Electric Road Bike: The City Electric

Did you know that the average American’s daily commute takes 27.6 minutes each way, according to a recent report released by the U.S. Census Bureau? That’s up from 25.0 minutes in 2006, meaning many of us are spending an increasing amount of time getting to work. Over the course of a year, that totals over 260 hours commuting, or almost 11 full days.

11 days. Let that sink in. Even if you have a shorter commute, or no commute at all, how much time do you spend sitting in your car, waiting at red lights, or stuck in traffic? We’re going to guess, it’s a lot. Between running errands and getting where you need to go, it’s inevitable!

Or is it? What if we said you could recapture some of that time, so instead of just making it from Point A to Point B, you actually enjoy the ride? What if you could feel the sunshine on your face and breeze through your hair, instead of admiring it all from behind a windshield?

With an electric road bike, you can. With an electric road bike, those 27.6 minutes become yours.

Sounds too good to be true? Let us introduce you to the City, the best electric bike for commuters.

What’s the Difference Between a Traditional Bicycle and an Electric Bike?

You may be asking, what does an electric bike ride feel like? Before we get into why an electric road bike could be the answer to all your commuting woes, let’s first review the difference between traditional bicycles and electric bicycles.

With two wheels, a handlebar, and a comfy seat, the experience of riding a battery-powered bike is very similar to riding a traditional bike in many ways. What sets the two apart, however, is an e-bike’s rear hub motor. With the addition of battery power and pedal assist, you can decide how much effort, if any, you want to put into your ride.

Cycle up hills without breaking a sweat, and reach your destination faster and easier. On an e-bike, the choice is yours: work in some exercise anytime you want, or totally cruise. It’s all about getting where you want to go, how you want to get there.

Pretty cool, huh? Okay, so now that we’ve covered the basics of electric bikes, let’s discuss...

What to Look for in an Electric Road Bike

If you’re looking to travel effortlessly across town or commute to work faster and without fuss, fatigue, or sweat—all while wearing your everyday attire—then an electric road bike, specifically, may be for you.

An electric road bike that’s categorized as a Class 2 electric bike (like the Charge City) will offer you the greatest flexibility and convenience, as it is equipped with a motor that can be used to propel the bike in a purely throttle-powered mode (similar to a motorbike).

In other words, you can enjoy the ease of power assist without putting in any effort yourself. And since the motor assistance only goes up to 20MPH, you can ride a Class 2 electric road bike essentially anywhere, whereas faster e-bikes (i.e. Class 3 electric bikes), are not allowed on most bike paths or mountain-bike trails.

What Makes the City the Best Electric Road Bike on the Market?

If you ask us, the Charge City Electric Bike checks all the boxes when it comes to finding premium features at an affordable price. Here’s why:

From the makers of Cannondale and Schwinn bikes, the City e-bike was expertly designed for city living. It's easy to store in tight spaces thanks to folding handlebars and a lightweight design, and although it’s compact indoors, it’s still efficient outdoors. With fat tires, five levels of power assist, a throttle at your fingertips plus built-in lights (and so much more!), the City brings ease to urban life.

Equipped with a powerful motor that delivers 45 nm of torque, the City is an electric road bike for people who want a smooth, enjoyable ride made to navigate real life. The City lets you travel up to 20 MPH with electric assist, and it helps you go faster, further, and easier. Zip past traffic with a smile on your face knowing hills are no problem, and that you’re having the best commute on the road.

In addition to providing a smooth and swift ride, the City is also available with either a low-step frame or a standard frame, so you can totally customize your cycling experience. The choice between the two really depends on your personal preference: the low-step (which comes in two sizes: small and large) features an open frame with a low top tube that makes getting on and off a breeze, while the standard is a classic bike construction with a high top tube.

Not to mention, you can take your pick from several cool colors to really make the City your own. 

We believe a quality and durable bike should also be affordable, which is why we build all our bikes with everything you need—and nothing that you don’t—making them the best electric bikes on the market. Here at Charge, we are proud to offer three, beautifully-designed and high-performance electric bicycles to fit your lifestyle and needs. In addition to the City, we make two other models: the Comfort and the XC.

