I'm a new member, and so far I've been enjoying the site to learn about e-bikes. I live in Colorado and bike commute regularly. My bike is a 15-year old, very basic hybrid that is comfortable and upright. I have a short commute: 2.5 miles each way to/from work, although I often run other errands which can take me up to 10-12 miles total in a day. I live in a hilly area and have at least 400 feet of elevation gain a day when commuting (mostly on the ride home).
Currently I bike commute at least 3 days a week, often all 5. I'm looking at e-bikes because I'd like to bike more on days when I don't now. I tend to opt for the car on days when the weather is windy, rainy, or cold; when I have a lot of errands; when my asthma acts up and it's not safe for me to breathe hard; or when I'm working late and know I'll be tired at the end of the day.
Ideally I'd like an e-bike I can happily ride with the motor off most of the time, but have it there when I need it - basically an 'emergency backup' e-bike. I've been looking through the reviews here for models with lower weight, less powerful motors, and smaller batteries (since I don't need a huge range). I like the idea of commuter-friendly features like racks, fenders, integrated lights, maybe internal gearing. However I don't know much about e-bikes yet and would love your expert advice about what to look for.
Currently I bike commute at least 3 days a week, often all 5. I'm looking at e-bikes because I'd like to bike more on days when I don't now. I tend to opt for the car on days when the weather is windy, rainy, or cold; when I have a lot of errands; when my asthma acts up and it's not safe for me to breathe hard; or when I'm working late and know I'll be tired at the end of the day.
Ideally I'd like an e-bike I can happily ride with the motor off most of the time, but have it there when I need it - basically an 'emergency backup' e-bike. I've been looking through the reviews here for models with lower weight, less powerful motors, and smaller batteries (since I don't need a huge range). I like the idea of commuter-friendly features like racks, fenders, integrated lights, maybe internal gearing. However I don't know much about e-bikes yet and would love your expert advice about what to look for.
