Electric bikes continue to go from strength to strength and it's easy to see why. After all, who wouldn't want free speed at the push of a button? Still not convinced? Here are a few reasons why more and more people are joining the e-bike revolution.
This could be Rotterdam or anywhere, Liverpool, or Rome. No, it's definitely Rotterdam, and the beautiful-looking bike is a Hybrid AL e Step Through.
1. They make for great starter bikes
Like most forms of exercise, cycling is all about building up stamina and fitness to attempt bigger and better challenges. It’s often as simple as this week I’ll ride 10-miles and next, I’ll aim for 15. With the eventual goal of increasing the distance and frequency of your rides and incorporating some hills into your routes.
It's often this process that most novice cyclists struggle with. After all, there's no gain without pain, right? But with the extra oomph of an e-bike, you can take the sting out of any ride by cranking up the power to the max.
2. They flatten out the hills
Okay, so this may be stating the obvious but the number one reason for people to get an e-bike is for the extra assistance that they provide when the terrain heads upwards. Many novice cyclists will do everything in their power to avoid hills. It's a perfectly natural reaction, they only become easier once you gain a sufficient level of fitness.
However, in cutting out the climbs they risk missing out on much - the promised reward of breathtakingly beautiful vistas and picture-postcard landscapes. In addition to the grin-inducing fun of a rip-roaring descent, of course!
Ribble's range of e-bikes include 3 assistance modes, so if a climb is particularly arduous you can simply select the highest assistance setting and power up it like your favourite pro rider. You won't reach the top feeling like you've burst a lung, you will, however, have the immense satisfaction of knowing that you put in the lions share of the effort.
3. They save you money
If you are totally honest with yourself, do you ever stop to consider how much it’s costing you to commute to work each day? Total Jobs recently discovered that the average person spends £146 a month commuting to work. In comparison, the cost of recharging an e-bike battery costs less than 15p, depending on your energy supplier.
Cycling to work is much more cost-effective. Sure, you have the initial outlay of the cost of the e-bike but even then, you could stand to make substantial savings. Especially if you are able to take advantage of the government-backed cycle to work scheme. Using the scheme, you could stand to make an average saving of between 25-39% on the cost of your new e-bike.
4. They are a greener way to commute
Being stuck in traffic day in, day out, or worrying about whether public transport delays will make you late are hardly conducive to your stress levels. Not to mention that it is particularly harmful to the environment. In a world where we all need to be doing our bit to reduce emissions, riding a bike to work is the perfect way of reducing our reliance on motorised transport.
But what happens if you choose to ride to work and your place of work doesn’t have adequate facilities for you to refresh after a sticky summer's day ride? Well, that's the beauty of an e-bike, you can choose how much, or little, effort you wish to expend on your ride to work. Turn down the power for a vigorous workout or crank it up to maximum to arrive at work sweat-free and ready to face the fresh challenge of the day ahead.
5. They help keep you fit
The adage of a healthy body equals a healthy mind has never been truer, the two are intrinsically linked. From the moment that you start turning the pedals oxygen pumps into the bloodstream and upon reaching the brain releases endorphins – the happiness hormone.
Which is great news for the heart, lungs, and blood pressure, especially considering that countless scientific studies have proven the link between cycling and reduced stress levels.
6. They are great for family time
Cycling is a great option for families who wish to experience the pleasure of the great outdoors together. But, what if a child is too young to ride? You have two options; either mount a child seat to the bike or employ the services of a child trailer.
The latter is particularly popular on the continent where cycling forms a huge part of people’s daily routine. Whichever method you choose, you will have the additional weight of the child to contend with. The extra horsepower of the electric bike negates the weight of the child and lets you pull a trailer with ease. Even ex-pro riders of the calibre of Helen Wyman use an e-bike and child trailer, which you can read about in her blog.
Helen's bike of choice for transporting son Sascha around Munich is the versatile, all-terrain capable CGR AL e.
7. They are impervious to the wind
Headwind what headwind? We cyclists are simple souls who still naively believe that if we ride into a headwind in one direction, the return is guaranteed to be a tailwind, right? Yet it never actually seems to work out that way. By increasing the amount of power that the motor kicks out you never have to worry about headwinds or the buffeting effects of crosswinds ever again. Every ride will feel like you have a tailwind.
8. They open up more of the world
Ribble's range of Hybrid, Gravel and CGR electric bikes all feature mounts for various types of luggage racks. In combination with wider tyres, they double up as highly capable all-terrain touring bikes. The extra boost of power helps cope with the extra weight of the luggage too!
9. They are incredibly fun to ride
If you've never ridden an electric bike, we strongly urge you to try one out. Test rides of our e-bikes are available from our flagship showroom in Clitheroe, Lancashire. In appearance, they look little different to an ordinary bike, until you press the magic button that is. Then turn the pedals and try to keep that child-like grin from spreading from ear to ear. Go on, we dare you!
10. They encourage you to ride more
The Transport Research laboratory recently published a report that stated that regular bikes make it out of the shed approximately 25 times a year. In comparison, 30% of e-bike owners ride their bikes daily and 81% use them at least once a week. On average, e-bike riders are twice as likely to ride their bikes as regular bike owners.
With the off-road capabilities and luggage capacity of the Gravel AL e, you could explore the farthest-flung reaches of the world on two wheels.
Click here to view the entire range of Ribble e-bikes.
Commuting to work by bike? Avoid the most common mistakes with our top tips.
Unsure of what size bike you may need? Check out our sizing blog for all you need to know to find your perfect size.
What is a Hybrid bike? Click here for the full lowdown on these highly versatile machines.