Depending on your specific situation an electric bicycle may be an option that you may wish to consider for one of the following reasons:
Transportation to and from work. You could recharge the battery while you are at work if you will be allowed to bring the bicycle into the place where you work and plug it into an electrical outlet.
Transportation to and from a grocery store.
Possible emergency transportation to help you get out of a big city during a hard times event.
Possible emergency transportation to help you get to a relative's home or a friend's home during a hard times event.
To prevent the theft of your bicycle you should bring your bicycle inside the place where you live or where you work.
However, if you must temporarily chain your bicycle to something outdoors (such as a bike rack or a lamp post) then it would probably be a good idea to remove the battery and take it with you indoors. If you use one chain and one lock to secure the front tire to something, and if you use a second chain and a second lock to secure the rear tire to something different (if possible), then this might help protect your bicycle. Although this might discourage some thieves it will not discourage all thieves.
Discussion
This is the only article I have written where I have not actually purchased and tested the product that I am discussing in the article. The reason is because of the cost of an electric bicycle and the fact that an electric bicycle is not a reasonable option based on my current life situation. However, your situation may be different and therefore I am providing the following information to help you evaluate whether or not an electric bicycle might be a reasonable choice for you.
ReAspire 750W 48V 26" Tires $1699
Himiway 750W 48V 26" Tires $1599
EUY 750W 48V 20" Tires $1299
The above electric bicycles are just a few of the many different electric bicycles that can now be purchased on Amazon and on ebay.
If you decide to purchase an electric bicycle then I suggest that you consider the following variables:
Motor Size: A minimum of 750 watts is recommended. 1000 or more watts would be nice. Fewer that 750 watts will put more strain on the electric engine and the result will be that you will travel up hills much more slowly. 750 watts will usually allow the bike to climb a grade of 30 to 35 degrees. 750 watts is the legal limit in the USA but each state may establish a higher limit. Therefore check your state laws if you are considering more than 750 watts.
Maximum Range on a Full Charge: Most electric bicycles have a range between 20 to 40 miles. After the battery is exhausted you can still pedal the bicycle using your legs. You can't do that with an electric car or with a motorcycle.
Maximum Speed: Most electric bicycles will travel between 15 to 30 miles per hour on level ground. If the bicycle will travel faster than 20 mph without pedal assist then it will be classified as a "motor vehicle."
Number of Speeds (Gears): Most electric bicycles have 7 or 8 speeds (gears). You change gears depending on your speed and the terrain (level ground or hills). If you have any experience riding a motorcycle, or driving a vehicle with a clutch, or riding a variable speed bicycle, then you will probably do this automatically.
Power Options: The power options are usually the following:
Off: You must pedal the bicycle with your legs.
On: The electric engine will move the bicycle forward for you.
On with Pedal Assist: You can pedal the bicycle with your legs at the same time the electric engine is working. If you use pedal assist you may be able to increase your speed and the distance you travel by an additional 25% to 100% before your battery is exhausted.
Before you purchase a bike please verify that all three of the above options are included with the bike.
Time to Recharge: Most bicycles advertise that they can be recharged in 4 to 9 hours.
Cost and Availability of an Extra Battery: An extra battery will double the range of your bicycle. And both batteries could be charged at the same time if you have access to an electrical outlet and if you have two chargers.
Bike Weight: The bikes usually weigh between 50 to 70 pounds.
Load Weight: The load weight will include your body weight and the weight of any stuff you plan to carry with you. Therefore when you are considering stuff to carry with you on your bike then the weight of each item will become very important.
Folding: Some bikes can be folded to reduce their length. This may allow for the folded bike to be carried in the trunk of a car. It would also make it easier to carry the bike indoors. It also allows the bike to be stored in a smaller area inside your home such as on the floor of a closet. However, electric bikes do weigh about 60 pounds or more. (Note: About 20 years ago I purchased a folding paratrooper bike and I was very pleased with it.) I recommend a folding bike if you can find one that you like and that you can afford. However, some folding bikes are not easy to fold and unfold. The above ReAspire and EUY bikes are folding bikes. The above Himiway bike is not a folding bike.
Front and Rear Splash Guards Above the Wheels: Some bikes have these and some do not. I strongly recommend these splash guards. The above Himiway bike does not have splash guards.
Rear Luggage Rack: Some bikes have these already securely mounted above the rear wheel. I strongly recommend a good heavy-duty rear luggage rack that is already securely mounted on the rear of the bicycle.
Fat Tires: Fat tires are designed for "off-road" use and fat tires are highly recommended. At the current time wider tires are also considered to be faster and more comfortable for "on-road" use.
