Are Folding Electric Bikes Worth It?

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Whether you live in a small apartment with limited space for storage or a broad place and want an easy bike to take with you wherever you go, foldable bikes are a great option. City people, I hear you. These are great bikes to have, especially for you!

They're convenient if your commute involves getting on a train; you know how hard that is at peak time! Plus, they're easier to carry. Imagine when you're taking the stairs, and they can spare you the pain of "stealing space" when getting on an elevator.

Now, you know that space is crucial if you love these bikes for you. The more you're able to save, the better!

Regardless of your specific needs for getting one of these gems, foldable bikes are handy, space-saving cycling options, and they are available with various features. But my focus today will be on the specific type of folding electric bikes.

The electric bike market is growing incredibly fast. It is excellent for consumers like you because it means you can find more options at a more affordable price without sacrificing quality.

Furthermore, designs keep improving, tech is becoming more reliable, and capabilities are expanding. So much so that now we have foldable e-bikes available in the market. Those bikes embody the speed of an electric bicycle with the handy space-saving attributes of a foldable bike. It's a win-win. Or is it?

Some Reasons To Buy A Foldable E-bike

Let's start with some more perks of owning a foldable ebike. As I said at the beginning, it's easily stored when folded. Some bikes also rapidly unfold and fold back up again - remember the stairs or elevator situations.

They make exceptional luggage options when you want to take a weekend off the road and carry your lovely ebike with you for an adventure.

Some bikes also have great design, which is also considered necessary by many, like the Hummingbird Electric 2.0 and can be lightweight, especially when you think that most bikes have smaller wheels - sometimes this may suggest a smaller weight, sometimes not.

The bottom line is that you can easily find some stylish fantastic foldable ebikes that are compact and lightweight. Now let's look at some things to keep in mind when you're making this decision.

But, Here Are Some Things To Consider Before You Buy One

On top of the downsides of having a foldable bike, number one is the size of the wheels.

Does your bike need to have small wheels to be portable? Yes and no. It depends. Most bikes will be using a 16" or 20" wheel size. Mainly because it significantly reduces the bike's overall length when it's not folded.

Plus, smaller wheels allow you to fold it back in a much more compact area than 700c wheels. It makes perfect sense.

Are there other benefits of smaller wheels? Sure, such as increased manoeuvrability. It is useful when you're dodging things on and off the road.

The downsides? It takes a little to get used to it; a smaller surface brings a slight instability (Give it time). And, they disagree with bumps as well as bigger wheels do.

What about the weight? Are our folding electric bikes light or heavy due to the thicker wheels and materials?

As with all generic and broad questions, the answer is "it depends".

These e-bikes may be heavier than those without a battery. This means foldable bikes, in general, don't weigh that much more than a regular non-foldable bike, but when you add to these the fact that they have added power and a motor, the weight might pack up.

This weight won't make much difference while riding it, but if your commute involves several flights of stairs, it may feel like quite a bit of a workout.

So you may want to test your bike's weight before buying it. Go to a shop, lift, turn, twist, and run up and down. Some people may think you're crazy, but your arms will thank you for testing things first - and so will your bank account.

You should also know another thing: gear. Because these bikes are mainly designed for the commuter, this type of mobility usually calls for a reduction in gear range. So it can add to the durability. Fear not, though; adding a motor will increase your ability to get up inclines drastically.

So unless you live in a particularly hilly place, this won't make much difference for you.

So, Overall, Are folding Electric Bikes Worth It Or Not?

It depends on how much you're going to use yours.

Just be as honest as possible about how many car, train or underground journeys you'll effectively be able to replace.

You need to add in the cost of maintenance and durability to give you an idea of how much money you'll save by getting an e-bike - compared to the cost these have.

You can find some affordable ones from £1200 up. But again, if wheel size, durability and agility are more important than storage space, then maybe consider buying an electric bike without the folding feature.

Eskute.co.uk is a UK-based retailer with many great electric bike options for the everyday commuter. My favourite is the Wayfarer. This one costs under one thousand pounds and is sleek, durable and very powerful (as it comes with a built-in throttle).

So, whether you are ready for a foldable bike, you can explore some options for your next e-bike on their website.