The Comfort is our everyday, recreation bike made for leisurely, upright rides. The convenient thumb throttle lets you choose between five levels of pedal assist, and with a low-step frame, comfy seat, and bump-proof shocks, the Comfort = freedom, made easy.

The XC is a front-suspension, electric mountain bike that’s ready for on- and off-road adventures. It’s the ultimate travel buddy with its quick fold-flat handlebars and folding pedals. The XC is rugged yet playful, and with fat tires, tough shocks, a mid-drive motor, and hydraulic disc brakes, it can take on any terrain.

And did we mention that all models of Charge electric bicycles come equipped with premium features… standard? That’s right, standard! There’s no upcharge for performance, which is why every Charge e-bike arrives with:

✹ A 750w motor that’s powered by a rechargeable, lithium ion battery and delivers 45 Nm of torque. Get up to 50 miles on a single charge, and easily recharge the battery wherever you have power. Don’t have an outlet near where you keep your bike? No worries! Every Charge battery has been designed to be removable and lockable.

✹ A convenient throttle that lets you take control of your ride by choosing your level of pedal power. Plus, the intelligent handlebar display always keeps you in the know as you ride with its battery-capacity indication, real-time speed indication, and power-assist level indication.

✹ High-powered, integrated front and rear lights and reflective tire walls that ensure you can see and be seen, day or night.

✹ Smart air pressure sensors that take out the guesswork: when the cap shows green, you're good to go!

✹ An integrated rear rack that makes it easy to attach baskets, crates, or bins for all your daily essentials.

✹ A high-quality, aluminum frame that is lightweight yet built to last, plus puncture-resistant Goodyear tires that guarantee a smooth ride, no matter the road ahead.

When it comes to buying a Charge electric bike, your lifestyle and needs are the two key things to keep in mind, since no matter the model you end up choosing, you can rest assured you’ll be getting a superior ride.

Why Charge? Our Story.

We get it: there are a lot of bike manufacturers out there, and you may be wondering what sets us apart. We certainly don’t take your business for granted, and we’re committed to being an electric bike company you can trust. It’s been the Charge way for nearly 20 years, and it always will be.

When we first started making bikes in 2004, we produced an assortment of well-priced and durable, traditional bikes that were both easy and fun to ride. We quickly grew in popularity, but we couldn’t help but wonder how we could reach even more riders.

When electric bike technology first emerged, we instantly recognized that adding a hub motor made bikes even better and more accessible by removing many of the barriers to cycling. So, after a lot of thought and research, we ultimately decided to focus solely on crafting electric bikes in order to bring the joy of cycling to more people than ever before.

That’s when Nick Larsen, founder of the Charge brand, teamed up with longtime friend and Cannondale’s VP of Product, Peter Vallance, to create the ideal electric bicycle. Together, Nick and Peter rethought every aspect of the electric bike experience, looking for smart solutions to the pain points they had witnessed over the decades building and riding bikes.

The result? Well, you’re looking at it. And while we think our electric bikes are pretty perfect, we'll never stop improving and listening to you.

Anything Else?

We’ve also made the process of buying an electric bike online and assembling it yourself simpler and easier. Most manufacturers today ship their bikes in pieces, and it takes numerous, complicated steps—and not to mention, various tools—to put them together. Not us. We designed a box that allows us to ship our e-bikes nearly fully assembled, so once your Charge bike arrives, it can quickly be put together (we’re talking in under 10 minutes) by following four simple steps and using just one tool.

Plus, our packaging has been intentionally designed to minimize waste by eliminating all foam and plastic wrap and using only 100% recyclable materials. Meaning you’ll be helping out the environment before you even go for your first ride!

Ready to Hit the Road? Get in Touch with Charge Today!

Once you’ve decided an electric road bike is right for you, the next step is to take one out for a spin. With a growing network of dealers and test-ride locations, we’ve made it easier to find one near you, and a test ride lets you experience everything that the Charge City Electric Bike has to offer. Our team is also available to answer any questions you might have, and we look forward to hearing from you!