Traditional bike vs. electric bike – how to make commuting easier and more comfortable

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You like cycling but find it a little uncomfortable in some situations? You want your bike to look stylish and be easy to use? Our BZEN e-bikes are the answer to your needs. Find out what advantages they have over traditional bikes and why you should switch to one.

 

 

E-bikes – do they look different from traditional bikes?

There are actually no significant differences in the appearance of the two types of bicycle. Much depends on the manufacturer and the model, of course, but a typical electric bicycle from most companies differs from a normal bicycle mainly by the fact that the battery, the motor and the control unit are located in the underside or inside the frame. Sometimes these components are arranged differently, e.g. the battery is located along the frame or on the rear carrier and the motor in the center or in the the rear wheel. This of course has a different effect on the riding quality, e.g. the weight. Electric bicycles are usually much heavier.

But it doesn’t have to be like that – on BZEN bikes, such as our Amsterdam model, the battery is so inconspicuously hidden in the frame that it is almost impossible to tell it apart from traditional bikes. What is interesting is that BZEN bikes – in contrast to typical e-bikes – are also very light (they weigh only about 15 to 17 kg, while usually e-bikes weigh at least 25 kg). This makes them easy to lift and carry when necessary. It also makes it much easier to manage slopes in the cities.

Read also: The Amsterdam e-bike – timeless design, modern technology

 

 

How does the e-bike differ from a normal bicycle?

The way a traditional bicycle works is well known: You power it with your own muscle power, which is transferred to the bicycle via a bicycle chain. When electric bicycles appeared on the market, many people asked themselves: What could be changed about this design that had been tried and tested for years? However, it turns out that it’s not just about improving the design itself and adding batteries, but also about improving the overall comfort and use of the bike.

And it is exactly this comfort that we focus on at BZEN Bikes. If you compare our electric bike to a traditional bike, you can say that it feels like the wind is blowing into your back all the time and there are no more uphill climbs. This is because electric bicycles are not, as many say, « bicycle-like motorbikes », but still a bicycle that has to be propelled by muscle power. However, pedalling is assisted by a motor, making it easier, more pleasant and without unnecessary effort. This way you go further and faster with every step. It feels like your legs are pushing much harder than they actually are, and the harder you pedal, the stronger the assistance works, making it easier to cycle.

 

 

Motor assistance in the BZEN e-bike – how does it make cycling easier?

The motor assist function is a real game changer for cycling.
If you come home from work in the afternoon and have no energy, you can simply switch on the bike’s motor with the push of a button and ride with much less effort than with a traditional bike. The assistance adapts to the way you ride: The faster and harder you pedal, the more intense the assistance, while the slower and smoother you ride, the smoother the assistance (five different levels of support are available). In a word, it adapts smartly to you and your riding style.

As already mentioned, our e-bikes are super light, not much heavier than conventional bikes, but definitely lighter than ordinary e-bikes. Of course, you can ride our e-bike just like a traditional bike when you feel like it, without the use of a motor, or when the battery is empty, for example. To make the ride even easier, the rear wheel motor can be completely disconnected from the rear wheel, eliminating the extra, annoying friction associated with riding without a motor.

An interesting feature is that the motor assistance can also be switched on when you are pushing the bike, e.g. when you want to go up a slope and push the bike. It is the so-called walk assist function.
How can motor assistance make cycling in the city even easier?

  • You want to go faster on an empty road to get to work earlier? No problem – just push the pedals a little stronger and the motor will support your legs more intensively and enable you to reach a higher speed. You can also increase the motor assistance yourself for faster and easier acceleration.
  • You want to ride slower to enjoy the beautiful scenery and relax after work? Just ride slowly, and the motor assistance will work more gently. You can of course decrease the motor support to reduce acceleration and assistance while riding.
  • Need to climb a slope? Never before has climbing a hill been so comfortable as on a motor-assisted electric bike.

 

 

How fast can you go on an e-bike?

Standard electric bicycles (according to EPAC regulation) are allowed to reach a maximum speed of 25 km/h with motor support when pedalling. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t go faster – it’s just that above this speed the motor support stops working. However, there is a fundamental difference between reaching this speed on a traditional bike and an electric bike – on the latter you can reach it without much effort, whereas on a traditional bike you have to pedal hard to reach (and maintain) it.

However, such speed is not always necessary, especially in the city – and can even be difficult to achieve on a crowded cycle path. Adapting the speed to the existing road conditions and the applicable laws should always be considered by all of us in the interest of safety and should be respected at all times.

And another thing: cycling in the city is often more fun when you go a little slower. This is what Zen is all about: taking your time, observing your surroundings, living mindfully and enjoying a slow life. Cycling can be an excellent exercise in this state.

 

 

BZEN e-bikes – you reach your destination easier and more comfortable

When is an electric bike a good choice in the city?
When you no longer want to drive every day.

It’s no secret that the future of urban mobility lies in environmentally friendly means of transport such as public transport and electric bikes. If you, too, are annoyed by the constant search for a parking space and standing in traffic jams, then BZEN bikes are the ideal solution for you.

If you want to go on an trip, even out of town

With the motor support of an electric bike, you can go much further than our physical condition would allow on a traditional bike. You are sometimes so busy that you don’t have time for regular, strenuous training, so a trip outside the city can be a challenge for you. With BZEN bikes, such a trip, for example with the whole family, is easily doable – even if you only feel like it once in a while. With BZEN bikes you can choose between two battery capacities: 7 Ah/252 Wh, sufficient for up to 75 km, or 10 Ah/360 Wh, sufficient for up to 110 km.

When you need to get around quickly to different places in the city

In modern cities, the bicycle is the fastest mean of transport, especially during traffic jams. With an e-bike, for example, you can quickly ride from work to a meeting with a client and after work to an appointment. Did you know that in 2021, the average person in Europe lost 100 hours due to traffic jams? So if you cycle, you can reduce the number of hours you spend in traffic jams. At the same time, thanks to the assistance, you avoid unnecessary effort and sweating, which would be very undesirable on the way to a customer.

An electric bike really makes life in the city easier.

Check the offer: London e-bike model