"More kilometres, more use, more cycling"... but why? The most comprehensive study carried out to date concludes that users of pedal-assist bicycles use them more often and more frequently than any other means of transport, as well as cycling many more kilometres than users of conventional bicycles.
The conclusions of the study (which we will detail below) are not something that really surprises us; at Capri Bikes, as well as manufacturers of electric bicycles, we are also regular users of ebikes, so we have experienced in our own lives, and in those of our family and friends, what happens when you introduce an electric bike into your day-to-day life.
According to the Norwegian study by Aslak Fyhri and Hanne Beate Sundfør entitled "Do people who buy electric bikes cycle more?" "Electric cyclists" (as we like to call e-bike users) cycle between 17 and 49% more than any other means of transport and even more, they cycle four times the number of kilometres than "conventional" bicycle users.
An e-bike is used up to 49% more than any other vehicle and four times the number of kilometres compared to a normal bike.
According to an article in the prestigious spanish publication Ciclosfera, "the authors of the study analysed the cycling habits of the respondents by comparing three groups. The first group had bought an electric bike, another group was thinking of buying one, and finally, a group of conventional bike owners. All were citizens of Oslo. If they had an e-bike, they increased from 2 to almost 10 kilometres on average per day in their daily cycling trips."
New cyclists lose interest in conventional bikes, but if they are electric, they stay.
"This is not the first study on the subject," continues the Ciclosfera article, "although it is the one with the clearest conclusions. There was a previous study, in 2015, with some interesting conclusions about new bicycle users in general, not just electric. Several people started cycling, some on electric bikes and others on conventional bikes. Can you guess who maintained their cycling habits over time? Yes, those who had an electric bike".
The conclusions are clear, far from being a fad or a fad, electric bikes are a really effective mobility solution. Electric cyclists use their bikes more often, cycle more kilometres and prioritise them over other means of transport. Why? Mainly because of convenience. In an internal Biciclasica.com survey last year asking urban users of electric bikes about their main motivations for using them, the results showed that convenience aspects outweighed other relevant factors, such as the environment.
Spending less time getting to work was ranked as the number one reason, saving money as the second and improving health (including mental health) was also one of the most important reasons.
