Traffic Congestion Can Be Alleviated by Electric Bicycles

(1) As more people continue to move to cities, urban residents are forced to deal with massive traffic issues.

(2) Most people’s solution to traffic is to go low-tech and get a bike.

By Likam Kyanzaire

As more people continue to move to cities, urban residents are forced to deal with massive traffic issues. Some people have tried to alleviate these issues through robotaxi programs and other autonomous vehicles. But the technology and public policy around AI-driven vehicles is still far from perfect.

Most people’s solution to traffic is to go low-tech and get a bike. Small enough to weave through stationary cars, bikes are that childhood toy becoming a major part of urban transportation infrastructure. But to get from point A to point B electric bicycles can take people further.

The Bicycle Renaissance

There is something special about riding a bicycle. It’s a feeling of freedom that comes from travelling around my neighbourhood as a kid. Buying freezies, racing friends. That nostalgia stays with me through the most mundane of work days. And even as my max speed was around ten miles per hour, it felt like I could fly.

As an adult, driving becomes more of a chore. There is maintenance, traffic and insurance. Especially in the city. And even though I can easily go forty miles per hour in a car, it feels less like flying, and more like crawling. But that’s what convenience gets you. And the motor of a car is tons more convenient than pedal power.

Today’s bikes, like today’s cars, are embracing electricity. Cruising at twenty-eight miles per hour, an electric bike serves the convenience of a car, and the unadulterated joy that a bicycle can give. And all this is powered by batteries.

The E-Bike Revolution

Under the hood, e-bike batteries look like someone duct-taped a bunch of Duracell double AA batteries together. Tied to a motor and a controller, an e-bike can serve as transportation to work, and recreational activity and still fit in my apartment! Which saves money on parking!

As battery technology grows, e-bikes are becoming more and more practical for everyone. Looking through a selection of bikes like the RadRunner, Model X and Pace 350, it can be daunting to choose. Any e-bike consumer must pay attention to volts, amp hours and watt-hours while also knowing what you want out of your new ride is important. 

Like man-powered bicycles, e-bikes come in different flavours. Mountain bikes, big wheels, cruisers, they are all there. But e-bikes have their own specific classifications too. There are e-bikes with pedal assist, throttle only, and pedal assist max. Each rider can pick an e-bike that suits their needs.

Whizzing on roads on a maxed-out e-bike feels like nothing else. On a Monday morning, commuting to work, you can still get that ‘Saturday afternoon, race you to the McDonald’s feeling, that comes from a bicycle. And still make it in time to work. That’s what e-bike batteries give. An opportunity to fly comfortably.