From Guest Blogger Mark Ellis: Electric Bikes a Great Gift for Christmas

If you are looking for something totally new to get as a gift for Christmas then you need to look no further. As a matter of fact, this is one of those gifts that is for the man or woman who already has everything. What I am speaking of, is an electric bicycle or at least, an electric bike conversion kit. This is the gift that keeps on giving because with the rising cost of gas prices expected across the country, an electric bicycle can save somebody all kinds of money while providing them with the opportunity to get some fresh air and some exercise.

There are basically three different kinds of electric bicycles that you can get. First of all, you have the common, electricity assisted ride, which assists the pedaling of an electric bicycle. This type of electric bicycle is great for someone who wants to exercise a little bit but does not want to huff and puff while going up big hills. Whenever a person is riding this type of electric bicycle, the electric motor kicks in at the right moment to provide an extra boost of power to the rider. The other type of electric bicycle is basically one in which the bike rider can turn a throttle which gives them full power to ride without pedaling. This type of electric bike can give you full power just by merely turning your wrist. Actually, the third type of electric bicycle is a combination of the two; wherein you could have the throttle mode or the electric pedal assisted mode as well.

Of course, the beauty of the electric bicycle is that it costs just pennies to charge up the batteries, which in most cases can give you almost a 20 to 30 mile radius of the ride and many times electric bike can maintain a speed of up to 18 miles an hour. When you get to your destination or to your home all you have to do is plug the electric bike’s battery into an outlet and let it charge for several hours before taking your next ride. It really is just that simple. If you wanted to have a sustainable energy system you can always use a solar panel to charge up your batteries as well. That way you’re not even spending any money at all for the electricity!

Most basic electric bicycles that are worth anything, start in a price range of about $500-$800. You can also get the electric bicycle conversion kits for about the same amount of money as well. An electric bike conversion kit is basically a kit that you can place on your regular bicycle to convert it into an electric bicycle. It usually takes several hours to convert a regular bicycle into the electric one, but once you have done that, you will definitely see a great benefit in a sense of pride in what you have done. A higher-quality electric bicycle can run you anywhere from 1000 to almost $4000. Due to the popularity of electric bicycles, there are a very wide range of models to choose from. There are electric bicycles that are just like your average, everyday bicycle but with electric power to assist you in your ride. There are also electric bikes that are very similar to dirt bikes and some that are very high precision and custom-made for each individual that wants to buy one. So, you have a very wide range of electric bicycles to choose from in many shapes, makes and models.

The benefits of having an electric bicycle are considerable. For one thing, you will be taking a huge bite out of fossil fuels in your own personal life and supporting greener technology. The batteries on electric bicycle take very little power and on an electric assisted bicycle they can provide exercise to individuals to help them and keeping their health. The electric bicycle not only can provide the rider with a healthy bicycle ride but also it will reduce the stress of riding a bicycle by making it easier to go up hills. Another great advantage of the electric bicycle is how quiet they are. Because electric bicycles are not motorized like gas powered or fossil fueled vehicles, there is very little noise other than a slight hum emanating from the electric bike motor. Also, electric bike gives off no emissions whatsoever and therefore provides a method of riding a vehicle that is motorized without polluting the atmosphere or contributing to global warming.

Another thing to consider, is that because you are riding on a bicycle that has electrical assistance, if you are carrying other items in your baskets the load will be much less for you to carry other things because of the electric motor.

Electric bicycles would make it very unique gift for Christmas for any person that enjoys being in the outdoors and getting a little exercise. Before you buy electric bicycle, please make sure that you do a little research and look at many of the different models and price ranges that are available. Also, make sure that you find out what electric bicycles are the highest quality for the price because just like any other high precision instrument or vehicle, you will really get what you pay for.