Rechargeable Electric Bikes

The more I watch my husband ride his electric bike, the more I am leaning toward getting one of my own. There are two I really like, but I’m afraid that both are a bit too expensive for my frugal nature—at least until gas goes up another dollar or two a gallon.

I’m one of those people who hate to buy an item that costs more than $50, no matter what it is. I usually research an item to death before I buy it, and then still wonder if I made the right decision for months after the purchase is made, not because the item is unsatisfactory, but because I wonder if I should have spent so much money on it.

Anyway, Amazon, one of my favorite spots to buy online, has a 20 inch bike called the DEX that has caught my eye although not the flap to my pocketbook yet. It is a folding electric bike and really cute.

I hate to even mention the price, for fear you will hunt me down and cart me off to wherever it is they lock up senior citizens who have lost their ability to manage money, but here goes—it is $1399.95. Ouch! But just look at how cute it is.

I would rather have larger wheels, but the seat is adjustable so you feel like you are riding a 24 or 26 inch vehicle, but the small wheels make it really easy to fold and lift for transport. I could just see myself whizzing to the corner store, grabbing a loaf of bread and a quart of milk, and then transporting my purchases home in my nifty little DEX that folds down into a package measuring only 34 x 32 x 17 after I get there..

The DEX can travel up to 20 miles on a charge without pedaling, but you can pedal if you want to. It has a 350 Watt Motor and a 36 volt LiMn Battery, and it weighs about 10-12 pounds less than other rechargeable electric bikes. All in all, this would be the perfect bike for me—if I could afford it.

I know, I know. I really can’t afford it unless I’m willing to sell one of our cars and I haven’t come to that frame of mind quite yet. If you have, be my guest and visit Amazon to order one for yourself by clicking below. You might want to order a good bike lock while you are at it, because I’m pretty sure this little jewel would attract the attention of everyone walking by, including bike thieves.

The green Mongoose rechargeable electric bike at the front of the picture above is my husband, Scotty’s, pride and joy. He bought it several years ago when he noticed that our two grandchildren were starting to leave him behind on the trail when they went for their morning bike ride around Diamond Lake, our favorite Oregon camping destination.

Not only were they leaving him behind, but when they did finally stop to wait for him to catch up, they wouldn’t even give him time to catch his breath before they were off again, laughing like hyenas, with him trailing far behind. Scotty couldn’t stand it. Something had to be done.

As soon as we got home, he started searching for the answer to his problem, and found it in the nifty little Mongoose rechargeable electric bike in the picture above. It wasn’t a high-priced model since he didn’t plan on using it except when we went on camping trips. (Boy was he wrong about that. He has ended up using it quite often to zip down to the store, or to ride our local bike trail with me.)

I haven’t quite decided whether or not to break down and get one for myself, but probably will since now he’s the one who has to stop and wait for me to catch up.

Anyway, back to the Mongoose. That bike cruises right along at 15 miles an hour and will go between 15-18 miles on fairly level ground without needing a recharge. He always plans on less mileage if there are any hills and, of course he can always peddle to make the charge last a little longer. At home, he just charges the bike for a while when he gets back from a ride, and it’s good to go the next time he wants to ride it.

At the lake, he gets a little more innovative. We have a small solar panel we always carry when we camp. It is rigged it up to the on-board RV battery. So, whenever the bike needs recharging, my husband plugs in into an inverter connected to the battery and the bike is recharged in a couple of hours.

You should see the grandkids now. They are the ones begging grandpa to slow down for a rest halfway around the lake these days, and Grandpa is the one smirking and taking off again before they have time to catch their breath. He acts like a 12-year-old again.

Rechargeable electric bikes come in different colors, styles, price ranges, and battery types. There are some designed specifically for women and others for men. Some come with dual battery packs. Some have three wheels and some have baskets so you can bring extras along or even go shopping for groceries.

One of the least expensive ones on the market lately is the 26-inch e-Joe E-Times City 4000S

selling for only $499.99. Its weight capacity is 220 pounds so it should be adequate for most adults. One of the best things about it is that it has one of the newer, NI-NH batteries, rather than the old lead kind. To learn more about it, check it out by clicking on the photo.

If you are even considering an electric bike, there is no better time to start looking. I think you’ll find they are more affordable and fun than you ever imagined.