FEATURE
‘It’s exciting that e-bikes are really starting to pique consumers’ interest’
The rise and rise of e-bikes Rebecca Morley looks at how e-bike market growth has exploded since the start of the pandemic
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he rising interest of e-bikes has been welldocumented for a number of years now, with more and more people discovering the benefits of cycling but with a less strenuous option. And this has increased further since the outbreak of COVID-19 – with a new Shimano report of over 2,100 people in the UK revealing that 11% are more likely to use or buy an e-bike now than they were before the pandemic. The highest age group to consider buying or using an e-bike are those aged 25 to 34 years with 17%, compared to 12% of 35 to 44 year olds, and 9% to 11% across most other age groups. Of those who took part in the study, 40% said they felt the reason people are more likely to buy/use e-bikes now, compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, is because they are a suitable alternative to using a motor vehicle. 37%
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said lessening the impact on the environment by reducing their carbon footprint would be the main reason and 38% said it would be as an alternative to public transport. But what impact has COVID-19 had on businesses? “The way we move today is stuck,” says Cowboy co-founder Tanguy Goretti. “The pace and demand of modern city life allied with a congested reality means we are going faster, slower. This is not good for us, our cities or our environment as a whole. “The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated and accelerated the need for a safer, time-efficient, cleaner and healthier way to move in and around cities. “Prior to the inception of COVID-19, the majority of our users did ride their bikes to go to work – with most rides performed during weekdays around 8am and 5pm. In the last
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