When I first heard about electric bikes, they struck me as the ultimate life hack. They allow you to commute relatively speedily without the hassle of public transportation, to get exercise without getting overly sweaty, to get from point A to point B without spending money on gas. As a longtime urban cyclist who’d sworn off bike commuting after a move put a sizable hill between me and the office, I wondered if electric bikes were the answer. I decided to find out.

Over the past year, shareable bikes have become a huge thing in my home of San Francisco. It started with the bikes you can rent by the hour from Ford, I think, but then quickly expanded to a zillion other options ranging from Jump bikes to Bird and Lime scooters.

You might see teaching your kid how to ride a bike as a rite of passage, a sacred experience that culminates with the grand moment of you wiping tears as Little Adele or Brady pedals into youthful freedom. That's great. But you also might look at the task with dread -- all you can envision is an aching back for you, tears for your kid and misery all around. For the latter group, there is no shame in signing your kid up for bike riding lessons.

Cyclists take to the streets to get to work, to get fit or purely because it feels great to ride a bike. But boy, do they cop a hiding from motorists. As a South Aussie-expat, this time of year is notorious for one thing: In the shadow of the Tour Down Under, cyclists take over the roads, footpath and cafes.

Here's a list of commandments you should be following if you want to avoid getting a filthy spray from an indignant motorist.

Ready to try a group cycling class? You'll need to set up your bike and learn how to connect your shoes, but once you're in the saddle the instructor will tell you exactly how to work your butt off. Here's what you need to know for your first time.

Video: As someone who lives in a city with a veritable arse load of cyclists, I live in constant fear of hitting one with a car door. But no more, for there is an easy way to make sure this tragedy never befalls you or your friendly neighbourhood bike enthusiasts.

When we rounded up our staff's Weekly Upgrades last Saturday, our editors were untangling pesky headphone cords, basking in true crime TV, baking puff pastry, and finally closing out our excess browser tabs.

Coasting downhill on your bike is exhilarating -- until, seconds later, it becomes terrifying. Experienced cyclists have a few tricks to keep those downhill rides safe, even when they're blazingly fast.

For the past three months, I've been riding the Priority Bicycles Continuum, a commuter bike outfitted with a handful of low-maintenance components and a drivetrain system with an "infinite" number of gears. It's been an absolute joy to ride and has regularly shaved about 15 minutes off my hour-long trips around Brooklyn and Manhattan. Besides being low maintenance mechanical wonder this thing moves seriously fast.

There are few things dorkier than using the bell on your bicycle. Once you do that, it can only lead downhill into a world of helmet mirrors, handlebar tassels and high visibility ankle bands. But you should do it anyway. Using the bike bell makes life easier for you and everyone around you.

If your city doesn't have bike lanes, it's up to every car that passes you on your bike to determine how much space to give you. Despite tough new passing laws in some states, they often still suck at it. Cyclist Warren Huska solved this by strapping a pool noodle to his bike.

Pokemon GO is great for adventures on your feet, but just like the original Game Boy games, having a bike makes everything better. You travel faster, you can carry more stuff, and it's a load of fun. Here's how I built the ultimate PokeBike, and how you can build your own.

The chain on your bicycle can get gunked up with dirt and grime over time, so it's a good idea to clean it every once in a while. This illustrated guide will show you how.

Rewrapping a bicycle tube is a simple enough process, but done incorrectly, you end up with a bit of air in the tube that wastes space. Global Cycling Network shows you how to do it right.

Biking through a city scares a lot of people. Perhaps it's the lack of safe culs-de-sac, or maybe just the idea of cars whizzing by and crushing you into pulp. Urban cycling sounds terrifying, but it's not as complicated or dangerous as it seems.

Coming out to your bike and finding the seat missing or a wheel gone is the worst, and replacing it is expensive. You can make it a little harder for would-be thieves to pilfer your seat by filling in the bolts needed to remove it with a little wax.

Early spring is perfect bike-riding weather -- it's not too hot, not too cold and there's an abundance of vibrant flora/scantily-clad joggers to admire along the way. Unfortunately, all that extra riding usually translates to added wear-and-tear in your bike. Here are six simple bike maintenance tips that anyone can master.

Just as the squishiest running shoes aren't the most comfortable in the long run, the softest bike seats aren't the best either. If your butt hurts when you ride, there are other things to check before you buy a new saddle -- and other considerations besides how soft it is.

Unlike a lot of apparel, bicycle helmets are one of those things you really have to try on in person to make sure it's a good fit. Over on The Sweethome, they break down what a good fit actually means using the easy to remember "low, level, snug" system.