The future of ebikes – get on the ebike bandwagon!

February 18, 2024

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The future of ebikes – get on the ebike bandwagon!

The future of ebikes (electric bikes or e-bikes) looks promising as they continue gaining popularity worldwide. They offer an accessible and eco-friendly alternative to cars, motorbikes and buses. Blending the health benefits of cycling with their electric motors adds convenience and efficiency.

Let’s take a look at the evolving landscape of ebikes. Their health benefits, advancements in battery technology by companies like Bosch, the demographic trends in their usage, and the changing patterns in destinations and what they are used for.

Health Benefits

Ebikes are a mixture of technology and physical fitness, which encourages more people to incorporate exercise into their daily routines. Unlike conventional bikes, ebikes come with a motor or “pedal assist”. This helps reduce the strain on your legs and makes cycling accessible to a broader range of fitness levels. This means that people can now tackle longer distances or hilly terrains without the worry of exhaustion or arriving all sweaty, especially on their way to work or social engagements.

Riding an ebike is a form of cardiovascular exercise that can improve fitness, build muscle, and decrease stress levels. It’s particularly beneficial for those looking to ease into a more active lifestyle, as the levels of assistance can gradually adapt users to higher levels of physical exercise. Furthermore, ebikes encourage users to opt for biking over driving. Therefore, this contributes to increased physical activity levels and reduced sedentary lifestyles.

Ebiking changed my life. Not to sound too dramatic or anything! I live in the mountains and have bad knees and back pain from skiing and other fun stuff I did when I was younger. I’m of the cuddly persuasion, and my husband is much fitter than me and has always cycled on road bikes. Due to the knee issue, when hiking became almost impossible, we needed something we could do together. Ebiking was perfect. It lets us go on adventures, see new places, and spend quality time together without my pain getting in the way. It’s a fun way for us to both enjoy the outdoors. Now, every holiday is focused on either a cycling tour or a destination where we can explore the surroundings on our bikes.

Bosch Battery Improvements

Bosch, a leading player in ebike technology, has been at the forefront of battery innovation. Their batteries are known for their long lifespan, reliability, and efficiency. New improvements are aimed at making these batteries hold more power so electric bikes can go further on one charge without making the battery pack heavier or bigger. Also, Bosch is making their batteries charge faster and last longer. This makes ebikes easier to use every day and helps the environment by making the batteries last longer and creating less waste.

To give you an example, my last ebike had a 400-watt battery, and I could do about 50km distance with around 600m height gain on 1 charge. My new Scott bike has a 650-watt battery, and I can do around 80km with 800m height gain on 1 charge. These amounts will vary depending on the terrain and how I am feeling that day, but this gives you an idea of the advancements in technology.

Demographic Trends

E-bikes are becoming increasingly popular across various age groups, but they hold a particular appeal for older adults and baby boomers. This demographic finds the motor or “pedal-assist” feature appealing, allowing them to enjoy cycling without the physical strain associated with traditional bikes. Ebikes enable them to maintain an active lifestyle, enjoy outdoor activities, and cover longer distances than they might on a conventional bike.

Living in the mountains in Tirol, Austria, I see a huge swathe of age groups on ebikes. Lots of them are in my age group, and like me, they enjoy the outdoors, scenery and some physical activity that will not push their boundaries to the extreme. They can enjoy an increase in levels of fitness at a pace that suits them. There are, however, a number of younger age groups on ebikes; some prefer to use the pedal assist plus their own power for cycling up the mountains, enjoying the trails, and not using the lift systems. Others are using ebikes after an injury as a way to ease back into exercise without putting too much strain on their body while recovering.

Uses

With ebike technology and infrastructure advancements, people use ebikes for a wider range of purposes and destinations. Commuting to work is one of the most common uses. This is because ebikes offer a fast, efficient, and sweat-free alternative to traditional bicycles and crowded public transport. Additionally, there’s a growing trend of using ebikes for leisure and adventure, such as exploring bike trails, parks, and rural areas previously considered too challenging.

Tourism is on the bandwagon.

Tourism has also embraced the ebike revolution, with many destinations offering ebike rentals to tourists looking to explore cities and the countryside. More and more Tour Operators are looking at ebike Tours as an option for an alternative holiday, especially for the 40+ year-old demographic. This has opened up new possibilities for adventure and exploration, making it easier for people of all fitness levels to see more during their travels.

Only a few people used their bikes on tours when I started using an ebike for our holidays. They would have shorter distances to travel during the day, and the pressure would be on getting to the destination rather than enjoying the journey. Now, that number has increased exponentially, and they travel a lot further and at a pace that suits them, as the concern about reaching an overnight stop is eliminated by using an ebike.

Conclusions?

Get on the ebike bandwagon!!! The future of ebikes is bright, with significant benefits for individual health, technological advancements in battery life and efficiency, a broadening demographic of users, and expanding uses and destinations. Ebikes represent a key piece of the puzzle in our shift towards more sustainable, healthy, and adaptable forms of transportation.