What are the advantages of an electric bike? Is it worth getting an electric bike? Why should I get an electric bike? We get asked these questions almost every day, and with good reason.
E-bikes are one of the fastest-growing solutions to our daily transport challenges, and so many people (like you) are interested in ‘going green’ and reducing their carbon footprint, but aren’t sure if there are enough benefits to justify buying one.
We’re here to tell you: there are plenty, and below we’ve compiled our top 12 benefits of owning and riding an electric bike.
What are the advantages of an electric bike?
1) They’re good for the environment
Let’s start with the most obvious benefit of all – e-bikes are a clean and efficient way to travel, helping to save the environment we live in. With traditional fuel-powered car use still on the rise globally, making a conscious decision to switch to electric biking where possible is a smart choice for now and the future.
E-bikes don’t use fossil fuels (if you pay for your electricity from green and renewable sources), and don’t release carbon dioxide, particulates and other nasties into the air. Perhaps equally importantly, they don’t cost the environment nearly as much to manufacture either.
2) They keep you active
Another great reason to use an electric bike is that they can keep you fit and healthy – just like riding a normal bike, even though e-bikes sometimes have an undeserved reputation as making cycling no better for us than sitting in a car or on a bus or train thanks to the motor. Not true.
In fact, the presence of the motor (which helps to propel you in addition to your pedalling effort) can help you to enjoy the physical activity more often, providing benefits like improved muscle tone, fitness, cardiovascular health and more. Plus, if you want to ride with a bit more effort, you can almost always change the power setting, so when you pedal it provides less assistance. Good, hey?
Read our blog here for more top tips on electric bike health benefits.
3) They make hills easy
One of the bugbears of cycling (even to some hardened enthusiasts) is the need to ride up hills. If you’re someone who just wants to enjoy their cycling without worrying about hills, then an e-bike is the answer.
With the assistance of the motor, the effort you put in can be doubled or even tripled, giving you the helping hand you need to get over hills without struggling. In most cases, you might not even notice the hills at all.
4) You can ride faster
Thanks to the assistance the motor can provide, an e-bike can help you ride faster than a non-electric bike. Although e-bikes are limited to 25km/h with the assistance of the motor, it’s actually the repeated accelerations under that speed that often costs the most effort.
With accelerations (often from a standstill at traffic lights) made easier and much faster, you spend much less time riding at slower speeds. And, if you want to ride over 25km/h (for example, on a downhill or smooth open stretch of road) with your saved energy, then you can – the motor will just temporarily cut out until you drop below 25km/h again.
5) They make your commute faster… and better
E-bikes are great tools for an eco-friendly, healthy commute. In many circumstances, they can even make that commute more efficient than it would be otherwise.
Take someone who commutes by car: think of all the times they’re sat in traffic, plus the cost of the mileage and the stresses of parking. And now someone who uses public transport: getting to the station, waiting for the train, sharing your journey in a cramped space, delays… an e-bike can help you to avoid all these downsides.
6) They help you ride further
Ever wanted to explore on your bike? Discovering your local environment is one of the great pleasures of cycling, but getting to where you want to go can be a challenge. An e-bike makes it easy.
With batteries that can provide ranges of 40-50km or more, suddenly staying local means travelling further, and you don’t need an engine to get there and back.
7) You don’t need a licence to ride one
E-bikes don’t require you to have a driver’s licence, nor do they need to be registered, taxed or insured. This makes them just as easy to own as a non-electric bike, with saved costs too.
You do need to be at least 14 years old to ride one, but this is the only additional restriction placed on e-bikes that meet the regulations for so-called ‘electrically assisted pedal cycles’ (EAPCs).
8) They’re great fun
Of course, it’s not all about the practical benefits – there’s great fun to be had from riding an e-bike too. 
In the city, hybrid e-bikes can make town riding more enjoyable, while specialist electric mountain bikes and electric road bikes can offer up new horizons if you fancy dipping your toes into those disciplines too.
9) They boost your mental health
We all know, especially in recent challenging times, how important our mental health and psychological well-being is.
Riding an e-bike is a great way to get a regular dose of endorphins – from the exercise, the fresh air, the time spent in the sun, and so on. At the same time, cycling is an amazing way to feel ‘free’ and in control of your journey.
10) They’re easy to own and maintain
While e-bikes come with a motor and battery, this doesn’t make them complicated. In fact, owning and maintaining an e-bike is just like a normal bike, with many bike shops able to service e-bikes just as easily.
Take our own Pure Flux One – this bike even features an innovative Gates Carbon Drive, removing many of the common issues related to gearing and worn chains, while the battery is easy to fit and remove for charging. And, because all e-bikes are waterproof, you don’t need to worry about the electronics in the rain.
11) They’re cheap to run
If a second car is burning a hole in your pocket, then an e-bike could well be the answer. Of course, they’re cheaper to buy from new, but with the saved costs associated with mandatory insurance and tax are clear.
Plus, service costs are very likely to be cheaper too, especially if your car is a few years old or beyond any initial rental benefits, and the cost of each mile could be almost 97% cheaper. No, really – you can find out more about the real costs of e-bikes here.
12) They’re trending
One of the great things about e-bikes is that they’ve arrived – more than that, they’re gaining popularity fast.
With the world turning away from pollution, everyone is looking for clean, efficient, low impact means for their day-to-day travel. E-bikes are a perfect way to achieve this, while saving money along the way, as well as making a statement about where you stand on the world’s ecological crises.
Are electric bikes worth it?
Call us biased, but YES. Electric bikes are definitely worth buying, owning and using because they help us to stay healthy, make life easier and more practical, while offering a new and exciting way to get around without impacting our planet or our bank balance nearly as much.Shop e-bikes now
Check out our e-bike buyer’s guide