Chris’ Corner: Making a Case for E-Bikes

If you’re like me, April has a way of making you feel like you've been doing everything wrong. Whose bright idea was it to have the new year start in January and not April, when the sun actually comes back? (Apparently, we have the Romans to thank for that.)

You know the worst part about Spring? Sitting in your car at a red light, windows down, arm out, watching a cyclist glide past the traffic... thinking: It’s such a beautiful day, why am I not outside like that guy?

Well, well. You’re asking the right questions. And today, I want to talk about that car-centric moment, and about e-bikes (electric bicycles). Not because they're new or flashy, or because I think you need another gadget. But because a lot of people in the sustainability space are sleeping on one of the most practical, lowest-friction ways to change how we move. And April is as good a time as any to start forming new habits.

Reframing the E-Bike

The word "bike" is doing a lot of damage, I think. It makes people think of exercise, helmets, Lycra, pedaling hard and arriving at a meeting sweaty. Or it feels like something recreational. Something you do on weekends when you're feeling virtuous.

But an e-bike is a legitimate vehicle with a specific (and underappreciated) job: it handles short trips better than your car does. And the data backs this up. The U.S. Department of Transportation consistently finds that roughly 60% of car trips are under six miles. Six miles. That's a commute, a grocery run, a coffee meeting, a school drop-off. And that’s exactly what an e-bike is designed for: assisted, comfortable riding that requires almost no athletic effort. It can cover that distance in under 30 minutes on most urban and suburban terrain without parking, without circling the block, without burning $0.20 a mile in fuel and depreciation. (FYI, if you can walk somewhere in 30 minutes, you ought to consider that a legitimate option too.)

Your car is a powerful tool. It's just oversized for a significant share of the trips we actually take. Why use a bulldozer when a mallet will do?

Think of it as Your First EV 

Here's what I know about most people reading this: you're likely EV-curious. Maybe you‘re waiting for the right moment—the right price point, the right vehicle, the right charging situation. The technology is there, but the leap still feels big. 

An e-bike is a $1,500–$3,000 entry point into the same ecosystem of ideas.

You learn what range anxiety actually feels like in practice. You build a charging habit. You feel the instant torque of electric propulsion for the first time and understand, viscerally, why people don’t go back. You start tracking your trips and notice, with some satisfaction, that the cost per mile is somewhere between negligible and zero.

And then when you’re ready to talk about electric cars, you’re coming from experience—not speculation. The e-bike is the proof of concept.

The Catch: You Need Bike-Friendly Infrastructure

I'm not going to pretend an e-bike is for everyone. If you live in a rural county with no shoulders and 60-mph roads between you and anything useful, this isn't for you, at least not today. If your city lacks protected bike infrastructure, your hesitation is completely reasonable.

Our built environment was designed, deliberately and expensively, over decades, around the private automobile. People in the sustainability space understand this better than most. Probably, you don't need me to explain “induced demand” or the 1956 Federal Aid Highway Act. But it’s still worth questioning why driving became the default—and, in many cases, the only—option.

But here's the thing worth sitting with. For a meaningful share of people in mid-density cities and suburbs, infrastructure isn't actually the binding constraint. The roads are often there. The trails are often there. The distance is often manageable. What's missing is the habit, and the decision to build one.

That gap between what we know and how we actually move may be the most honest sustainability problem I can name. We understand the case for electrification. We make it in meetings. And then we drive three miles to lunch alone in a 4,000-pound vehicle because that's what we’ve always done.

Spring is the Window

Habits change at hinge moments. Research on behavioral change consistently shows that transitions— new year, new city, new season— are when we are most open to revising our defaults. Spring is one of those moments. The activation energy to try something new is genuinely lower now than it will be in August or November.

If you've been e-bike-curious, this is the moment to actually ride one. Most local bike shops offer test rides. REI has them. Local rental apps often carry them. Thirty minutes on a decent e-bike, in decent weather, will do more persuasive work than anything I can write.

Here’s what I'd encourage you to look for: a Class 1 or Class 3 e-bike with a mid-drive motor (better weight distribution and hill performance than hub-drive), a battery with 500–750Wh range (roughly 30 to 60 miles depending on terrain and assist level), and ideally integrated lights and fenders if you're thinking beyond recreation toward everyday use. Budget brands have improved dramatically; names like Rad Power (my first e-bike), Aventon, and Lectric punch well above their price points for people who don't need a boutique build.

My Final Argument

We spend a lot of time in this industry talking about systems change, and we should. Policy matters. Infrastructure matters. Utility programs, fleet electrification, and grid modernization all matter.

However, the other thing that matters— the thing we sometimes forget because it feels too small—is what each of us does on a Tuesday morning when we have a meeting two miles away and could get there without starting an engine.

The e-bike doesn't save the planet. Nothing does that on its own. But it's a concrete, available, surprisingly enjoyable way to close part of the gap between the world we're trying to build, and the world we're living in, right now.

That feels like enough of a reason, at the very least, to take one for a spin. And hey—National Bike Month is in May!

Some Questions and Answers 

Q: What if I have an emergency? 

A: Depends on what you mean by emergency. If your battery runs out, you can still ride the bike like a traditional one. If we’re talking about a malfunction (like the e-bike is speeding up or brakes are failing), make sure you fully understand how your e-bike’s electronics work. Usually, components are easy to unplug so you can disengage the battery, then it’s just a matter of using friction to slow yourself down—grass, gravel, and your feet as a last resort.  

Here’s a great resource for those who want to prevent and respond to the most common issues. 

Q: What do I do about rain or snow?   

A: Fair question. I know we’re taught that water and electrical components don’t mix and that’s true, but manufacturers have made most e-bikes water resistant. As long as you’re not submerging the bike (specifically the battery), you’ll be okay. That said, all the same rules of the road apply. Reduce speeds, avoid sharp turns, brake earlier than you would in normal conditions. And dry your bike after riding too. As for biking in the snow... I personally wouldn’t?! But that’s just me, people in the Netherlands seem to have no issues with it, though you should definitely make sure you get the right tires for those conditions.  

Q: How do I carry groceries or kids? 

A: Sounds like you need a cargo e-bike! These are typically larger and some come with a basket and more seating room. My first e-bike was actually the RadWagon because I wanted a bike that could carry a large haul of groceries! It also has separate child seat attachments that you can get for the kiddos. 

Q: What does it cost to maintain? 

A: If you’re taking good care of your e-bike, it’ll probably be an average of $200 a year after the first year of owning it. That’s the cost of a tune up and some small parts replacements. Eventually, you will need to replace the battery, which can sometimes run you cost half the value of the e-bike.  

Q: What about charging?  

A: You’re looking at about three to seven hours to charge from “empty.” You only need access to a regular outlet and I usually keep my charger with me (it’s only a little bit clunkier than a laptop charger). I’ve found outlets at grocery stores, parks, and cafes outside and I’ve had no problem taking advantage of them.