These are currently the best affordable electric bikes we’ve tested
I know, I know. The whole “Don’t like gas prices? Ride a bike!” sounds annoying and feels impractical for most people. But if you weren’t already aware, there’s a much more practical alternative to conventional pedal bikes: fun and energy-efficient electric bikes! Now more than ever, with gas prices rising steeply and uncertain fuel prospects on the horizon, perhaps it’s time to give an electric bike a second thought.To get more news about ebike mirrors, you can visit magicyclebike.com official website.
Look, if you can pedal for your entire commute, that’s awesome. Go for it! But the simple fact is that very few car commuters have the patience or physical stamina to trade their car commute for a pedaling slog on an old-school 21-speed. But electric bikes have seen huge success convincing drivers to make the switch to two wheels.
E-bikes basically take the pain out of cycling, turning a long and arduous bike ride into a shorter, faster, and funner joyride. While most e-bikes have a pedal assist feature that gives you a helpful push while you provide a portion of the pedaling, many (at least in the US) also have hand throttles that allow them to be ridden like mopeds, no pedaling required. Pedaling is great for exercise, and it’s awesome that e-bikes provide that option. But sometimes you just need to get to work quickly, and that’s where a low-cost e-bike with a hand throttle can be a nice alternative.To get more news about electric mtb, you can visit magicyclebike.com official website.
The savings at the pump are impressive. The US national average gasoline price per gallon was US $4.32 today. Depending on your car, that might take you anywhere from 20-50 miles.
But on an electric bike? That same US $4.32 will take you over 2,000 miles. That’s because it is ridiculously cheap to charge an electric bicycle, and they are ridiculously efficient. You likely won’t even notice a difference in your electricity bill from owning an electric bike – they simply barely use any energy.
Don’t believe me? Here’s the math. Considering a US national average electricity price of $0.10 kWh and an average e-bike efficiency of around 20 Wh/mile, that works out to roughly $0.002 per mile, or 5 miles for one cent of electricity. If you’re an urban commuter and you drive a 5-mile commute, you could do it on an electric bike for the cost of just one sticky penny wedged in the bottom of your car’s cupholder.
Then consider the savings in parking fees, insurance, car payments, wear and tear on the car, etc. Many people have taken advantage of these savings by transforming from two-car families to one car and one e-bike families. Some have even given up cars altogether in favor of e-bikes, saving tens of thousands of dollars. For example, a woman in San Francisco calculated that over seven years, she saved $50,000 by switching to an electric bike.
Is a low-cost electric bike the answer?
Sure, there are plenty of very nice electric bikes out there. Prices can easily balloon into the several thousand-dollar range. I’ve tested many of these expensive e-bikes, and yes, you actually get a better bike for the price.
But if the goal is to save money, then you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars. There are also great options on the more affordable end of the spectrum. And depending where you live, they may pay for themselves in a matter of months. You’ll of course have to price this out for yourself, but with a tank of gas approaching $60-$100 right now depending on your tank size, you can see how quickly an e-bike can pay for itself.
Then consider other factors like the price of parking. In San Francisco where parking averages $350 per month, a $1,000 electric bike can pay for itself in less than three months! Even if you have an electric car, the price of parking alone can be a great reason to switch to an e-bike for many trips.
And fortunately there are plenty of good e-bikes that can be had for a solid price. I generally recommend avoiding anything under $600 or so, as the e-bikes are largely disposable at that price level. But from around $800 to $1,300 or so is a sweet spot for high bang-for-your-buck electric bikes.
I recently compiled some of the best electric bicycles that I’ve tested at every price level (from well over 100 e-bikes over the last couple years), but below I’ll share some of the best budget options that would be great for alleviating pain at the pump without requiring a huge initial outlay.