ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF BOTH TYPES. LET OUR EXPERT GUIDE YOU.

by Dora Marraffa

Between the electric bike and the muscle bike? All life, the muscular. Alessandro Galimberti , bicycle project manager of the Mandelli Group 's Bicycle Business Unit since 2004, has no doubts. His heart beats fast for the traditional bike .

And how could it be otherwise: our expert recalls his competitive past with nostalgia and proudly belonging to a family of "hard sports": from trekking to mountaineering, climbing, passing through racing bikes and finishing mountain bikes. But, putting aside the soul and temperament of a man of hard work, to the question "Why buy an electric bike?", Alessandro does not spare himself, on the contrary, he enumerates, in a completely dispassionate way, the many advantages that the e-bike gives .

First of all, however, let's clarify an important concept: assistance is subject to pedalling. In other words, if you don't pedal, the motor doesn't work. An electric bike – as Alessandro explains – is considered as such if it respects these two parameters.

1. The motor assistance has a speed limit of 25 km/h; above this threshold, the engine stops and you have to proceed only with your legs.
2. The motor power is equal to 250 Watt.

Preliminary clarifications done, here we are at the point: what are the advantages of an electric bike in the city? Yes, because the context in which we want to use it is the city , as an alternative to the muscle bike.

7 GOOD REASONS TO CHOOSE AN ELECTRIC BIKE IN THE CITY AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE TRADITIONAL BIKE.

1. It allows you to avoid fatigue , especially when starting uphill: imagine having to start again, after having stopped at the traffic light, on an uphill flyover. With the assisted pedaling it's a moment, with the strength of the legs, the effort is undoubtedly greater. With the disadvantage, moreover, is that "it's nice to pedal, but you have to sweat...".
2. It doesn't make you sweat . That's why it's perfect for those who choose the bike as their way to work: you're sure to arrive at the office in perfect order.
3. It's the right mean for journeys that are too long to make on foot but too short to take public transport : by the time you're waiting for the tram, you've already arrived at work or at your appointment.
4. If you use it constantly in your daily life, it's good for your health : going to and from work, maybe you get those 30 minutes of physical activity that doctors always recommend to stay healthy.
5. It is more comfortable than the traditional bike. For this reason, it stimulates and motivates you more, with the natural consequence that you become more constant in using it . Convenience really chases away any excuse: there is no climb, laziness or bad mood that boycotts its use. “ The rule applies – explains Alessandro – that if you have an electric bike, you use it more than a muscle one . Not to mention, during our demonstration tests, it's always literally thought to be Cool!”.
6. It is suitable for everyone , for those who are trained and for those who are not, because it allows you to dose the effort, fatigue and speed as you wish. So much so that it can be safely used in case of injury or limitations in the use of the lower limbs. And it is not for nothing that cycle tourism with e-bikes is becoming increasingly popular, especially in the villages of Tuscany or in the Dolomites.
7. It's safer in urban traffic than traditional bikes, for the simple reason that if you're stopped at traffic lights, the restart time of an e-bike is much shorter than a muscle bike, with the advantage of avoiding any risk.

At this point, however, it remains to be discovered why not choose the e-bike .

WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF THE ELECTRIC BIKE.

Hardly anyone, apart from the fact that driving an e-bike requires – explains Alessandro – more responsibility, especially in urban areas where the dangers are greater and greater promptness of reflexes is required. Which is why it's a good thing to always wear a helmet.

Having promoted the electric bike with full marks, our bicycle project manager quickly reviews all the advantages – which we have all had the opportunity to experience – of the traditional bike.

7 GOOD REASONS TO CHOOSE THE MUSCULAR BIKE.

1. It has practically zero environmental impact .
2. It is much more "profitable" in terms of physical activity: it burns many more calories .
3. It gives satisfactions and emotions incomparable to those of the e-bike.
4. It is more convenient to carry.
5. It costs less (obviously if we are talking about urban bikes, sports bikes are a world apart).
6. Frees you from the hassle of charging .
7. It carries with it a romantic and nostalgic charge that the electric bike (at least for now) ignores.

Now for you the arduous sentence: electric or muscle bike? The important thing is to choose to ride a bike.