We know many people love the simplicity of riding a traditional non-motorized bicycle. We also realize that some people consider e-bikes cheating. I’m not sure who they are cheating, but the statement is tossed around a lot. However, there are several reasons why someone may choose to purchase an e-bike. In part two of the e-bike series, I’ll cover five reasons why you may decide to add one to your bike collection. If you missed part one, you can read it here.

1. Flatten those hills

Some people love the challenge of biking up hill. They love the thrill of reaching the top, thighs and legs burning. I’m not one of those people. I live and work in a hilly area. I have biked those hills and arrived sweaty, tired, and definitely not thrilled. But an e-bike made those hills feel like I was riding on flat roads. And because of that, I chose to bike to places I otherwise would have driven to in order to avoid those hills.

2. Reduce the number of driving trips

Speaking of driving, e-bikes can help cut out a lot of driving. I do own a small SUV. I love it. But I don’t drive it much since I bought my e-bike. I grocery shop by bike. I bike to work. I bike to dates. These are all places I used to drive to religiously. By driving less, I am doing something good for my body and environment. Plus, biking in a dress and heels, and not arriving sweaty is just plain awesome!

3. Save money

Though an e-bike can be an investment, over the long term it can save you a lot of money. If you drive to work, you save money on parking. If you drive to the store, you can save on parking and tickets when you forget to pay the meter. And when you drive less, you save on gas and maintenance of your car. If you don’t have a car, it can help you save on carshare or rideshare fees. Think about what you can do with all that money you are saving.

4. Increase fitness levels

One of my friends believes that I don’t get enough exercise on my e-bike as he does on his regular bike. But I bike almost every day and he bikes only one to two times a year. I have joined many gyms. I’m good about going for three weeks and then I stop. But by bike commuting, I inevitably get my exercise in almost daily.

5. Riding an e-bike is just plain FUN!

Bike riding just feels good. Studies show that people who commute by bike have higher levels of satisfaction than those who drive. It gets me pumped for the morning and allows me to de-stress in the evening. If you have never ridden an e-bike, do yourself a favor and stop by your local bike shop and test-ride one. I guarantee it’ll make you smile and you will wonder why you haven’t had one before.

Up Next

Now that you have some pretty good reasons to at least try out an e-bike. In part three, I’ll discuss where you can test-ride an e-bike and where you can legally ride them.