Electric Bike vs Regular Bike: A Complete Comparison

Ebikes are one of the hottest topics in cycling right now. These electrically-assisted bicycles promise to make riding easier while allowing cyclists to go faster and farther. But they also have some controversy around them, with opponents claiming they are “cheating” or “lazy”.

In this epic post we’ll take an in-depth look at ebikes vs regular road bikes. We’ll compare them across a number of factors like speed, effort level, fitness benefits, environmental impact, costs, accessibility, and more. By the end you should have a clear understanding of the pros and cons of ebikes.

Let’s dive in!

What Exactly Are Ebikes?

First, what qualifies a bike as an “ebike”? These days most ebikes fit into one of three classes:

• Class 1: Provides assistance only while the rider is pedaling. Cuts out at 20 mph.
• Class 2: Includes a throttle mode for riding without pedaling. Cuts out at 20 mph.
• Class 3: Provides assistance up to 28 mph before cutting out.

Within these categories you’ll find a wide range of options for motor type and location, battery size, bike style (mountain, commuter, road, etc), and component quality. High-end ebikes approach $10,000 while budget options can be found for under $1,000.

So in general ebikes apply electric power to assist the rider while pedaling. But implementations vary widely.

Now let’s look closer at how they compare to regular road bikes across some key factors.

Ebikes vs Regular Bikes: Speed & Effort Level

One of the main value propositions of ebikes is increased speed with reduced effort. But how much faster and easier are they in reality?

To test this, British road cycling journalist Henry Robert took a Lapierre road ebike with a crank drive system on a week-long tour of Tuscany. He alternated between using the motor assist and riding it “unplugged” like a regular road bike.

On one 47km ride with 730m of elevation gain, he used the motor for assistance. His time was 14% faster vs similar rides on his unassisted road bike (25 minutes up 5km climbs instead of 40).

He also tracked calories burned as a measure of effort. On the rides with assist he burned about 20% fewer calories per meter climbed than on his regular bike.

So in Henry’s experience, riding with assist enabled about a 20% boost in speed and 20% reduction in effort compared to a normal road bike.

And that 20% figure aligns closely with research from Bicycle Queensland that compared effort levels on ebikes vs standard bikes at various speeds.

At 27 km/h, riders burned 21% fewer calories per hour on ebikes. But calories burned only at speeds over 30 km/h were similar.

This makes sense when you consider ebikes provide the biggest boost at lower speeds, while regular road bikes can cruise faster once up to speed.

So in terms of pure speed and effort, ebikes provide about a 20% advantage – allowing you to ride moderately faster with moderately less energy expenditure. You’re still pedaling and working out, just not quite as hard.

Whether that qualifies ebikes as “cheating” comes down to your priorities and goals with cycling (more on that soon). But physics confirms they do provide meaningful advantages in speed and effort.

Comparing Ebikes vs Regular Bikes: Fitness Benefits

If ebikes require less energy to ride at the same speeds, does that mean they provide inferior fitness benefits compared to regular road bikes?

After his week riding the Lapierre ebike, Henry concluded that while the motor assist reduced his effort level by ~20%, he still got “a considerable workout” from riding with it turned on:

My heart rate was going up to around 85 percent of its maximum, and I was definitely out of breath. I’d say I even got a considerable workout, although obviously not as much as I would have done had I been riding a regular road bike.

And that aligns with research on health impacts of ebikes from Portland State University:

Riders’ heart rates using the e-bike motor were consistently lower than those achieved riding a conventional bike, but still were considered within ranges recommended for improving cardiorespiratory fitness.

So while ebikes provide less cardiovascular stimulus compared to normal bikes, research confirms they can still deliver fitness benefits.

Just like Henry found, the level of workout depends greatly on how much you utilize the electric assist. Using lower assist levels or pedaling faster than the motor cutoff will involve more effort.

And EBikes broaden the fitness benefits of cycling to more people. Heavier or less fit individuals still get meaningful exercise, just scaled down to their current level.

So if your main goal is general cardiovascular fitness, ebikes can certainly help achieve that while making riding more comfortable. They provide a lower level intensity workout suitable for many.

But for high intensity interval training, lung capacity building, and maximum leg strength – a regular road bike is superior. The lack of electric aid forces your body to grow stronger supporting itself.

Comparing Maintenance Needs: Ebikes vs Regular Bikes

Of course another downside to ebikes is increased mechanical complexity – leading to higher purchase costs and more frequent maintenance needs.

