eBikes offer option to avoid rising gas prices

Driving to work might not fit the finances in the coming weeks and months, given the astronomical gas prices across the country.

Shannon Keuhn said there has been an increase in interest in eBikes over the past two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She said that interest is growing with the number at the gas pump inching up.

“I expect with this jump in gas prices we’re going to see that even more,” Keuhn said.

Keuhn is a customer support supervisor, communications team member and content creator with Biktrix, a store selling Canadian-made electric bicycles on Broadway Avenue in Saskatoon.

She has been seeing more people start to replace their everyday vehicles with commuter or cargo bikes.

They come with perks, Keuhn explained. An eBike can be more agile than a car, parking costs less, and many riders can get places faster because of shortcuts and being able to bypass traffic on routes vehicles cannot use.

“Personally I commute all summer and I find it’s just a more enjoyable way to experience Saskatoon,” Keuhn said.

What is an eBike?

An eBike, Keuhn said, is built like a regular bicycle but with an added motor and battery. It comes in various versions, with commuter, cargo and “adventure” options.

An eBike is anything but a chance to cheat exercise, according to Keuhn. It’s a comment she hears a lot.

“It’s not. I mean, it could be, but it’s not,” she said.

That’s because an eBike’s motor is meant to assist a rider’s pedalling, not be the sole power provider behind their momentum. Riders can set how much assistance they need from the motor to tailor the amount of exercise they get.

It makes the bike ideal for older riders, who can go further using the same amount of energy. It also makes for a chance to commute to work without having to worry about bringing a change of clothes.

Keuhn called it a normal bike with just a bit of extra power.

Rising gas prices got you down? I learned yesterday that there’s another way to get to work … without needing the change of clothes. Full story to come @biktrixbikes @CKOMNews @CJMENews pic.twitter.com/WnLlevX3W0

— Libby Giesbrecht (@GiesbrechtLibby) March 9, 2022

Lithium-ion batteries are the source of that energy, with various sizes, amp hours and voltage available to tailor someone’s bike to their riding needs. To charge, Keuhn said a charger that resembles a large laptop charger is used, and can be plugged into any wall outlet for the four to six hours the battery needs to charge.

How long a battery lasts — per ride and its lifetime — will depend on the rider, their types of rides, length of trip and how much assist they use.

A throttle option is where Keuhn said the “cheater” part can factor in. Riders could choose to simply use the throttle on their bike and not pedal themselves. However, Keuhn said doing so would quickly deplete the battery and wouldn’t get riders nearly as far as they would using the motor on a lower level and pedalling themselves.

Used responsibly, batteries for eBikes can last from 20 kilometres to more than 100 on a single charge. It depends on the rider, Keuhn said, and some bikes — listed as “duo” options — offer space for more than one battery to be used on a bike, giving riders even more distance with their motor.

The bicycles sold by Biktrix start at around $2,000 and can go up to $5,000 or higher, depending on the model and features on the bike. Batteries will need replacing over time, but Keuhn said many have a lifespan of 800 charging cycles — which works out to just under three years of use, if someone charges their ride every day.

Shops like Biktrix offer maintenance help for the bikes they sell, and Keuhn said the price-over-time comparison next to an everyday vehicle is significant.

A common battery sold by the shop — a 52-volt, 17.5-amp hour battery — would cost somewhere around 14 to 15 cents to charge, Keuhn estimated, to ride a distance of 50 to 75 kilometres. The same distance would burn about $5 in fuel in her Toyota Rav4.

She said a buyer from 2015 only just came into their Broadway storefront for a replacement battery.

Keuhn recommended people assess their lifestyles to see whether an eBike would be a good fit.

“Parking downtown is, we all know, an adventure,” Kuehn said, “on top of the gas prices and the parking fees. Having a bike to ride to work instead is an excellent option.”