’
4. Parking: with cities growing at the pace they are, it has become impossible to find available parking, let alone for free! Daily parking rates can cost ~$40 for expensive cities like New York. What’s more, research done by INRIX also shows we spend $345 per driver per year on wasted time, fuel, and emissions looking for parking. With e-bikes we get more flexibility and parking is always free. Most cities also have designated areas just for bikes. Need we say more?
5. Insurance, License, Taxes, Depreciation and Car Payments: if you own a car, you know first-hand how troublesome this is. Even without car payments, all other costs can add up to ~$5,668 per year according to AAA. E-bikes, despite being classified as a vehicle, do not require license registrations, taxes, or insurance by law. We do, however, recommend riders obtain insurance for safety reasons just in case. Better safe than sorry!
Check out our article 17 Bike Safety Tips For A Great Ride.
As with conventional bicycles, there are several types of e-bikes, each with a special purpose, whether it’s riding mountain or forest trails, taking long rides on the open road, or cruising around at a leisurely pace near home. Some conventional cycling purists knock electric bikes because of the greater ease of pedaling, but some converts have told us they love them.
The extra boost from a battery and an electric motor has also opened up cycling to people who might not otherwise have been able to ride. Sarah Johnson, the Omaha cycling advocate, says she faced having to give up cycling when medical problems made it difficult for her to pedal a conventional bicycle.
“I used to be an e-bike hater, but when I realized that it was e-bike or no riding, I realized how great they are,” she says. “I’m feeling better, but I don’t think I’ll ever get rid of my e-bike.”
Performance Road Bikes
The defining characteristics of a road bike are usually a lightweight frame, skinny tires, and drop-down handlebars that help the rider maintain an aerodynamic riding position. It’s not unusual to see a cluster of bright-shirted cyclists pedaling furiously down a bike trail or along the side of the road on lightweight speed machines.
Like their pedal-powered counterparts, electric road bikes feature slimmer, lighter components and require an aerodynamic riding position, both meant to increase efficiency over long distances. The assistance offered by an electric motor makes it possible to cover longer distances and handle steep grades with less of the fatigue associated with conventional bicycles.
Even though they’re fast and relatively light, performance bikes still aren’t for everyone, because the aggressive riding position can be uncomfortable for some riders.
Mountain Bikes
With beefier frames, bigger tires, and sometimes long-travel suspension components, mountain bikes are built to handle trails, large rocks, logs, and other rough terrain and obstacles. A spin through mountain bike racing videos on the internet reveals that their riders sometimes expect the bikes to handle much more than that—big air jumps and rough terrain, among other demands.
Of course, the fun part is the faster, more effortless downhill portion. Getting there usually involves a demanding pedal up steep grades on loose terrain. Adding an electric motor to a mountain bike makes a lot of sense for someone who wants to experience the thrill of downhill riding but may not have the fitness to handle the grueling uphill slog.
The e-bike segment makes bikes with larger tires—which are more difficult to pedal using leg power alone because of the increased weight and rolling resistance that comes with their beefy wheels and tires—more appealing, and also makes it possible to do more riding in a day because of reduced fatigue. Electric mountain bikes aren’t permitted on some trails, so be sure to check state and local regulations. Also, as CR’s testers found, it’s important to buy an electric mountain bike with brakes that can handle the extra weight of the battery and electric motor.
Hybrids and Cruisers
Hybrids offer a combination of road bike efficiency and the more upright riding position preferred by mountain bikers and commuters. They usually have straight handlebars. This type of bicycle can be a good all-around setup for those who seek the best of both worlds.
Cruisers offer a relaxed, comfortable upright seating position, and often a softer ride because of bigger tires and cushier seats. Look for swooping handlebars that keep a rider’s arms a relaxed distance from the body. The addition of an electric motor to either of these configurations makes it possible to use a thicker frame and wider tires to soak up bumps in the road. Volkers, the Maryland commuter, bought this type of e-bike because he can ride it on light off-road trails and paved roads with ease.