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Wired

How to Buy an Electric Bike (2024): Classes, Range, Repairs

Wired
Summary
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70% Informative

Between 2019 and 2023 , electric bikes represented 63 percent of the growth in dollar sales of all bicycles.

The US ebike market was valued at $1.98 billion in 2022 .

It’s expected to grow by 15.6 percent from 2023 to 2030 .

There are three classifications of bikes with an electric motor.

Electric bikes are vehicles, the same as high-end cars and motorcycles.

High-end bikes have more expensive components, with lighter, more durable materials, made with tighter tolerances and more precise machining.

Range anxiety is the fear that the bike will run out of battery before the ride ends.

“Cold, heat, and saltwater can kill a battery,” says Oseland , adding that the heat of a Phoenix summer or the cold of a Minnesota winter can be equally damaging to battery life.

If you want your ebike to last, the single most important question is: "How good is your local shop?".