There s a marvelous new item I think belongs in every prepper s kit an electric bicycle
My wife and I have long had good-quality, sturdy mountain bikes as a transportation
alternative, should roadways and gasoline present challenges in a natural disaster or
grid-down situation. If needed, these would help us travel at good speed and with a greater
load than we could carry on foot. However, over the past few years, electric
bikes have matured to be a much better choice. Just as electric vehicles have gone from novelty
to practical reality for millions of commuters, eBikes are now an excellent choice for short-
to mid- to long-range travel. As always, I spent many, many hours researching
alternatives, learning about capabilities and options, and watching reviews of dozens
of manufacturers and models. My wife did the same, and we both selected models that closely
matched our needs and capabilities. I selected the high-end Wallke X3 Pro, a 750W
rear-drive fat-tire bike with the best display and electronic system available. My wife chose
the 750W rear drive DJ Folding Bike. Both are constructed of 6061 aluminum alloy for
strength and light weight, both have folding frames, and both have great carrying capacity
and fat tires for operation in sand, snow, dirt or on the road.
These are closely matched in features and capabilities, but have much different form
factors to better match our relative sizes. If don t you know about eBikes, they ride
like normal mountain bikes with seven or eight speeds. However, in electric mode the motor
kicks in and helps drive the bike. It s like having someone strong come behind you and
give the bike a push. Uphill sections feel like flat ground, and speeds up into the high
20 s take little effort. If you wish, you don t have to pedal at all, using the throttle
to have the electric motor drive the bike on its own.
This opens biking to people at all ages and fitness levels. It can help you get into shape
as you contribute the effort you can, building capability while enjoying an outdoor activity
previously reserved for those in better shape. I was really surprised at how easy these bikes
are to ride without power. I was expecting them to be heavy and ponderous, but instead
the ride effort was indistinguishable from our mountain bikes. This means we can ride
them normally from the point they completely run out of power. Imagine going 50 miles,
then pedaling on from there unfatigued from the first 50.
As a prepper, I like the idea of using a zero-emission vehicle that can get me to places that would
be challenging to walk with loads I couldn t carry and recharged only by power from my
solar generator. The pros will tell you that everything in
your prep kit should have two or more purposes, and the eBikes certainly fulfill this requirement.
While things are normal (the sun is shining and the birds are singing), we re using the
bikes to enjoy the outdoors and keep fit. Should things get dire, we ll have reliable
transportation that doesn t need fuel, or even roads.
Here s a brief tour of the two models we think are best.
The Wallke X3 Pro has the highest-power motor allowed in an unlicensed bike, full suspension,
fat tires for a comfortable ride, and features the very best electronic display of any bike
we could find. With a 60-mile range, and a 30 MPH top powered speed (you can pedal faster),
a Shimano 8-speed derailleur, hydraulic disc brakes, a 300lb payload capacity, heavy-duty
carrier, fenders and even a holder for your cell phone, you can t get a better equipped
or more capable bike. Because it folds, it can go in the back of the SUV, the trunk of
the car, or a corner of an apartment. The DJ Folding Bike also has a folding frame,
with smaller 20 wheels, and its unique design packs the same power, plus a 275lb load capacity
on heavy-duty front and back racks, and in a size ideal for my wife s 5 2 height. The
bike also has front suspension and a sprung seat post for ride comfort. With a top powered
speed of 23 MPH and a 40-mile range, this bike is a perfect match for her.
We ve purchased extra batteries for each, giving us about a hundred-mile range. We can
also tow our bicycle trailer for another 200lb of load capacity, so we can potentially go
where we need to go, and take nearly 500lb of equipment and supplies with us.
The versatility of these eBikes opens up a wide range of new options for us in critical
situations. We can get to planned bug-out locations, with a pretty good load, even if
conventional fuel is unavailable or roads are blocked.
We now have a much-expanded range of operations, as we can get to more distant family or friends.
With the eBikes, a 20-mile distance is just an hour away, even with a heavy load.
If you d like to ride, but worry that you might not have the stamina to get back, the
bike s motor will carry you while you rest. You can go anywhere your friends want to go
with no worries. We re part of a local preparedness community,
and most of the members already have electric bikes as part of their kit. Their thinking
certainly influenced us as we saw the many benefits of eBikes and decided to join those
already riding. We now have these for use in challenging times, but are also enjoying
their recreational use right now. These two bikes are our choices after weeks
of detailed research, comparing features and capabilities, then selecting the best models
we could find. After getting them, our experiences with the
bikes confirmed our thinking, and they ve opened up a new world of fitness and enjoyment.
We re extremely happy with our eBikes. Thinking of you, we reached out to the manufacturers
of the two bikes, and both have agreed to offer 10% off to channel viewers. (I ve put
links for you to use in the description below.) At the time I m making this video, eBikes
are in very short supply and dealers are placing orders for the year after next, so I can t
say how long the offers will last. Just for clarity, both these bikes were purchased
with our own money, and we paid full price. We do not receive any kind of compensation
from the manufacturers. If you d like to look more closely at the
eBikes we selected after our research, check out the links in the description below. There
are also manufacturer website links, plus links for the upgrades and accessories we
chose at www.desertprep.info. Channel viewers can get a free copy of the
Rider s Manuals I created for the Wallke X3 Pro and DJ Folding Bike featured in the video.
Look for links at www.desertprep.info. I think you'll agree that eBikes are an exciting
new option for your preparedness equipment. Thanks for watching, and please like and subscribe
so you ll get notifications of new videos and so others will be shown the videos on
the channel. As always, stay safe and be prepared.