Germany Changed My Mind About E-bikes And Yours Should Too.

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It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! ✌️ After living in Germany since 2013, I'm convinced that the greatest revolution in mobility in the 21st century will be e-bikes. Here's why.
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E-Bikes Could Change Cities Forever by ‪@CityBeautiful‬
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I like this helmet for e-bikes: tinyurl.com/5n8x7aub
Episode 81 | #cycling #ebike #electricbike #cyclinglife #mobility #bicycle #infrastructure | Filmed October 20th, 2022
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00:00 Intro
03:54 The Cycling Industry is Changing....
07:34 E-bikes are Changing Community Mobility
12:13 This Helps Keep Us Working on Videos
14:26 Cost Comparison of E-Bikes
15:45 All Cyclists Benefit from E-Bikes
18:17 What the European Union Could do Better...
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Originally from the Midwest of the USA, we moved to the #blackforest in 2013 and quickly embraced #expatlife. As American expats living in #Germany, things weren't always easy, but we've grown to love our life in Germany. We started this #travelvlog​ to share our experiences with friends and family, and to help those who are interested in moving overseas! Whether you are interested in moving abroad, working abroad, studying abroad, raising a family abroad, or just want to #traveleurope, we're here to give you a first person look at what lies ahead. 😊🎥🌎

[@TypeAshton]

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[@DS-qm3bs]

Some constructive criticism. I have no problem with you having sponsors but some are not optimal in my eyes at least so maybe consider your advertising of Nord VPN. As short info here a video from Tom Scott: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYengnilmpuNjbs also they are doing banned advertising of continuous limited offers (infinity countdown) which are banned in the eu at least I only found a video in german for this but the automatic english subtiles are quite good kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6mpq4aVr5lmq9U i couldn't find the paragraph of the law this fast since its most likely hidden in law terminology

[@HolgerNestmann]

I think a VPN can help in certain situations. But the way you presented the banking site thing was strange - if your bank doesnt enforce https you shouldnt trust them with your money

[@SharienGaming]

@@HolgerNestmann seconding this - no commercial website out there, ESPECIALLY banks run without enforced SSL/TLS ... man in the middle attacks are something that simply does not happen anymore... what does happen is phishing (for example by some malicious site impersonating a legit site to steal your login data) and a VPN wont help with that someone in the scenario they presented could have local versions of target sites ready or load whatever you are looking at in a website that just passes everything throuh while reading your info... vpn still wouldnt help, but again - there are systems and settings that prevent that from happening on the serverside (settings that forbid embedding the site and rejecting requests that originate from a different site for example) and all of those are commercial industry standards there are 2 things commercial VPNs are good for: 1) breaking through geolocking and 2) hiding your traffic from scummy ISPs

[@uschil228]

My grandpa (over 70 years old) was driving everywhere. He got an E-bike 3 years ago. Now he goes everywhere by bike, unless the weather is miserable. 20km a day is normal for him now. He is way fitter because there are E-bikes. Greetings from an austrian.

[@bearcubdaycare]

This is what I see in my community, where I see older people on ebikes. One I met said that it let him keep cycling in the local forest, which he gets to on the local cycle/pedestrian path, which allows ebikes. Otherwise a health issue that came up would have prevented it. I've come to see ebikes as a quality of life issue (though myself I use a pedal bike and a car).

[@rizzopat9892]

All e-bikes in Europe are pedal bikes. If you don‘t pedal the e-bike won‘t move ...unless you‘re going downhill of course :-)

[@bastianw2217]

@@rizzopat9892 In Germany there are some restictions to E-bikes. And not every bike with an electrical motor and pedals is an e-bike. I don't know how it is in other countries. Standard E-bikes (called pedelecs) can drive up to 25 km/h electrical assisted. Everything faster is then pure muscle work. These E-bikes are classified as regular bikes (w/o motor). These pedelecs are allowed to drive everywhere where normal bike are allowed to (bike paths, forrests, etc.) S-Pedelecs can drive up to 45 km/h with motor assitance. Everything faster is again pure muscle work. They are classified as mopeds and need a mandatory insurance and have a small license plate. They are seen as motorized vehicles, even if the basis is a bycicle. They aren't allowed to drive on bike paths and in forrests for example.

[@arildschonberg3607]

So glad to hear! I’m 65 and love my ebike. 3-35 Km. a day. 🚲

[@Heimdall01]

@@bastianw2217 What you are describing is valid , as you said in Germany, but also in the whole of EU. The stupid thing is the maximum of 250Watt. No matter if it's a cargo bike or a single person bike.

[@paulm.sweazey336]

I'm a retired Silicon Valley engineer who moved to Baden-Württemberg in 2016. Two months after arriving, my wife and I bought E-bikes. Actually the city of Santa Cruz, CA subsidized my first (lead-acid) E-bike purchase around 2000 and before that I had commuted via lead-acid E-scooters, so I'm the early adopter type. But it has been truly amazing and delightful to watch our German community moving to E-bikes, and yes, the area seems made for E-biking. Unless you are riding a riverbank, every trip involves significant elevation changes, but with the E-bike that is no longer an obstacle. Our bikes are a very big contributor to our quality of life, and now we are not alone. Thanks for your KZbin channel. You two do a very professional job. Don't stop!

[@TypeAshton]

Thank you so much for such a great comment. We really really love our e-bikes and find that they really make everyday tasks by bicycle not just "do-able" but "preferably" by bicycle.

[@Kivas_Fajo]

May I ask why from all places you have chosen Baden-Württemberg? I live there and am curious about your reasons.

[@arildschonberg3607]

Good to hear. I live in Sweden and do most of my local trips by ebike. When we have lots of snow, like right now, it becomes to impractical, so I move by foot or by car. The ebike will take me 12-40 km in a day and gives good exercise.

[@RobRoordink]

The KZbin channels ‘Not just bikes’ and ‘Bicycle Dutch’ show what the use of e-bikes and good bike infrastructure can do, to advocate the use of bikes and keep people and especially old people moving. I did need my car in vacation time for my caravan. Still my Enschede fietst-app, a special app to advocate bike use in my hometown, says I drove the last 90 days 1209 km by e-bike and 864 km by car. I walked in those 90 days 229 km. (I am 77 years old)

[@poladelarosa8399]

Thanks for the rec of 'Bicycle Dutch'.

[@MikeS29]

I'm a huge fan of both "Not Just Bikes" and "Strong Towns," as well as this channel, of course! I will have to look for "Bicycle Dutch" now.

[@patrickhanft]

Yes, yes, yes! I got my e-bike in spring this year and clocked in a thousand km in the first six months of owning it (certainly not much for many cyclists, but for me this was groundbreaking). I abandoned my car last year and switching to an e-bike is certainly one of the best decisions I ever made. It improved my physical and especially my mental health, it makes me feel more grounded and saves quite some money. I understand, that it is not the solution for *every* mobility problem, but it can and should be the solution for many situations. Germanys bike infrastructure is far from perfect, but fighting to make it better, is absolutely worth it. In the end especially those, who really depend on their car commute, will profit from less traffic.

[@TypeAshton]

100000% love this comment. We totally agree.

[@BrokenCurtain]

Re: ticket prices One thing to keep in mind is that Germany is on its way to introduce a nationwide public transportation ticket that will allow anyone to use public transport anywhere in Germany for just 49 Euros per month.

[@TypeAshton]

We can't wait until this is available!

