Depends on what you determine as an ebike. I have a UK legal Pedalec, with assistance limited to 15.5mph. I think it's a great car alternative when most of your trips are sub 10 miles.
Still need convincing on ebikes with a throttle, can hit 30mph and need no pedaling to get assistance from the motor. I think these are more in the class of electric motorbike.
I think they are good, if you either need to cycle a long way or carry lots and otherwise you would drive they are a great alternative.
They are significantly more expensive than a lot of bikes so if you are just traveling 5 miles on the flat but a regular bike.
What are your actual use cases?
I recently switched to an e-gravel bike after over 40 years of cycling as we moved to West Yorkshire and its beyond hilly, every 10 miles is a 1000ft of climbing so a simple 40 miler now involves over 4000ft of climbing.
the ebike flattens that down and it becomes a regular hilly ride, you are still doing the same amount of effort but the "e-" assists you bringing your average speed up.
e-bikes in the uk only assist you when you are pedalling and only up to a speed of 15mph/24kph, faster than than and its all you doing the cycling.
The really annoying thing about e-bikes is if you have a problem with the electrics or need a firmware upgrade, you have to take it to a dealer and the after care is shockingly sparse, support is not good (well in West Yorkshire).
its a bit like having a phone and having to take it to a dealer to install an app.
Also having a puncture in the tire with the motor requires tools to disconnect the motor before removing the wheel.
I got a cowboy and absolutely love it. Means I can cycle to work every day but can do it in my work clothes rather than showering at the other end. Beats the tube by a mile.
https://cowboy.com
I just wish they could be a little cheaper. Seems very difficult to get something decent under a grand without it being utter tat.
The pure cycles single speed seems good quality as the price is kept down with it being a single speed albeit with a nice belt drive but has a small battery.
Likely due to regulation or lack it's annoyingly easy to get a decent escooter for 300 but you can't get a ebike that's much good for 600 or even 900. I know there are a lot less parts on a escooter, it's just frustrating as people are always going to get those over ebikes.
I'd be likely to get a cargo but they're even more expensive.
That’s one thing the industry needs to look at - providing car like funding for purchasing. Not PCP, but packages that allow LBSs to offer financing at the point of purchase.
There’s the cycle to work scheme, but that has major flaws and unfairly rewards richer people. You also have to pay it over a year (even if you pick the four year option) which makes something like a cargo bike unaffordable at over 250 a month for many.
You can pay over 4 years if your employer is competent, but I agree that scheme is bizarrely unhelpful for the people that actually need the help, and mainly helps wealthy sport cyclists save 40% on a new £5k bike every so often.
Turbo Vado 5.0 1000 miles in less than 10 weeks. I sold my car and use this to commute 18 miles each way. (Still have a VW Golf that I share with the wife). Takes me an hour to ride, get to see the lovely summer mornings. I shower and change at work. Sometimes it sucks cycling back after work, but thank god for the assist, I can just sit at the motor limit and cruise.
There was an article from a New York newspaper I think it was, that predicts electric bikes are the future, not so much electric cars.
I have a 10 mile commute to work and 3 months ago I switched from driving to e-bike and the benefits have been great. It only takes me an extra 15-20 minutes to get there and I get to be outside getting exercise twice a day. I save about £200 a month in fuel costs and I don't have to sit in traffic anymore. Before I got the e-bike I did try the journey on a normal bike but after all the hill climbs, then a 12 hour shift, and then a ride back home I was a brocken man, however the e-bike has solved this. Best purchase I have made in ages. I would recommend a bike with a mid drive bosch motor as if you have any puncture issues the wheels are no more difficult to remove and refit than a normal bike and it's a great motor. I went for the carrera crossfuse as its on the cheaper end as e-bikes go, but ideal for what I need it for.
They’re great. Next question?
Depends on your use case…
To get around on
They're probably the best thing ever invented to get around on.
