All in all, it's a shockingly affordable package for everything you need to start your 6-mile city commute. It has Trek's proprietary 250-watt hub motor, a 250-watt-hour battery, standard 9-speed Shimano shifters, fast road bike wheels, and hydraulic disc brakes, as well as a few fun extra built-ins, like integrated lights, a bell, a rear rack, fenders, and a kickstand.
(I'm currently riding the step-through.) At 40 pounds, it's pretty light! It rides a lot like the light, versatile hybrid that I rode all through college. It comes in two versions, a step-over and a step-through. Right now, the most reasonably priced one is the Trek FX+ 2. I also suggest looking for an all-in-one package-lights and a bell are non-negotiable purchases if you want to ride at night or in the rain.Īlmost every major bike manufacturer now makes an entry-level commuter electric bicycle. If this is your first bike, I strongly suggest going with an established manufacturer that has a large support network of affiliated retailers and shops, so you can test a few and not have to assemble or fix it yourself.
The prices on direct-to-consumer bikes are very appealing, but if you wouldn't send your kid down a hill on a skateboard with wobbly wheels, I wouldn't recommend doing the same yourself. You may have more options than you think.
Your bank might cover ebikes under its vehicle loan program, and some utility companies even offer cash incentives to purchase ebikes. Many bike manufacturers and retailers do offer financing through companies like Affirm or PayPal. Reasonable auto financing options are the only reason a $2,000 electric bike can feel prohibitively expensive while a $6,000 beater gas-powered car has easy monthly payments. When you're carrying kids to school or flying down a hill at 25 mph with only a helmet for protection, you want a ride you can trust. We've done our best to include lower-priced options, but we think of them as vehicles, not toys. Multiple factors, including the pandemic, have complicated the global supply chain, and exemptions to a 25 percent tariff on all ebike imports have expired. It doesn't help that prices for bikes have shot up in recent years. Whenever I talk to anyone about a possible ebike purchase, the biggest deterrent is usually the price. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day. com and our print magazine (if you'd like). Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off).
#Specialized daily 2 bicycle serial#
Updated February 2023: We substituted a new bike for the Rad Power RadWagon, added more safety tips, and added more information about the LeMond Prolog and Harley Serial 1. And once you buy an ebike, check out our favorite biking accessories, bike locks, and gear for a “bikepacking” adventure. We're always testing new ones, so if you don't see what you want, check back later (or drop me a note!). Over the past few years, my fellow Gear writers and I have tried almost every kind of electric bike, from the best heavy-duty cargo bikes to high-end mountain bikes. They get you outside, reduce traffic congestion, and shrink your carbon footprint. You don't need to be physically fit to ride one. Ebikes are now lighter, more attractive, and more powerful than ever. And it seems millions of Americans agree, whether they rented one from a bike-share or bought their own.įor years, electric bicycles were bulky, inconvenient, expensive machines with limited battery life. If you're a grown-up who can't quite think of what to do to make anything better, I have a simple suggestion: Hop on a bike. In a time of multiple global crises-like the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, and the threat of nuclear war-it's hard not to feel helpless.
0 kommentar(er)
