How Much Money Should You Spend on an Electric Bike?
So, you’ve been sold on the amazing potential of electric bikes. Just how much is that potential going to cost you?
The benefits of electric bike ownership are truly invaluable. And we’re not just saying that because we make them.
From mental and physical health benefits to infusing more joy in your daily life, you simply can’t put a price tag on the way riding one can impact your life… figuratively, anyway. Literally speaking, electric bikes do come with price tags, which are often a major factor when people are considering purchasing one.
How Much are Electric Bikes?
Those price tags fluctuate a lot too. There are a few e-bikes you can snag for under $1,000, while others nose up to $8,000 and beyond. So how do you know how much you should spend on an electric bike?
That depends on you and your reasons for buying an e-bike. The old adage goes, “You get what you pay for,” but that doesn’t mean the priciest electric bike is the best, nor that those ringing in near the bottom of the range aren’t worth considering either. It’s all about finding the best bike for you, and getting the best value for your hard-earned dollars.
At Charge, our whole goal is to bring biking to more people, and to us that means affordable, well-made e-bikes. We don’t design electric bikes for the MAMIL (middle-aged men in Lycra) crowd who are hell bent on extreme endurance and achievement.
Those guys don’t mind shelling out big bucks in their pursuit of the finish line. But most of us don’t have that kind of need for speed. We don’t want to pursue biking as a grueling endurance sport, and frankly, we don’t need to fork over tons of cash to get a good e-bike.
We build durable, comfortable bikes for people of all walks of life at affordable prices. Our bikes are meant for commuters, busy parents, students, retirees and others who are looking for a better way to get through their day. They’re for people who aren’t looking to get ahead of the pack, but who want to enjoy life more and go at their own pace.
If we’re getting real, we’d say we produce decent bikes at a decent price. Are our bikes the fanciest with the most sophisticated gears, gadgets and gizmos? Nope. But are they durable, comfortable, affordable and enjoyable to ride? 100 percent.
Charge Electric Bikes
There are a lot of e-bikes on the market today, and some bike manufacturers offer tons of models, options and choices. While that may be great for some people, we like to keep things simple at Charge. We offer three great, affordable electric bikes to meet the needs of most people. Choosing the best electric bike for the money is pretty simple.
City Electric Bike ($1,699)
The City Electric Bike is designed for commuters. Five pedal-assist modes and a throttle mean you can coast as much as you want to and show up at work looking fresh and ready to take on the day. Made for urban life, its folding handlebars and lightweight design make it easy to store in an office or even in a studio apartment.
With tough, Goodyear tires, integrated lights, a rear rack for storage and more, the City e-bike is packed with premium features that make it perfect for city living and commuting.
Comfort Electric Bike ($1,699)
The Comfort is our everyday e-bike, and it lives up to its name by keeping things easy and upright, even on hills. Featuring a low-step frame that makes getting on and off a breeze, plus our comfiest seat and bump-proof shocks, biking has never felt so good. The convenient thumb throttle lets you choose between five levels of pedal assist, so you’re in total control of if and how much you want to pedal.
XC Electric Bike ($2,499)
For off-road adventurers, our rugged, electric cross-country bike is equipped with big, grippy, fat tires, tough shocks, and a mid-drive motor to flatten out the rough stuff. With hydraulic disc brakes, you can take on most any terrain, and since it’s easily packed away, you’ll be able to take the XC e-bike wherever the journey leads.
Our e-bikes aren’t cheap, but they are some of the most affordable, providing the best value for the money on the market.
You don’t just have to take our word for it, either. Industry experts agree. Our Charge City e-bike was ranked as the “Best Parts at the Best Price” by Bicycling.
Their editors wrote, “One of the lower-priced e-bikes we’ve tested, the City is a smartly equipped commuter. This Class 2 e-bike has a hub motor, five levels of pedal assist, and a throttle. But it also comes with fenders, a rear rack, and running lights (nice additions at this price).”
Insider named the Charge City “Best E-Bike on a Budget.”
“What sets the bike apart is that even with a price that undercuts much of its competition, it still offers a similar ride experience to its peers,” wrote editor Rick Stella.
“That 50 miles of range is on par with many e-bikes on the market (almost all of which are more expensive) and its design is great for the city rider who wants to get a little exercise, needs to run to the store, or just wants to head out for a leisurely ride. And it's a lot of fun to ride, too.”
Affordable, fun and feature-packed—our e-bikes are ready to take you on the rides of your life.
What You Get for Your Money
The difference between electric bikes and traditional bikes lies in the motor, and that motor is what generally makes e-bikes more expensive (and more excellent!).
A motor gives you ultimate flexibility in how you want to get where you’re going. All of our bikes have pedal-assist, which is powered by the motor. How much assistance you want is up to you.
Our City and Comfort bikes both have five pedal-assist modes, while the Charge XC offers three. You can switch between that any time depending on what type of ride you want.
Our City and Comfort electric bikes also feature a throttle. When you kick that throttle into gear with your thumb, you get an extra burst to power your pedaling, or you can kick back and let the bike do all the work for you, no pedaling needed. It’s a great option for those times you want to save your energy or just want to sit back and enjoy the scenery.
At Charge, our electric motors are powered by rechargeable batteries. These removable, yet lockable, weather-resistant batteries, come with all of our bikes at no additional cost. The Comfort and City bikes feature 418WH Lithium ion batteries while the XC boasts a Shimano E8035 504WH integrated battery.
The batteries’ charging time depends on how much power is left. The City and Comfort bikes each take about 3 hours to reach 80 percent capacity and 7 hours to fully recharge. The Charge XC bike reaches 80 percent capacity in about 2.5 hours and requires approximately 5 hours for a full charge.
