A guest post by Alexa Cobb

Whether you’ve seen someone riding down the street on one or you’ve read about them in a magazine, electric bikes are becoming a popular phenomenon.

For some, an electric bike enables them to get to work without needing a shower when they get there, while for others, an electric bike means they can enjoy an adventure with their energetic partner without getting left behind.

But what else do electric bikes offer and why are they becoming a preferred method of transport?

You Can Still Get Fit on an Electric Bike

We live in an increasingly sedentary world with doctors constantly warning us about our need to move around. Cycling is a great way of doing this, while also getting from A to B in the process. And, just because a bike has a motor, it doesn’t mean you can’t get any exercise.

Electric bikes from companies like Brompton still have pedals, and even though the motor is helping them spin around, just having your feet on them will get your joints moving – and you’ll burn more calories than if you’re sat in the car. Furthermore, this fluid movement is great if you’ve got painful leg joints because the gentle workout offered doesn’t push you too hard but gets things moving.

You Can Save Money on Transport

The cost of getting around on public transport or in your own car is becoming more and more expensive, but cycling is a cost-effective mode of transport. According to the AA, the cost of running a car can be as much as £1.70 a mile, whereas a push bike costs 4.2 pence per mile and electric bikes are as low as 5 pence per mile. Furthermore, if you’re travelling around London, your bike will be exempt from those hefty congestion charges, too.

You Can Go Further, Faster

Even if you’re already an avid cyclist, an electric bike could help you travel that little bit further. You may find you can hop on your bike to do a whole host of errands where you couldn’t before with your push bike.

For example, if you’ve always wanted to be able to cycle to work but didn’t want to be hot and sweaty when you got there, you can tone down the amount of effort required on the journey. What’s more, this mode of transport will often be faster than cars or buses because you can take advantage of all the shortcuts and cycle paths that are available to you (plus you won’t get stuck in roadworks!).

The range of your bike will depend on a number of things, including headwind, hills, your weight, how much air’s in your tyres and how much of your own power you use. On flat routes with some moderate pedalling, you could get up to five times as much range than someone who’s relying on their bike to get up hills. A lot of bikes will last as long as 20 to 30 minutes on flat ground, without any input from you. However, if you need to go further you can take a spare battery with you.

You’re Doing Your Bit for the Environment

Last, but by no means least, is the fact that you’re doing your bit for the environment. Granted, you are consuming some electricity when you charge the bike but this is far less than what you’d consume charging up a ‘green’ motorbike or car. Equally, you’re not emitting any fumes from an exhaust pipe and there are sustainable suppliers you can source your electricity from. In fact, if you want to make sure you’re as green as possible, you could generate your own electricity using solar panels or a wind turbine.

These are just some of the reasons why electric bikes have transformed the way we get around. And as technology continues to develop, who knows what features they’ll come with next?