Commuting to work or school by car can be a stressful ordeal when you consider traffic jams, crazy/bad drivers, parking problems, the rising costs of gas and maintenance, and the time wasted just sitting in the car.
There is a solution, it is the electric bike! Riding an electric bike to work or school is a great way to have a fun commute and avoid the stress while saving money. In some cases riding an eBike to and from work or school can be faster than driving.
Not only that, but an eBike used for both commuting and for fun weekend rides is like 2 bikes in 1, an extremely good value. Let’s take a closer look at how the eBike commute beats the car commute.
#1: Turn Stress into Fun
For most of us commuting by car has a lot of stress factors that can make for a rough start and end to the day.
Traffic jams are frustrating because they can make you late for work or school. The same thing is true when returning home, it is no fun to be sitting in traffic wasting time when you could be relaxing at home.
Crazy/bad drivers can be maddening because they are taking others' lives into their own hands just to shave a few seconds off their commute. What’s the point?
Once you get to work or school, finding a parking place can be a hassle and stressful if you are running late from a traffic jam.
When you add up all of those costs plus the expense of high gas prices, maintenance, and possibly parking it is no wonder commuting by car is stressful.
As mentioned before, there is a solution to this mess and it is the eBike!
Traffic jams are no longer a worry because there are no bike traffic jams, unless you live in Portland, OR (kind of kidding.). You can take the side streets and bike paths that are generally safer with slower speeds and offer more of a neighborhood feel.
There is also an opportunity to explore new areas along your ride with mixing up the route to keep the commute interesting. Why not check out the new coffee shop, restaurant, store, or mural along the way to or from work?
There is a chance you will still come across bad drivers along your electric bike commute but they probably won't be as frequent when riding the safer neighborhood routes.
Parking your electric bike can be a breeze with bike parking usually at the entrance to work or school. In some cases you may be able to bring your bike inside.
As we will look at in a minute, the cost of owning and operating an electric bike for commuting (and fun) is a good investment that can pay off in less than a year compared to commuting by car.
#2: eBiking can be faster and saves time
In some cities and towns commuting by electric bike can be faster than driving a car. Compared to traditional bikes, electric bikes can maintain a high average speed over hills and through headwinds because you can set the pedal assist or throttle higher and cruise along.
If you have a Class 3 electric bike that provides pedal assist speeds up to 28 mph then you can really boost your average speed across town.
Some cities and towns have dedicated bike pathways that connect parts of the town that cars may have to drive around to get to which can give the bike route the shortest distance.
Traffic jams can then add more time to the car commute while zipping along on your electric bike gives you a clear predictable route with no traffic delays.
If you do run into a roadway that is blocked for example by a train crossing, it is very easy to reroute on an electric bike. Those stuck in a car in a line of traffic may have a harder time getting out and rerouting.
And again bike parking is pretty easy with the ability to lock up your electric bike near the entrance to work, school, or business you have stopped at along the way. The car commuter may have to circle around to find parking and in some cases pay for parking.
Another time consideration is the exercise piece. Some people drive to the gym and then drive to work which can add to the overall commute time.
With an electric bike you can get a moderate bit of exercise on the way to work while still showing up presentable by using the higher assist levels. On the ride home you can set the assist lower for a more intensive workout if you want.
The electric bike commute can combine getting in the workout while getting to and from work. A good way to mutli-task with some moderate exercise while commuting.
In addition to the physical exercise there is the mental benefit of enjoying the outdoors and some activity to arrive at work invigorated and get home with some good separation from the work day. Way better than the stress of the car commute.
For some people not all electric bike commutes will be faster than car commuting but an eBike ride is a lot more fun and that definitely adds value to your day!
#3: Saving Money on fuel, insurance, maintenance, and parking
Gas prices are high these days and fill ups of around $100 can be an eye opening experience!
When you add in other expenses like regular maintenance and potential parking costs the daily car commute can really add up.
Here is an article that goes into the details of how much you can save commuting by electric bike vs. car commuting.
Summarizing that article; the purchase of an electric bike can return the cost in less than a year. That is a good return on investment.
After that time the savings really add up to potentially hundreds per month and thousands per year. If you really get into commuting and errand running by electric bike and decide to sell a vehicle then the savings are really super charged!
AAA has the Average Monthly Cost For Car Ownership At $773.50 per month or $9,282 per year. Imagine the fun trips you could take with an extra $9k per year…..
The financial component of eBike commuting is compelling enough on its own and it gets better!
#4: get 2 Electric Bikes in 1
An electric bike has a lot of utilitarian purposes that can add up to a lot of value but one of the biggest selling points is the fun it can bring to your life. An eBike will be fun to ride while you are commuting, but it is also fun to have an eBike for the evenings and the weekend riding with friends and family.
Getting out for eBike rides with friends and family is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and explore new areas. eBikes are also great equalizers for riders of different ability levels. The electric assist levels the playing field and can eliminate one rider having to wait for the other.
When you think about it an electric bike really offers 2 bikes in 1. One for utilitarian purposes, and one for fun recreational rides. Most cars or trucks are mainly used for utilitarian purposes and they generally cost a lot more!
Take the eBike ride instead
Car commuting has been the standard for many many years, it's the way a lot of society in North America has operated and it hasn’t been second guessed much until recently.
Traditional bicycle commuting had some success with helping people enjoy the commute to work but without electric assist hills and headwinds can make it more of a challenge.
The electric bike hits a sweet spot of the many advantages of bicycle commuting while eliminating concerns of hills, headwinds, and sweat. Plus you can average a higher speed for a more predictable commute time.
When you add up the benefits of less stress, possibly saving time, saving money, and the 2 in 1 value, commuting by electric bike makes so much sense.
Enjoy your eBike commute and fun rides!
-Pete
