Battery-powered bicycles now outsell pedal-only ones across several European countries. A transportation researcher explains the policies behind the boom.
What advice would you give to a US mayor who wants to promote e-bike use?
I’d answer that e-bike adoption isn’t the right goal; increasing biking overall should be the goal. Quality infrastructure, connected networks and vehicle speed management are all things that enable people to feel more comfortable biking
I’d beg to differ on some of this. Protected Bike lanes are absolutely important. But you could not convince me to bike up miles of steep hills to see family, buy goods, or go to the beach on a normal bike. 14 miles of steep hills in both directions? Fuck that. Especially not multiple trips per week. Only an ebike makes it worth it. I have friends who love to bike but then describe city rides on road bikes with phrases like “that was the worst 30 minutes of my life” and “I almost didn’t make it home.”
Ebikes take all that away. So that you can ditch your car for most stuff, and then be even more fit for downhill mountain biking on the weekends because you are still ebiking everywhere during the week.
You absolutely need protected bike lanes. But ebikes are the key to having normal people think that 45-mile rides are easy and that driving is unnecessary within a decent chunk of city limits.
I’d beg to differ on some of this. Protected Bike lanes are absolutely important. But you could not convince me to bike up miles of steep hills to see family, buy goods, or go to the beach on a normal bike. 14 miles of steep hills in both directions? Fuck that. Especially not multiple trips per week. Only an ebike makes it worth it. I have friends who love to bike but then describe city rides on road bikes with phrases like “that was the worst 30 minutes of my life” and “I almost didn’t make it home.”
Ebikes take all that away. So that you can ditch your car for most stuff, and then be even more fit for downhill mountain biking on the weekends because you are still ebiking everywhere during the week.
You absolutely need protected bike lanes. But ebikes are the key to having normal people think that 45-mile rides are easy and that driving is unnecessary within a decent chunk of city limits.
Amen!
Isn’t that exactly what he says? Promote bike usage and people will buy E-bikes when they need it?