While there are a variety of factors that determine how far you can go on a single charge (things like how much throttle and pedal assist you use and the terrain you’re covering), in general you can go up to 50 miles. An indicator, which is built into the handlebar, lets you know just how many miles you have left, so you can plan accordingly.
How fast can you go? That also depends on some varying factors, but with pedal assist you can push up to 20mph. Like we said, you’re not going to be winning any races, but you can slow down the rat race of life while riding an e-bike and have more fun along the way.
No-Fee Features
We don’t believe in adding a bunch of unnecessary bells and whistles that jack up the price of electric bikes and that you’ll likely never use. Rather, we offer standard features that make the riding experience better.
You don’t have to pick and choose and weigh one feature over another. They all come standard with our bikes at no additional charge. They include things like:
- Folding handlebars and pedals. Our bikes fold flat to save space, making it easier to move and store.
- Lightweight design. Charge e-bikes are some of the lightest models on the market. Our City e-bike weighs just 45 pounds, the Comfort weighs in at just 51 pounds and the Charge XC at 55 pounds.
- Automated tire pressure sensors that turn red when you need air or green if you're good to go.
- Powerful battery with up to 50 miles in range and a display that shows range in miles to go, not just as a percentage.
- Integrated front and rear lights and reflective tires to provide better visibility in all light conditions.
- High-quality aluminum frame that is lightweight but durable, plus puncture-resistant Goodyear tires.
- Easily removable (yet lockable) batteries so you can recharge at home, work or wherever you have power.
- Integrated rear rack so you can haul your gear, groceries or whatever else you need to get through the day.
Our bikes have what you need to get where you’re going and not a lot that you don’t. They have the power to let you go on your own terms and change the way you live your life.
The Life-Changing Power of Electric Bikes
Life changing, really? It sounds dramatic, but it’s true. Adding a motor to a bike changes everything. Suddenly, people who haven’t ridden a bike in decades can hop on and head out to do errands, get to work or explore the world safely and easily without the hassle of a car.
Our bikes aren’t beasts, but they take the burden out of biking. The motor means you can pedal when you want to and coast when you don't. It means you don’t have to worry about showing up at your destination dripping with sweat, but if you want to build in some exercise to your daily routine, you can pedal away. It’s about your ride, your way.
Our bikes have varying pedal assist modes so you can choose how much effort you want to put into any ride, any time. Those that are equipped with a throttle allow you to simply coast without pedaling at all. That means you can head to go get groceries without worrying about how the heck you’re going to get back up that steep hill.
It means you can head to work and show up feeling and looking fresh and ready to take on the day.
It means you can enjoy the sun and fresh air and not be cooped up in a car while you go about your daily life.
E-bikes are about options. They’re about making your life easier and more enjoyable. They’re about changing your daily life in all the best ways.
How an E-Bike Can Save You Money
There are a number of ways riding an e-bike can save you money, too. For some people, they’re versatile enough that they can do away with a car all together. Considering the average price of a new car currently sits at $45,000, and you can get any of our bikes for less than $2,500 - that’s a huge amount of savings right there.
Then there are things like licensing and insurance, which add a hefty cost to car ownership, but aren’t necessary at all to ride an e-bike. That’s money in your pocket.
If you typically take the subway, bus or train to get work, think of all the ticket costs you’ll save riding an electric bike. Not to mention the headaches. Parking costs? No more. Valet charges and tips? All money right back in your pocket.
Even if you don’t ditch your car completely, riding an e-bike some of the time can save money on gas. A commonly used estimate is that a 10-mile trip by car costs about $1 in gas, while charging an electric bike costs just cents. Those dollars add up every time you choose to ride an e-bike instead.
Riding can also be a great form of exercise, so you might be able skip that pricey gym membership or home exercise equipment. With all the health benefits of riding an e-bike, you’re likely to save on medical costs too.
Also something to keep an eye on: Proposed legislation currently in Congress that would give e-bike purchasers a tax credit worth 30 percent of the cost of an e-bike—up to $1,500.
The reason? Because of the significant savings to the environment e-bikes can bring. One recent study found that if just 15 percent of urban transportation miles were made by an electric bike instead, carbon emissions could be reduced by 12 percent. That’s huge!
In other words, riding an electric bikes pays off for the individual and the world as a whole. While the upfront cost isn’t insignificant, the ways in which your life will become more enjoyable and easier are priceless.
Getting on the Road
Speaking of easy, you don’t have to worry about hiring someone to put your Charge e-bike together for you as you might need to with some bikes. Often, bikes are shipped in a dizzying array of pieces that leaves most non-mechanical heads spinning. Charge e-bikes, on the other hand, ship nearly fully assembled, and you can unbox, put one together and get on the road in just about 10 minutes.
We also try to limit the cost to the environment by ditching traditional packing materials, like foam and plastic wrap. We use only 100% recyclable materials.
Not able to pay for one of our e-bikes in full upfront? We offer financing through Affirm, which allows you to pay for the bike making monthly payments over 6, 12 or 18 months. We also offer discounts and promotions once in a while, such as during our Black Friday sale.
The Bottom Line on E-Bike Prices
As we said, the benefits of e-bike ownership are invaluable, but we know people have budgets to consider. No matter which one you choose, an electric bike is an investment, and you want that investment to pay off. That means choosing a bike that meets your needs and exceeds your expectations.
That’s our mission at Charge. We want to make bikes that meet the needs of more and more people. Our bikes aren’t for everyone. (MAMIL, we’re looking at you), but they’re affordable and offer a great value for the money.
Our customers will tell you that you get a whole lot more than you pay for too.
Want to see for yourself? We encourage you to take a free test ride. We have a growing network of dealers and test-ride locations across the United States ready to show you why Charge electric bikes are the best e-bikes for the money.
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