[@stevencowles8419]

I’m in the UK in a small hilly town, 59 years old and unfit. Got rid of the car in the pandemic and got an ebike and trailer which I now use for all local travel. I use the train for longer journeys or occasionally rent a car. Two years on and I’m happier, fitter have more spendable money and have absolutely no desire to return to car ownership. A real winner. Modern low maintenance drivetrains like belts and decent hub gears will also help ebikes to spread quickly

[@hypatian9093]

I bought a used E-bike (~6 years old) last year and it made a real difference in my behaviour - I use it more than the normal bike I had before and take longer rides even for everyday things like grocery shopping. Now I'm thinking about buying an e-backfiets from the Netherlands. They're great for shopping and having your kid in front of you is much nicer for both the parent + the child, especially because the child has a better view. And since I'm not getting younger, I think a trike would help with stability etc. And regarding "no bad weather, only wrong clothing" - I'm a big fan of the traditional rain cape for bikes. Mine is red with white polka dots, I call it my "nobody will overlook me"-cape ;)

[@denverspin]

Fantastic

[@HolgerNestmann]

I do have an ebike and I love it. I also later added a brompton and couldn‘t be happier with it. I am actually amazed how well it fares on longer tours and hauling stuff. I think the electric folding bike is a key thing for people in city appartments

[@xFD2x]

Yes, now that's a solution. In the Netherlands a develloper/builder can't get approval unless the plans provide for bicycle storage, for all appartments, near the ground floor.

[@boybumbatso1582]

I'm 41 yrs old and only learned how to ride a bike around 2 years ago. I am not an expert yet(nor will I ever be) but getting an ebike was one of the best decisions ever. my wife has one and convinced me to get 1 too. it helped me gain confidence in riding on the road as I can't pedal too hard, so it helps me gain a bit of speed.also gases are so so high and we need an alternative to ride to the office and back on our everyday commute. excellent vid! greetings from the philippines!

[@knuderikjensen533]

Excellent video. Living in Denmark cykling has always been part of my life for like 67 of my 72 years of life. I didn't even ever get a driver's license. Some years ago for a longer period of my life I had to ride 15 km twice a day to get to and from work, but found out that going by taxi when I didn't feel like cycling was actually cheaper than having a car. I still haven't got an e-bike, but I've got no doubt that I'll get one once I find it too hard to ride my regular bike. Also one of the good things about e-bikes is that they suddely got a lot of elderly people back on bikes. And actually you still get a lot of exercise riding an e-bike. I read in a study in the magazine of the Danish Cyclist Magazine that you still get 80% compared to a regular bike, and 80% is a lot more than zero.

[@JG4689]

Awesome video! thanks Jonathan :) I recently (February this year) moved back to Germany from Australia to the lovely little city of Oldenburg. It is super bike-friendly with paths nearly everywhere next to the pedestrian path, off the road. Additionally, it is super flat as it's close to the North Sea. I initially used my 20-year-old bike that I got as a child, which became tough cycling once I got a puppy and took her around in a trailer to get to work or nice walking tracks. So, a couple months ago, I bought a second-hand E-bike. It's amazing. I really enjoy the ease of cycling with the dog in the trailer (together about 30kg extra weight) and even take her on longer tours with friends and colleagues :) Cycling everywhere rather than using the car is one of the greatest things about living in Europe again!

[@TypeAshton]

Welcome back to Germany! We totally agree with you on the bike culture being one of the greatest things about living in Europe. Seeing the countries by bicycle is so mesmerizing. :)

[@kilsestoffel3690]

The biggest plus of Oldenburg concerning cycling is the flatness... no hills.

[@DavidWilliamsaz]

I am from an Arizona Suburb I have studied market urbanism for a few years now. Bike lanes are awesome and it is cool to see another city that is so bike friendly. Whenever they talk about bike infrastructure in general or in Europe Amersterdam clearly takes the cake. It would be cool to see your take on Amesterdam or the Netherlands in a video. You are probably familar with the Dutch biking KZbin channel Not Just bikes I love their content.

[@poladelarosa8399]

_Not Just Bikes,_ an outstanding channel.

[@AlasdairSun]

got my e-cargo bike five years ago and 13,000 miles later can say it’s still going strong and I’ve loved every minute riding it!

[@Cesar-cm4if]

Love that, congrats! Btw, not sure if you heard about it but you should consider getting an nta helmet like xnito or bern hudson if you have a cpsc helmet. Cpsc is not that safe

[@th60of]

Personally, I'm okay with the 25 km/h limit. It's what I'd typically do on a non-motorized bike, except I can maintain this speed all the time, which makes my daily commute actually two minutes shorter (Yay!). The thing is, here in Germany you are free to use this sort of e-bike on forest trails, and 25 km/h is quite sensible there: there are people there walking, sometimes walking their dogs; on occasion, you will encounter some wildlife, too. And then I see some elderly folk on e-bikes, barely able to keep their balance (technically, I qualify as elderly myself ;)), and I can't help thinking, yeah, don't make them go any faster.

[@TypeAshton]

Ah for sure, just because they CAN go that fast doesn't mean that they should in all situations. However, we have come into a lot of daily commuting in our small German village outside of Freiburg where the streets are narrow, but cars regularly try to still pass us because we are going JUST slow enough to where they feel we are holding them up. And also because the streets are so narrow, there isn't really room for a separated bicycle path.

[@th60of]

@@TypeAshton I totally get your point, but I still beg to disagree. First of all: We need to separate traffic at different speeds. But when there is no other option but to have mixed traffic, the slowest participant should set the speed limit: so, not 30 km/h for cars, but 20 or even 15. I know, I'm talking about an ideal world...

[@Henning_Rech]

Same age group, agree 100%. And you can drive faster than 25 km/h by pedaling - the motor helps you nevertheless because you have saved part of the energy you needed to accelerate to 25 before. Uphill 15-25 with support, downhill 25-35 without, in flat areas (not much here) 25-30 with or without.

[@fawkesmorque]

Although I would love to be able to drive 30-40km/h on an ebike, I have to agree since as a dog owner I experienced a lot of dangerous situations on forest trails and even on trails through open fields, when corn or sunflowers are tall and you can't see around corners. Especially the younger folks on their (unlocked) Sur-Ron bikes or similar do not drive responsible and often also drive offroad, not knowing how damaging they are to the environment.

[@onnob]

@Thomas Kaiser Your argument does not make any sense. If you are worried about the peace of mind of other people, then you should advocate a bicycle speed limit of 25 km/hr in those areas (or whatever speed you deem appropriate). After all, anybody (with the ability) can go beyond the assisted speed range if they want to (and still scare older people and dog walkers): just pedal faster! It is like Jonathan implies: It all comes down to being a responsible user of the road/bike path!

[@henrischutte1968]

I think the spike in (E)-bike sales during the pandemic was prominently caused by people living up to about 50 km from their workplace. They used to commute by public transport and now were afraid to do so. this was the best alternative.

[@TypeAshton]

This contributed to it for sure.

[@VictorYepello]

Last year we went car free and have no regrets. We live in a climate that permits year round cycling so we’re lucky. My husband has an e-trike and I have an e-bike. Both make it convenient to shop and manage our daily lives. He’s 71 and I’m 76 and all is quite well. ❤

[@Ulrik_Hejdenberg]

I bought my first cargo bike at the age of 50 seven years ago. It was also my first electric bike. Since then, we have also bought a small cargo bike for the son who was nine and an electric bike for the wife. The older daughter has a regular multi-speed bike and the rest of us have regular bikes too. We live in Stockholm where winter cycling is a bit of a hassle.

[@skarabyll1458]

I totally agree with all your points, my only main complaint about e-bike use is that elderly people get a huge mobility benefit out of them but usually tend to go way faster than they can handle so they just end up endangering walking trafic and themselves. And as a mountainbiker it's just frustrating seing so many e-mtbs on the trails, mostly amatures who bought it during covid, with their skill not matching the capability of their bike at all

[@hypatian9093]

Yes, for some elderly people you see similar things with e-bikes like with cars: using them when they really shouldn't anymore.

[@sojuicy69]

You guys are crushing it quality-wise. I am actually looking forward to every Sunday and therefore a new video from the BFF. I love Ashtons expertise on properties, statistics and raw, researched numbers and Jonathans love and advocation for biking and glimpse of life VLOGs - all packaged into half an hour entertainment for us. Never stop posting.

[@TypeAshton]

Wow thank you so, so much. It has taken us sometime to really kind of find our "identity" on KZbin... and figure out what is "good variety" versus "outside of our niche". But I am happy that we are finding a good balance of research/interesting topics/and personal insight and experience. We're super thrilled that others enjoy our content and look forward to the videos.

