Is $3,000 on an e-bike worth it?

Oh My Dollar!

Are you thinking about taking the plunge into the world of e-bikes or cargo bikes? At $1,000 – $5,000, it can be hard to justify the expense. We hear from people about their own choice to get an ebike and why the expense made sense for them, and share some tips on figuring out if it’s right for you.

Thank you SO MUCH to the over 100 people who submitted their stories about getting an e-bike on the Oh My Dollar! forums and the PDX Cargo Bike Gang page. I couldn't use all the amazing stories and keep this show a reasonable length!

Links Mentioned in the Show:

- My longtail bike, Persephone, an xtracycle conversion, carrying a folding bicycle

- What a Longtail bicycle looks like carrying a kayak!

- AAA's "Cost to Own and Operate a Car"

Below is a non-comprehensive list of the many, many bike models mentioned in the show.

Non-Cargo E-bikes:

- Blix Vika+ - a folding ebike

- AM1 Ebike

- Genze.com

- Bilenky Viewpoint (semi-recumbent with e-assist added)

- Faraday

Box Bikes (aka Bakfiets):

- E-Bullitt

- Packster 80

Longtail Bikes:

- Surly Big Dummy

- Xtracycle

- Madsen Cycles

- Bike Friday Haul-a-Day (folding)

- Radwagon

We'll continue this discussion on the Oh My Dollar! forums! We'd love to help you decide which bike to get (or not get) on this thread. We don't bite, come join!

Ask us a question!

We love hearing from you! Email us your bike photos or other financial thoughts at [e-mail] or tweet us at @anomalily or @ohmydollar

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