E-bikes ready to be the next big thing
Melissa Wenzel got rid of her Toyota Prius in April 2018.
After fighting cancer, arthritis and severe knee pain for several years, the 41-year-old Minnesota native found an active solution to help her "surpass back to a healthy lifestyle that at the same time helps the environment. "
She bought an e-bike.
"I had finished the treatment of leukemia, and I had gained a lot of weight," Wenzel said. "I needed tools to help me get active again, so I bought an e-bike that has literally become my car."
She said that Pedego City Commuter she bought, has a pedal assist she uses when she goes to work, and a throttle she engages "if the chain comes off, so I can get somewhere safe."
The electric powered two-wheel drive provides moderate support when she needs it, and she turns off the assistance when she wants to "enjoy a slow, relaxing trip on a sunny spring day."
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Future of the future
Transport enthusiasts pay a lot of attention to the future of electric cars and robot axes. We often keep our eyes on cars that can fly, robot deliveries and human-carrying drones that can transport passengers across the city.
But in a world worried about fuel economy, health and convenience, perhaps the technical answers to today's commuting problems are already on the road all over the country right now.
Electric two-wheelers take Europe and Asia by storm, and big cities like Los Angeles and Atlanta have a growing market for e-bikes on the streets, and the prospect of commuting seems promising.
Although standard bicycle sales have been at a standstill for the past three years, e-bike sales have increased by 79% in 2018, according to the market research firm NPD Group, which also said US e-bike sales are eight times larger than in 2014. [19659003] So far in 2019, wholesale car sales are down for each category, expecting e-bikes, which is up 24.7% last year, according to the latest bicycle product supplier association's purchase report.
Bicycle manufacturer Trek says e-bikes are the company's fastest growing segment.
"How many products do you know that (if) 100 people go on a test drive, they all come back and have a big smile?" Trek CEO John Burke said about e-bicycles.
"I think it's a word in the mouth. I think consumers are running e-bikes (sales)."
John Burke, CEO of Trek Bicycle, with his new e-bike Super Commuter + 8s.
(Photo: Robert Deutsch, USAT)
Trek is one of the largest bicycle brands in the United States based on representation in bicycle stores, according to research firm IBIS World.
A study released in 2018 by Department of Transport and Community found that electric bikes appeal to a wider pool of riders than conventional bicycles, including older adults and those with physical constraints.
There are two types of e-bicycles: those with pedal assist features such as the Treks Super Commuter S8, which we tested last week, and there are e-bike options with a throttle that is notoriously banned in cities like NYC.
Bicycle or motorcycle?
There is a controversy in some municipalities about where the line is drawn between bikes, which do not require registration, and motorcycles, which require a license.
Some cities such as Atlanta have legislation that limits how fast e-bikes can travel like walking companies like Uber and Lyft move in to offer overload solutions, bridging the gap between traditional bikes and cars. In Los Angeles, private businesses peppering the streets and sidewalks with electric bikes that can be hired per minute to cut down on traffic.
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It has just bought the driveway of the motorcycle.
The head of Waterloo, Wisconsin-based Trek Bicycle Corp, says cycling also provides solutions to environmental issues, but there are obstacles that consumers are becoming increasingly sedentary. 19659003] "I think one of the problems we have as a society is screenshots. People are addicted," Burke said. "Kids are sneaking around with phones, and people are binge-watching Netflix. You don't have as many people out there as being active."
The path is evl
Some countries have put the drawing for which e-Bike can look in the future, when America only begins its e-bike revolution, Burke says.
While an increasing number of cities have invested in their bicycle lane infrastructure over the years, Burke, who inherited the 45-year-old father of his father, says the United States has a long way to go before becoming a "bicycle-friendly nation."
"If you want to see a bike-friendly country, go to Denmark. If you want to see a bike-friendly country, go to Holland," says Burke. He states that cities in the US such as Boulder, Colorado and Madison, Wisconsin are some of the best bicycle-friendly cities in the country, but cities in Europe are still far ahead of the United States. "
The self-proclaimed optimist said he thought bicycles are a key player in the future of transport, but that more needs to be done on behalf of the industry to get more government support for building bicycle areas on public roads or on public land.
"It's a frustrating thing" Burks said about the lack of advocates in the bicycle industry. There are some companies involved and trying to create more bicycle facilities, and then you see other companies that do nothing. If you build them, they come. If you give people a safe place to cycle, they come to. "
Follow Dalvin Brown on Twitter: @Dalvin_Brown.
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