Advantages and disadvantages of e-bikes over conventional bikes?

[Jack.Eagle]

What do you think are the major advantages and disadvantages of e-bikes over conventional bikes?

Please comment on this questions and any views you have about it.

Many thanks

Jack

 

[flecc]

Advantages, help on hills, against headwinds and load carrying or pulling, the less pleasant aspects of cycling alleviated while still retaining all the pleasure.

Disadvantages, higher initial cost, complexity meaning greater potential for breakdowns, weight, battery renewal costs, lack of dealers prepared to work on e-bikes.
.

 

[Django]

I agree with everything Flecc has written and the following are implicit in his replies.

For most of us the e-bike can take you further more quickly and with less effort. Commuting is easier as there may be no need for a shower at each end and a change of clothes. Girls flock after you.

(OK so I made that last one up)

 

[joab]

Advantage:
No need to shower when I arrived at work.
Fun to ride.
Don't use my car anymore to go to work.

Disadvantage:
Need to charge every day.
Heavy bike, not easy to handle.
Slower then my racebike.

 

[Blew it]

Advantages many. disadvantages nil

Advantages.

As previously mentioned, as a result of smoking far too many cigarettes for too many years, my lung capacity is greatly reduced. Without that little motor, I would have been denied the pleasure of returning to cycling and the huge improvement in joint mobility that has resulted.

my electric bikes have opened up an entirely new world of exploring the urban and rural areas, some of which, I never new existed. One of my favourite rides is a 32 mile round trip back to my birthplace on the National Cycle Network Route 45. I have ridden this route several times during the two years of returning to cycling, each time, enjoying the experience even more.

Disadvantages.

Without a doubt, none!

Regards

Bob

 

[Footie]

Advantages:

Living in a hilly area I find the main advantage of an e-bike over a conventional bike is the help it gives on hills. Has help to improve my fitness, even though I have a heart condition. I also find myself wanting to go out on the ebike even if it's wet - something I never do with a conventional bike.

Disadvantages:

Initial cost of bike and troublesome batteries. My ebike was twice what I paid for my conventional bike. I also had to change the battery as the SLA battery at eight months old was unable to give me a sensible range in my hilly area (7.5 miles). It was changed for a Ping LiFePO4 battery (19 miles).
.

 

[rock_hopper]

As all the others plus:

Advantages:
Fairly consistent commute to work regardless of conditions (both weather and mine !)

Disadvantages:
Longer bike length - affecting storage optiions
Poor availability of local dealers therefore dependancy on remote buying, time will tell whether I get motor/battery problems that require technical intervention

 

[Conal]

Unexpected advantages

I agree with the comments made by others, although I still manage to get sweaty riding an electric bike.
An unexpected advantage has been to ability to pop into London and back in less than one hour at "no cost".
My work incudes preparing grant submissions to goverment offices and today cycled from Hackney to Palestra, just south of Blackfriars Bridge, and back in less than one hour. This ability means that I do not have to bother arranging couriers, I can hand things in at the last minute, and I get a littel more exercise. Also I get paid to cycle over the Thames and back on a nice sunny day!
This ability to travel places in very little time compared with public transport should not be overlooked. Yesterday I travelled from work to Stratford and then to Canary Wharf before returning to work after two meetings, and spent two hours less time travelling than I would have done if I had used buses and tube trains!
This is a small but unavoidable part of my work and the electric bike has taken the drudgery out of it.
I would assume such benefits can be gained in any built-up area or where car parking is issue.

 

[moon]

Advantages -no need for a car..i hate them anyway, more freedom to explore, ability to commute to work without relying on public transport, speeeeed, ability to ride up hills i would have normally walked to get up.

Disadvantages - weight, attractiveness to theives, other cyclist shouting 'you're cheating'

 

[JohnofCambridge]

I have used both a pushbike and an electric bike. Mostly electric bike now Mon-Fri but use the pushbike on Saturday for a slightly non logical reason of getting more exercise.

The pushbike takes 35mins, makes me feel bored on long stretches and i need a shower. I am more exhausted and it shows, taking me far longer to stop gasping and get stuck into work.Altogether including recovery time of 15 mins - it takes about approx 50 mins.

The electric bike takes 25 mins and i am concentrating on work 5 mins later - total 30 mins.

The electric bike also is exhilarating. I pedal so I get some alertness running. I also have this wonderful feeling of keeping up with fast cyclists and overtaking others.

Disadvantage is the fear that it might be stolen, so I am much more wary where I leave it.

