Electric bicycles: 10 reasons you should try one

Electric bicycles are coming of age. If the last one you rode was heavier than a fridge-freezer, fizzled out after a few miles and sported an astronomical price tag, you're in for a pleasant surprise with today's modern machines. Here are 10 good reasons for jumping on an electric bike today.

1. They're better value than scooters
Compared to a push bicycle, electric bicycles look expensive: they're generally twice the price of normal bikes with a similar spec. But because of the range and speed electric cycling offers, a fairer comparison is with electric scooters and mopeds. A poor-performing electric scooter, like the StreetScoota, will cost you £1,000. A top-of-the-range nippy electric bike such as the Wisper 905se, on the other hand, will set you back just £1,200.

But what about the running costs? They're tiny. The Electric Transport Shop, one of the UK's most popular electric bike retailers, reckons a full charge for most electric bikes will set you back 5p. Even if you ride 10 miles every day for 365 days a year, you'll only pay £9.10 each year. That's cheaper than a peak day Travelcard (Zones 1-6) in London. For full greenie points, make sure you're on a green electricity tariff.

Photo: richardmasoner