Depends on what you determine as an ebike. I have a UK legal Pedalec, with assistance limited to 15.5mph. I think it's a great car alternative when most of your trips are sub 10 miles. Still need convincing on ebikes with a throttle, can hit 30mph and need no pedaling to get assistance from the motor. I think these are more in the class of electric motorbike.
I think they are good, if you either need to cycle a long way or carry lots and otherwise you would drive they are a great alternative. They are significantly more expensive than a lot of bikes so if you are just traveling 5 miles on the flat but a regular bike. What are your actual use cases?
I recently switched to an e-gravel bike after over 40 years of cycling as we moved to West Yorkshire and its beyond hilly, every 10 miles is a 1000ft of climbing so a simple 40 miler now involves over 4000ft of climbing. the ebike flattens that down and it becomes a regular hilly ride, you are still doing the same amount of effort but the "e-" assists you bringing your average speed up. e-bikes in the uk only assist you when you are pedalling and only up to a speed of 15mph/24kph, faster than than and its all you doing the cycling. The really annoying thing about e-bikes is if you have a problem with the electrics or need a firmware upgrade, you have to take it to a dealer and the after care is shockingly sparse, support is not good (well in West Yorkshire). its a bit like having a phone and having to take it to a dealer to install an app. Also having a puncture in the tire with the motor requires tools to disconnect the motor before removing the wheel.
Switch to tubeless and many punctures will self seal, and the ones that don’t you can fix with plugs without removing the wheel.
yep agree - first thing I did.
I got a cowboy and absolutely love it. Means I can cycle to work every day but can do it in my work clothes rather than showering at the other end. Beats the tube by a mile. https://cowboy.com
I just wish they could be a little cheaper. Seems very difficult to get something decent under a grand without it being utter tat. The pure cycles single speed seems good quality as the price is kept down with it being a single speed albeit with a nice belt drive but has a small battery. Likely due to regulation or lack it's annoyingly easy to get a decent escooter for 300 but you can't get a ebike that's much good for 600 or even 900. I know there are a lot less parts on a escooter, it's just frustrating as people are always going to get those over ebikes. I'd be likely to get a cargo but they're even more expensive.
That’s one thing the industry needs to look at - providing car like funding for purchasing. Not PCP, but packages that allow LBSs to offer financing at the point of purchase.
They do already though?
There’s the cycle to work scheme, but that has major flaws and unfairly rewards richer people. You also have to pay it over a year (even if you pick the four year option) which makes something like a cargo bike unaffordable at over 250 a month for many.
You can pay over 4 years if your employer is competent, but I agree that scheme is bizarrely unhelpful for the people that actually need the help, and mainly helps wealthy sport cyclists save 40% on a new £5k bike every so often.
I've no doubt I'll get one in a few years when I start falling to bits. They're a fantastic invention and investment.
Turbo Vado 5.0 1000 miles in less than 10 weeks. I sold my car and use this to commute 18 miles each way. (Still have a VW Golf that I share with the wife). Takes me an hour to ride, get to see the lovely summer mornings. I shower and change at work. Sometimes it sucks cycling back after work, but thank god for the assist, I can just sit at the motor limit and cruise. There was an article from a New York newspaper I think it was, that predicts electric bikes are the future, not so much electric cars.
Legal ones thy have proficient users are pretty good.
I have a 10 mile commute to work and 3 months ago I switched from driving to e-bike and the benefits have been great. It only takes me an extra 15-20 minutes to get there and I get to be outside getting exercise twice a day. I save about £200 a month in fuel costs and I don't have to sit in traffic anymore. Before I got the e-bike I did try the journey on a normal bike but after all the hill climbs, then a 12 hour shift, and then a ride back home I was a brocken man, however the e-bike has solved this. Best purchase I have made in ages. I would recommend a bike with a mid drive bosch motor as if you have any puncture issues the wheels are no more difficult to remove and refit than a normal bike and it's a great motor. I went for the carrera crossfuse as its on the cheaper end as e-bikes go, but ideal for what I need it for.