I have been riding an eBike for going on four years now, and while it is a lot of fun, I found out early on that battery powered forms of transportation have a major drawback if you are using it for anything but “fun” (and even if you are): You have to keep track of your battery.
You have to watch it all the time. Figure out where you are. Where you have to go. And keep it in the forefront of your mind.
Because if you don’t, the day you run out of juice and incur a tow fee, or worse is, as sure as God made little green apples, right around the corner.
My wife and I greatly enjoy the eBikes, we only ride them on established rail-trails, but you have to keep your eye on the battery. While the bikes can be pedaled, they weigh sixty pounds each, and if you have to pedal more than a mile if you run out of battery...it isn’t fun. The third time I rode mine, I ran out five miles from home, and when I got home, long after dark, my legs were rubbery with fatigue.
I hate having to have that constant energy level mindset on an eBike. Having to adopt it in a car is another ball of wax, and I resent fiercely the effort to push us down that road, willing or not.
“The third time I rode mine, I ran out five miles from home,”
Using mid-range assist and casual biking I get over 80 miles on a charge.
The nice thing about a gasoline car is I never have to watch the gas gauge.
Great personal story there, rlmorel. Words of wisdom: think twice about electric transportation... no matter how many wheels.