[@supernova19805]

Unfortunately, I live in the U.S., where it is pretty much unsafe to bike almost anywhere in or near cities because of lack of bike lanes, heavy traffic and aggressive car drivers. Strangely though, I've seen a lot of bikes and e-bikes in New York City, in the middle of all that traffic. They are brave souls. Growing up in Germany, we've always had bikes and enjoyed riding them.

[@Persimontree]

Small correction, what you called the S-Bahn is actually the tram network. The S-Bahn are those yellow and white trains you showed when you talked about regional rail. And it's actually not run by DB anymore.

[@hypatian9093]

@@UnExcited42 Same in Hannover - the ÜSTRA has the same cars for trams or subway and some innercity subway lines change to trams when leaving the city center.

[@CycloTourist]

I have been building my own bikes since 1996. I buy a frame and then finish it myself. I remember the exact date because 1996 saw the release of the first Shimano XT V-brake with a parallogram. In 2008 I got sick and couldn't ride like I used to. In 2010 I built my first E-MTB myself. back then already with a mid-engine for retrofitting. Now, 12 years later, I own various e-bikes, from steel-frame E-MTBs to E-travel bikes with 3x 720 Wh batteries (2160 Wh) and a range of over 600 km with a system weight of 180 kg . This bike is built for long-distance rides. Where you have to spend days away from civilization and without electricity. I am now retired due to my illness and have sold my car. I can transport everything by bike. I bought a bicycle cargo trailer for larger things. Incidentally, what is probably the best bicycle cargo trailer is also built near Freiburg. Just search for "Carla Cargo". In some cities you can also rent it. At the moment I ride about 1000 km a month, when I'm travelling, of course more. The last few years it was on average around 13,000-15,000 km per year. If my health allows it, I still like to get on a conventional road bike or mountain bike. I currently own 22 bikes in total. I haven't sold a bike since the 1980s. Each one has accompanied me a little bit through my life and each one has very nice and valuable memories attached to it. For me, bikes have a soul. A few years ago I had two absolutely identical steel frames built for two MTBs. One in black and one in white. I built up both exactly the same, just one with black and one with white parts. And they don't ride identically. The black rides differently than the white one. The souls are different. One is calmer, the other a bit more twitchy.

[@alexlandorlandoflorida9754]

I ride my eBike to work every single day. I live in Orlando Florida and my commute is 14 miles. My eBike gives me an average of 65 to 70 miles per charge. Not going back to a car unless it is pouring outside. On top of that, my ebikes controller is classified IPX-8. This means it can be drowned in water for a period of time and receive no damage. My e-bike is awesome!

[@catherinedelossantos7232]

Dear Jonathan and Ashton, your channel is becoming one of my favorites, along with Not Just Bikes. Please keep this up, you manage to make your passions very interesting for us. I don't own an e-bike, and I don't even have a driver's license. I have a monthly Abo to use public transportation, but am considering getting a foldable bike for the last Kilometer i need to walk from work. If I do go electric I would probably buy a conversion kit like Swytch.

[@TypeAshton]

Ah wow that is quite the compliment to be mentioned along side Not Just Bikes. His channel is also one of our absolute favorites. Thank you so much!

[@daemonbyte]

my wife was skeptical but now loves her ebike after I got one for her. It's particularly good when we're going for longer cycles up the local hill/mountain with the children. Slap a tow rope on the children's bikes and we can all cycle up the long steep parts without everyone dying or children moaning. And my youngest, who sits on the bike up front, has fun dialing the bike up to 5 or down to 0 when I'm trying to cycle.

[@ochala9541]

I am watching you for quite a while. And noe I must give you guys a huge compliment. Ich just got high for a good amount, and wantet to show a friend yout canel. Starting with the expat storty, traversing, to germany but then realising... You got more and more to a very good eduactional chanel, with inside in to topics difficult to grasp for people who have no real connection to it... And then you put it inextreamly well produced videos. Probaly the best out here on youtube about e mobilty and cityplaning... 11/10. Pls stick to your line, you are doing fantastic 👌🏽

[@Kater9277]

I lived near Atlanta for a bit. I had to ride about 10km to school in the suburbs and it was thoroughly unenjoyable. I often had to ride on the side-walk because the road just wasn't safe. Fortunately there weren't any pedestrians around. The school had well over 1000 students and there was one small bike rack at the front with less than a dozen bikes. In contrast my school in Germany had a large portion of the student population arrive by bike and now at university there is almost no one from the 30 000 student body who drives a car to uni or even uses the bus. The vast majority of people walk or ride a bicycle.

[@philippes960]

Hello BFF ! Just before watching this video, I took advantage of this pleasant Sunday to take one of our two electric folding bikes (which we take on vacation). I took Merlin in his cat backpack and drove about 20 km. Without electric assistance I would not do it, it allows you to stay seated and pedal without forcing and without the backpack moving too much. Merlin really likes it !...and me too !

[@tomgreed9681]

very good point with the 25 vs 30km/h speed limit. I "grew up" on BMX and later the first Mountain Bikes, rode it constantly in my teens. But over the years i became a bit lazy. Due to heavy traffic, increasing costs etc I decided on purchasing an e-powered Mini Cargo Bike from Yoonit and drove it already nearly 500km since August. Game changer. The Bike will replace our second car. Just need a sponsor for my wifes soon-to-come ebike... ah - the poll: I own four bikes right now. The before mentioned Yoonit Cargo E-Bike, a Cannondale MTB ftom 1992, a 20" City Race Bike and a foldable 14"Yacht Bike. The wish List for BIkes is still long...

[@2allvideo]

German-American is living in the US, opposite you, the BlackForest Family -grin. I do not own an eBike; however, I am researching to purchase and or more. All due to my positive experiences during my stay in San Diego, I rented two days in a row an ebike. I was amazed at the handling and the needed power assistance it provided, especially in the hills.

[@benjaminbratcher]

Loved this video! I'm a big fan of e-mobility and agree with you that this is the future. Personally, I don't have an e-bike because I live in a car centric city in the US. Unfortunately, there is a lack of cycling infrastructure here. But once we move to Germany, I'm hoping my wife and I can have e-bikes and live car-free!

[@tamhonks4529]

Once again: Great video! I just turned 60 and switched from car to e-bike about five years ago: This was one of the best decisions in my life. Living in Karlsruhe (a town about 130km North of Freiburg) with an almost perfect bike-friendly traffic infrastructure similar to Freiburg, this was a no-brainer.

[@TypeAshton]

That's awesome!! They really are so much more practical sometimes... especially in terms of time. We can bike most places faster than driving within the city center.

[@jpee5409]

My wife and I use our e-bikes almost daily and we love it. Due to low back pain problems we use recumbent e-trikes (which you did miss in the bike overview 😉). As you mentioned is a bike mostly seen as a recreatieve means of transport and the infrastructure is build to get nice view but not efficient traffic. Hopefully this will keep on changing.

[@apsleychenstra4221]

I have been riding e-bike over 6 years. My first e-bike was a mountain bike transformed by adding e-bike kits. The second one was a birthday gift from my children a few months ago. The reason that I shifted from normal bike to e-bike was neighborhood environment. My house is located on a small hill around 100 meters high. When I go out for biking, I can easily ride down the hill for 1.5KM to access the riverside bike trail. However, the last mile riding back to my home is a challenge after exhausting ride for a long journey. Thanks to the assisting power of my e-bike, the last mile ride is not so challenging anymore.

