Electric biking (ebiking)

Electric biking or ebiking (e-biking) is a year-round sport, outdoor activity, and way of life. The name comes from the words "electricity", "bike" and "moving".

Electric biking is riding a bicycle (there are electric mountain bikes, road bikes, and even folding city bikes) equipped with an electric motor that provides additional power while pedaling. Therefore, riding an ebike, especially uphill, is much easier for a rider than on a regular bike without a motor. It hasn’t only brake control on the steering wheel, but also a speed control lever. This type of transport is suitable for physically unprepared people. But, if you want to work your muscles, you can turn off the electric motor and pedal yourself. Still, an electric bike is not exactly sports equipment, because it helps the rider to go.

The e-bike allows you to move around the city without spending a lot of effort and without requiring refueling, so it’s an ideal transport to get to work or on business. It’s also used for various bike rides outside the city. But you can’t go on an autonomous trip for several days on such a device — it has an average power reserve of 40–50 km. All electric bicycles are charged from the power stations, in time it takes no more than 4 hours.

E-biking is a year-round sport, but summer or the off-season, when it's not so cold, are better for cycling in general. In addition to low temperatures and short daylight hours, roads can become snowy and icy in winter, making it difficult to ride any bicycle.

Not only the bicycle but also other types of traditionally “land” equipment is becoming electric. For example, monowheels, electric scooters, electric skateboards, electric mountain boards, electric surfboards, electric foils, etc. Fans of electric transport, including ebikes, are united in tight communities and organize amateur races and festivals. Therefore, sports races for speed on bicycles are not common. Although endurance competitions in difficult conditions exist, such as the E-Bike Desert Challenge in Morocco. Also in some enduro competitions, there is an e-bike category, but this causes controversy in the community. An example of an ebike festival is E-bike Race Show in Moscow.

Text: Natalia Kirasheva. Ivan Kuznetsov contributed to this guide

Cover photo: Kbo Bike / Unsplash