Last Updated on July 10, 2023 by Igor Karni
Photo credit Cannondale bikesE-bikes bring a lot of undeniable advantages to the table. Being able to serve as a reliable means of transportation without relying on gas is almost always a welcome advantage for most motorists.
Considering the ballooning prices of petrol, you cannot really be surprised by the growing number of people who are switching to e-vehicles. And that is arguably just the tip of the iceberg benefits-wise.
That said, like any other vehicle, it is not devoid of cons too. What are then the disadvantages of electric bikes? Some of the disadvantages of e-bikes include:
Compared to a standard bike, electric bikes usually cost three-fold, especially high-end models. And this is only expected to increase with time. Costs because of a battery replacement are included in this as well. Since most standard e-bike batteries can only run for 2-3 years or so, this can really take a toll on your finances in the long run.
Factoring in limited riding range and annual maintenance, you can only expect it to increase further. Of course, its downsides are not just limited to personal issues. The production of electric bikes and their batteries has also been proven to be particularly harmful to the environment.
Let us take a closer look at how each of these cons affects the general e-bike riding community. We have dedicated a section for explaining each one for your easy reference.
If we are going to talk about the primary, the relatively short battery life. And we are not just talking about how quickly the battery drains after every ride here. Rather, it also connotes how soon you will have to ultimately throw away the battery and replace it.
The reason behind this could be that its riding range has already decreased significantly. Usually, a 10-mile reduction is already a bad sign that the battery will need to be changed soon. This applies to every ride that you do with its battery fully charged.
Lead-acid batteries were the progenitors of e-bike batteries before they were replaced by their lithium-ion counterparts. And they were replaced primarily because of their short battery life. At best, you can only expect it to last for a year.
Not to mention the fact that plenty of electric bike batteries begin to deteriorate the moment you start using them frequently. By the same token, lead-acid batteries tend to be damaged if you do not use the bike for long periods of time or if you overcharge them.
This severely affects your running costs if you look at it carefully. For one, most e-bike users may not know it, but they are probably not making the most of their bike’s battery. This is especially true if you calculate the total miles you accrue in the course of a year and then compare it with the estimated battery life of your e-bike.
Nonetheless, lithium-ion batteries have become the preferred option in recent models due to their comparatively longer life and lighter weight. Considering the still-rising trajectory of electric bikes in terms of innovation, it will not be a long shot to expect future models to have longer battery life.
It is already a given that e-bikes cost way more than your average bike and often even a scooter or motorcycle. Many factors dictate this, such as the fact that its technology still has not peaked yet, and most mid-range and high-end integrate additional features for user convenience.
They are also able to provide remedies to some of the primary downsides of electric bikes by having a higher battery life and riding range.
Furthermore, this con arguably does not apply to e-bikes in the lower end (such as those costing $600-$700) because they still manage to beat the prices of some petrol bikes. A lot even manage to deliver an all-around satisfactory e-bike experience with each ride.
While this may vary in every model, electric bikes normally take a good while to charge. Most require at least 4 to 6 hours to charge completely. This might not be much of a hassle to riders who can anticipate this with every ride.
But if you suddenly run out of battery life unexpectedly, you would have no other choice but to wait for it to charge. Much worse if there is no nearby platform for you to charge your e-bike in. Would you be willing to push it around with you till you get to the nearest charging station?
Even so, there are already e-bike models that charge significantly faster than others. And it would not be a surprise if certain brands will vigorously try to address this issue in their more advanced models.
Unlike traditional bicycles, electric bikes require charging infrastructure to recharge their batteries. In some areas, the availability of charging stations may be limited, which can pose challenges for longer rides or when traveling to unfamiliar locations.
Almost anyone who has ridden an e-bike will agree that a lot of them are heavier than standard bikes. Lead-acid battery-powered bikes often have this attribute, which takes a toll on speed and the bike’s ability to conquer steeper roads and terrains. If the electric bike does not have speed-boosting capabilities, then this can be a real problem.
This is certainly another major problem that manufacturers are doing everything in their power to solve. The introduction of lightweight lithium-ion batteries was one of the first steps companies made. Lighter materials that are also more durable are slowly being incorporated into the body of most e-bikes.
Read also: Modmo Saigon, a 12 kg / 200 km range urban e-bike. And, Vanmoof S3/X3 test and review, finally an ideal city e-bike?
Not a lot of electric bike models can boast of supporting maximum riding ranges that exceed 30 miles (around 48 km). There may be more powerful models that can extend this average. But obviously, you have to expect to pay a larger sum of money for such coveted electric bikes.
If we are to consider highly undesirable scenarios of e-bikes not delivering the exact riding range that was expected from them, this problem’s effect could not be felt more.
Imagine calculating a trip that will take you 15 miles (24 km) to get to one point and then another 15 miles (24 km) to return to the place where you started. More often than not, e-bikes will not be able to complete this circuit without running out of battery life, as a lot of user anecdotes can attest.