[@dedeegal]

Wir sind eine Familie mit zwei erwachsenen Söhnen und wohnen ländlich in einer Gegend, die zwar nicht unbedingt "bergig", aber doch schon deutlich "hügelig" (und [gegen]windig) zu nennen ist. Noch vor zehn Jahren hätten wir deswegen jetzt wahrscheinlich mindestens drei Autos vor dem Grundstück stehen gehabt. Seit 2015 besitzen meine Frau und ich jeweils ein eBike, mittlerweile haben auch die Jungs eins. Und weil damit der Weg zur Arbeit (fünf, neun und 11 Kilometer), wie auch der für die täglichen Einkäufe zurückgelegt wird, brauchen wir nur ein Auto ... und das muss höchstens alle drei/vier Monate mal getankt werden. Gäbe es hier sowas wie Car-Sharing, hätte ich wohl schon längst Fahrrad-Anhänger beschafft. Dann könnte ich auch meine Biervorräte ohne Auto auffüllen bzw. andere Einkäufe tätigen, die zu sperrig für Satteltaschen sind. Damit bräuchte es ein Auto nur noch zwei-/dreimal pro Jahr für Besuche bei der Familie (alles >200km entfernt)....aber dafür müsste kein Auto allzeit verfügbar im Carport stehen. BTW: mir macht es sogar Spaß, bei richtigem Schietwetter mit meinem Schlechtwetter-eBike in Regenzeug eingepackt die 11 km zur Arbeit zu fahren. Nur in den seltenen Fällen, wenn das Wetter während der Fahrt umschlägt, wird es unerfreulich. (und ja...ich habe mittlerweile zwei eBikes. Das alte aus 2015 hat einen Heckmotor, 30 Gänge und macht richtig Spaß. Das neue eBike hat Riemen-Antrieb und kümmerliche acht Gänge. Das macht nicht soviel Spaß (doppelte Trittfrequenz bei 25km/h) - ist aber sehr viel pflegeleichter, wenn man bei jedem Wetter fahren will) Meines Erachtens sind eBikes gerade auf dem Land eine tolle Sache. In Städten hat man öffentliche Verkehrsmittel in hoher Frequenz. Gleichzeitig möchte man (etwa in Berlin) sicher kein hochpreisiges eBike an einem Laternenpfahl anschließen - das wäre zu schnell demoliert. Auf dem Land ist üblicherweise mehr Platz, einen sicheren Abstellplatz zu finden. Auch lässt sich immer ein Weg von A nach B finden, wo es quasi durchgängig abgesetzte Rad- und Fußwege gibt, auf denen zusätzlich noch weniger Fußgänger planlos rumwimmeln, als in der Stadt.

[@tomgreed9681]

gib doch mal bitte eine Empfehlung zur Regenbekleidung

[@dedeegal]

@@tomgreed9681 Im Winter nehme ich eine gefütterte GoreTex-Jacke, ansonsten eine Regen-Über-Jacke (innen mit Vließ und groß genug, um über die eigentliche Jacke gezogen zu werden). Die Fahhrad-Regenhose hab ich noch in DM bezahlt und sie ist ebenfalls über die normale Hose anzuziehen (Schuhe bleiben an...sollten dafür aber halbwegs sauber sein). Und wenn es richtig schüttet, ziehe ich mir noch Regen-Gamaschen über die Schuhe. Das alles wird bei Nicht-Nutzung im Hardcase gelagert, der (abschließbar) auf dem Gepäckträger verschraubt ist. Auf Marken habe ich noch nie geachtet ... und kenne sie auch nicht. Preislich lagen Über-Jacke und Regenhose bei knapp 100€ bzw. DM, die Überschuhe gabs für unter 20€ bei Amazon. Ach...einen knallgelben Helm-Überzieher hab ich auch noch. Und einen Sattel-Überzieher, falls das Rad im Regen stehen bleiben muss. Weil: "Lepper Primus"-Sattel == Leder.

[@BalduinTube]

I own eBikes (eMTB) since about 2016 and it was a life changer for me. I love to ride my bike in the alps. So about 1500-2000hm and 50km a day is totally ok now. With my normal bike I was not able to go that far and my smaller tours have often been painful and very sweaty. Now I have no issues although I am still sweaty after a long tour. The amount of sweat directly relates to the amount of effort you put into something, so this does not so much depend on the type of bike. With the eBike you just go longer, steeper and higher. So you have a wider range with the same amount of effort. Where I normally live the landscape is more flat and I still use my normal bike there as well. We still own a car but it is used just for long trips and when we pull our camping trailer. Using Deutsche Bahn for long trips is very inconvenient when you want to carry bikes or large bags with you. And the last mile is often not really covered by Deutsche Bahn. In Many cases the regional transportation is not well aligned, So it happens that you have to plan an extra stay in a hotel or an expensive Taxi ride which completely kills the economics of the Bahn trip.

[@pergustavsson2424]

No, I don't own an e-bike - yet. Just moved house and now live just outside Stockholm city. I have thought about getting an e-bike for some time, the one thing that has stopped me is the bus stop right outside my door and the bus that goes straight down to the shopping center and the subway station. Plus the Swedish winters, an e-bike would probably be unusable for a couple of months each winter. Another problem is my age. I'm 73 and although pretty fit my eyesight is not the best and probably not getting better. Btw - love yours and Ashton's channel, Jonathan!

[@TypeAshton]

Thanks so much!!

[@genyklemberg]

While living in Odesa I used to have an E-Bike to commute to work, but just before Covid I moved closer to city center and I decided that regular bicycles would fit me more. Also when I selected the E-Bike I took not very expensive one to be able to leave it outside on locker when doing stuff. But I saw people driving even Porsche E-Bikes, so maybe if you have a good insurance plan for your bicycle you can save your nerve cells😁

[@TypeAshton]

Yeah we always recommend taking out an additional policy on your e-bike as part of your homeowners or renters insurance. It is actually pretty cheap too... just a few bucks a month.

[@chrisb2942]

I bought me a Schindelhauer Emil some weeks ago. It's the perfect workhorse when I go shopping groceries with my daughter on the infant seat. It's also very good to handle and not as big as a cargo bike. I can easily carry 20kg grocery stuff + child and go uphill. That's so much fun too! I barely need our car for these all day activities now. For commuting I use my Schindelhauer Ludwig because it's faster and lighter and I never have to carry much stuff. Yes, I love the bikes from that company.. :P Keep up going the good work!

[@performingartist]

Warum ich ohne Akku fahre? Will ich es kann. ...But I know that in a few years I might not be able to get myself up those trails without assist. Time will eventually overtake all of us. And speaking of overtaking, I am always getting passed going up some serious grades on the trails by 70+ year old grannies! It actually makes me really happy to know that I won't have to give up these amazing Black Forrest trails for a very long time.

[@ernieee42]

If you are living near Freiburg, the Ticket for 68€/month can be given to other people and allows you to take 1 adult and 4 with you on Sundays. Also children under 6 can take public transport for free in general

[@charleswhite7612]

Ditto 100%! Lifelong cyclist here and for many years I have been expressing every word that you just said in your video to anyone who will listen. I’m a hard-core E-vangelist. And yes, the catalyst was spending a summer in Europe. I saw how fit & health & youthful people were, (especially older people). We saw the infrastructure and how clean and well designed things were over there. lcame back, bought my first ebike, a Specialized commuter, and have been riding it virtually everyday since. I have estimated a 3,000 gallon fuel savings and and over $5/gal, you do the math. My fitness is up as well. I laugh at the haters who say ebikes make you lazy. I also e-mountain bike, my first passion. And while others burn gas and diesel shuttling to the top, my buddies and I are riding up , getting a serious workout, causing zero pollution, zero cost, no noise, no dust cloud, and are thoroughly warmed up fir the descent. Win, win, win!👍😉🌅

[@anitapenkert389]

I had one bike as a kid, got another one as a teen from my grandparents that I used until I bought a really nice one with my first earned money. I cycled to work very often and used it on trips. I used that bike many many years until two years ago when I bought a second-hand e-bike. Deal-changer! I buy (and bought) all groceries for our family of five and it is so much easier now! I have to mount a little hill and muscle power is just not the same after meno-pause so it is a great help and not just laziness. I need the car very little, mostly to drive the kids to courses when/where there is no bus but apart from that I get around great with e-bike and public transport (this was the main criteria when looking for housing: That it has to have public transport within walking distance). Where I live we do have some bike lanes, but we also have to use roads. It makes me happy to see a lot of our elderly neighbours use the bike to get around.

