Between the fact that parking is difficult and costs its share in every way, the price of fuel and that electric scooters, which are cheaper and simpler, cannot be taken on public transport, the reality is that electric bikes have remained as the main bastion to move around the city with the advantages of the traditional bike.

Although those who have an electric bicycle generally use it all year round, with the arrival of good weather, bicycles flourish in our cities and there are always those who consider taking the step and leaving the car or bus and buying an electric bicycle.

Unless there is a bike lane, we remember that it is mandatory to ride on the road and not on the sidewalks. Likewise, the helmet is mandatory on interurban roads and highways, but not in the city. Of course, if we are going to walk on the road, next to cars and at a certain speed, it is highly advisable to have one. On the other hand, if we are going to move in low light, it is best to have a white front light and a red rear light.

No license is required, no road tax is paid as it is not homologated to a mechanically driven vehicle, nor is insurance necessary. But it doesn't hurt to have it: if you have an accident and are at fault, we will have to pay for the damages caused to both pedestrians and vehicles.

But electric bikes have a battery and a motor, so we have to add another layer of legislation. Important: let no one be fooled, an electric bike is not like a motorcycle that you give gas and accelerate, no, it simply provides pedaling assistance so that it costs us less, but it is necessary to do something on our part.

It is the Ministry of Industry that approves electric bicycles and this is not a trivial matter: if we buy it online from China we will still save a few euros, but if we are caught in the city with one that does not comply with the regulations, it could be expensive.

The applicable standard is UNE-EN 15194:2009 and the ones we are interested in are Assisted Pedaling or EPAC bicycles, those with "an auxiliary electric motor, with a maximum continuous nominal power of 0.25 kilowatts, whose power decreases progressively and which finally interrupted when the vehicle speed reaches 25 km/h, or sooner if the cyclist stops pedaling.

Urban electric bicycles:

• Nilox E-Bike J1 Plus

A bike to take for a ride from time to time or you are not sure if you are going to use it too much.

We are looking at a cheap electric folding bike (it costs about 650 euros), simple but neat, with 20" wheels, LED lights to get around the city, basket and rack, ergonomic seat and a range of 40 kilometers, enough for a good ride. with a little help. It charges in 4 hours.

• Moma Bikes Dutch version

If you are looking for a bike with a Dutch-type ride aesthetic. It is available with 26 and 28 inch wheels, has hydraulic disc brakes, a luggage rack integrated into its aluminum frame and grill. The technical specifications are modest but sufficient to speed up the slopes, with a 576Wh lithium battery that you can remove to take from here to there and a range of up to 80 km, 5 levels of assistance, for 999 euros.

• Littium Ibiza Dogma 04

Littium is a company from Bizkaia that has been going strong in the segment for years. The Littium Ibiza is a folding bike, so it has a hinge in the central area that allows it to be folded in half and weighs just over 20 kg. An autonomy of up to 100 kilometers in its most powerful version and an assisted pedaling speed of up to 25 km/h. About 1,500 euros.

• Orbea Kemen 40

The Orbea Kemen 40 is precisely that electric trekking bike that can be used for everything and that also aesthetically does not look like a bike with a motor, but rather goes unnoticed. It comes with an extendable 540 Wh internal battery and a centrally located 85 Nm Shimano EP600 motor, enough to do a little bit of everything. About 3,500 euros

• Brompton Electric

If you are going to use the bicycle a lot, quality and a folding model. Developed in collaboration with the Williams Formula 1 team, which has been responsible for the development of the 250 W motor. The bicycle is faithful to the essence and easy folding of the brand.

The motor is located in the front wheel, so we have the effect of double traction, in the front wheel with the motor and in the rear by the pedaling impulse. They have developed intelligent sensor technology that knows when to apply pedal assistance, whether due to headwinds, the slope of a hill, etc.

The Lithium-Ion battery is located in a backpack at the front and has a capacity of 300Wh, a range of between 30 and 70 Kilometers. Different bag sizes, even one that holds our laptop for example. It takes 4 hours to recharge, but there is the possibility of purchasing a fast charger that reduces this time by half. Its price is about 3,500 euros.