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Eurobike 2016: Do We Really Need All Those E-Bikes?

By Christopher Ashley

We love cycling.  It’s inexpensive, it gets you fit, and you don’t need to pay for fuel.  None of these is true of e-bikes, so at Eurobike 2016 we’ve been asking – do we really need e-bikes?

Recovering from injury

My personal experience of recovering from a fractured hip left me wishing I had a little extra help in the saddle.  I went from cycling 150 miles a week to 5 miles a week and my recovery was slow.  I missed sitting in the saddle for hours at a time, and if I had to go through that again, I’d be tempted by Tern’s range of e-bikes.  Just a little extra power until I regained my fitness – and they don’t look bad for an e-bike…

Conan O'Brien riding his e-bike in Santa Monica.
Conan O’Brien riding his e-bike in Santa Monica.

Portage

Cargo bikes are an increasingly important solution to urban congestion – if you’ve got to carry weight but don’t want to be stuck in traffic, why not use a bicycle?  Heavy loads can test even the fittest of cyclists, so you should consider Yuba’s Spicy Curry Electric Cargo Bike – you’ll welcome the watts when you need them.

Getting on?

Cyclists don’t age like motorists.  We look younger than our years because we keep the blood flowing – but when you hit 90, you may want to take it a little easier.  Despite your respectable age, turning up to the cycle club on an electric bike isn’t a good look – unless you arrive on the sexy Coboc e-bike.  The exceptionally light frame and battery means that when it runs out of juice, you can still beat the young ones to the post-ride coffee shop.

Rebel_Lynx_1

The business meeting

I don’t mind cycling to the office because there’s a shower there, but you don’t want to arrive at a client’s office sweating and panting.  E-bikes ensure an elegant, business-like arrival, so why not consider the Winora Radius?  You’ll still need to pedal, but the Yamaha motor provides enough power to avoid embarrassing stench.  It’s semi-foldable, so ideal for urban commutes and storage.

Conclusions

There are plenty of good reasons to ride an e-bike, and Eurobike 2016 has given us plenty to think about, but I don’t think I’ll be getting rid of my other bicycles just yet…