[@orvarsigurgeirsson469]

I've had my E-mtb in Iceland since 2018 and it completely changes your winter commute possibilities, dealing with thw snow and the winter winds.

[@thomasday8155]

I lived and worked in Brussels Belgium from 2019 - 2021. I quickly shifted from driving my car to work to instead bike to work. There were excellent bike paths available that were both well maintained and very safe. While in Brussels, I also shifted from just a traditional pedal bike (Orbea MX 10) to also using an eBike. (Bergamont E-Ville SUV). The eBike has a pedal assist motor, that stops assistance once you achieve 25 km/h. I agree with your assessment that this is too slow a speed. 30 km/h makes sense.

[@CrazyIcecapLG]

I got my VanMoof S3 at the beginning of last year and have actually about 4200km on my clock. Shortly after i got my bike, i converted my wife's tricycle to electric (and she LOVES it!) We don't have long ways to commute, and it is so much fun driving these things.

[@danielastarly5803]

Germany does some bicycle drivers licence in elementary schools. Usually two or more cops come to school, check the street safety of the bikes of the kids, teach about street safety of bikes and how to behave on streets. Walk to the elementary school Jonathan will attend and look at the Schulhof. Do you see street markings there? They are placed for exactly these few days in 2nd or 3rd grade. Kids will also learn to ride their bikes with just one hand on the handlebar (for giving turn signs). At the end of this safety training, the kids do some sort of test (theory and practical!) and get awarded their 'licence', maye along with a sheet of paper on things they can still improve (mine said I could turn my head more backwards). Some schools only allow kids to ride their bikes to school after this safety training. My youngest started Gymnasium this year, and had another street safety training in his first week at the new school. That covered being safe in the city as a pedestrian, safety rules for riding the bus and measuring each kid if they are big enough to not need a carseat anymore. So yes, Americans might have a point that more safety training is needed, but not as in requiring an official drivers licence for a bike but as in teaching each and every kid about street safety multiple times during their childhood.

[@Gleiswanderer]

Common misstake: A tramway or streetcar isn't an S-Bahn (with very vew exeptions like Karlsruhe which is a hybrid between Tramway and S-Bahn) A real S-Bahn is a type of train, running on railway infrastructure and following rail law (AEG, EBO, ...) Tramways or streetcars (and U-Bahn, too) are not trains in sense of law, and fall under BoStrab (Betriebsordnung Straßenbahn). Stadtbahn or Light rail like in Freiburg are mostly BoStrab systems the only "Stadtbahn" that is a railway is the Berlin Stadtbahn (there its a name for the elevated east-West-connection).

[@cborisa]

Great video Jonathan. Totally agree with it - as a passionate cyclist myself I definitely see how e-bikes enable this transportation type to more and more people. And a small correction : S-Bahn states for Schnell- or Stadtbahn. What you meant were Straßenbahn (Tram in English).

[@SarimDeLaurec]

I had bike training in elementary school in Germany and we even got a "Fahrradführerschein" (bike licence). It's not an official document or even necessary, but I think it still was great. This way kids learned the most important traffic rules and how to ride a bike to school as safe as possible; for parents it's also an additional reassurance to send their kids to school by bike. My employer is offering job bikes. They lease the bike for us and since that way it is registered as a company vehicle (that we can also use in our off time) they get tax benefits and after two years we can buy it from our employer at an overall cheaper rate, than buying it directly for ourselves (depending on the bike it gets 20% to 50% cheaper overall). If I get a job bike, it would be an E-bike, since Tübingen has quite some hills, especially the one my workplace is at. I walked up said hill for my job interview (my thought was that I grew up in the Black Forest and what could the Swabian Jura do to me) and when I arrived an the top, I had to take a seat for an hour to dry, because I was drenched in sweat in October. Somehow walking downhill is even worse, since it really strains the ankle joints. Since I work in a cleanroom and arriving at work sweaty is not an option, the E-bike would be the solution. I even got a jacket and pants that would allow me to be on bike even in the worst and most cold weather Germany can offer (I can sit in them for an hour waiting for my train at -17 °C without feeling cold). The only thing that I would need to use it in winter would be a mask to protect the face from the wind.

[@hansmeiser32]

I bought a Bio-Bike in 2020 and rode it for a year before switching to an E-Bike in 2021. The main reason was that I hate climbing hills - even smaller ones. Now I cycle almost twice as much (up to 1500 km per month in the summer) and I freakin' love it. Even here in the Ruhrgebiet it's possible to cycle 50 km or more with less than 10% of a tour being on regular roads. Last year (2022) I used the 9-Euro Ticket to travel around and ride my E-Bike in new locations, mainly in the Niederrhein area around Wesel, and it was fantastic - except for some bad experiences with the Deutsche Bahn.

[@BlissLovePeace]

Totally get it ... 25km/h is slow! But keep in mind, in Germany we do have a whole other demographic on bikes. My mom used to ride her bike until she was 87! And my 85 year old aunt asked me to look at her tachometer when it stopped working once she reached 10K Kilometers - what?!? - that's what I thought. What I want to say is, that this speed limit might feel too slow for younger folks, it certainly is a good compromise given the fact that riding a bike is not primarily considered a sport here in Germany, but a means of relatively safe transportation for all age groups, young and old. Also, past 25km/h a bicycle needs to be insured and have a number plate, simply because with speed comes more exposure to risk. Besides, nobody stops us from driving faster than 25km/h using man power! ;) ... So I don't see a problem here, I rather think that this is a good compromise and the better alternative. Too many people underestimate the consequences in case of an accident or impact, and believe me, having crashed before, 25 km/h is more than enough to really hurt yourself badly.

[@magnusblendulf3081]

Hi. I live in Gothenburg, Sweden, where we also have a lot of bike paths. I bought myself an E-bike a couple of years ago and I must say it's absolutely a game changer. I have the same, or less commute time to work, plus i get the time to slowly rev up for the workday as well as getting the time to wind down from work on my way home, a win win. When I am at home it takes me the closest grocery store quicker then getting there by car. There are so many benefits with an E-bike, but then again, you absolutely need the car in a lot of situations, but you can reduce it from 2 cars to one living in the suburbs and outer rim of the city.

[@betaich]

Hi Jonathan great video. To answer you're last question: I am looking to buy an ebike. I started to look seriously into them a few month ago, I haven't decided on which ebike to by for now. They are a big invest and I want to find the perfect bike for me. For me the reasons for an ebike were that I could commute without needing public transport or a car and steadily get a bit fitter, because even with e assist you have to peddel and as an unfit guy the assist comes in handy if the way gets longer. In my search for the perfect bike I already did several test drives in local bike shops. The problem for me though is that I have rather short legs and a longer upper body and finding one that fits is not as easy as i thought it would be.

[@dutchman7623]

I am getting older and have some health problems, my range on the bicycle has declined, and I am considering an E-bike to keep my range intact or restore it to what it was ten years ago, I do not want to become car dependent. Especially because in city centers, in my country, you have to walk from the parking garage to where you want to be. With a bicycle you can still get from door to door.

[@Al69BfR]

I don‘t know if this is still a thing today but when I was a kid the police came to our school iirc every year to do a basic traffic rules training for bicycle including or even mostly a practical training with a small test where you could get a „Fahrrad-Führerschein“. And it was in 4th or 5th grade when we were doing this. There was a street with intersections painted on the school yard where the police could put up mobile traffic signs to simulate different situations. That was really nice and helpful. And I was really proud of my „bicycle-license“. 😊

[@Kurikost_]

still a thing! :)

[@mariorosero7052]

Great video!! I am really passionate about bicycling. I ride a road bike and a e-bike every day. I never learned how to drive a car, riding a bicycle for me is a way of transportation, I combine with BART (train) and riding to get around. I have been raiding bikes for ever. I live in Berkeley, CA USA. The streets are somehow safe for bicycling. I totally agree, E-Bikes are the present and future for a sustainable and better ways of transportation

[@th.a]

Jonathan, I currently own 4 bio mountain bikes (CC, CC/Trail, Trail/AM, AM/Enduro). I use these bikes for commuting and sport. Adding an eBike of any kind is not planned short and medium term. An eBike might be considered when my age and fitness prohibit doing what I'm craving for.

