Recreational vehicle enthusiast Matt Strahl was charged up by the chance to try out a new battery-powered bicycle.

NineStar Connect energy advisor Matt Strahl rides his electric bicycle, or e-bike. Strahl bought the bike earlier this year and provided his insights on the experience, from researching and selecting an e-bike on his budget to initial experiences riding in various settings.

The NineStar Connect energy advisor bought his first electric bicycle, or e-bike, this spring after reviewing models online. He wanted a different form of transportation than a car or truck, and he hoped a bike would encourage him to spend more time outdoors. He researched options before buying an e-bike with 1,500-watt dual motors for a little over $1,000. After riding it for several months, he enjoyed his purchase, though there were a few things that he wished he knew more about.

Price: Strahl had a budget when shopping for an e-bike and desired features like an aluminum frame, full suspension and ability to fold. He purchased the most powerful e-bike with those features available for his budget of slightly more than $1,000.

Strahl also was impressed with the cost of operating the e-bike. It is powered by a rechargeable battery, which is used when the rider engages the electric motor and can be plugged in to a wall outlet to charge. The bike also can be fully powered by the rider, though Strahl was pleased that the bike can reach speeds of nearly 30 miles per hour with the motors engaged.

NineStar Connect energy advisor Matt Strahl rides his e-bike up a hill. He could get his battery-powered bike up to speeds faster than 25 miles per hour.

The e-bike can travel up to 50 miles on a single charge with both motors engaged, and 70 miles on a single charge if only one of the two motors is used. At an electricity rate of 15 cents per kilowatt-hour, the battery could be fully charged at a cost of well under 50 cents per charge.

“The range seems to be amazing even when running in full battery mode,” Strahl said. “Compared to other modes of transportation, it costs very little to operate.”

Size: As Strahl rode his e-bike past someone walking on a trail, the person commented loudly “that thing is a freaking tank!” He agreed. Strahl’s e-bike weighs 80 pounds, which makes it difficult to easily fold and lift, he said.

The bike manufacturer’s minimum height recommended the bike for riders at least 5’7” in height. Yet Strahl, at 5’9”, could barely touch the ground while on the bike. He may get smaller tires to lower the bike’s height.

“I feel like it was built extremely well,” said Strahl, who admitted the height issue was a risk with purchasing a bike without trying it out first. “Even with the reviews online, a lot of people were saying that they were very surprised by how well it was built.”

Speed: Strahl was not expecting how fast the e-bike could accelerate. The bike offers five stages of assist; the first level could get him up to 13 mph, which was more than he expected or even wanted. He got up to 25 mph riding in grass, which to Strahl started to feel more like a dirt bike.

NineStar Connect energy advisor Matt Strahl pedals his e-bike. He was impressed by the bike’s speed, as well as the battery’s range on a single charge.

“It will get up and go, which is nice. If you’re at an intersection and there’s cross traffic, you can go pretty quickly,” Strahl said. “It goes on hills, all terrain, it does that really well.”

Brakes: Strahl’s bike features dual disc brakes. Given the bike’s weight and speed, the brakes can take a bit to slow down the bike, Strahl said. He would have preferred hydraulic brakes, which provide more power to stop faster. He acknowledges that hydraulic brakes would have made the bike much more expensive.

“For an e-bike that has a lot of speed and is heavy, it just takes more to stop it,” Strahl said. “Being able to stop is important, which I didn’t take as much into consideration.”

Final Thoughts: People of all ages can benefit from an e-bike, he said. Yet he cautions for parents to research options for e-bikes for children and teenagers. There are different classes of e-bikes, for example, based on speed; laws can vary based on the different bike class. Parental supervision is strongly encouraged for any child or teen riding an e-bike.

Strahl bought his e-bike without trying it out at a store, which he admits may have caused him to go with a better fitting bike. Still, Strahl accomplished his goal of exercising outside more because of his new e-bike.

“You may have the same calorie burn because you’re outside more or you may take off the pedal assist and pedal more,” Strahl said. “Also, e-bikes are heavier than standard bikes, so if you turn off assist you may have more resistance there. I would say I’m very pleased with it overall. It’s super fun!”