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Ready to roll with an electric bike?

Electric bikes are growing in popularity. It’s nice to have a little power-assist when you need it, especially if you’re commuting to work, or hauling light cargo.

The type of e-bike you get depends on several factors, such as where you ride and how far you ride on a regular basis, plus how much power-assist you want.

There are three general classifications of e-bikes, but Ben Preston at Consumer Reports says most people will want a class 1 or 2.

“Type 1 one uses pedal assist only, so when you pedal the bicycle, an electric motor kicks in to help up to about 20 miles per hour,” Preston said.

Class 2 e-bikes also have pedals, but you get a throttle control.

“It’s a little button, or switch, or twist grip, or something like that, that will engage the electric assist, so you can actually run those on electric assist only,” he explained. “But the battery is not going to last quite as long as if you’re switching gears and using a little leg power and augmenting the electric motor.”

You can find e-bikes at big box stores, but Consumer Reports recommends going to a bike shop. They can help you sort through the models and brands to find the e-bike the works best for you.