[@fespa]

Great vid, analysis and arguments. Thank you. We, in Bonn, in a family of four, do not own any e-bikes. The reason being that we either have long, 4ppl, commutes/trips, or short normal bike ones. The kids have sponsored transportation tickets but the adults don't and the cost/benefit always tends towards the only family car. We don't need a second car, but can't also afford e-bikes for everyone ( I would really love to have them and go on longer family bike trips). For us, the only situation I see for an e-bike would be if both adults need medium/long commutes at the same time and neither have sponsored tickets. 👍

[@MrBallistico]

Super job on the content and delivery. This was a really great video. I am in the market for an ebike, but I’m looking at the 45 kph models. In the US they aren’t restricted as much as they are in Europe and, although counterintuitive, the higher speed is probably safer around cars.

[@bobavontanelorn5713]

Thank you for the video, which I totally agree with. I own four bikes, one of them is a ebike. My wife has three bikes, one of them is bike capably to carry our two daughters on it‘s backseats. We have a car but usually do not use them more often than once a week (estimated). I agree with your thoughts about the 25 km/h speed limit on standard ebikes. And I also have an additional suggestion for that. I would increase the limit to 30 km/h in city zones as you have mentioned. But in the country area I would allow it up to 40 km/h on the „long distance roads“. I drive daily to work on my ebike to Bremen and have a distance of about 20 km (one way). Half the length I am in a city area, where of course a speed limit is necessary to protect me and other people (pedestrians for example). But on the other half I drive my way through the country and I personally don‘t get it why the same speed limit is used for this zones. If I would drive a car, there is a law with different speed limits. I suggest to change the rules for bike speed limits to make it more easy to drive by bike even on longer trips. Best regards from northern Germany.

[@DoktorTaiko]

I actually just bought an E-Bike for my wife, because her new job is appr. 10km away and this makes the commute much faster. With the traffic a car would take much longer and the exercise in the morning is great for her mood. My personal favorite boon though, is that I can now go much faster when we bike together :D

[@julzb.8568]

Great Video! This eBike trend is great for ecofriendly mobility in Germany. I decided this year to not use my car for daily chores and get something electrical. I have some long distances and cannot cycle much. BUT i did decided to go for a electrical Chopper. i feel the struggles of Cyclists in some big city traffics, but i think its a step in the right direction!

[@denverspin]

Congratulations

[@heikofenster6046]

We are a family of 4 in Moers Germany. We all have driving licenses. 3 Cars ( one E ) and 7 Bicycles ( no E ). Bicycles are 2 Holland, 3 MTB ( 1 high end ) one Lastenrad for shopping and an older one we use when friends are here. E-bike…. Not yet. Have rented E-MTB in Austria. Great mileage!!

[@superdupergreen]

We're living in the Taunus where the burden is higher to use a bike due to the many steep hills, therefore the ebike which we bought when we had kids where a real change. We use it more regularly instead of a car and especially when pulling a bike trailer with the kids in it or for our bigger daughter where we have a follow-me bike trailer to hitch her bike up when she is tired, it's unsafe or just to steep. And I'm with you and the 30 km/h, that would be a good compromise.

[@MrBookyWooky]

We have e-bikes and love them. The opportunities for adventure that they offer us is simply amazing. We have not just one 'Jack', but two the same age, and I think they too love thier 'Jack-O-Vision' whilst riding in their super trailer behind mainly Mum's bike. Recently in Austria we were able to cycle up some mountains with the twins in their ride, but also on cycle paths through fields and along side the beautiful Lake Constance - the views were wonderful. Without the E-bikes, oh and they're fullies which is even more fun, such adventures are just not possible. Great in depth report. We are just so lucky and privileged to live in such a beautiful place and call it home - Freiburg.

[@ernestmccutcheon9576]

Hey Jonathan, I gave up my car 2 years ago in favor of a bike, well 3 bikes, combined with car sharing. I rarely use car sharing and added a bike trailer for picking the occasional case of beer. Haven‘t regretted the decision yet. Don‘t have an Ebike at this time. The weight difference is fairly high and I view it also as a health decision. If there were more hills on my way to work or shopping, that might affect my decision. I was in Florida last week and was suprised to see a number dedicated bike lanes. Unfortunately I didn‘t see anyone using them.

[@denverspin]

Welcome to America! I see pavements every where for pedestrians, yet theres no one walking 😂😂😂😂😂

[@realroadrunnr]

I (or rather we, my wife and I) own an e-bike (each). Before our son (age 3) went to the Kita, I would usually bring to his Tagesmutter on it with him sitting in his trailer. He absolutely loved it and preferred it over the car. Now he goes to Kita and this only a 400m-walk (1/4 mile) so it makes no sense to put him in the trailer and ride my bike there. But he recently learned to ride a bike and right now we're using the way to the Kita (which comprises about 250m of a Spielstraße) to teach him how to ride a bike outside of our backyard (i.e. on the sidewalk, etc. where there are other people, crossing streets and so on). Sadly, my wife and I are not very sporty, so we rarely used it to do tours until now. But since our son is very outdoors-y and also loves riding his own bike, we will very likely do more tours with our bikes in the future.

[@MrJackhaahr]

I’ve ben biking my whole life, in Denmark it’s quite common to bike everywhere. This year I moved to Berlin, and after a few months I decided to get myself an e-bike (was tired of being dependent on the S-bahn all the time and spending that amount of money to get around). I decided to go with the Cowboy 3, due to that it has a removable battery, which is easier when living in an apartment. I absolutely love biking around Berlin, it’s easy and fast to get from A to B. But I most say that biking in Berlin isn’t as comfortable as I’m used to in Denmark. 1) In Berlin some places there’s either no bike lane or the bake lane is shared with the sidewalks, so quite often you’re almost hitting pedestrians because they walk on the bike lane or walk out in front of you.. 2) Some bike lanes are in such a bad state that it’s just not possible to ride on them, mainly its tree roots that has destroyed the lane and makes the lanes extremely dumpy and useless. 3) I find that cars and pedestrians in Berlin are not custom to bikes in the city, I’ve experienced so many times already that I’m almost getting hit by cars, where the drivers didn’t even notice because their focus are elsewhere (e.g looking at their phone or the screen in their cars). 4) Parking a bike in Berlin is a joke, there’s almost no places to park your bike, especially in the shopping areas. Although there is a few parking houses for bikes in Berlin, and they’re really nice and have lots of space to park, but there’s only a few of those options. Haven’t regretted getting an e-bike, absolutely love the freedom that comes with owning one, and the possibility to travel even further without even breaking a sweat.

[@LythaWausW]

I have an ebike (pedelec?) and have a big problem because my German town isn't bike friendly. I can drive in traffic to get to the store or the post office, but once I hit the town's city limits, I would be forced to ride on a 100kph Landstrasse. Those racing bike guys in the bright spandex have no problem with this, but I don't have the nerves to be in traffic on roads so fast, so curvy with no visibility around turns. In fact I am a little stressed when driving my car on our Landstrassen because I know there could be a bike hidden around every next turn. My husband has a regular bike but it's way too hilly here for that to be fun. We did take our bikes to Holland once and that was great!

[@JesperVad]

I just wrote a little piece on mastodon. I'm in my 50's and unlike many others I never left the bicycle. I still ride my "acoustic bike" to and from work every day. I've looked at electric bikes as strange fade because why would you put a motor on a bike? you would just ride it - right! But I get your point and I agree with it. It's a great way to get people biking and it's a great way to develop the bike's capability. Good video and good argument.

