It is no secret that men bike more than women. According to the US Department of Transportation, only 24% of all bicycle trips are made by a woman. In other words, for every 3 men biking out there, there is only 1 woman.

Here at sixthreezero, we want to close that gender gap, but in order to get more women biking, we had to look at what the barriers were for them and engineer bikes to help overcome the barriers. Part of that investigation led to our electric bikes. So let's take a quick look at why electric bikes are ideal for women's bikes, and then a look at the five best electric bikes for women in 2022.

The Cycling Gender Gap: Why Women Bike Less Than Men

There are two big reasons why women state they don't cycle more. The first is, of course, safety. Study after study showed that women simply didn't feel safe because of distracted drivers, poor road conditions, or even personal confidence.

The second big reason has more to do with practicality concerns. There are things like the social convention (wrong though it might be) that men can show up a bit sweaty to work or a social outing and it is okay, women less so in both situations. Women with children, likewise make twice as many child-oriented and grocery-serving trips as men, activities for which many bikes are impractical. Finally, women commonly listed frustrations and fears related to not being able to keep up with others or overcoming obstacles like hills as reasons for not biking more often.

Why Electric Bikes Are a Great Solution

While electric bikes can't remove potholes, they do have some key advantages over traditional bicycles that make them more women-friendly, including:

• Less sweat as the bike does the work. Electric bikes utilize an electric motor that makes biking a breeze, often effortless. Less effort means less workout sweat.
• Hills? Struggle to keep up? No problem. Again, that electric motor and pedal assist makes riding at higher speeds no problem at all. Anyone can confidently ride up hills or keep up with friends with an electric-assist bike.
• More easily carry more cargo. As the research shows that women in families are twice as likely to be running errands and as such, cargo capabilities thus become important. With standard bicycles, the extra weight associated with hauling groceries and other shopping bags can be a serious barrier as it requires significant physical effort. Electric bikes take the pressure of this extra weight from your body to the electric hub, making shopping more fun and effortless.
• More confidence. A number of factors go into why this is, but research shows that e-bike riders consistently feel more confident riding them over standard bicycles (this same research also showed a bit of a brain boost among seniors who consistently wrote electric bikes).

2022 Top 5 Best Electric Bikes for Women

We hope now the question for you isn't whether to buy an electric bike, but which electric bike on the market is perfect for you. Let's take a look at the top five best electric bikes for women available in 2022.

3. RadMission1 Electric Metro Bike from Rad Power Bikes

The RadMission1 is a fantastic electric bike for those women wanting something that looks like a traditional bicycle but with a more powerful assist. This electric bike comes as a single-speed with a more mountain-bike frame that features straight bars and a comfortable mid-step through frame. This design makes it a great choice for women who already enjoy cycling or who enjoyed cycling but are facing current physical barriers, like too many hills in their current location to ride as they once did or for those women who want that pedal assist for a generally easier-on-the-knees biking experience.

Other reasons the RadMission1 Electric Metro Bike from Rad Power Bikes makes the best of women's bikes for 2022 include:

• Integrated front and rear lights. The RadMission1 nicely integrates a front and rear bike light into its electrical system. This means that so long as you properly charge up your e-bike's motor, you will have the ability to turn on both of your bike's lights when riding at night or during the crepuscular hours -- a key safety concern.
• Five pedal assist levels with an intuitive display. This electric bike features a large, intuitive display that is easy to read and use. Here, you can turn your headlight on or off, turn the pedal assist on or off, and then also increase or decrease the pedal assist level. There are five distinct pedal-assist levels for this bike, which offers the cyclist a nice range of options. This display system also keeps a consistent track of the battery charge. This is a handy feature for those just starting out with riding an electric bike and want to experiment with just how far they can go without risking an unexpected drain on their battery.

4. The Sol Eclipse by Blix

The Sol Eclipse by Blix is an electric bike that looks fairly similar to sixthreezero's EVRYjourney as both feature a very beach cruiser design and the emphasis is on ergonomics. Both feature wide plush seats with swept-back handlebars that enable cyclists to stay upright -- a position that many amateur cyclists describe as enabling more confidence.

There are, however, some key differences that may lead you to be interested in one bike over the other. The Blix Sol Eclipse does not come as-is equipped with fenders or a rear rack. So, instead of having the battery hidden between the rear tire and rear rack, this bike features the battery secured vertically on the back of the seat tube. But while it is more noticeable here, it also comes with a bit of extra power as the Sol Eclipse has a 750-watt battery.

Another reason to choose the Blix Sol Eclipse as your next women's bike:

• You can add on a large Blix modular rack system when purchasing to increase your cargo capabilities. While it is a downside that this doesn't come standard, the modular rock system is a large crate-style rack that offers plenty of room for goods.

5. Premier Edition Bluejay Electric Bike

The Premier Edition Bluejay by Bluejay Bikes is certainly one of the most expensive electric bikes on the market (it retails at more than twice the price of the sixthreezero EVRYjourney bike), but it is largely considered a fair price given the model's high level of components and aluminum frame design.

This electric bike features the very best available brakes for this class, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes. These are sophisticated brakes that offer incredible braking power in all situations, including rain, sleet, and snow. If you've been avoiding biking because of concerns about road conditions and general safety, then the Premier Edition Bluejay Electric Bike is certainly a bike worth looking at.

Another key facet of the Premier Edition Bluejay electric bike that makes it well-placed on this list of the 2022 top 5 best electric bikes for women is:

• The frame comes with a rear rack that is compatible with the very popular Thule Yepp Maxi child seat. Remember, women are more likely than men to avoid biking because so much of their day-to-day tasks include or would otherwise require child transport. One survey of 2,000 US adults found women twice as often as men noted an "inability to carry children or other passengers" as the reason why they didn't bike more. Bikes that are built with and include features like seamless child seat integration, help to break down this barrier.

Check Out Other E-Bikes at Sixthreezero

While the EVRYjourney and Around the Block are certain premier picks for women cyclists, they are by no means the only electric bikes we have for sale. Visit our website at sixthreezero.com to browse our inventory and see the other fantastic models we have to offer. Just because none of the above bikes strike you with inspiration, doesn't mean other models won't!