Seis boas razões para andar de bicicleta eléctrica

Now that the spring weather has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere, some of us can reconsider our daily commute. The leading French newspaper Le Figaro has put together six reasons to keep our cars in the garage and switch to an electric bike.

Reason #1: It keeps you fit. Electric bikes don't run on their own and all the pedaling to keep the motor running burns calories as you traverse the miles. According to Hervé Douard, a member of the French Cardiology Federation, such low-strain regular exercise is good for our health. Such activity is claimed to reduce heart problems by 30 percent. However, keep your eyes open when you're riding: bicycle accidents in Paris have raised by 20 percent in the last two years.

Reason #2: It's green. Despite the unavoidable reality that a "regular" bike is actually greener, electric bikes make it easier for more people to switch from fossil-fueled transport to electric drive; to vehicles that use very little electricity on every ride.

Reason #3: It's affordable. Don't think that a new electric bike will ruin your wallet. You can get a cheap one for €1,000 euros and a reasonably good model for €2,500. Add on the lithium package, for about €450 more, and you likely won't regret it. According to Vélocito, a specialist in electric bikes, your yearly commute on an electric bike will not cost you more than €5 per year in utility charges. Don't forget that you won't need insurance, oil changes or MOT-like checkups.

Reason #4: The Dutch buy about 100,000 electric bikes per year, in a country with a population six times smaller than France. The market is large enough to have a variety of models, from cheap to sporty. French sports apparel chain shop Decathlon is now offering a model at €999. Oh, those of you living in an apartment and/or often take the train, consider a foldable electric bike.

Reason #5: It's really convenient in city traffic. According to most European studies about city mobility, bikes are the fastest means of transportation in cities, right after motorbikes. That's why there are quite a number of courier services that rely on bikes. The French postal service ordered 5,000 units for its inner city deliveries as well.

Reason #6: There are more and more places for you to ride. Did you know that there are more than 40,000 km of bicycle-friendly routes across Europe? We dare you to ride them all. When you're done, check out the similar network in the U.S.

Fonte: Le Figaro