The age of the electric bike is here.

 

You may not understand it, but electric bikes are the future. Ebike sales hit the roof by 91% from 2017 to 2018, and some commentators expect 130 million electric bikes to be travelling around the U.S. by 2023—far overtaking the number of electric cars and trucks predictable to be on the roads by then. If you’re still not part of the crew who’s found out how electric bikes can change your life, we’ve assembled the reasons why you can’t afford not to go with the wave.

 

Exchanging out drives for ebike rides is one of the healthiest and quickest ways to make giant indents in your budget. One evaluation from Rad Power Bikes shows how changing your commute from car to ebike can save about $7,409 in a single year.

 

You know your budget best. Consider your transportation costs, from Uber rides to subway fares to gas money to car maintenance, and do the quick calculation to see how much you can bank by working an ebike into your lifestyle.

 

It Will Modernize Your Commute. 

 

There’s the dream of a conventional bike ride into work (showing up lively, punctual) and the reality of a standard bike travel (stressed sprints upon understanding you’re not the Tour de France biker you thought you were, trying to conceal your sweaty pits from your boss).

 

But a ride on an electric bike turns that fantasy into a reality. Together with shaving time off your ride—just how much will depend on your terrain and distance, but an ebike optimized for commutes can reduce a 27-minute standard ride down to 15 minutes—that speed and the comfort of the ride allow you to show up without looking like you need a bath and a Gatorade.

 

And more, with accessories like  child seats and  baskets, you can dump the car and make errands like daycare drop off and grocery runs all part of your electric ride to work.

 

It Will Help You Get A Whole New Meaning To Weekend Warrior.

 

But ebikes aren’t all work, no play. They’re excellent tools for making the most of the free time you have to discover the great outdoors, since they let you travel farther, quicker. Easy to stack to the back of a car or to fold into the trunk or an RV, they’re movable enough to trot out for a quick Saturday spin but long-lasting enough to get you through a complete  weekend of camping trip rides.

 

Ebikes with heavy tires can help you tackle terrain that a traditional bike can’t, while an ultra-quiet but huge hunting bike can be an inexpensive way to trek through mud, snow or sand to stake out a spot that other hunters won’t find.

 

It’s Not The ‘Lazy’ Choice You Might Think It Is.

 

Ebikes get dismissed as the sluggish version of biking. And though it’s true that rides can sometimes appear effortless, your body is still getting the advantages of exercise. One study tracked formerly sedentary adults who took up ebiking. After a month, they had better aerobic fitness, better blood sugar control, a trend towards lessening their body fat, and, importantly, the wish to keep on riding in spite of other forms of exercise never tempting them before.

 

And over, there are people for whom less physically taxing rides can be a game changer. The balance and motor functions needed to ride a bike can help to ease the symptoms of diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s in elderly peoples. And on an ebike can help elders get all those advantages without physically wearing themselves, making rides an ideal way to stay healthy and active with older relatives and friends.