Scroll back ten years, and it was a rarity to see an eBike as you moved around a city like Edinburgh, where I live – but now, in 2025, you can hardly go for a walk without seeing at least a few people zipping by on them. When Bosch eBike Systems offered to loan me a Scott Passage 10, equipped with their Performance Line SX drive unit, I knew this was a chance to see what I’d been missing.
A week later, I think I might be an eBike evangelist, and I can’t quite believe how simple it’s been to get used to having an eBike to rely on. Here are some of the reasons I think you might want to make your next bike an electric one.
It’s so easy to use
The phrase eBike might, for some people, make them think of wires and complicated gear systems that they’ll have to interact with, but the truth is quite different. While the tech underlying a proper eBike like those fitted with Bosch’s Performance Line SX drive unit is hugely impressive, the actual user experience is pure bliss.
Take the bike I was using; I just had to power it on and start cycling. I’d immediately get the lowest, very gentle level of assist, and could easily swap up to higher assistance modes at the tap of a button. There’s no extra skill to learn, and no mechanical knowledge needed. The same goes for charging, too; you can plug in to a port in the bike’s frame, or easily remove the battery for charging away from the bike. Whichever is more convenient, there’s an easy option for you.
A welcome boost
Bosch’s Performance Line SX drive unit is pure class. On the lower support modes, you might not even notice when it kicks in, until you realise that you’re expending much less effort than you’d expect; that’s how subtle and controlled its impact can be.
Crank it up to the highest modes, though, and you can really feel the extra support it gives you as you get up to speed from a standing start. That makes it perfect for commutes with a lot of traffic lights, for example, but the fact that you can swap between these modes instantly, at the touch of a button, really ties the whole thing together.
Forget about sweat
I like cycling a regular bike, but there’s no escaping the drawbacks if you use one for your commute or for regular journeys. It’s great to keep fit by cycling, but it’s a bit of a bummer to turn up for work sticky from sweat and immediately needing a shower and change of clothes.
This was the biggest thing that changed using the eBike every day – journeys felt active and healthy, but they didn’t make me exhausted or sweaty, meaning I didn’t have to add any other planning into my timelines. eBikes don’t do all the work for you though, even on the highest level of pedal assistance, you still get a really nice level of exercise which you can vary depending on which assistance mode you pick. This makes it a complete win-win from my point of view.
Range for days
Battery range anxiety is a slowly diminishing feature of the electric car market, but it’s even less so of an issue for eBikes. After all, even if you do somehow manage to drain their impressive batteries in one journey, you can still cycle as normal.
Bosch’s Performance Line SX drive unit was really impressive on this side of things, because you can easily cycle between the assist modes to maximise your range. On the Eco mode, for instance, you can expect to get dozens of kilometres on a single charge, even when the battery isn’t full. I never once got near the point of worrying about it.
Plus, if you’re trying to limit your environmental impact, this all makes for a hugely efficient way to travel compared to driving, even before you start to tally up the speed advantages it gives you over the fixed routes of public transport.
A really slick app
The best eBikes aren’t just motors on wheels – they’re properly connected smart devices that bring extra features to the table. Bosch is right up to date on this front, clearly. The Bosch eBike Flow app works like a charm, connecting you to your eBike via Bluetooth. Using the SmartphoneGrip, you can even use your phone as a display while riding.
This lets you see your speed, get navigation help and more – but it also has some amazing security features, especially if you upgrade to the Flow+ subscription. One of these features is the Battery Lock which ensures your battery can’t be used if it’s stolen. Another is the eBike Alarm which, when slight movement is detected, triggers sound and flashing LEDs. You’ll also get a notification on your smartphone if your eBike is moved significantly and you can track its location. You can then automatically create a theft report with all the important information about your eBike.
So many options
The best part of shopping for an eBike is that you get the chance to pick exactly the right ride for you. There are so many options, including folding bikes, mountain bikes, city bikes and many more, whether you want a step-through frame, suspension or just as simple a bike as possible.
If my experience using a Bosch eBike system this week has been anything to go by, you’d be picking up a potentially life-changing bit of kit by investing in one.
For more information on Bosch eBike Systems’ full range of eBike products and systems, visit bosch-ebike.com.
