Is an electric bike the right option for you?

 

It’s likely you have seen more electric bikes on road and cycle paths in recent years. This may have left you questioning whether an electric bike is a worthwhile investment. 

The likelihood is the answer is ‘yes’. Although, of course, whether an e-bike is right for you depends on several personal factors such as your budget, how much you plan on using your bike and how you plan on using it. 

In this article, we help you get to grips with the top 10 reasons to buy an e-bike. These will help to inform your decision-making process when assessing whether an e-bike is something that would improve your lifestyle. 

Quick Summary 

What to know the top 10 reasons to buy an e-bike, but just can’t wait to read the whole article? Here is a quick summary of what we will be exploring:

E-bikes…

  1. Are super-fast
  2. Help you go further and longer 
  3. Are great for commuting 
  4. Help you keep up with your mates 
  5. Eat up hills 
  6. Are very safe 
  7. Help you explore 
  8. Are stylish 
  9. Save your hard-earned cash 
  10. Are fun to ride 

#1 E-Bikes Get You There Quicker 

Before awareness of e-bikes grew there was a period of time when e-bike owners appeared almost mystical in the speeds they could achieve. This was much to the annoyance of serious cyclists who could easily be overtaken whilst putting in maximum effort.  

Of course, the speeds e-bikes can achieve are now widely known - although this doesn’t make them any less amazing. 

Different e-bike technologies and designs mean there is a range of maximum speeds available. However, top-end e-bikes offer power assistance up to the maximum legal speed for electric bikes on UK roads (15.5mph). Although traditional push bikes can reach similar speeds when used by a physically fit and well-practised cyclist, e-bikes make it easier and faster to reach and maintain this speed.

Due to their agility, e-bikes can also be faster than other forms of transport such as cars and buses. This is especially true in urban areas where bikes can take advantage of cycle lanes and avoid traffic. 

Ultimately, whether you are an enthusiastic in-shape cyclist or a casual rider an e-bike is going to get you where you are going much quicker than other options. 

#2 E-Bikes Allow Longer Rides 

Although some expensive manually powered bicycles benefit from super-aerodynamic designs and lightweight materials, ultimately the distance you can travel on one is limited by your own physical capacity. 

This isn’t the case with an e-bike. 

The range of e-bikes varies from model to model. Typically, the more you spend the higher the capacity, with some bikes offering up to 100 miles of power assistance. This is a huge range, which makes the potential for how far you travel huge.

After all, few people would have any need to travel more than 100 miles in a day. 

#3 E-Bikes Are Perfect for Commuting 

man commuting on e-bike

There are lots of reasons to buy an e-bike, but by far one of the most popular is for commuting purposes. This is for several reasons, such as the fact that an e-bike allows commuters to: 

  1. Get to work faster than on a manually powered bike
  2. Travel greater distances to work than they could otherwise physically manage on a push bike 
  3. Avoid delays in public transport
  4. Avoid traffic 
  5. Get to work looking presentable 
  6. Save money on train and bus tickets
  7. Save money on fuel

As an added bonus, you can often get an e-bike on the cycle scheme. You can find more details on how to do this here. 

#4 E-Bikes Help You Keep Pace 

Cycling is a great way to keep fit and can also be very sociable. However, if your friends are super keen cyclists and you are more casual in your approach this can make group cycle rides difficult or even impossible to organise. 

Buying an e-bike provides you with the extra power you may need to keep up with those who like to cycle at a higher pace. They also make it easy to maintain speeds of up to 15.5mph. This means you won’t get left behind and won’t miss out on that all-important ‘halfway’ coffee. 

#5 E-Bikes Make Inclines Easier 

Although some avid cyclists may tell you they LOVE big hills, there are two things to consider:

  1. Most of us don’t
  2. They are probably lying

Arguably, the idea of slogging your way up steep, seemingly never-ending hills can make you consider not going out for a bike ride at all. Although we all love a challenge, reaching the top of the hill dripping with sweat, hardly being able to breathe and with severe cramps in our legs isn’t everyone's idea of a nice bike ride. 

Electric bikes make hills significantly easier to get up by offering you a helpful boost from their motor. This means you can summit some of the steepest inclines with relative ease. 

#6 E-Bikes Offer Unbeatable Bike Safety 

Immediate power and speed at your fingertips are often overlooked as a safety feature of electric bikes. Yet it is surprising how comforting it can be knowing that you are able to quickly get out of a potentially dangerous situation when it occurs. 

For example, UK Government statistics show that a massive 21.6% of fatal and 36.4% of serious cycling accidents occur at a T, Y or staggered junction. In this situation, an eclectic powered bike will provide you with the immediate pull-away power to navigate these junctions much more safely. 

Many electric bikes also come with other safety features as standard or as optional extras such as indicators and high-powered front and rear lights. 

#7 E-Bikes Open Up a World of Possibilities 

Not only are electric bikes a great option for those that commute, but they are also perfect for those that want to go on big adventures.

With up to 100 miles of power-assisted pedalling, a whole new world of possibilities opens up to you. This could be anything from exploring new areas without worrying about your charge running out, to taking on behemoth, multi-day bike rides, knowing that you will wake up the next morning ready to tackle the day. 

#8 E-Bikes Are Super Stylish

stylish man on e-bike

There are countless electric bikes on the market, meaning there are lots of styles to choose from. In turn, this means you are sure to find a bike which suits your individual style. 

As battery technology and bike design develops, some bikes are now super sleek and stylish. For example, the WAU X Plus uses a simple black profile with a modern design which looks just as good as a commuter bike as it does being used for weekend jaunts.

Electric bikes also benefit from a battery being integrated into the design, allowing aspects such as lights to be built into the frame without the need for bulky and unsightly additional external products to be fitted to the frame.  

Not only do electric bikes look great themselves, but they also help you get to your destination looking presentable by limiting the potential for excessive sweating from riding. 

#9 E-Bikes Save You Money 

Using an electric bike to get from A to B can be a great way to save you money when compared to other transport methods such as cars, motorbikes, buses and trains. This is because they eradicate the need to pay for: 

  • Road tax
  • Ever rising fuel costs 
  • Expensive vehicle maintenance (e-bike maintenance is significantly cheaper) 
  • Unreasonably expensive travel tickets 
  • Insurance 

#10 E-Bikes Are Great Fun 

So far in this article, we have explored many of the practical reasons to buy an e-bike. Although these are all valid, one of the best reasons to invest in an electric bike is simply because they are such great fun. 

There is no better feeling than whizzing down roads and cycle paths at speeds of up to 15.5mph, propelled by your own physical effort and assisted by a smart electric motor. 

Because riding an e-bike is such fun, it also helps motivate you to get out and do it more often. This makes it easier to stay fit and active, drastically improving your quality of life. 

Top Reasons to Buy an E-Bike: Summary 

It is clear that there are countless reasons to buy an e-bike. In this article, we have explored 10 of the most popular reasons, which are most relevant to you will depend on your own unique circumstances, wants and desires. 

If you use your bike regularly or want a little extra power or enjoy a weekend adventure, but don’t want to go back to work feeling like you couldn’t possibly take on the stairs - then an e-bike could be the perfect solution for you.

How a WAU E-Bike is Made

WAU X Plus - Travelling is Changing


Learn more about us by heading over to the WAU home page, or if you would like to learn more about the WAU E-Bike, you can do so on our WAU E-Bike product page now.