How to choose an electric bike according to your needs: Femme Actuelle Le MAG

Good news, the situation is easing on the electric bike market, after a post-Covid period marked by numerous stock shortages. Today you are spoiled for choice. This newfound abundance has pushed prices (slightly) downward in 2022. “The trend continued in 2023. Promotions are back at many retailers”assures André Ghestem, director of the cycle commission at the Union Sport et cycle.

Electric-assisted bicycle: I benefit from the best technologies

The first prizes have a motor integrated into the hub of the front or rear wheel. But models with a central motor (in the crankset) are now the most widespread. “They are more manageable and safer., judge André Ghestem. The center of gravity is better placed, the sensor allowing assistance to be adapted to the pedaling force more precisely.
Among the innovations, connected functions and automation, which free you from changing gears. Often well rated in comparisons of What to choose, Starway brand models adjust the level of electrical assistance alone. Decathlon recently launched a high-end model equipped with a continuously variable automatic transmission (LD920 E automatic, €2,999): “The motor automatically adapts its speed ratio. And the change is continuous, without steps, offering perfectly fluid pedaling”praises Frédéric Jung, product manager of the sports brand.

Cargo bike, electric VTC or rental: I adapt my choice to my needs

Are you hesitant to invest? In this case, test your (future) electric bike by renting it for a few months. This is possible at Veligo in Ile-de-France, MyVelov in Lyon but also Decathlon in a third of its stores or the start-up Red-Will, in Paris, Lyon and Bordeaux. Allow €40 to €80 per month, depending on the type of bike and the service provider. A commitment of three or six months is often mandatory.
When purchasing, there are models for all uses. If, in addition to daily travel, you are planning walks on the path, the offer of electric VTCs (but also mountain bikes) is wide. Do you want to transport your children? Switch to the cargo bike. The price is substantial (from €3,000 to €5,000), but well below the cost of purchasing and using a car. We distinguish between bikes extended at the rear (longtail) and those with a box at the front (bicycle or tricycle, depending on the number of wheels).
Good to know. According to the magazine 60 million consumerswhich published a comparison of cargo bikes last September, the longtails “prove to be the easiest to drive” : question of maneuverability and balance management, particularly at low speed and when stationary.

How to obtain aid for the purchase of an e-bike?

The government promised this before the summer: state aid are sustained until 2027. The first, the bicycle bonus, can reach €400 for a classic electric model (more for a cargo bike). The second, the conversion bonus, is even more generous (from €1,000 to €4,000). You can claim it if you combine the purchase of the electric bike with the scrapping of an old car (diesel vehicle before 2011). These two aids are subject to means testing. Requests to be submitted on the site primealaconversion.gouv.fr.
Don’t miss out on local help, in many regions and communities of municipalities. They can be combined with those of the State, or even with each other. A resident of Toulouse can claim €200 from the Occitanie region (eco-mobility check) and €200 to €250 from the mainland. The site mesaidesvelo.fr strives to keep the list of all these aids up to date. Please note: the payment of subsidies may take several months.

What are the best cities for cycling?

With 57,000 km by the end of 2022, the network of cycle paths is growing. But not everywhere or at the same speed. The cycling cities barometer classifies municipalities according to the degree of satisfaction of daily bicycle users (travel safety, parking, comfort, etc.).

The podiums by category of municipalities

• Large cities: 1. Grenoble (38) 2. Strasbourg (67) 3. Rennes (35)
• Medium-sized towns: 1. La Rochelle (17) 2. Bourg-en-Bresse (01) 3. Chambéry (73)
• Suburban municipalities: 1. Saint-Aubin-de-Médoc (33) 2. Le Teich (33) 3. Séné (56)
• Small towns: 1. Saint-Jean-de-Monts (85) 2. Val-de-Reuil (27) 3. Marseillan (34)

Barometer published in February 2022. Full results on barometre.parlons-velo.fr

Against theft: I choose the connected bike

The connected functions available on certain models also serve to secure the bike. Most often, it is a chip GPS hidden in the bike which, via an app, alerts the user if the two-wheeler is moved and/or locates it remotely. This service generally requires subscribing to a Monthly subscription. Sometimes the app simply activates an immobilizer function. Which, of course, does not exempt you from having your bike marked at the time of purchase, a paid provision but in any case obligatory. Nor to immobilize it with one, or even two good anti-theft devices at each stop.