It is also a bit big to take around in the car if on holiday etc.

 

[essexman]

Advantage:
No need to shower when I arrived at work.
Fun to ride.
Good load carriers
Great hill climbers

Disadvantage:
Far Too Heavy (my birdy is 11kg). If i bought a cheap roadbiek it would be ~10-11kg.
Hugely more exspensive on running costs (battery replacement and motor failure).
Generally poorly equipped compared to a lot of modern mid to high end bikes
Sometimes slow
Need to charge every other day.


Nb on the weight and component issue. Its noticebale that the lightest bikes are standard models adapted to have a motor. eg brommie nano, cytronex etc
I have a panasonic powered agattu and its great but it doesnt have a single component that i would have chosen myself. I expect the weight of a motor + battery to add 50% on the weight. I dotn know why it just seems reasonable. Then add 3-4kg for full on commuting furniture. racks/light/mudguards.

 

[musicbooks]

Advantages - Chick magnet
Disadvantages - NOT

bw
musicbooks

 

[Jack.Eagle]

agreement

It seems that most people seem to agree on the advantages of e-bikes,

to summaries the main advantages:
-takes away hills and headwinds
-ability to carry greater loads
-no need to arrive sweaty at end of journey so no need for shower change of clothes

to summaries the main disadvantages:
-initial cost is high
-weight
-great complexity so harder to repair and repairs may cost more

many thanks for all your comment and please keep them coming!

Jack

 

[ladybiker]

Having recently bought and ridden the Aguttu I agree with all the advantages quoted - in summaary all the pleasure without the pain of cycling. However I would like to take the bike to other parts of the country to explore and need to transport the bikes by car. I have recently had a tow bar fitted and have been looking at suitable bike racks but finding it difficult because of the weight and length of my Aggutu. is there anybody out there who can recommend a method/device for attaching to my tow bar, bearing in mind that I am a lady e biker and will find it difficult to lift it any distance? Many thanks in anticipation of recommendations.

Ladybiker

 

[Blew it]

Hi Ladybiker,

Welcome to the pedelecs forum.

I'm afraid your request for information on bike racks will not be noticed here. This section was setup for the purpose of a survey and is probably no longer viewed.

If you go to the "Electric bicycles" forum, at the top left hand corner you will see a blue bubble "New thread" click on that and post your request there. this will then be spotted by the many members who have experience with car racks, and would be delighted to help you out.

Pleased to hear you are enjoying your new machine, with a rack on your car you will be able to broaden your horizons even further.

Very best wishes

Bob

 

[ladybiker]

Bob,
Thank you for your reply and advice - much appreciated. This is the first time have used the forum and as you can tell I have a lot to learn!
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Ladybiker

 

[lessped]

Agree on all the above counts but mainly i want one for my flagging lung capacity i.e. asthma not to mention my advanced years (groan) but i'm sure e-bike's will just get better n better

 

[steveindenmark]

I am yet to buy my first electric bike but it will possibly be a Mosquito Street Energy ED3 which comes as standard with Schwalbe tyres, B&M lights ,Nuvinci gears and a 36v battery. Not what I would call sub standard equipment.

The only disadvantage I can see at the moment is I cannot take the battery on a plane with me and we like to have our bikes on holiday. We will probably post the batteries to our destination and post them back when we leave.

Steve

 

[clckn2000]

The only disadvantage

Well not quite. I agree with all other contributers especially those who talk about going to places previously unreachable. The biggie is limited and difficult transportation on cars when the bike is needed on holiday or some distance away from home. I can't get mine onto a car roof and the rear carriers look too frail. If anyone knows of a good ebike carrier I'd be pleased to hear from them.
Perhaps another issue is wet and mud.
After a year with my ebike, a Cyclamatic, I've changed many things such as the front forks to allow hydraulic disc brakes and a better ride. This meant having to go into the electrics to disable the brake lever switch that switches off power when brakes are applied. The enclosed cabling was a bxgxr to sort out and the grommets protecting the innard from the elements had to be remade.
It's OK now but it took a while to sort out.

 

[wombatz]

+
Disadvantages:
No endorphin high (road/tour cycling) plus no healthy tired feeling
No adrenalin (mtn biking) plus no thinking of best route over technical ground

Advantages
As in previous posts

In summary:

I reckon it is a new form and as such is abit like comparing cycling to motorbiking.

I'm no that experienced with my ebike yet but think it has some advantages similar to motorcycling and some advantages similar to cycling = Brilliant!! New hobby in itself.