Electric Bikes Can Help Your Wallet and the Environment
If you are
looking to improve your personal transport situation then it's a no-brainer to
think about using an electric bike. In these stressed economic times there can
be few choices which can give you such a bang for your buck and help the
environment at the same time. However, helping to save the world like Clark
Kent is one thing, but there are a few common questions many people have about
e-bikes. I will try to address them here.
I guess most
people think of electric bikes as being nowhere near as fast as a motor bike
and much more expensive than a regular bike. That is true to some extent.
Still, it depends on how far your regular journey is likely to be, and how
quickly you need to get there. An electric bike can get you from a to b nearly as
quickly as most motor bikes or electric scooters in an urban setting - and what's that I
hear? Nearly free to run? Yes pretty much, apart from a lot of plug-in time.
It's definitely the transportation of the future. Over 100 million Chinese
people can't be wrong! The trouble is...the initial expense.
Or is it? Have
you thought about making an electric bike yourself? Some pre-built electric bikes have given the whole concept a bad name, it's true. Expensive to buy,
poor range, low power, sometimes odd looking. You may find a good one, but
having a bit more control over your pride and joy could lead to... pride and
joy.
So what do you
need to make one, and how much will it cost? About $300 should do it for a
first attempt, plus a decent donor bike. There are a few quality variables like
the motor and the batteries especially. You definitely get what you pay for,
and the cheaper variety can be a false economy. They will probably need
replacing much sooner. You will also need access to a few power tools to put it
all together properly, and a decent plan of what you want to end up with.
If you have time
you can pick up a lot from the many forums on e-bikes, maybe buy a book, or
take the easier option and buy a kit. That will cost you about two-thirds the
price of a pre-built electric bike, and should be quite easy to put together
for most people. For the more adventurous though, I would definitely go for
your own 'special'. (By Chris A Morris)
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