Are e-Bikes Worth It? (The Electric Bike Revolution Explained!)

Today, e-bikes can assist you up to 28+ mph, they can flatten hills, make carrying cargo (e.g. child seat) easier, and can make for a fun workout or a convenient commuter, but are they really worth it?

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Please comment below with any questions you might have. Thank you all for watching! I appreciate you!

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 The e-Bike revolution
1:00 The benefits of electric bicycles
5:00 The drawbacks and risks
7:40 The Aventon Level2
8:25 How ebikes address the drawbacks
10:55 So are ebikes worth it?

ADDITIONAL REVIEW NOTES:
Perhaps the most underrated mode of transport
Rewards:
Easier to bike farther, with more cargo, and up bigger hills
Can commute without a car and don’t get sweaty
Large battery can power lights, meters, and display
Can bring larger cargo such as a child seat without getting too difficult to pedal
Go further and faster on your workouts
Get into a city quickly and easily without traffic
No parking concerns
Healthier than most alternatives - reduces the barrier of biking. Further destinations can still be bikeable. With this, you are more likely to say “I’ll bike there”
Looks cool
You won’t get passed by a fat man on an ebike barely pedaling

Downsides:
Getting the bike stolen
Safety at higher speeds and with heavier bike
Storage/Weight - cannot carry it around
Range
Laws
Bike does all the work, and you get no exercise

Aventon solutions
Lockable battery
Incredible headlight
Removable battery means you can have a spare if needed
Removable battery means you can lock your bike at work and charge it under your desk during the day
Tail lights/brake lights help others to see you on the road
Walking assist mode helps you walk the bike around and up hills if it is too heavy for you
Torque sensor instead of cadence sensor allows for better exercise, while not compromising the concept of an ebike (also throttle is optional)
Currently a class 3, but you can adjust the speed limit in the app
You can legitimately get a workout with this bike if you want to

Are ebikes worth it?
This is significantly more expensive than a cheap bike, but allows you to tackle large hills, go further distances, bring heavier cargo, commute to work without sweating, or get a tough workout in with more distance covered and therefore more scenery enjoyed. If you are going to get an ebike, I personally love the Aventon Level 2.

Disclaimer: This video is purely based on my experiences, research, and opinions. You and only you are responsible for your actions. I made this channel to advise viewers and I truly hope to help you all out. I love making these videos and connecting with my viewers!
One or more of the products shown in this video may have been sent to me at no cost. This does not influence my opinions; I always cover both pros and cons.
This channel is monetized via YouTube ads as well as some affiliate links. If a purchase is made after clicking the link, I will receive a small commission at no extra charge to the buyer. Thank you all for watching!

[MikeOBrienMedia]

(We aim to test as many devices as possible to help you make decisions with confidence. To make this possible, many of these product links direct you to our partners (such as Amazon). This does not influence our evaluations and costs absolutely nothing to you! To learn more, please read the description of this video.)

[EBikes]

I fractured my spine and had 3 crush virtabre bones in my back in July 2021, I couldn't feel my legs and walking would hurt my back very much. Last March when I bought my e-bike I had major back pain and I was mainly using the throttle. I live in Victoria BC Canada so throttling is allowed, but then my doctor told me to use the pedal assist to ride and get exercise. So, I use pedal assist 3 and ride about 20 km/hr on average and I ride about a distance of about 25-30 km on daily rides (I rode 8, 400 km since last March). Now I DON'T have any back pain and have full mobility of my back and continue to ride. My e-bike still feels New and I still love it so much. Thank You for this video and Ride Safe. 😎❤

[rogereheadbyrne]

🇬🇧E bikes are so worth it I have been riding ebikes for 22 years and have owned 12 different bikes!When people who have never ridden ebikes say we are lazy or cheats I laugh as I have thousands of friends worldwide some disabled who depend on ebikes to get their independence back! I currently have road and offroad ebikes I traverse 5 miles off-road to work each day and hit the trails at the weekends im subscribed to hundreds of ebike creators and you could say I'm obsessed but I know many others too! If you own an ebike take no notice of negative comments they really don't understand and you will waste your time trying to educate them! There are some amazing bikes on the market but if you can't afford them rent or buy second hand that is the only way you can get on the ebike bandwagon! Once you get bitten by the ebike bug you'll find it is a fascinating pastime! Great Video Mike!
🤘😎🤘

[ervalkat]

Thanks for this video, Mike. Though I prefer mid drive ebikes and folding ones, for easier storage (I have a Tern D8, which folds and has smaller wheels, but similar range to your bike), I do love the integrated lights, the great brakes, the ease of carrying stuff, and mostly, the extreme fun factor! You didn't dwell on the fun factor too much, but my personal experience was like "oh, this is how I felt when I was much younger on the bike; this is just pure joy."

[adaboyz]

I ride my E-bike all the time when ever I can, love it. Longest ride 28 miles and your butt needs a break. I leave it unattended when I go shop, but it has an alarm with a heavy duty chain/ lock around the frame and smaller chain/lock through the back wheel.