The notion of costly maintenance and repair of electric bikes is rooted in a lot of possibilities that might occur and affect the performance of your e-bike. From its motor sensors dying out and needing replacing to LCD screens and other techy features being broken, you will certainly have to have these repaired in order to make full use of your e-bike.
The fact that it can be hard to find a mechanic for your e-bike should a certain part malfunction is another con to be mindful of. You may have to scour the net or your locality just to find a suitable mechanic or repair shop for it, especially if the model is not that well known.
However, if it is manufactured by a brand that has close connections with a network of e-bike mechanics, then you are definitely luckier in that regard.
Lastly, the overall manufacturing cycle of electric bikes is actually not good for the planet as a whole. Building electric bikes requires burning coal or fossil fuels, and this has been proven to be not at all environmentally friendly.
Even lithium-ion battery parts are not 100% recycled, so you can expect this problem to compound the more batteries are produced. That is not to say that manufacturers are not actively looking for more eco-friendly methods to create new models.
The disadvantages of electric bikes may seem numerous at first glance. However, upon closer inspection, their impact is not nearly as substantial as the advantages provided by these innovative inventions. Yes, the battery life at present may seem subpar, or the riding range may be a bit disappointing in a lot of models.
But why are there users who report being able to save a lot more on an e-bike used for 7 years, with battery and motor replacement and maintenance costs considered and calculated? Simply put, electric bikes still let users save a lot.
Additionally, regardless of the disadvantages of electric bikes, they still remain reliable vehicles for a lot of people. It can be argued that their advantages, though fewer, simply have no equal. The cost reduction capabilities of e-bikes in terms of running costs are very much their own. And this is simply because it manages to run on electricity. It is quieter too and causes less pollution as far as running one is concerned.
Add to this the consistent drive of pioneers and brands of electric bikes to overcome most of its disadvantages, it is safe to say that an e-bike-dominant world is surely in the making. The more appropriate question would probably be when this will occur exactly. Considering the robust investments flowing into the industry, it will not be a surprise if we begin seeing major improvements in the next 5 years.
Igor is a sustainable mobility and green energy advocate. His mission for Easy E-biking is to help make electric cycling simple, practical, and fun. Follow him on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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Electric bikes and regular bicycles are very similar. One hardly differs from another. Both have a frame, two wheels, handlebars, seat, pedals and other parts. This means that when thinking about buying an electric bike, you’re probably already a bicycle fan.
We’re going to compare an ebike to a regular bike rather than a motorbike, car, or public transport. In this article, we will look at the main pros and cons of electric bikes compared to regular bikes, as well as some common features between them.
An ebike is environmentally friendly – just like a normal bicycle. It does not produce harmful emissions into the atmosphere because it runs on electricity rather than liquid fuel. For the same reason, electric bikes are as quiet as regular bicycles.
Riding a bike is very healthy. When you turn the pedals, it’s not only your legs that work, but your whole body – your arms, shoulders, core etc. It’s like swimming in the sea, only you’re sailing through air currents, not water currents.
Importantly you’re getting exercise when you ride an ebike. Rather different that riding an electric scooter, for example.
If you like to participate in sports events on a regular bicycle, you can also do it on an electric bike. Even today there are many competitions on electric bikes, even popular regular bike events such as Giro d’Italia have an electric bike alternative such as Giro-E.
News flash – you need to pedal on an electric bike. Yes. If you thought that electric bikes move on their own, then you’re wrong. The motor works when you pedal. These bikes are called “pedal assisted electric bikes“.
Having said that, there are ebikes you don;t need to pedal, but they are fairly rare. But to add to that, you cannot ride them on the streets without a license because they are basically mopeds, or motorcycles.
An electric bike is easy to ride – the motor helps you pedal
An electric bike is easy to ride – the motor helps you pedal. You put less effort into it, you sweat less, riding is even more comfortable and pleasant. This is especially important for commuting if you do not have a shower at work.
Electric bikes are also great for the physically less strong or able. You can read many reviews on the Internet around people having “a second bicycle life” with their ebikes.
You can reach speeds up to 15.5 miles per hour (25 km per hour) in motor assistance mode. This is quite enough for riding city streets, and everywhere else. It’s a lot faster than the average speed of a car in traffic during rush hour (7 miles per hour).
When riding an ebike, the motor will help you pedal until you reach a speed of 15.5 miles per hour. This is the maximum speed allowed by law, otherwise, the bike will ride too fast (more like a moped or a motorbike). You can go as fast as you like after that, but under your own power. Motor manufacturers, therefore, limit the speed for you. (But you can keep pedalling and ride faster — you just have to put in more effort.)
There are e-bikes that go faster — up to 30 miles per hour, or more. Once again, we are talking about the motor assistance mode. These bikes are called “speed pedelecs”. The motor in these bikes assists the rider in the same limited way, and in the UK these need to be registered with the DVLA to be road legal.
The power of electric bicycle motors is limited — in England, by law, up to 250W.
