Tips & resources
Want to ride further? With less effort? Want to get ahead of the traffic? Keep up with the group? That’s the ebike advantage.
E is for easy
Everyone could use a bit of extra oomph in their pedalling sometimes and that is exactly what an ebike provides. In fact 250 watts more power – that pretty much doubles the power your legs put out on their own.
“Once you put pressure on the pedal the Bosch eBike System immediately kicks in to provide support; flattening hills or shortening the distances that lie ahead,” explains Cameron Burke, Regional Technical Manager Bosch eBikes Australia.
The very best thing that assisted bikes offer is confidence: confidence that you can take off from the intersection quickly enough to be comfortable in traffic and confidence that you can head off on a day ride with friends or family and you’ll be able to keep up with ease.
“People who test-ride our pedelecs for the first time are always amazed,” says Burke. “It is just like riding a non-pedal assist bike but with the tail wind you’ve always wanted.
“Ebikes make cycling more accessible for people of all ages and fitness levels. There are different ebikes that can be ridden by everyone, irrespective of age, health or fitness. It’s a great way to get ‘back on the bike’ and stay active and mobile.”
Keep fresh
Studies have shown that people with ebikes ride 2–3 times more than people without an eBike. This is because it’s not a ‘race’ but a convenient way of getting around on a day-to-day basis.
“Cruising on an ebike can save commuters time and effort, so you can arrive at work feeling fresh,” says Burke. “With an ebike you can rule out the sweat factor and extra clothes involved with riding to and from work!”
In Australia, ebikes can provide pedal-assistance up to 25km/h, which allows 80–100km riding range on one battery charge. The lower levels of assistance of the power assist function use less of the battery charge. Also keep in mind that hilly terrain and under-inflated tyres make the motor work harder and battery drain faster.
With these benefits, Ebikes are perfect for people who want to take up the healthy option of riding to work.
It's not cheating
“We see more and more Australians becoming familiar with the concept of ebikes, but there are still some myths we need to bust,” says Burke. “People who ride ebikes are not lazy! Despite the power assistance, ebikers still have to turn the pedals to get moving.”
What’s great is it’s up to you to decide how much assistance you want. Burke finds that people “are pleasantly surprised with the different levels of power-assistance that is delivered from Eco all the way up to Turbo.”
“We understand that many traditional cyclists might regard a motor as cheating, but an ebike is used for a different purpose than the carbon fibre race bikes you see at the Tour de France,” Burke points out.
Craig Richards, Bicycle Network CEO, concurs. “Thirty minutes of moderate physical exercise is enough to make a real difference to your health,” Richards says, “and that’s an average sort of time for a ride to work for the average Australian.”
It’s not about replacing the ‘pushie’ it’s about providing another healthy alternative for people to enjoy cycling, arrive at work without breaking a sweat or to enjoy some beautiful mountain biking and great recreational rides.
E-bikes beating not cheating the fitness test
At the Manchester Free Trades Hall in May 1966, a disgruntled Bob Dylan fan yelled out ‘Judas’, angry at Dylan’s move from acoustic to electric guitar.
The cycling world is currently going through its own Dylan moment as electric bike use grows and many rusted on road riders claim that ‘ebikes are cheating’.
People believe that if your pedalling is assisted, then it doesn’t count. However, new research shows that it does.
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