[@silassheriff7868]

My granddad got mobility with his e bike. He was driving around also to the neighboring villages to visit my mom. He did this 3 weeks until he passed away at age 82. I worked at flink as a student jobs and delivered with e bikes, it even was kind of fun for me. Privately I prefer the standard mountain bike for Taunus hills near Frankfurt. Nice video. Greetings

[@TypeAshton]

that is such a heartwarming story.

[@davidhassett7482]

Hi, I’m an e-bike rider in Australia and I share you misgivings about the pedal assist limit of 25km/h. For one the bike gearing for most is set for the 25km/h speed. The battery assist is great on the hills, but I find for most of my ride is pedalling at a furious rate negating the benefits of battery assist. Great vid.

[@davidgill2520]

Hello from Montreal, we are extremely lucky in Montreal in fact the province of Quebec has over 4000 km of trails (Velo Quebec). Even when my kids were young almost twenty years ago, we used the bike trailer and then eventually they biked to school. Montreal is an island and doesn’t have the urban sprawl like the other us larger cities has. Our local government and mayor have been bike friendly for a long time and have creating new networks. They just build them. Even in the winter the major bike routes are plowed. I own both a Canadian made ebike for work and road bike for the serious work out. Regarding new infrastructure, I think cities should maybe start with creating safe paths that get kids to school and parks. Anything else is a bonus. All the best

[@casparwhittey]

Great video and message. Feel very similar living outside of Boulder, CO which has also prioritized cycling infrastructure (though not to the same degree as Freiburg). Even just trying to improve the % of time you spend transiting by bike instead of car has made a big difference for us, and giving we're on the cusp of children, I really appreciated your perspective on how to adapt your routine to incorporate the kiddos. More of this always welcome!! BTW - what is the black commute bag you are wearing? I've been looking for a rolltop and really like the capacity (doesn't look to big or small). Thanks and look forward to checking out the rest of the channel!

[@TypeAshton]

Thanks! I have the Ortleib "Commuter Daypack High Visibility". It looks black in the daylight, but is reflective for evening/night riding and waterproof. Great company.

[@ursmuller8154]

Hi BFF. I do love your videos and since I live here in Freiburg, I did learn some things too. Thanks. For the record I have a training E-Bike Giant Trance 2. I was considering about a city E-Bike but bought a Scooter with gasoline. The H2O Scooter is coming out next year. I was thinking of contacting Jonathan about E-Bikes, because I have some requirements I love to see in the next E-Bike generation. Which could sky rocket the sales and use of E-Bikes. I am an Electronic Information Technician and Diplom Ingeneer of Communication Technics (basicly mathematics, physics and computer) and I have some serious health issue, therefore I do need an E-Bike. I totally agree there is so much potential in E-Bikes of all kinds and yes we should all go to have a flow in traffic. My personal opinion is we should start in downsizing everything in regards of traffic, cars, trucks, etc. If we get more goods on the trains and then small trucks or E-Bikes that would be a good start, There is world famous cargo E-Bike factory near Rust, which could reduce the use of normal trucks and would make our cities and life move enjoyable. All the best.

[@joey_s815]

What I like especially about your channel is that both of you, Ashton and Jonathan contribute to it. I have a normal bike but since I have some problems with my muscles I plan to buy an e-bike. I spent some days in the Netherlands about 10 years ago and I have to say that the Netherlands are really more bike-friendly than Germany.

[@TypeAshton]

I used to work about twice a year for a week or so out of our office in Enschede in the Netherlands and LOVED their bicycle infrastructure. So great.

[@RealConstructor]

In my country in the EU, the e bike has a speed limit of 25km/h. But the speed pedelec has a speed limit of 45km/h and has to drive on the road, it is seen as a moped, so you’ll have to have a drivers license or a moped license, a number plate and a legal liability insurance and wear a helmet. Outside the built up area (city limits) the speed pedelec is allowed on the bike paths, if available, but the speed is limited to 40km/h, inside the built up area (city limits) the speed is 30km/h.

[@kona6812]

At last, I think I know your employer. And maybe you designed my endurance race bike. After working in the bike industry for almost 15years (dealership & wholesale) I used to ride a lot of different bikes, but no e-bike at any cost. After a first test ride I said I can wait for pension or longer. But chancing business and ride my car up to 400km per day, my last ride is a e-MTB getting to my old places again. The 25 limit sucks, I always wiggle in between. And I loved your Himalaya ride vlog, congrets!

[@mulraf]

I don't own an E-bike, but i usually use a regular one. I'm in the lucky position where my workplace is around 1km away and so is the next grocery store (in a medium sized town). So i don't really need help in terms of speed or stamina. I always feel a bit like i'm doing something wrong after spending a lot of money and time to get my drivers license and basically i used the car alone like maybe 5 times in my whole live since then. But for short distances cycling and for long distance public transportation just feels a lot less stressful and helps the climate at the same time so yeah. Just the more chill and safe methods for me.

[@DutchLabrat]

So happy to have across this. When advocating cycling from the The Netherlands they always tell us it only works here because the land is so flat.....

[@berndhoffmann7703]

Hi Jonathan, fully agree, especially in your area that makes total sense. In rural Northern Bavaria with hills reaching 1000m and usually 2-3 months of snow... well. I love to use my ebike for shopping tours, it can handle a lot of luggage, I can choose a scenic route to my next supermarket which goes up to above 800m and I am able to shorten the route if I am driving through the forest which is barred for any motorized traffic. It makes shopping a perfect 'short holiday' I usually stop at a booth at a lake to have a cappuccino as well, just hate it when it pours down :)😂 As for training and exercise, I am still using my mountain bike Regarding the fares on public transport, one should mention that those are tariffs for one ride, the😮 prices for using weekly or monthly, and even yearly tickets are lower

[@hypatian9093]

Exactly - the ride to the Aldi in the next town is double the length than to that of my home town, but riding through nature for these additional 3 km is so relaxing, it feels more like a leisurely bike trip and not like a "chore".

[@TypeAshton]

E-bikes are awesome and it sounds like you really have some wonderful sights along your daily commutes & errand running.

[@lenaweller647]

Ich hab seit 1,5 Jahren ein E-Bike, und bin begeistert. Ich kann es für meinen Job im Außendienst nicht nutzen, aber in der Freizeit hat es mir trotz Bewegungseinschränkung "die Welt geöffnet". Immer mehr Fahrradtrassen (ehemalige (Zechen-) Bahnstrecken), reine Fahrradwege und Radwege an Straßen machen das Ruhrgebiet ganz anders erlebbar und sicher erfahrbar. Es ist großartig!

[@jensverstraete4722]

I actually disagree on the speed limit point such situations where you have a 5km speed difference are the problem not the speed difference itself. It shows that there is a lack of dedicated infrastructure or that the street is not designated as a "fiets straat" or bicycling street. These are streets where it's not allowed for a car to pass a cyclist. At the same time I've seen a lot of older/unfit people regaining a lot of mobility through e bikes which is awesome. But I feel that some even have difficulties handling 25 km/h let alone 32

[@Parazeta]

And I doubt that cars wouldn’t overtake a bike if it’s going 30. No matter how fast you are going, drivers will feel the urge to pass you because you’re on a bike

[@wora1111]

@@Parazeta The center of our little German village is a 30km/h zone with explicit bike lanes. My typical bike speed is about 15km/h. Usually cars will not try to pass me, if there are any cars going the other way. Neither would I as a car driver. This kind of speed limit and street setup actually changed our habits of driving a bit.

[@Mayagick]

So true, I knew a fit couple in their 70ies blaming the nasty 80yro passed by with an eBike. At the end of the day they are active, got outside. Sometimes you underestimate the speed of a cyclist. This 25km/h limitation might be a transition phase shifting towards more bikers and their infrastructure.

[@huubjoanfranssen8980]

I must say that 25km/h is still pretty fast when you compare it to a normal bike. They are mostly silent and can sneak up on you. I think they should be at the same speed as what you can expect with a cyclist that is unassisted. They are basically electric scooters. I am not against them, and I think they help allot with keeping cities livable. But the speed difference can cause issues. (The same if you have commuting cyclist being mixed with racing cyclist.) I have allot of colleagues using them and they for many people do replace the car in the 5 to 20km range. However all of them are beautiful weather users, as soon it looks like rain most of them use the car.