Depending on the battery, and charger, it can take around 2.5-8 hours to fully recharge from flat. However you don’t need to run the battery down before charging, there is no “battery memory”. Charge it any time you need to!
If the battery of an ebike runs out on the road, you can still ride it just like riding a normal bike. A heavy normal bike. You just need to continue pedalling. It will not just stop, like a car that’s run out of petrol.
If you have ever ridden a regular bicycle, you know that 20-30 miles is a pretty long ride. You can ride further on an electric bike with the same amount of effort. On average this is between 40 and 75 miles on one battery charge, depending on its capacity and the terrain, the way you ride, etc. Bosch have a great ride simulator that is amazingly accurate: Click here to try it out in a new tab
One of the main benefits of an e-bike is that it is much easier to ride on uneven terrain and when climbing hills or mountains. Riding up hills or mountains can be very difficult if you’re not a very active person.
An electric bike also makes it it easier to tackle those nasty headwinds. What headwinds??
The range of electric bikes available matches, or even surpasses, the range of non-electric bikes. All categories are catered for, from sport road cycling to delivery bikes, from taking the kids to school to advanced technical descents at high speed. In addition, almost all regular bicycle manufacturers now produce electric bikes too. If you love a particular brand for example, Cube, you are likely to find an electric bike from that manufacturer.
Almost all regular bicycle manufacturers now produce electric bikes too
So, these days you will find all types of bicycles on the market from both regular and specialist ebike producers (like Moustache, Ries & Müller, etc). There are city bikes, road bikes, mountain bikes, folding bikes, cargo, and family bikes, and many others. For example, if you already have a city bike, you will find there’s an electric equivalent as well. The same is true for mountain bikes and so on.
Electric bikes are usually heavier than a normal bike. They can weigh up to 25 kg or more, while a regular bike weighs around 10 kg. It is not difficult to work out that the heavier parts of an electric bike are the motor and battery.
Electric bikes can be harder to transport because of their weight, particularly if you don’t live on the ground floor. To store them, you might need a little more space. And to transport around you may need to put them inside the car, or on a towbar-mounted rack, rather than on the roof.
Electric bikes are more expensive then a non-elecrtic bike. As a comparison, you can buy a good regular bicycle from a well-known manufacturer for around £1,000, and you need at least £1000-£1,500 to buy a basic electric bike. For that price it’s likely to have a hub motor, but those ebikes usually work very well. On average, good electric bikes cost up to £3,000, but often £4,000 or even more. So you consider it as more of an investment than a ad-hoc purchase!
Electric bikes are very sought after and desirable so there’s a greater risk that it could be stolen if left on the street, so it’s always advisable to store it inside or securely outside.
If you don’t need your ebike any more, or want to buy a new one, it’s likely to retain its value very well. In this way it is similar to selling Apple products. They hold their value well and slowly drop in price over time.
If you buy a new model rather than a used one, electric bicycles will hardly need any maintenance. The most important things are to keep it clean, lubricate the drive system and regularly check chain and wheels.
Maintaining and repairing an electric bike shouldn’t be more expensive
But if you do need to repair your bike, it is usually as easy as an ordinary bicycle, this is something we help with too. Maintaining and repairing an electric bike shouldn’t be more expensive, though finding a repair specialist might be difficult. Motor manufacturers such as Bosch and Shimano have a network of qualified dealers who are able to work on any bike equipped with their systems.
You don’t need a license to ride a bike and you don’t have to pay any tax. You will need to comply with motor law though as you would riding a regular bicycle. The benefits compared to those of a motorbike or car is that you can pop to the shops in the same way, but you avoid road taxes, MOTs, insurance etc – big payments to pay every year.
Of course if you opt for more powerful or faster bikes, you will need a license and other documents.
If you buy a more powerful bike here and intend to travel on it or want to take it with you on a bus, train, or plane, it’s important to stay up to date with the rules that apply in other countries. The laws on riding an ebikes are still being written.
It is not possible to install a more powerful motor on an ebike (it’s illegal). However, other than the motor and battery it’s really a normal bike so you can find countless accessories and parts to make the bike your own.
Riding an electric bike is a fashionable and trendy thing right now. As the eco-movement continues to gain traction, ebikes are seen as a viable eco-friendly alternative right now and we see that trend growing day by day.
By buying any bike, you become a member of one large family of cyclists. There are many cycling clubs in England and around the world where you can find other fans of this mode of transport to ride together. Not to mention the whole world if you look at apps like Strava. Electric bike clubs are very similar in this way.
Electric bikes and regular bikes have many common features and almost the same number of e bikes pros and cons. Riding any bicycle is not a comparison between motors or the power of your legs, but a choice of healthier and more environmentally friendly type of transport.
Therefore, the main advantage of an electric bike over the regular one is, of course, the electric motor, which helps you pedal and makes it easier to ride. You can travel longer distances — from 40 to 75 miles per charge.
The main disadvantage is the high price and heavy weight.
We hope that this article will help you make the right choice in our e-bike shop.
Pros of ebikesJohn Clark/Velosped.co.uk