Here’s a smart way to save money by accessorizing your car with one of the best electric bikes (including folding ones) recently rated and recommended by Consumer Reports.
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When I was in college, one of the things I hated the most about it was parking my car on campus. It was overpriced; blatant privileged tiered parking cronyism ruled the lots closest to the campus center; and, the furthermost lots were often in neighborhoods where theft and damage to your car were not uncommon.
My hate was so fierce one semester that I paid a nearby restaurant for a parking space (more than what a university parking permit would cost me) out of spite to prevent myself from spending one dollar more than I had to at that University. I was young then.
Now I am told that when it comes to parking on almost any University campus today, my years were better parking-wise in comparison. I feel so old now.
Accessorizing Your Ride
While I did try biking to school off and on to save myself from parking angst, if it wasn’t heatstroke from pedaling in Arizona that was going to kill me, it was the pretty good chance of the likelihood of getting hit by a car in traffic would do the job. After being “bumped” out of the way by an impatient motorist, I gave up on biking for many years afterward.
The point to these not-so-fond memories is that if electric bikes were a thing back then that they are today, my campus parking problems would have been solved by parking my car in a residential neighborhood and assist-pedaling the rest of the way to school. No sweating, no bumping, and no academic extortion. Which is the point of this article: Using electric bikes to accessorize your ride.
Related article: BH Core eBike Gets 136 Miles of Range, While Tesla Hasn't Official Entered The eBike Market
Consumer Reports Latest E-Bike Recommendations
What was a rare sight during the beginning of Covid is now becoming commonplace---more “cyclists” are turning to e-bikes as a mode of not just recreation but alternative transportation for either getting from point A to point B, or transport-switching by taking a car part of the distance and then continuing on the remainder of the journey with their e-bike.
“The ever-increasing popularity of e-bikes isn’t surprising. They make riding easier, and arguably more fun for many people, serving as a healthy recreational outlet and frugal means of transportation,” states a recent Consumer Reports review of the best e-bikes for consumers to consider buying.
However, there are some considerations to owning an e-bike as there are rules depending on where you live.
News reports about National Parks state that some bike trails in the Southwest are banning e-bikes due to complaints from non-electric cyclists and concerns that some off-roading use is damaging the ecosystem---not unlike motorized dirt bikes do.
Furthermore, according to CR analysts, e-bike laws vary from state-to-state with limitations including:
- Requiring an operator’s license
- Speed limits
- Requiring a helmet
- Operating on public roads, bike lanes, and trails
Can an E-Bike Pay for Itself?
Depending on your use of e-bike for either partial or complete commuting from home to work and back, theoretically an e-bike can pay for itself when you consider many downtown business areas have exorbitant parking fees, let alone available spacing.
Too, not all e-bikes carry the initial $4,000 and up price tag they did when they first hit the market.
That said, to give you an idea of what a good, CR-recommended e-bike will cost you, here is a summary of their findings on model price, weight, assist level, and battery charge capacity capabilities.
BEST ELECTRIC BIKES: CLASS 1
Raleigh Retroglide Royale 2.0 iE Step Over
Price: $2,650
Weight: 54 pounds
Assist levels: 4
Battery capacity: 13.4 AHrs, 500 WHrs
Cannondale Adventure Neo 4
Price: $2,850
Weight: 50 pounds
Assist levels: 4
Battery capacity: 11 AHrs, 400 WHrs
BEST ELECTRIC BIKES: CLASS 2
Heybike Cityrun
Price: $1,300
Weight: 64 pounds
Assist levels: 5
Battery capacity: 15 AHrs, 720 WHrs
Blix Sol Eclipse
Price: $1,600
Weight: 64 pounds
Assist levels: 5
Battery capacity: 12.8 AHrs, 614.4 WHrs
BEST ELECTRIC BIKES: FOLDING
Tern Vektron D8 Folding
Price: $4,000
Weight: 50 pounds
Portability: 4/5 rating (described as “Easy”)
Assist levels: 5
Battery capacity: 11.6 AHrs, 417 WHrs
Lectric XP 3.0 Folding
Price: $1,000
Weight: 65 pounds
Portability 2/5 rating (Described as “Bulky”: Folds into a 37-inch by 18-inch by 28-inch package)
Assist levels: 5
Battery capacity: 10.4 AHrs, 499.2 WHrs
BEST ELECTRIC BIKES: MOUNTAIN
Trek Powerfly 4
Price: $3,850
Weight: 54 pounds
Assist levels: 4
Battery capacity: 13.4 AHrs, 500 WHrs
Orbea Keram
Price: $3,000
Weight: 51 pounds
Assist levels: 4
Battery capacity: 11 AHrs, 400 WHrs
For a more detailed breakdown of each e-bike recommended, please visit the Consumer Reports website. Note that while access to some information requires a CR membership, the potential savings make it negligible in comparison when looking for the latest information to aid your car accessory buying research.
And finally…
For additional articles related to bicycles, here are two informative pieces titled “Consumer Reports Best Bikes for Car Owners Who Do Not Want a Bike Carrier” and “Consumer Reports Analysts Find That Bicycles Can Significantly Affect Your Car’s Gas Mileage.”
Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news...and the occasional e-bike.
COMING UP NEXT: Reliable and Fuel-Efficient Compact SUVs Recommended by Consumer Reports
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