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Worker seeks firsthand advice after considering e-bike for 24-mile commute: 'That's my [other] concern'

"Definitely doable."

"Definitely doable."

Photo Credit: iStock

There's no better time to buy an e-bike.

Electric bikes, or e-bikes, are seeing a surge in popularity, and for good reason. One Redditor decided to hop on the e-bike bandwagon and asked r/ebikes for a little encouragement. 

"Planning to get a e-bike to commute [to] work," they wrote. "12 miles (one way). So, do you guys think ~24 miles on an ebike daily is a realistic and sustainable challenge?"

Riding an e-bike instead of driving a car can save you a ton of money on gas. A recent e-bike report found the average cost of charging an e-bike to be $0.22 per 100 miles, whereas a gas-powered car costs $14.69 per 100 miles. Driving a gas-powered car was "68 times more expensive to fuel than the average of all the ebikes [in] our study," according to the report.

Biking is also a great form of exercise and is easier on your body than riding a regular bike. Biking has many benefits, like strengthening muscles, improving posture, decreasing the risk of certain diseases, and even reducing feelings of anxiety and depression.

Riding an e-bike will reduce your carbon footprint, too. Cars produce "about 400 grams of CO2 per mile" on average, according to the EPA, while e-bikes emit no driving pollution, making them a far more sustainable choice. 

Looking to level up to an electric bike? Upway is an excellent place to find an affordable e-bike that fits your exact needs, whether you're leisurely commuting to work or mountain-biking through the great outdoors. Folding bikes, cargo bikes — you name it, Upway has it, and with big discounts, too.

Solar panels can save you even more money on your commute by reducing e-bike charging costs. EnergySage is a great resource for more information on switching to solar, like installation quotes and savings estimates.

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The Redditor was worried the commute wouldn't be "[doable] for you when the weather is boiling hot? That's my [other] concern."

But fellow bikers reassured them and shared the length of their e-bike commutes in the comments.

If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you?

Cost 💰

Battery range 🔋

Power and speed 💪

The way it looks 😎

Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"Plenty realistic; It's almost exactly what I've been doing for close to a year now," one user said. "My commute is a little over 13 miles one way and takes me around a half hour to do."

"Yes," another Redditor agreed. "A common average speed on an ebike is something like 17 to 20 mph. That's a little more than one hour total daily ride time. Definitely doable."

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