Electric Bike vs Electric Scooter: Which is the Better Choice?
Electric Bike vs Electric Scooter: Which is the Better Choice?
Looking to join the electric mobility world but are torn between an electric bike and an electric scooter? While both electric vehicles offer a powerful and convenient means to commute, you might be asking yourself which of the two electrified two-wheel transports is the better choice.
In this article from iScoot, we will walk you through the various trends that set electric bikes apart from electric scooters. Let’s compare the two battery-operated vehicles based on their portability, durability, speed, etc. so you can choose which of them suits you better.
Workout benefits
This one is a no brainer: If you are looking for a mode of transportation that doubles as exercise, go for an electronic bike, unless you plan on bench-pressing your electronic scooter. Although some e-bike models offer special assistance and you can ride those with throttles as mopeds, they generally give you the opportunity to get some serious exercise each time you use them. In fact, according to top-ebikes.com, e-bike riders get to work out more than regular bikers, simply because they tend to ride further and more often.
Portability
For the most part, this one is very obvious: An electric scooter is much smaller and lighter than an electric bike, hence it is more portable. So if you often go on long drives with your family, it’s better to invest in an electric scooter, which you can easily fit in the trunk of your car. Bikes usually don’t fit in that of a sedan, unless it is foldable. Well, for the record, this is not a universal rule, since there are also heavy-duty, high-speed electric scooters that weigh 100 pounds and are not as portable as regular e-scooters. Compared to e-bikes though, these heavy-duty e-scooters are still far more portable.
Speed
You might think that electric bicycles would have an easy win in this aspect, but the comparison is much more complicated than it seems. Generally speaking, electric bikes are more heavily regulated than electric scooters, but if you shop around you will find that it is not really that hard finding electric scooters that can go well over the speed limits of electronic bikes. If you’re amazed to hear of an electric scooter that can go at 40mph, you might be more surprised to know that there are even more capable scooters that can go over 100mph! But there is more to them than just their raw speed. In many ways, an e-scooter can also help you cut down on your travel time since it is fairly compact, meaning you do not need to fetch it from a garage or bike room. It is also much easier to maneuver through hallways!
Safety
While electric bikes seem to be the obvious choice for safety because of their big wheels that can easily brush off debris and provide better traction on wet surfaces, electric scooters can actually make you feel just as safe. Yes, an e-bike is bigger and can make you more visible on the road, but an e-scooter is much nimbler and can make it much easier for you to weave between traffic and pedestrians. Even if you have to bail to save yourself from an imminent accident, you can literally just hop off your electric scooter to avoid it—something that is not quite as easy to do when you are riding an electric bike. Take note though that it varies largely, depending on the e-scooter that you are using. If you want an e-scooter that makes you feel just as safe as when you are riding an e-bike, go for one that has large tires and silky-smooth suspension. Such models are more expensive than regular e-scooters but still not as expensive as e-bikes.
Durability
It may look like electric bikes are more durable than electric scooters, but that’s not always the case. In fact, your e-scooter can last for many years without any issues, as long as you know how to take good care of it. E-bikes are durable too, but one major problem with e-bikes is that most of the issues you will encounter on them—say a bent spoke or a flat tire—are things that your local bike shop cannot fix. That means you need to go directly to your dealer if you need direct support for failure on either or both its mechanical and electrical parts.
Verdict
Like we said, electric scooters and electric bikes are great options if you want a more convenient mode of transport. But while e-bikes seem speedier and more fashionable, e-scooters have so much more to offer in terms of portability, price, and safety. Well, if you can afford both, then double up so you can get the best of both worlds.