Ebikes have all the standard drivetrain and brake components that need occasional adjustment and replacing. But they also include:

• Electric motor
• Controller
• Battery + charger
• More wiring

With more parts doing more work, higher stress gets put on ebikes. The motor and battery are prone to eventual failure from use, although cells and motors have greatly improved recently in longevity.

As a ballpark estimate you can expect ebikes to require maintenance about twice as often as regular bikes to keep everything tuned up and running reliably. The components doing the hardest work will determine replacement intervals.

Higher-end ebikes using name-brand cells & motors should last 1,000 – 2,000 charge cycles before needing battery or motor replacement. That equals about 40,000 – 80,000km ridden.

On affordable ebikes expect closer to 30,000km lifetime range before needing several hundred dollars in repairs. Compare that to a regular road bike that can often go over 160,000+ km before requiring hundreds in maintenance.

And when ebikes do need repair, costs tend to run higher:

• Battery replacements often exceed $500
• Mid-drive motors can cost $800+
• Controllers over $200

So ebikes provide great convenience in exchange for more frequent and expensive maintenance over their usable lifespan. Make sure to account for that in your cost of ownership estimates.

Environmental Impact: Electric Bikes vs Normal Bikes

Advocates promote ebikes as environmentally friendly transportation since they still involve human power. But how much do ebikes actually reduce your carbon footprint vs driving or riding a regular bike?

Let’s run some numbers for ebikes vs alternatives over 6,000 miles:

• Ebike: Uses 500 kWh electricity + human effort
• Regular bike: Human effort only
• Electric car: Uses 2,000 kWh electricity
• Gas car (35mpg): Uses 600 gallons of gas

Estimating carbon emissions:

• 500 kWh ebike electricity = 100 kg CO2
• 2,000 kWh EV electricity = 400 kg C02
• 600 gallon gas = 5,400 kg CO2!

So ebikes create just 2-5% the emissions of a gas car while traveling the same distance. And about 25% the emissions of an electric vehicle.

Of course, a regular human-powered bicycle has the lowest environmental impact at 0 emissions.

But since research shows most trips replaced by acquiring an ebike would have otherwise been taken by car, they still provide a large net reduction for the average consumer – around 95% less CO2.

So while ebikes don’t match the zero emissions of standard bicycles, they still massively reduce environmental impact for most riders compared to driving.

Cost Comparison: Electric Bikes vs Normal Bikes

Another major consideration is costs over time – both upfront purchase prices and ongoing operating costs.

Decent road bikes can be bought starting around $800, while high-end models approach $10,000. Basic ebikes start around $1,000, with premium models nearing $15,000!

And as we covered earlier, ebikes tend to cost more over time for repairs and replacement parts. Here’s an overview of costs over 10 years:

So ebikes command about a 100% price premium upfront and over time versus basic road bikes. Of course, elite road bikes can eventually approach the cost of mid-range ebikes after upgrading wheelsets, drivetrains, etc.

Operating costs come mostly from electricity – less than a penny per mile of range. That’s far cheaper than gas or diesel costs. But still noticeably more than $0 for a regular bike.

So financially, ebikes cost about twice as much as normal bikes. The electric convenience and versatility carries a real price tag. You’re paying extra for the motorizing capability they provide.

Ebikes vs Regular Road Bikes: Rider Accessibility

A major benefit provided by ebikes versus standard bicycles is increased accessibility to potential riders. The electric assist helps compensate for physical limitations that might otherwise prevent regular cycling.

The research is clear on this – ebikes get more people riding compared to traditional bikes:

• BMI has only a minor influence on ebike usage versus major impact for conventional bikes
• 70% of ebike purchasers were previously inactive
• Ebikes allow the elderly to cycle longer with less fatigue
• Ebikes were ridden for longer durations per trip according to Portland State University research

So while regular road bikers make up a narrower demographic skewing white, affluent, middle-aged, athletic males – ebikes appeal across age, gender, race and fitness limitations.

They lower the physical barriers to entry to cycling, helping explain why so many previously inactive people start riding after getting an ebike.

So if your goal is to get more people riding and realizing the major health benefits of cycling, ebikes are clearly superior in user accessibility and adoption rates.

Safety Record on Ebikes vs Regular Bicycles

If you zoom around on electric power, it stands to reason you might crash more often than on muscle power alone. So do ebikes show a worse safety record than conventional bikes?

Thankfully comprehensive cycling safety statistics differentiate between bike types. And ebikes show nearly identical crash rates to regular bicycles.

Analyzing data across 10 states from 2000-2017, Austin Brown found ebike injuries occurred at a slightly lower rate compared to traditional bikes:

• Ebikes: 4.6 injuries per million miles ridden
• Regular bikes: 5.1 injuries per million miles

And when crashes do occur, severity rates are also extremely similar according to the data, with a roughly equal proportion of minor scrapes vs major injuries.

