So you're ready to buy an e-bike!
No Traffic. Easy Parking. You're ready to join the fun! E-bikes are so game-changing for our hilly North shore. So where do you start, and what are some things you should think about? I get these questions all the time, and I'm delighted to help someone join the e-bike wave. The personal and public health benefits, joy and fun, all contribute to a better city. I love cities, and I love our city with more bikes in it!
I'm talking primarily about e-bikes for travelling around the city. City bikes as I call them. Many others will call them commuters, utility bikes, etc. I'm not talking about e-bikes for mountain biking. They are also amazing but in a totally different price category and they are not my focus here.
Here’s the short answer
You can get a good city e-bike in the $3,000 to $5,000 range. If that seems pricey, remember that car ownership costs ~$12,000/year, and new cars are selling from $40,000 and up these days. For the amount of mobility and joy you get from a good quality e-bike,they are a bargain. And so much fun!
Buy one from a local bike shop for reasons, which I’ll go into below.
Two things to consider before buying:
Parking: how will you secure your bike at home and where you travel?
Maintenance: How and who will maintain both the mechanical and electric parts?
Secure Bike Parking
There are many solutions to secure bike parking. These can include great bike facilities in your multi-unit rental or condo building. For those in single-family homes, a lockable garage or shed works well. I've seen people park a 12-foot covered utility trailer in an unused parking spot and store four to six – or more – bikes in there. Some folks mount their bike on a wall, and some e-bikes can stand up vertically inside a home so they stay safe and out of the way. (See this photo of a very nice Tern GSD standing up. Bowinn Ma, a local politician, rides one)
The main thing is that your bike parking features limited access, and theft is very unlikely, whether overnight, or when not used for days on end. The reality is that bikes are at some risk of being stolen, and the fancier/pricier your e-bike, the greater that risk will feel.
Good ‘end-of-trip facilities’ are just as important to bike use as safe bike routes, so you need to consider bike parking. Here are some best practices for end-of-trip bike facilities if you need to advocate to your property manager, landlord, or strata council.
Maintenance
How and who will maintain both the mechanical and electric parts? This is an important question that you may lose track of in the excitement of shopping. When I bought my first ebike in 2018, I made this mistake and I want to share some of my take aways. In short, beware of very inexpensive e-bikes from CostCo or when online shopping. You may be able to buy a less expensive bike upfront, but the many types of eBike motors, batteries, and e-bike electric parts can make it difficult to get parts, and so do repairs. Because it's so challenging to get the right parts, many bike shops will only service the electrical components on bikes they've sold. Brakes, gears, and other mechanical components are less of a problem, but an ebike without a working battery or motor is suddenly not so fun at all. 😭
I'm an electronics engineer, and I've been challenged at times to service my own electrics.
An inexpensive upfront price will quickly evaporate when you can’t get the right parts. For that reason, it’s worth shopping at one of our local North Vancouver bike shops. They all have e-bike offerings and they all service the bikes they sell.
Ask some friends, or ask me and I'll give you names of shops where I've had good experiences. It’s worth shopping as close to your home as possible. If you can walk your e-bike to the shop,it's much simpler than getting it to the shop using a car or bus.
Okay, let's get to the bike buying part!
This is the easy part. Here are my recommendations:
Pick a bike shop as close to home as possible - you can walk your bike over for repairs
Plan for cargo carrying capacity - once you have an e-assist, you’ll likely find yourself wanting to shop and carry things with it
Look for a sturdy carrying rack - a sturdy, built-in rack rated to carry 25kg or even 50kg will help with that.
Look for a built-in mounting for a basket up front - you may laugh, but I'm telling you, a basket on the front is VERY convenient.
Step-through frames are my favourite - they are easier to get on and off.
Fenders are a must - they should come built-in. Have you noticed it rains here?
Cargo Bikes
If you think you might want to move kids with your e-bike, like I see more and more families doing around the North Shore, you might want to consider one of the several types of cargo bike. You can try one for FREE at North Vancouver Libraries and many North Van Bike Shops sell them. A “box bike” with the box up front is especially good for larger carrying capacity. The “long tail” style is the most popular type of cargo bike around these parts.
Mid-Drive vs Hub-Motor
This is perhaps the biggest question in terms of what actual model to get. Both will be great, and do just fine.
A mid drive bike has the motor where the pedals are.
A hub motor has the motor in the centre of the wheel - in most cases the rear wheel.
In general, a mid-drive bike will have a nicer “bike-feel” - it will feel more like a pedal bike with a little assist. The HUB motors are often a bit less expensive, and generally don’t feel as “bike-like” - but if you’re not too picky, they do a nice job getting you around. Mid-drives can climb hills better, but they may wear out chains and cogs more quickly. Mid-drives tend to be a bit higher quality in general, and if you’re not sure - I lean towards mid-drive.
Some additional things to think about
Employee purchase assistance programs
One bike shop I know has a program for North Shore employers so that employees can buy a higher quality e-bike for around $100 per month, saving the employer parking needs, reducing workers arriving late due to vehicle traffic, and resulting in a healthier, happier team. . Contact Tony at Reckless Bikes Shipyards for more information on the program. An article on the employer program will appear on these pages in the coming weeks.
Consider renting an e-bike for a few months
Still not entirely sure? A Vancouver company (Zygg.ca) offers monthly subscription pricing if you want to try one out for a few months and see how it fits into your life. In no time, you’ll be zooming past traffic with the wind in your hair.
It’s ok not to buy the most expensive
Buying the most expensive, for many people is a shortcut to buying the best. However, bikes are different. The more expensive a bike you buy, the more worried you are likely to feel when you lock it up outside. So buy a good quality e-bike, but be wary of spending too much. The more you spend, the more you will worry, and that may result in you using it less. My seven-year-old e-bike has more value to me than a newer bike, because it looks a bit beat-up and I feel less stressed about locking it up on the street.
So, what are you waiting for?
Spring is in the air, and now is a great time to get riding. Sweat-free on an e-bike.
No Traffic. Easy Parking. Join the fun!
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