There are many reasons why electric bikes are now the first choice for many. They are easy to use, good for the environment and suitable for all ages.
There are however some things that you will need to think about when it comes to your personal safety if you are new to Riding an electric bike. There are a few differences between electric and traditional bikes that you need to be aware of.
1. The rules of the road
If you are an experienced cyclist you will no doubt be very familiar with the rules of the road. These are very important to follow at all times, but extra care should be taken if you are a new e-bike rider. The cars on the road will assume that you are on a regular bike. This means that they will not expect you to travel as fast as you do.
This can lead to confusion and accidents when you start to move a lot faster than the car driver is expecting. You can help to mitigate the chances of an accident by closely following the rules of the road and also ensuring that you do everything that you can to signal your intentions to drivers.
2. Don’t be invisible
Any cyclist on the road will probably feel like they are invisible to car drivers as they always seem to be a surprise when they turn, open doors or brake. This is something that we have all learned to deal with and must constantly be vigilant for. As electric bikes are faster, you will find that you need to be extra vigilant as cars will not be used to the speed at which you approach them.
At night you will need to have lights on your bike and wear bright colours or reflective clothing so that you can be seen.
3. Slow down a little bit
Even though you can go faster on an electric bike with little extra effort does not mean that you should. As someone who is getting used to riding an electric bike, it may be wise to go a little slower, to begin with.
4. Give a greater braking distance
Your electric bike is not only faster than your old one, it is also heavier. This means when you’re travelling at speed you will have more momentum and take further to stop. With a little bit of practice you will notice this and adjust how you ride accordingly, it is very important to be mindful of this the first few times that you take your bike out.
5. Be careful getting on and off
As the bike is a little heavier, you’ll have to get used to dismounting. You don’t want the bike to topple over as it may take slightly more care to ensure that you get on and off the bike smoothly.
6. Enjoy it
As we’ve mentioned, there are a few quirks to how an electric bike works that will take some getting used to, but the advantages are huge! You will be able to get around a lot faster with much less effort. If you use your bike to commute to and from work you will notice that you no longer build up a sweat on the ride in. This can make a huge difference to your whole day.
Riding an electric bike can be a real treat and you should make sure that you enjoy every moment of it. As long as you follow the rules of the road an use your common sense you will be a pro rider in no time!
