The Best Electric Commuter Bike

You may love your job, adore your coworkers and think your boss walks on water. But, “I love commuting to work,” says no one ever. 


No matter how far you go or which route you take, it’s generally a pain to maneuver through traffic in a car or rush to catch your bus, train or subway. Then, you have to deal with other people trying to get where they’re going, who, let’s just say... aren’t always brimming with light and joy. 


Then there are gas tanks that need refilling, road closures that require rerouting, trains that get stuck and more daily frustrations. Once you get to work, you’re probably already halfway exhausted from just getting there. 


If only there was a better way…


Oh wait, there is—electric bikes


The Power to Commute on Your Terms


Electric bikes have the power to completely change the way you feel about commuting… quite literally. They bring all the best aspects of biking, but the addition of a motor changes everything


That motor means you don’t have to pedal yourself silly on the way to work, school or wherever you want to go. Don’t want to tackle the hills? To heck with them. The motor powers pedal assistance, which means you can put as much or little physical effort into your commute as you choose. 


You can even choose to put in zero effort and coast the entire way there. 


When you commute on an e-bike, there are no fares to pay, no guzzling gas tanks to fill and no cranky commuters to put a damper on your day. It’s just you on two wheels with the power to go at your own speed. It’s about doing away with some of the drudgery and embracing the fresh air and sunshine. It’s about building joy into an experience that is typically boring at best and downright soul-sucking in some cases. 


Choosing the Right Electric Bike for Commuting 


There are a lot of e-bikes on the market these days. Knowing which one is right for you can be a bit overwhelming to say the least. That’s why we at Charge like to keep things simple. We offer three great models. 


The Comfort Electric Bike is our everyday e-bike. It features a low-step frame that makes getting on and off a breeze, plus it comes with a super comfy seat and bump-proof shocks for a smooth ride. The XC Electric Bike is designed for off-road adventures and can take on dirt, rocks, snow, sand and more. 

 

It’s our City Electric Bike, however, that’s packed with premium features that make it perfect for city living and commuters. 

 

The City is equipped with a powerful 250-watt motor that you can call on for help at any time. You can use it in two ways. The City is equipped a throttle that you can kick in with a touch of a button. It provides an extra boost when you’re pedaling, or if you don’t want to pedal at all, it will do all the all work for you, so you can conquer hills without effort and coast to your destination.

 

The City also has five pedal-assist modes ranging from 1-5, with 1 providing the least assistance and 5 providing the most. The lower the mode, the less electric assistance you’ll get, and the higher the mode, the more assistance you’ll get, and the faster you’ll go. 

 

How fast? 

 

So, you’re not going to get anywhere at warp speed, but the City provides pedal assist up to 20 mph, which is pretty speedy. In most cases, you’ll probably be sailing past the car commuters stuck in traffic. The City is the fastest e-bike in its class, and laws don’t even allow bikes in this class to be built to go any faster. 


That said, it’s not too speedy though. Some people, especially those who haven’t ridden any kind of bike in years, may be intimidated by the power of the motor and worry about quick accelerations and losing control. That’s not the case with the City


While it’s built to get you where you’re going in a timely manner, it’s not built to win any races. It’s not a bike built for white-knuckle rides, but rather rides that get you where you’re going on your own terms, at your own pace. It’s a safe, comfortable, easy ride for everyone from students to retirees, no matter their riding experience.


And all the while you’re commuting on an e-bike you’ll be soaking in the benefits of the great outdoors, which are pretty... great. Studies have repeatedly shown that spending time outdoors can improve your mental and physical health, boost the quality of your sleep and so much more


You don’t have to gear up in Lycra to get these benefits either. In fact, you can wear your office finest for your ride if you choose. You don’t have to worry about showing up sweat-drenched and looking disheveled. Just kick in the power during your commute and arrive looking just-showered fresh. 

 

You’ll skip the stress, feel invigorated from all that fresh air and be ready to take on the day ahead

 

Oh, and once you arrive at your destination, there’s no fighting for or paying for a parking space either. You can lock up your bike right to a bike rack, or you can take it into your office with you. Our bikes are lightweight (weighing up to 12 pounds less than those of our competitors) and the handlebars and pedals fold in so the bike becomes flat and easy to store in a corner or other out-of-the way place. 


If you want to build in some exercise on the ride home (or any time for that matter), great. The pedals are always there for the pedaling, and you can push as hard as you like and get some good exercise in while you go. It’s up to you, anytime, anywhere to determine how you want to ride. 


Things That Make a Difference During Your Commute 



The City comes with several options to help make your ride as comfortable as possible. It comes in two models—our standard model with a classic frame and a high top tube, and a low-step model with a low top tube to make it easier to get on and off. You can choose from two sizes—small for those 5’1”-5’9” and large for those 5’9”-6’4”. And it also comes in three cool colors—silver, red or blue.

 

All of our bikes are also equipped with high-end features that make them safe, comfortable and easy to ride. You don’t have to pick and choose which ones you want or pay extra for any. We also don’t include a lot of extra bells and whistles that you’ll likely never use but will jack up the price of a bike. 


Our standard features include things like:


Durable Tires

 

The City is equipped with puncture-resistant Goodyear tires. They provide all-weather traction and robust flat protection. To help keep them in top-working order, built-in automatic tire pressure sensors show red when you need air or green if you're good to go.

 

Visibility Features

 

The tires feature reflective side strips to enhance visibility, and high-powered, automatic front and rear lights ensure riders can see and be seen day or night.


Cargo Rack

 

Who needs a trunk? A built-in rear rack means you can take your laptop, briefcase, gym gear and whatever else you need to get through the day along for the ride. 


Child-Toting Capabilities 

 

Want to drop your kid off at daycare on the way? They can come along. For children less than 40 pounds, you can attach a rear-mounted child seat to your bike. For those over 40 pounds, you can use a pull-behind trailer or tag-along bikes. 


Long-Range Battery 


The City comes with a 418WH Lithium ion battery that is both rechargeable and lockable. One charge powers about 50 miles. There are a few factors that affect the exact number of miles you can cover, such as the terrain you’re covering, the rider’s weight and how much pedal assistance is used, but in general, you can expect to go about 50 miles before you need to recharge the battery again. 

 

The time to recharge the battery depends on how much power is left, but typically the City’s battery takes about 3 hours to reach 80 percent capacity and 7 hours to fully recharge. A battery range indicator right on the handlebars lets you know how many miles with power you have to go too. That means you don’t have to worry about running out mid-ride and being late to work. 


The Bottom Line on Electric Road Bikes


An electric bike truly has the power to change the way you commute. Whether you’re traveling to work, school or somewhere else, if you have to go, we believe you should go on your own terms. Instead of slogging through the daily grind, we want to help people embrace the journey and make your rides work for you instead of being slogged down by them. 


At Charge, our mission is to bring biking back to more people, and doing so with a commuting bike is one of the best ways we can think of. Why not take something that people have to do and make it something they want to do?


Our bikes aren’t the most high-tech machines built for endurance athletes who want to flash across finish lines. Rather, they’re designed for real life, for people who just want to get around in a better way.


Want to see the power of an e-bike for yourself? We have dealers and centers located across the country where you can take a test ride and see what you think. We think you’ll see what we mean. 


Have questions? Our Customer Experience team is ready to answer them. You can all 833-482-3822 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. or chat with us online.

 

Charge Electric Bikes