Bicycles have a long and illustrious history dating as far back as the 19th century when Baron Karl von Drais invented a two-wheeled device called the Draisine, often nicknamed “the hobby horse”. This machine had no pedals, instead, it was propelled by running similarly to today’s balance bikes.
Drais’ came up with this invention while he was looking for a substitute for the starved to death horses in the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history, the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815. That’s why some of the first bicycles were described as ever saddled horses that eat nothing.
Fast forward today there’s a myriad of bicycles available on the market. There are road, cruiser, mountain, BMX, touring, utility, and electric bikes, just to name a few. Although each and every type of these bicycle has come a long way, e-bikes were having quite the revolution in the last 30 years thanks to constant technological advancement.
What Is an Electric Bike and How Does It Work?
An electric bike is quite similar to regular push bikes, the difference is that e-bikes feature an electric motor powered by a battery to assist the action of pedaling forward. When looking for electric cycles for sale Australia-wide, you’ll be faced with three options:
- Pedal Assist – the motor assists your pedal power, but in order to use it, you have to pedal;
- Throttle-Only – the motor is controlled by a throttle for moped-style functionality i.e you don’t have to pedal;
- Maximum Assist – the fastest e-bike that may or may not have a throttle but it reaches a max speed of 28mph.
Many people wonder if they can use an electric bike as a normal bike and the answer is, absolutely. You can ride your e-bike in the same way you’d ride your regular bike. You can even use it without the battery and not worry about damaging the motor. If you use the battery, the more you pedal the longer it’ll last and the more calories you’ll burn. So if everything’s the same, why would you consider looking for electric cycles for sale?
Always Arrive on Time
Another thing people often want to know is if e-bikes are faster than normal bikes. And let me tell you, it doesn’t matter which type of electric cycle you have, this lean, mean two-wheeled machine is the definition of speed when it comes to bicycles. You’ll arrive from point A to point B much faster than you would with a regular bike, regardless of your fitness level. Although some e-bikes will go as fast as you pedal, the job is much easier when your pedal power is boosted by an electric motor and that leads us to the next point.
Arrive Fresh & Clean
If you want to switch your car for a bicycle, but don’t want to show up at work and meetings all sweaty and out of breath, an e-bike might be a perfect choice. Thanks to the pedal assist, you can forget about the “palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy” line and embrace the “ he looks calm and ready” part.
Torch Some Calories
Riding an e-bike may be a bit easier, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t challenging, after all, you aren’t riding a motorcycle. Depending on how much you pedal, cycling can be a great way to improve your sedentary lifestyle and turn your body into a calorie-burning machine. Studies show that riding an electric bicycle can burn 444 calories per hour while riding a regular bike can burn 552 calories per hour. Now, that’s not a big difference especially if you consider the benefit down below.
Effective yet Joint Friendly Cardio Exercise
Try saying “easy as riding a bike” to someone suffering from bad knees or arthritis, I dare you, I double dare you. Riding an e-bike is a highly effective cardio exercise that’ll get your heart going without putting a strain on your knees and joints as a regular bike would. Although generally speaking, riding a bike is one of the most joint-friendly exercises out there, riding an e-bike is the friendliest.
Beat Burnout
Let’s face it, no matter how far you are on your cycling or fitness journey, sometimes getting off the couch and going out to cycle seems like a tough challenge. However, if you have an e-bike you can take it easy at the beginning of your cycle and let the motor do its magic while you get in the mood to put the pedal to the metal.
Save Money
Even if you meet your weekly exercise goals in the gym and solely use your electric bicycle as a form of transportation, you still have two major benefits to consider. The first one is quite obvious, ditch the ever-hungry fuel machine for an e-bike and save some big bucks. If you put fuel, parking, and maintenance costs into the equation, you can save up to $50 a week.
Save the Environment
The second benefit to consider is the positive effect on the environment. Ditching your car for an e-bike is one of the easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint. According to the Accell Annual Report, someone travelling by car every day for 40 miles is responsible for 7000kg of CO2 per year while someone travelling the same mileage with an e-bike is responsible for less than 300kg of CO2. Now, that’s a big difference.
And that concludes it, if you like what you’ve read, it’s time to look for some electric bikes for sale. Don’t worry, Australia has to offer e-bikes for every type of rider, skill level and budget and the perfect electric cycle already awaits you somewhere.