BBC New magazine:
"Electric bikes are a common sight in cities from Berlin to Beijing, so why have they failed to catch on in the UK?"
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Cycling News
Electric bikes: For people who don't cycle?
(33 posts)-
Posted 12 years ago #
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I'm just guessing but could it be that most people would still feel too vulnerable riding with cars?
Posted 12 years ago # -
Or for the old or infirm or people with varying disabilities that make a 'normal' bike unuseable?
Or, and this is the best use I saw last year, to keep up with your fitter partner when you're both riding to the top of the Tourmalet....
Posted 12 years ago # -
Geezo, did you guys not read the article? Do I have to copy'n'paste the whole bleedin' thang?
Among those who will not be buying one in a hurry is Cycling Plus editor Rob Spedding, a self-confessed middle-aged man in lycra. For enthusiasts like him, the point is pedalling hard and getting fit.
"For us, an electric bike is cheating, isn't it? If we wanted to go up Alpe d'Huez [in the French Alps] under power we could drive up it. We want to get there under our own steam."
But Spedding says that to judge electric bikes on these terms alone is wrong. "It's a really good entry point into cycling," he says.
As electric bikes still have to be pedalled, an element of exercise is unavoidable - even if hills are less daunting, says Spedding. And encouraging more people onto bikes of whatever kind reduces pollution and congestion on the roads.
But to see electric bike sales rise substantially, cycling needs to become "normal", with safe routes and less of an "us and them" relationship with other road users, he argues.
"I think more than anything it is a culture thing. Britain still isn't a cycling nation and we still don't have the infrastructure - we don't have the nice wide car free cycle paths that some continental European places have."[/i]
Posted 12 years ago # -
That article is doing well in the 'Most Popular' lists. Currently 2nd in Shared and 4th in Read.
Not bad for a piece about cycling.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"Geezo, did you guys not read the article?"
'fraid not. Misleading header? Suggested there was a way open for debate on the possible role of electric bikes, rather than just a discussion limited to if we thoguht it was a good article or not... ;)
Posted 12 years ago # -
Or, and this is the best use I saw last year, to keep up with your fitter partner when you're both riding to the top of the Tourmalet....
@WC, this idea may just enable me to do some cycling while on hols. Just as long as you can rent electric bikes where we're going... :D
Posted 12 years ago # -
Found they've been fairly common in France when we've looked at places to rent...
Interestingly I was watching one of the French TV channels the other night and they were reporting on an Italian company that is doing very well thank you out of electric bikes.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I have just started cycling tentatively. I got my cheapish hybrid a few weeks ago and I have been out only once. Why? Mostly, due to the inclement weather and my lack of fitness making it a grim prospect. Once DST kicks in it should be easier. Should be.
The point I want to make is that there is a difference between making the decision to start cycling and actually getting out there as often as possible. The assisted power provided by electric bikes takes away much of that initial dread for people who are unfit and the ongoing issue of how do deal with sweaty commutes. It seems counter productive, to me, to label something that encourages people to get active and get out more often as 'cheating'.
As it happens, I ended up going for a cheapish hybrid instead because a) I really have no excuse on the fitness front and b) there is no way I could see myself abandoning a costly electric bike at the train station all day.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I did read it and I got the comment about the 'cycling culture' and I kind of decided to not get into the whole thing about whether cycling culture leads to paths or paths lead to cycling culture but to blame it all on not having a cycling culture is sort of putting the cart before the horse, letting the tail wag the dog and shutting the stable door before you've even put the horse away. Because the comment seemed such a mealy-mouthed way of saying that people don't ride electric bikes for the same reason they don't ride pedal-powered ones: they think they'll get killed. I don't really see how putting a battery on it would change that for many people.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Another cultural difference that might explain the difference in uptake is that it's always been pretty normal for folk to graduate to low-powered scooters or those part pedal/part petrol engined bikes that are popular in France. An e-bike is just an evolution of that, so not particularly unusual.
There are a few e-bikes kicking around Edinburgh. I wouldn't be surprised to see more in future.
Posted 12 years ago # -
My boyfriend's mother recently got an electric bike for utility cycling purposes (and for pleasure!) She's got some kind of heart problem and the big hill from their house to the village was becoming an issue - so rather than drive the bike in the car up the hill (also an issue because you have to lift your bike in and out of the car) she got the e-bike. It is easier for her to keep up with her (much fitter) husband on it, too.
The thing is, if you think of cycling as sport, then an e-bike might be "cheating". If you think of cycling as the best way to get from A to B, then an e-bike makes much more sense.
We had a new poster enthusing about her e-bike recently, didn't we?
Posted 12 years ago # -
Misleading header?
Taken from the article. (Bangs head against brick wall).
@Insto: fair enough!
Posted 12 years ago # -
Another cultural difference that might explain the difference in uptake is that it's always been pretty normal for folk to graduate to low-powered scooters or those part pedal/part petrol engined bikes that are popular in France. An e-bike is just an evolution of that, so not particularly unusual.