[dutchboynl]

I have a Fiido D2 folding ebike. I modded it and wired in 2 extra batteries in parallel. Strong motor. I have tested it with 4 bags of quick cement on the back and it pulled away easily without peddling. TORQUE is the key with electric.

[dutchboynl]

Here in the Netherlands over 1 million e bikes sold last year. Big business, 3 big factories bringing jobs and the bike repair shops . BIG BUSINES

[marumarukira]

Problem with Ebike is thieves!!! you'll really have to make sure you have at least one anti grinder lock and add 2 or 3 more locks plus a 120db alarm. I know, and it's unfortunate that we had to go through all this just to somehow protect our Ebike. I still get anxiety even just parking for 10mins away from my ebike. Even with two Hiplock D1000. 😢😢😢

[edsassler]

I’m a bike fitter at a bike shop - I interface the human body (which has terrible quality control) with a bike. I do fittings on e-bikes as well because they can also create injury if the rider position isn’t right. In a normal fitting I have to get the rider to understand that their weight goes on the pedal - rider weight is all forward of the saddle, so it must be supported somewhere on the bike. I can stand for an hour but I can’t do a plank for that long, so getting my weight on my feet and taking it off my hands is a good solution. (If you’re thinking core strength, the fulcrum is the saddle your torso is all on one side, you would need to be attached to your saddle for that to work - good luck with that). On a normal bike weight on the pedals is also how you power the bike. I’ve told my clients that I fit e-bikes as if they were regular bikes…

What alarms me about e-bikes is how people ride them. They often require so little effort that e-bike riders tend to sit very upright. It’s less of a workout than they would have you believe, and it’s not weight bearing. A number of staff members at my bike shop have switched to e-bikes, there is a clear health disadvantage over time.

You’ve been warned - not that anyone listens to me…

[flpete]

iam 64 & in the market for a ebike, you covered all the bases. Thank you

[williamdecker]

I have had a Rad Runner 2 for 2 years now, I LOVE IT!

[MarkSmith-jspu]

I just made a 17 mile loop on the Aventon 1 today. 4000 miles total. It’s well made. I averaged 17 mph with slowdowns for pedestrians and some traffic. Believe me, you can get plenty of good exercise with a cadence sensor.

[coolguypravara]

I bought a normal bike just for 250 CAD including taxes but i had a worst experience riding it on hilly roads of Toronto.
I tried an ebike by renting from Zygg and it was just an awesome experience. Just a level 3 pedal assist was enough for me most of the times. The price difference between a normal bike and ebike is huge but it's worth is what I think if you get one in an offer or just a pedal assist one without throttle which we can get for less money. Renting an ebike instead of spending a lot of money also a good option I think, because we no need to worry about the repairs and maintenance.

[FellTheSky]

They are amazing.
Also they are great for old people. They can exercise and if they get tired, they can switch modes.

[MarkSmith-jspu]

The Walk Mode is hugely important if you have a flat tire. I needed it once.

[Nanigross]

I bought one of these and have ridden to work every day for almost a year now. I live in a hilly area, with somewhat steep grades. I've sold my car, saved thousands, got my health better. My tip: if you're gonna commute everyday, get a bike that makes your trip as easy as possible. There are gonna be days you aren't feeling it. The path of least resistance is important. Also, get a good pannier set to hold your lunch, iPad/laptop, and any other things you bring to work.

I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend switching to ebike commuting. It's changed my life, and I have saved so much money.

[karlvonbahnhof]

I've had plenty of exercise on my EU legal 250 Watts cadence sensor cheap ebike, I've just bought it 2 weeks ago, tested it on steepest hill here...oh god, it was harder than expected, my speed was 10kmh and my heart rate 170 BPM...but without help on normal bike, I'd be walking, or rather pushing it.... But for commuting it's perfect...or just exploring town and surroundings...Ebike really makes me wanna go out 😊

[logankeilitz]

Unfortunately, here in Florida, it is illegal to operate an e-bike (under motor power) on 90% of our paths. If you want to ride an e-bike legally, you are pretty much stuck to the road shoulders/bike lanes and some State/National Forests (if you have a Class 1). Usually people get away with riding the rail-trails/multi-use paths by using the pedal-assist and not throttle. If any Karen or E-Cop were to check you out, you simply just shut off the battery/motor and claim you were manually pedaling. It really does not make any sense sticking more cyclists right next to 45mph+ motor traffic when perfectly good greenways exist all over our state. The 40mph+ E-moped crowd is ruining a great thing for everyone. Many beach towns are beginning to ban e-bikes on the beaches as well smh. This has been my main reason for not purchasing an e-bike yet. I really love the Aventon Level.2 and I have decided that this will be the e-bike I go for if/when I do. It is very subtle and looks like any modern bike minus the display and huge down-tube lol. I believe most people wouldn't really give you a second look on this thing unless you were maxing out the throttle without pedaling up a hill. I even have an Aventon affiliate shop/dealer right here in town for service. E-bike laws need to change from these "blanket laws" to ones that single out the 72v, 10kw crowd.

[frankreidy]

Another great video from Mike - always clear facts and well judged opinions

[matthewkennedy]

Great video, Mike. I’d not even considered buying an e-Bike - until now…