Does an electric city bike make sense?

Recently, I wrote about what we consider the optimal city bike . It's as simple, lightweight, and as affordable as possible. This is the exact opposite of any electric bike for city, tourism, or sports. However, the facts are inexorable. According to the LEVA-EU association, 3 million e-bikes were sold in Europe in 2019. That's 17% of all bicycle sales, and all indications are that this number will continue to grow rapidly. Even the most extreme cycling conservatives (which isn't us, though for obvious reasons, electric bikes are far from our favorites) have to at least consider this phenomenon. In this article, I'll attempt to identify the advantages of electric bikes in the city and consider their future.

Advantages and disadvantages of electricians

An e-bike allows you to put less effort into pedaling. This may seem blasphemous to sweaty Lycra enthusiasts, but for a broad audience, it's a huge advantage. Elderly people are often cited in this context, as they wouldn't be able to go on a hike or climb a hill without assistance. And yet, they're getting moving! This is the greatest phenomenon of electric bikes – they get people out of their homes and activate those who, for various reasons, wouldn't hop on a traditional bike. This is a whole host of people who can't, or don't want to, change after commuting. 15 kilometers at a brisk pace in a suit? No problem. This is precisely why urban electric bikes are gaining popularity. They're simply less demanding, yet offer most of the benefits of a traditional bike.

Not so rosy

The downsides? First, the price. The lower limit is around 5,000 PLN, which can be a shocking sum for the average user. Yes, I know you can buy a city electric bike for less. But it won't work, at least not if you plan on using it more than once a month and covering distances longer than 5 kilometers. Most such bikes end up as "former electric bikes" after a few years, lacking batteries and weighing a ton. However, 5,000 PLN is absolutely the lower limit and involves a lot of compromises. If you want intensive use and decent equipment, you should plan on spending 7,000-12,000 PLN. That's a lot for something you'd be happy to leave at the store or at work. And that brings us to the second problem. Weight. 20-25 kg is more or less the standard range. The longer the range, the heavier the battery. The motor also adds to the load, and the frame itself needs to be more robust to hold this thing in place. That's about 10 kg more than a typical city dweller's. Enough to make it impossible to easily shoulder the bike, making it comfortable to carry up stairs. Even standing it upright in an elevator will be a pain. Another downside of the heavier weight is the need for better brakes. Without decent hydraulic disc brakes, you might not be able to stop where you want. Electronics and additional accessories also mean problems in the event of a failure. Repairs are often impossible at a repair shop, requiring the component or entire bike to be returned to the manufacturer. And this takes time...

Ecological aspect

We have the same problem here as with electric cars. Neither the production of batteries (and electronics) nor their disposal are green processes. And the lifespan of such a battery is 3-5 years, and that's if treated well. A modern lithium-ion battery loses efficiency even if it's not used. Lithium, the main component of modern batteries, is extracted primarily from salt flats in the Americas. This process is not simple; it also consumes a lot of water, and the chemicals used to leach the lithium end up in water bodies, soil, and air in the surrounding area, damaging local ecosystems. And then there's the need for nickel, cobalt, and graphite, which aren't much easier to mine. Currently, only 5% of these batteries in Europe are recycled. Recycling is becoming increasingly efficient, but it remains significantly more expensive than extracting new lithium. Initiatives to accept batteries are slowly emerging, and manufacturers are also recognizing the problem—the largest allow batteries to be returned at the end of their life. However, before appropriate legislation is established, and above all, awareness of the issue is raised, we could face a serious problem. Currently, electric city bikes (or any other) aren't particularly eco-friendly. It's also worth remembering that even the most environmentally friendly chemical production process requires energy, and that energy doesn't come out of thin air.

Which electric bike is best for the city?

As simple as possible, as light as possible. You don't need a long range, so a large battery will be unnecessary weight. Especially since sooner or later you'll be climbing stairs. So, as with traditional city bikes, our favorite will be a single-speed. The power assist will help you cope even in cities with more varied terrain than Warsaw. We tested (and can also order one from us) a super-light Bzen city electric bike and were extremely pleasantly surprised. However, we advise against road bikes with power assist. The extra weight completely destroys the fun and maneuverability of a road bike, not to mention that if the bike is "unlocked," meaning legal, the electric motor will stop supporting you at 25 km/h. Beyond that barrier, you're left with a bike that encourages fast riding but weighs twice as much. Not great. However, typical electric city bikes with a more upright stance aren't such a bad idea. The motor will make up for the inefficient riding position, and many people will certainly appreciate the comfort.

Electric city bikes in the near future

Changes are definitely ahead. As with electric cars, we can expect increased battery capacity and efficiency, and consequently, reduced weight. E-bikes are already permitted on some mountain bike circuits, something that would have been unthinkable not long ago. I think it's worth comparing the electric bike phenomenon to gravel bikes , although it's on a completely different scale. Despite the high price, both segments are popular because they offer something new. It's not just convenience, but a completely different approach to cycling – more relaxed, focused on more fun, yet comfortable. This will also be the electric bike for the city of the future – it will require as little maintenance as possible. I also think that in a dozen or so years, no one owning such a bike will call it an e-bike. It will simply be a bicycle. Main photo by: Hans Dorsch