So despite the electric power and speed, riders seem to adapt well and ebike crash rates match standard bicycles. Riders who feel unstable at faster speeds can always choose to throttle down the assist levels for safety.

And of course, both ebikes and regular bikes pale in comparison safety wise to the 1,100 motorist injuries per 100 million miles driven in cars. Cycling of any kind is proven to be far safer than driving.

So don’t let safety concerns deter you from considering an ebike – statistics show they’re just as safe as traditional bikes for commuting and getting around town.

Are Ebikes Allowed In Bike Lanes or Trails?

If you’re considering an ebike for city riding or trail adventures, you probably wonder if they’re actually allowed in bike lanes and off-road paths.

The worldwide regulatory picture remains complex for ebikes. But in the US laws have largely coalesced around the “3 class” system used to differentiate electric bikes.

Most states have adopted legislation that allows Class 1 and Class 2 ebikes wherever traditional bikes are permitted. So bike lanes and cycle paths are generally open to ebikes under 750 watts.

Class 3 ebikes face more restrictions due to their higher 28 mph top speed. But many areas do allow Class 3 access to bike infrastructure. Over 30 US states have adopted Class 3 allowances.

The notable exception remains many federal multi-use trails overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and Forest Service. On those properties, ebike access requires assessing on a trail-by-trail basis. Class 3 bikes even more restricted.

So while some uncertainties remain, the situation for ebikes improves yearly. The majority of bike infrastructure is now legally accessible to most ebikes under state laws. But confirm regulations in your local area before assuming access.

Are Ebikes Cheating? An Ethical Debate

So that covers the empirical data comparing ebikes versus regular bicycles across a number of measures. But one of the biggest controversies around ebikes centers on the ethics question:

Are ebikes a form of “cheating” since they give riders an advantage?

Well, whether ebikes qualify as cheating comes down to your personal values and what you want from cycling.

For riders focused on extreme athletic feats or competition, ebikes probably seem like cheating. The electric assist means you didn’t reach that speed or climb that hill 100% under the power of your body. Using technology for help devalues the achievement.

But more recreational riders might have different priorities. If they view commuting by bike as about saving money, ebikes enable that by expanding possible ride distances. Or if they bike for mental health, ebikes could provide needed confidence to a struggling new rider.

Consider Henry from our opening example. He met a man unable to ride traditional bikes at all due to a heart condition. That rider viewed an ebike as his only way to continue a beloved activity, not as cheating.

At the end of the day, the electric motor makes biking accessible for those who might not otherwise ride at all. From elderly riders reclaiming independence to folks with health issues or lacking fitness, ebikes serve a range of purposes beyond hardcore athleticism.

If ebikes enable large numbers of people to move by bike instead of car for their daily transit needs, achieving societal benefits like congestion reduction, improved air quality, and lowered healthcare costs – how could that be considered cheating?

Are Ebikes Making Regular Biking Decline in Popularity?

Some people assume the rise of ebikes comes at a cost – reducing the prevalence of “real” muscle-powered cycling. But is that concern backed up in bike riding trends?

Thankfully, long running bike counts make assessing this question easy and definitive – ebikes have not reduced regular cycling rates.

In Vancouver BC, combined bicycle and ebike numbers increased 443% from 2009-2019 according to annual city bike counts. In the same period ebikes jumped from <1% to over 25% of bikes.

Likewise in Vermont ebikes now account for 10% of their state bikeway traffic but total bike counts hit new all time highs in recent years.

The evidence clearly shows ebikes raise total participation by getting new people riding rather than converting existing cyclists. Regular bikes remain popular with hardcore riders focused on athletic challenges. Most ebike adopters are newly entering the bike world.

So rather than undermining traditional cycling, ebikes appear to be growing the pie for bicycle transportation overall.

Are Ebikes Bad For Public Health? Counter Argument

Some critics argue promoting ebikes is detrimental for public health since the power assist enables people to avoid exercise they’d otherwise be getting. But does that match reality?

While ebikes provide less intense exercise compared to normal bikes, researchers found 75% of surveyed ebike trips replaced sedentary modes of transportation like driving.

So ebikes aren’t replacing exercise activity. They’re replacing inactivity and enabling mobility for those unable reach destinations by traditional bike:

By assisting previously inactive populations such as older people to take up cycling, electric models of bicycle could play a key role in public health strategies to increase population levels of physical activity.

And higher bike counts mean more drivers see cyclists on the roads – leading to safer roads and further promoting bike commuting’s wider adoption.