The Best New E-Bikes Are Smart, Stylish, and a Blast to Ride

Biking is back. It’s one of the few approved outdoor activities in many cities—and with fewer cars on the road to spoil the fun, millions of people are hopping on bikes to enjoy the sense of freedom that only spinning on two wheels with the air flowing through your hair can bring.

Philadelphia has seen an increase in biking of over 150% during the COVID-19 outbreak, New York City’s Department of Transportation reports a 50% increase in bikes on all East River Bridges compared to this time last year, and London has implemented temporary bike lanes that could become permanent after the lockdown is lifted.

All these factors make this the perfect time to invest in the new breed of smart, stylish electric bikes. For too long, e-bikes have been large, heavy and unattractive—but the next generation of tech-savvy and design-forward two-wheelers is upending the e-bike’s clunky reputation and ushering in a new era of transportation.

"We are dragging bike manufacturing out of the bike industry and into the consumer tech space," says Taco Carlier, co-founder of VanMoof. The brand manufactures high-tech, feature-rich e-bikes—and their latest model has sold over 10,000 units since its launch in late April.

The N.P.D. Group confirms the rising popularity of electric bicycles—this past March, e-bike sales shot up 85% compared to the same period last year.

Electric bikes used to be regular bicycles with a motor attached to the hub, but now they are being designed as high-tech, high-performance vehicles—and you don’t need a license, insurance, or registration to ride.

Don’t want to arrive at your destination hot and sweaty? Pick a bike with throttle assist and it’ll do all the work for you. If you need a little boost while climbing hills, pedal assist can get you over the hump.

While these bikes are pricey, there are few ongoing costs such as those associated with other forms of transportation—and could there be a cleaner, greener, more socially distanced way to commute once we all head back to the office?

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