The popularity of eBikes for RVers is on the rise. Here’s why and whether or not you should get one…
Jennifer and I got our first eBikes in 2018. And boy, do we love them!
We started with some great Rad Power bikes and recently upgraded to a new folding eBike from Lectric that fits our RV lifestyle a little better and will soon be on a rack in our motorhome and fifth wheel !
I’ll tell you about these bikes and more! Including discussing whether or not an electric bike is right for you.
Rad Power Bikes was a long time sponsor of our podcast, and we are now happy affiliates of Lectric Bikes. We always share our honest opinions and experiences to help you determine if an electric bike is right for you. I will also tell you about other e-bike options.
Our first eBikes
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After much consideration, Jennifer and I finally got the electric bikes in 2018. Other campers had raved about them, but we were hesitant at first. We were concerned that the “electric” look would interfere with our active lifestyle and our constant desire to connect with nature.
When we finally got our ebikes, we became ravers ourselves. It turns out that e-bikes help us be even more active and we can see even more of nature than we can with a standard bike.
I got the Rad Power commuter bike and liked it so much that I bought a step-up version of the same model for Jennifer. You can read more about them and our experience in another blog post.
We’ve used and loved Rad Power bikes for years (still do!) but recently added new folding Lectric ebikes that have fat tires and are more suited to our preference for hiking on unpaved surfaces.
Our new folding eBikes
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Since we had a small Class B+ RV, the full size Rad Power bikes presented some practical difficulties. The main thing was that I needed a hitch rack which, combined with the weight of the bikes, wouldn’t work for our RV at the time.
This wouldn’t be a problem for most RVs, as our RV was on the small end. But we began to wish for a better solution, especially one that would fit into the relatively large garage space we had in the Wonder RV we were in.
We mentioned our dilemma in one of our Ask Us Anything live broadcasts and within a day they had an excellent solution. A representative from Lectric Bikes contacted us about a folding electric bike that they would be happy to let us test.
We took them up on their offer, and we’re glad we did! We were sent two Lectric XP 2.0 folding ebikes that came fully assembled. All we had to do was unpack them, deploy them and go ahead.
We had a great ride, met a horse and talked to other RVers about their ebikes. When I asked them what they like about e-bikes, they quickly replied, “Everything!”
They went on to explain the same reasons why Jennifer and I love e-bikes. That is, we can see more while exercising without ending up exhausted.
Where to Buy Folding eBikes for RVers
Jennifer and I now have FOUR e-bikes. Yes, we have kept our original Rad Power bikes as well as these new Lectric folding bikes.
Our Lectric folding bikes fit in our Wonder RV, so that’s where they lived until we recently sold that RV.
We replaced it with a C-Class Unity FX from Leisure Touring Vans and unfortunately it doesn’t have a large garage.
Now we could fold the bikes and carry them inside the Unity. But Jennifer wasn’t too keen on that idea because, well, after riding them, they tend to get pretty dirty and she didn’t want me lugging dirty bikes into the camper. In addition, there was concern that they would move during trips and possibly damage walls and furniture.
To carry the e-bikes, we use the Hollywood Racks RV Rider. This rack fits perfectly on the back of the motorhome. And also to the rear hitch of our new fifth Arcadia.
The rack will allow us to carry both Lectric bikes or our Rad Power bikes.
Here is a video about the rack we use:
I should point out that Lectric eBikes has several ebikes to choose from. They might be having a sale depending on when you’re reading this, but the price starts at $779 plus free shipping.
Another great place to buy electric bikes for RVers is Bicycle Warehouse. They have a wide variety of e-bikes, accessories, parts and more.
Where can you go with an electric bike?
One of the main concerns that keep people from buying an e-bike is not knowing where they can ride it. We get this question all the time, and we answer it in detail in an article aptly titled, Where Can You Ride an Electric Bike? But now I will share the gist of it.
State eBike Laws
People for Bikes has created an excellent resource that shows state-by-state e-bike laws. There are at least six different states that require a specific license to operate some ebikes:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Massachusetts
- Missouri
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
Laws change all the time now, especially when it comes to e-bikes, as the laws are catching up with their growing popularity. So, be sure to check the previous state-by-state link.
Can you ride electric bikes in national parks?
Yes, you absolutely can! As I explain in detail in eBikes in National Parks (Important New Policy), ebikes are considered the same as standard bicycles in national parks.
This “new” policy went into effect on December 2, 2020.
The NPS embraces eBikes in National Parks for a few different reasons they cite:
- E-bikes advance NPS’s “Healthy Parks, Healthy People” goals to promote national parks as a health resource.
- Increase bicycle access to and within parks. E-bikes make cycling easier and more efficient by allowing cyclists to travel further with less effort.
- E-bikes can extend the choice of cycling to more people by providing a new option for those who want to cycle but otherwise cannot due to fitness, age or comfort, especially at high altitude or in mountainous or strenuous terrain.
- When used as an alternative to petrol or diesel modes of transport, e-bikes can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel consumption, improve air quality and support transport modes assets for park staff and visitors. Similar to traditional bicycles, ebikes can reduce traffic congestion, reduce demand for vehicle parking spaces, and increase the number and visibility of cyclists on the road.
Should you get an electric bike?
In most cases, Jennifer and I were like, “Yes, you should get an electric bike!” But of course there are always some exceptions.
The main reason an electric bike would not be right for you is its weight. Because they come with a battery, they can be considerably heavier than standard bikes. They are usually around 40-60 lbs.
You’ll need to consider whether you can safely lift one up to mount it on an e-bike rack or put it in your motorhome garage. Or if you have a travel companion who can help you.
The last option is to rely on other campers to help you. Campgrounds are usually full of people willing to help, but that depends on someone being available when you need them.
Some ebikes (like ours) have removable batteries, which you can remove for safety or to lighten the load when needed.
The other main exception is your ability to balance. But if you can ride a bike, you can ride an e-bike. An electric bike is actually easier to ride than a standard bike because you don’t have to rely on your own strength to move it and keep it moving.
So unless there are physical reasons preventing you from getting an e-bike, we think you should go for it!
Where will you mount it?
Check out this Southwest Adventure Guide Pack (Arizona, Utah, and Colorado)
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Curious about the gear, gear, accessories and RV products that Mike and Jennifer use and recommend?
On this RV Lifestyle Travel Blog, our RV Podcast, and our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel, we mention all sorts of RV-related products and gear that we use, so we’ve created a special page that links to them. We update it all the time. CLICK HERE to go directly there.