[@friedemannkemm63]

The regulation with 25 km/h is pretty old. The 30 km/h speed limits are much younger.

[@charliezhuo6950]

Interesting. In the Chinese city that I live, E-bike are everywhere. Most of them has frame that looks like mopad. If there are pedals, they are usually just there to meet regulatory requirement and seldom used(the pedals are too small for the heavy e-bike anyway). When i am riding my regular bike, there are often e-bikes zoom past at over 40km/h. Technically ,they are 'obsolete' according to new regulations that mandate 25km/h speed governor, and only allowed within transition period. But that transition cutoff date has been pushed back several times.

[@karlInSanDiego]

I've built 3 e-bikes. First one is a conversion of an aging (11 year old) elite mountain bike (Maverick ML-7). I often pair this with the bus, placing it on the front rack. Second one is a conversion of a 20 year old racing recumbent tadpole trike (Greenspeed GLR). This one is great to cover more miles quickly in comfort and pairs well with the train. My newest e-bike is a bamboo cargo bike I've designed and built for shopping (Bamboo Bicycle Club). E-bikes definitely make excellent car replacements, and we must all work to improve riding infrastructure to make it feel safer for people of all ages and ability. #modeshift4climate #utilitycycling #whatwillyouride

[@svens.3839]

Hello and first of all compliments for this video, I live very centrally in a big city and I gave up the car four years ago and bought a Haibike sduro trekking for it, I haven't regretted it to this day... and gets from A to B faster in the city and is not dependent on finding a parking space. Greetings

[@Francesco_M.]

I am precisely that guy that needs to feel his muscles working at every pedal stroke and harbours mixed feelings about e-bikes; Maybe a foldable one that does recharge as you go might change my perspective on it as I definitely wouldn't feed it home electricity. Excellent quality video by the way Jonathan. Un saluto dall'Italia meridionale 🌞🇮🇹

[@smoerrebroedroempoempoem7799]

Great video once more! The only minor correction I would make is that what Jonathan calls "the S-Bahn" is actually a "Straßenbahn" or even a "Tram". S-Bahn sits below the regional trains but is still a "real" train: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Bahn

[@praysuguitan779]

I'm a new sub I'm a cyclist also in the Philippines and here on Kauai Been promoting cycling in the Philippines riding my road bicycle to work before I moved here on Kauai ❤️ your channel guys

[@jannecapelle_art]

as soon as i have a job and enough money for onw, im getting an ebike. i like biking, even though my city is not the best for it by german standards, but im also pretty heavy and sweat easily, and i dont always wanna arrive sweaty at work 🤧 so an ebike would be pretty idealsince i really dont need a car, living in the city i do.

[@albrechtquincke5008]

I've been riding a Vanmoof e-bike for about three years now and I love how it extends my range of mobility here in Munich. I take the bike much more often than I would without the electric drive. Plus I arrive at my workplace faster and more relaxed than I used to with my standard bike as I'm not a super sports person. I agree that 25 km/h is too slow and I'll admit that I found a workaround to drive in US mode but don't follow my example as it is illegal!

[@SiqueScarface]

I would think that Deutsche Post (and the respective predecessors) have been delivering mail by bicycle since at least the invention of the diamond frame 135 years ago. My parents have a collection of old caricatures (spanning the years between 1850 to 1890), and there are cartoons about post office workers with bicycles even far back then. I potentially own an e-bike. That is, in May 2022 I ordered a special set of 20" one-sided hub motor wheels on a Chinese website, but due to the shutdown of the port of Shanghai in June, the packet has not been delivered yet. The plan is to fit the wheels onto my 25 year old Flevo Trike, a recumbent tricycle. Until then, the tricycle is purely muscular operated.

[@OchNe926]

Regarding public transit and costs, German railway operator DB is running a sale of its rebate card for (new) business customers: "Betriebs-KlimaBahnCard - BahnCard Business 25, 1. Klasse" for €49.90 (instead of 134) only. It also provides a rebate on tickets in some "Verkehrsverbünde" / regional public transport systems, e.g. VRN (Rhein-Neckar; including the cities/towns Mannheim / Ludwigshafen / Heidelberg), VSH (Schwäbisch Hall), WTV (Waldshut), HNV (Heilbronn), KVV (Karlsruhe), VGC (Calw), VGF (Freudenstadt), VPE (Pforzheim) - but, sadly, not RVF (Freiburg) [down to local transport authorities or politicians dealing with DB..]. Anyway, the sucessor ticket to the "€9 ticket", costing €49 monthly most probably, might make things much easier and "unify" ticket systems on a fast pace - at least in the "economy class" / not "1st class" ;-) ...

[@hmi1750]

we got 1 e-bike for my wife, and until baby is old enough to sit in the trailer, I have been using it for commuting, shopping, etc and it is far easier... only issue is that the battery (and cover) was stolen from our apartment parking area! So it is a pain to remove the heavy battery each time we stop, and we tend to do this only at night now.

[@karinkoch8443]

My parents were passionate cyclists. Until my dad was 78 years old they did many cycling trips along rivers in germany and as soon as weather in spring was inviting, you could find them every sunday on their bikes. As the area, where we live, is very hilly, the day came, when my father really got problems with his physical fitness and almost lost fun of cycling. Then they bought e-bikes and a new area began. Their radius got bigger again, they had really lots of fun on their bikes for years again, and one week before he sadly got a stroke they made a 90km-tour to Speyer and back. I go 20 km to work and back every day by bike and I think I will follow their footsteps (resp. their tire-mark) and will use my müsli-driven-bike until i loose fun and then will buy an e-bike.

[@denverspin]

Fantastic. So nice to hear peoples cycling stories. I hope your dad recovers swiftly.

[@johannes6721]

I don't own an E-Bike, however, I can see the advantage. Living in Freiburg, it is a little hilly here and if you want to go places, it's not always nice to reach your destination out of breath and sweaty. Still, I don't own a car anymore and use my bike all year round even in snow, which can be a little sketchy. I still think Freiburg has a long way to go, compared to cities in the Netherlands, for example. A great channel to watch when it comes to bikes is, Not Just Bikes, which goes more into detail.

[@TypeAshton]

Yes! Not just Bikes is AWESOME. Probably our favorite channel out there right now.

[@michaelleipold6692]

Great Video ! I salute you Brother. I'm totally with you. When I was younger, I had a Carbon race bicyle, but since 2013 I'm driving S-pedelec, to work and back home- when it's not raining. Since August 2021 I'm on a Stromer ST5-ABS and feather fork and seatpost - financed by leasing via Jobrad. S-pedelec are the proper means for commuters but the actual regulations in Germany are idiotic. There should be allowence to ride on bicyle ways outside the village. Switzerland and Belgium are way Bretter. Let's hope for the futere. Greatings to you and your family from Landshut - stay heavy - Michael

[@gregorybabbitt2082]

I have ebike commuted in the USA (upstate NY) for about 10 years now. I ride 16 miles round trip to work 4 days a week even throughout winter. Your points about USA versus Europe are very valid. I only ride the class 3 high speed 45KPH ebikes here because it is safer being able to go same speed as cars when you need to. They don't have regulations here and I have never been stopped by police whether on road or pedestrian paths. In snow season, I wear bright colored ski clothing, snow gators, and downhill racing ski goggles under a winterized helmet, lower my seat slightly, melt parafin wax into my chain, and replace the 700cX32 wheel with a 650B wheel with ice studded snow tires (this wheel change works because both wheels have disk brakes instead of calipers). I am almost 60 years of age. People here shouldn't be afraid to replace the second car with a $3-4K ebike like this. It is very practical, economical, ecological, healthy, and fun. You do need to learn to ride safely and fix a flat tire 2-3 times per year. Safe riding = bright colors/flashers in rain, hand signals when turning, and don't be too timid and hug the side of the road, obey traffic as if you are a car.