Daily Authority: 🚴 The ultimate e-bike test

🌡️ Good day, and welcome to the Daily Authority. I’m putting back a fresh cup of coffee while reflecting on my wonderfully relaxing weekend. It promises to be plenty hot today in my neck of the woods, too, so I forecast some iced coffee a little later as well.

We’re looking at something equally as energizing today. AA’s C. Scott Brown is an avid cyclist who recently joined the e-bike craze. The segment is showing massive growth in some areas of the globe and is slowly picking up speed in the US. But is the transition from a traditional bicycle to an e-bike easy, and more importantly, worth it? He answered those questions in a weekend feature.

The toughest decision

• There are plenty of options available in the market, but due to the availability of a nearby store, Scott opted for a Rad Power model.
• Initially, he wanted a bike that looked and worked like a traditional bike, but that’s not always easy to find.
• E-bikes can be a lot heavier and bulkier due to the batteries and drivetrain.
• That means ditching any preconceived notions about traditional bikes when buying an e-bike.
• Eventually, he settled on a Rad City 5 Plus, even though it was nothing like riding a regular bike.
• “I figured if I’m going to commit to an e-bike, I need to abandon my attachment to a traditional cycling experience.”

The experience

• If you buy an e-bike online, you’ll have to put it together yourself. In Scott’s case, it took around 90 minutes to complete.
• However, if you happen to live near a showroom, you should be able to purchase a fully-assembled e-bike.
• Riding it is far simpler.
• There are two types of propulsion on an e-bike. There’s power-on-demand, which mimics a traditional throttle you’d find on a scooter, and PAS, or the pedal assist system.
• The latter uses battery power to make pedaling easier, and Scott felt this was perfect for city riding, even switching it off when going downhill.
• Higher settings are great for climbing hills without breaking too much of a sweat.
• Due to the e-bike’s heavier frame, getting it off the line quickly by simply pedaling would be a challenge. That’s where the throttle comes in.
• “From a dead stop, a pull of the throttle zooms me through an intersection without any grumbling motorists.”
• This may be disorientating for long-time cyclists, but C. Scott got used to it in his two-week test.
• Then there’s the battery life. He got between 27 and 58 miles from one charge, while one charge takes eight hours.
• Importantly, owners will need to practice regular maintenance.

Should you buy one?

• It depends on what you want.
• C. Scott notes that riding an e-bike is more like a trimmed-down car than a souped-up bike.
• “This is why, fundamentally, I think buyers should think about an e-bike like the Rad Power Rad City 5 Plus as a car replacement and not a bike replacement.”
• Pedaling the e-bike isn’t as enjoyable, but they’re far more environmentally friendly than a car and are arguably a more practical city runabout than a bike.
• However, if you’re considering getting a car, think about getting an e-bike first.
• “If you use a car to get around, at least some of those car rides could be e-bike rides instead.”
• Just don’t expect an e-bike to replace your actual bike.
• “It’s a new mode of transportation — and a very useful one — but if you buy one looking for a cycling experience, you won’t find it.”

Monday Meme

Now for a bit of nostalgia…

I remember when phones had 16MB of storage. But even 64GB can be a pretty meager sum nowadays. Of course, there are plenty of solutions to this that don’t involve upgrading your phone. There’s a good chance you’ll need these tips when playing tech support this holiday season, so take note.

Until next week,
Andy Walker