Yes, I recall being in France as a teenager and many of my French peers had low powered mopeds that looked more like heavy bicycles than light motorbikes. At that time in France (early 1980s) you could ride them from 13 years old, didn't need a helmet, etc. A pedelec is just a 'cleaner' version of that, I guess.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"Taken from the article. (Bangs head against brick wall)."
In which case, misleading article title?
Posted 12 years ago # -
"For enthusiasts like him, the point is pedalling hard and getting fit."
Hmmm. I ride a road bike and wear Lycra because I think it makes cycling much easier.
Posted 12 years ago # -
A former colleague had an e-bike that he used to help him up over the daunting Tyrebagger Hill when commuting from Aberdeen home to Kintore. (I think I would be more scared by the A96 traffic than the hill, to be honest.)
Posted 12 years ago # -
I think electric bikes generally come under the heading of "well, at least it gets more people cycling".
I can certainly see them being of use to those who are in firm but want to keep exercising or to those who want to use cycling as a method to combat obesity without risking a coronary before they lose the weight.
The video attached to the article seemed a bit pointless to me though. What did it actually prove? Perhaps the two guys should have swapped bikes and checked the time differences? After all, who is surprised a triathlete on a TT bike beat an average Joe on an e-bike? We know the reporter would normally be suffering after that climb but we don't even know hoe much faster he could do the climb on the e-bike compared to his normal bike.
It's not always about speed, but in this case it would allow people to compare.
Posted 12 years ago # -
This has spurred my philosophical side into action.
The video just seems to reflect the general perception that, deep down, we are all competitive creatures and the main concern we have about getting around is "who's fastest?"
This is reflected in the article's video ("ooh triathlon man is faster than ebike man"), the commuter race threads that's on the go at the moment, the main cause of road rage (IMO): "no fair, the cyclist is jumping the queue/jumping the red lights/slowing me down so I'm further down the fastest league table."
It's a shame that more consideration isn't made of "who's enjoying it most". Dave Cameron should get that Happiness Index fired up again and see what effect cycling has on it.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I'm in France right now, and I can't see any reason for needing a powered bike here, as it is the flattest city (Strasbourg) I've seen since I was in Amsterdam recently. Maybe other cities are a little more like Edinburgh and justify electricity to get up hills like Kirk Brae, but not here!
Posted 12 years ago # -
Denmark and Netherlands are amongst the biggest growth markets for electric assist.
Perverse but true.
Mainly due to the fact that cycling is prioritised and an engine makes it even faster for average cyclist.
Low powered €999 Mr Chi scooters were in evidence when I was last there too. Legal on fietspads.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I like people using ebikes. They have many of the same advantages as bikes, making the town more human and liveable. Whether the people on them get much fitter or are cheating in something isn't an issue I'm concerned about.
I might use one if they were cheaper, like in China, and if more common, less likely to stand out and get pinched. Same goes for scooters, the toy ones as well as the c90 type.
Posted 12 years ago # -
My understanding is a lot of the ebike market in the Netherlands is couples who've retired, get themselves matching bikes, and go touring in the countryside.
We certainly saw many older couples on his'n'hers bikes out enjoying the country paths on the Hembrow tour. Not sure if any of them were electric though
Posted 12 years ago # -
I think they may help with the headwinds too ...
Posted 12 years ago # -
I got overtaken by a really heavy guy on an electric bike this morning (bearing in mind that to most of you, I would be considered a really heavy guy!).
I was cycling along the A8 (on the road) at Ingliston doing about 20mph, and he just cruised past my left on the cycle path. I couldn't believe it at first, and I honestly took a double take before realising he was on an electric bike.
On reflection I did think actually this was good thing (not him overtaking me, that was bad ;) ), and that this bike had probably made cycling accessible to him when it otherwise wouldn't have been. I also pondered whether one day he would 'up grade' to a non-electric bike?
Posted 12 years ago # -
I am fairly sure electric bikes should not be able to go that fast? There is supposed to be some sort of limiter on them. Was he pedalling?
Posted 12 years ago # -
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3137
Apparently meant to be 15mph top speed. Maybe he was just 'ard. ;-)
Posted 12 years ago # -
"
Was he pedalling
"Like the clappers, but not appearing to put effort in. Maybe he was just 'ard'.
I did in the end beat him to the roundabout at the Gyle, but only because he'd had to cross over the road twice on the cycle path. He passed me again whilst I was waiting at the lights at that roundabout, and I couldn't catch him after that.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I suppose the point is that the "up to 15mph" bit is hard for the less fit or experienced and getting over that inertia problem lets you go faster afterwards. In other words, the hard bit had been done for him and he could then use his energy to increase his speed above 15mph.
Never having ridden an e-bike, I don't know how the weight affects your use of energy but I'm assuming the above must apply to some extent at least.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I think the hard bit is above 15mph. It's easy to cycle slowly.
Sounds like his bike was either not limited properly or over-geared.
Posted 12 years ago #
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