Biking to Work: Check the Beginners' Guide

Every electric bike rider needs to follow standard safety procedures while biking to work. However, beginners must implement extra measures due to a lack of experience. Start by practicing through a short distance. If you ride a foldable electric bike, it helps you to break your transport easily. You can fold the e-bike in a vehicle or bus after covering the first half of the journey. Commuting to work should be fun, so only stress a little about it once you are familiar with the routes. Also, consider biking with co-workers to make your riding experience more fun.

This article is a complete guide for everyone willing to commute to work effortlessly. However, it would help if you understood you are saving yourself the stress and promoting the sustainability of the green environment. You will discover more ways to maximize the benefits of electric bikes as you read further.

Preparation Towards the Electric Bike

There is a certain distance an electric bike can cover on a single charge. For instance, the Honbike Uni4 can cover 52 miles on a single charge, which is fair. You should also check the number of hours a single-charged battery can sustain you. If your electric bike battery is not fully charged, you should take an extra battery with you. You should also check the electric bike's drive train. Any slight malfunction should be solved before taking it on the road. Below are several other ways to ensure your electric bike is fit for commuting.

Avoid Overloading Your Electric Bike

The maximum weight an electric bike can carry is usually included in the manufacturer's manual. For instance, Honbike manufacturers recommended that its HF01 and Uni4 models' maximum weight capacity be 120 kg and 100 kg, respectively. The maximum load capacity for every bike differs because the size of the motor and battery components differ. The maximum load capacity also includes the extra luggage you may want to carry.

To receive stress, you should get a gear rack. Meanwhile, overloading your electric bikes could also slow down your speed. This may eventually make you get late for work. You may also get stuck in traffic, especially when you are yet to learn how to maneuver your electric bike.

Secure Your E-bike

Electric bikes are portable, which makes them easily susceptible to theft. To protect your bike, you should get a security lock. It would help if you also avoided parking your electric bike in crowded areas, installing an alarm and track system to monitor the electric bike's movement. Some products like Honbike launched its brand app. These apps were designed to reduce theft cases. The installed alarm will also alert the bike owner when a third party is stealing it. Being a new rider, you may lose focus of your electric bike sound, but the app will be available for tracking.

Take the Necessary Repair Tools

As a beginner, start by learning some essential repairs on components like tires. You should carry a patch kit and spare tube, the primary materials needed for minimal electric bike damage. You may also take with you your bike pump and levers. However, it is not entirely outrageous if you cannot fix a minor e-bike problem. Ensure your mobile device is charged and you have a mechanical expert you can call. It will be considered dangerous if you are stranded on a lone path. Thus, you avoid riding on an isolated part from the beginning.

Personal Measures Every Rider Should Note

After fixing any mechanical issue in your electric bike, you must also prepare for the ride ahead. Thus, a rider may still face challenges even if the electric bike components are working perfectly, and the measures below need to be considered.

Checking the Weather Condition

You should confirm if the weather condition is in your favor or not. The report from your forecast will also help to determine the extra items to take along with you. For instance, if the forecast predicts a wet day, despite being sunny, you will need a jacket. It would help if you also considered wearing a breathable cloth that does not hang too tight to your body. You should also prepare for dirt if the forecast predicts it will rain. This will prevent any potential damage or component rust due to water retention.

Protect Yourself While Biking

The foremost accessory that ensures safety while riding is a helmet. Wear a helmet to prevent head collisions whenever an unpleasant road incident occurs. It would help if you also chose a helmet that fits into your head and will offer as much protection as possible. A helmet also helps keep your hair in the right shape for work without wind disruption. You may also wear protective gear like gloves, which is ideal, especially while riding during winter. The front and back lights should be in good condition to let other road users see you from afar.

Another protective item is a fender. Adding a fender to your electric bike stops water from splashing on you during the rainy season. This does help not only you but also other riders behind you. It will be more appropriate if you get a fender from your electric bike brand. There is a higher possibility it will fit better into the e-bike.

Wear the Right Pair of Clothing

As a beginner, you must understand that biking requires different clothing than any other sports activity. The main aim is to provide comfort as much as possible. Reflective clothing is highly recommended for winter to ensure proper sight. You could also get bike shorts that are a midi length.

Pay Attention to Your Road

The importance of being familiar with the road cannot be overemphasized. Make sure to signal to other road users whenever you are changing biking positions. You should also avoid riding with headphones plugged into your ear. This is a massive cause of distraction and is mostly not allowed in most developed states. Most states also have assigned trails to electric bike riders. Always maintain the bike lane, and avoid riding by the sidewalks. Riding sidewalks increases the possibility of hitting a pedestrian. This would cost you some legal charges, which vary based on the severity of the incident.

Maintaining a Professional Comportment

If you are worried about losing your professional standard, you may take extra clothes to change into. On the other hand, only some workplaces expect too much of their workers' dress. Also, electric bikes are getting fancier as manufacturers incorporate new designs. Honbike is a perfect example, depicted by its rounded handlebar edges, contrary to the old sharp edges. These minimalist designs make electric bikes a good choice among Gen Z. Thus, riding an electric bike does not affect the rider's professional comportment.

Why Electric is the Right Bike for You

Your bike choice also influences the ease you get as a beginner while biking to work. This article highly recommends electric bikes over regular bikes because of their simplicity. Electric bikes from reputable brands like Honbike are now built with pedals to support a rider. The motor provides this support by propelling the rider forward. A rider does not need to exert much energy on an electric pedal bike. This preserves your energy for the day and also boosts your work productivity. However, countries like Canada set the maximum speed for a pedaled e-bike to 32 km/h. Thus, you must also identify the requirements within your province and abide by them.

E-bike pedal assistance also allows riders to reach their destination faster. It builds the body's muscle mass and contributes to general well-being. No extra force is exerted on the hand and knee region while riding. More so, it helps to promote weight loss. An electric bike is considered a passive form of exercise by gym enthusiasts. It also allows individuals who cannot afford gym equipment but love to engage in some weight loss practice.

Conclusion

Today, most employees are encouraging their workers to ride an e-bike to help combat the carbon crisis. You can join this movement by contributing in the little way you can through eco-friendly transportation. The best way to achieve this is to pay attention to your ride routine and process.

Endeavor to ride through the smoothest and shortest route possible. Riding on a rough road will reduce your attention span at work and induce high blood pressure due to anxiety. Thus, take it a step at a time until you have mastered the commute that works best for you. Other safety measures discussed in this article are also easy to implement.