Tire Sizes: A 26" tire is the current standard for folding high-performance off-road mountain bikes. A 26" tire is able to achieve fast acceleration, high speeds, and optimal maneuverability. Therefore a 26" tire on the front and rear is a good choice. However, a 20" tire is a reasonable choice for a folding bike because a 20" tire will weigh less, it is more portable, it will fit into smaller places, and it can achieve fast acceleration due to its low drag. A 20" rear tire will result in a lower center of gravity for any load you put on the rear luggage rack and this will make turning safer. However, a 20" tire on the front wheel will result in a longer handlebar stem and this can contribute to handling problems.
Frame Design: The center bar that connects the front handlebar to the saddle support stem should be close to the top of the front handlebar to achieve optimal steering control. And it should connect a reasonable distance below the saddle stem so both feet can easily reach the ground when you are stopped without your groin area making contact with the bike. This will also make it easier to mount and dismount the bike because you will not have to lift one foot really high to get that foot to the other side of the bike.
Customer Reviews: Read the customer reviews very carefully.
In the USA an electric bicycle is not classified as a "motor vehicle" if it has 750 watts or less power, and if the maximum speed of the bicycle is 20 mph or less when only the motor is being used and you are not using pedal assist. If your bicycle meets these two conditions then it will not require a "driver's license." And your electric bicycle will not need to be registered with the government. And you will not have to buy and display a "license plate or license tag" on the rear of the bicycle. Therefore you could begin to enjoy your bicycle immediately without having to get any type of government permission to ride your bicycle.
However, I strongly recommend that you buy and wear a motorcycle helmet instead of a bicycle helmet when you ride your electric bicycle.
Conclusion
If you are considering an electric bicycle then I suggest that you read the following article on my website that contains information about the accessories you can add to a bicycle: Bicycles for Emergency Transportation.
A battery-operated front headlight and a battery-operated red rear tail light would be very useful. Two rear view mirrors that are mounted on each side of your handlebars would also be very desirable. These are accessories you can purchase at Walmart or online and they are relatively easy to install. Depending on the design of your bike and the way you sit when you ride, you may discover that mounting the rear view mirrors under your handlebars and extended out to the sides is the best option. The red rear tail light should be mounted on the rear of your luggage carrier. If the lights have their own separate AA or AAA batteries then they will continue to work even if your bike battery is exhausted. Rechargeable AA and AAA batteries could be recharged if you had a small portable solar panel that was designed for AA and AAA batteries. These are the same size batteries that are used in a world band portable radio. More information is in the following article on my website: world band portable radio and solar battery charger.
Depending on your situation and how you intend to use your electric bicycle you may wish to consider buying two saddlebags (panniers) for the rear of your bike. This would allow you to easily carry some useful stuff with you. If you cannot take your entire bicycle inside, then your panniers should always be removed and carried inside with you because they are one of the first things that a thief will steal.
Although you could wear a backpack while riding you will probably discover that the backpack will make you very uncomfortable after a few minutes of riding. A better option would be to securely attach your backpack to the rear luggage rack. Or securely attach the backpack to the front handlebars of your bicycle so that the bottom of the backpack is supported on the front splash guard above your front wheel. Or the backpack could be supported on a front end luggage rack that is securely mounted to your front wheel. However, too much weight on the front wheel can result in an accident.
If you plan to use your electric bicycle on a daily basis then you will also need to invest in "motorcycle waterproof and windproof clothing" that you can quickly and easily put on over your regular clothing when it rains. The pants can be secured around your waterproof boots with elastic straps. Waterproof gloves will complete your outfit.
If you purchase an electric bicycle then it would probably be a good idea to purchase a portable solar panel that could be used to recharge the battery on your bicycle if the electrical grid is down, or if you are traveling between locations and you do not have access to an electrical outlet. If you purchase a solar panel then you would not need to be concerned about the availability or the price of gasoline or electricity. A flexible light-weight marine solar panel might be a reasonable choice in this situation. If you have also purchased a spare battery then you could be charging your spare battery as you ride your bicycle during a sunny day if you can figure out how to mount the solar panel on the rear of your bicycle on top of your other gear so the solar panel is facing up towards the sun. However, the solar panel will not be able to charge your spare battery before you have exhausted your primary battery. Therefore you may wish to periodically turn off the power and pedal your bicycle on flat ground using your legs to conserve battery power. Turning off the power while you coast down a long hill is also an option.
During a really serious hard times event an electric bicycle would attract a lot of unnecessary and unwanted attention. Therefore if you plan to use an electric bicycle to evacuate your home during a hard times event then you should leave as soon as the event begins and you should not wait a day or two because the rioting will only get worse with the passage of time. An electric bicycle could help you to get out of a dangerous area very quickly. After you have left the dangerous area behind then you could continue your journey based on how long it takes you to recharge your battery, or based on how far you can pedal without causing sore leg muscles. A bicycle would also allow you to get past traffic jams, and to travel around an accident site, and it may allow you to go around a bridge that has collapsed. A good "electric mountain bike with fat tires" would also allow you to travel "off-road" if that was your best option.
Respectfully,
Grandpappy.
Grandpappy's e-mail address is: RobertWayneAtkins@hotmail.com
