Phil McNeil slowed down as he approached the traffic light on Eastwood Road across from the Lidl supermarket.
“I love my e-bike. It gives me a little boost when I need it, plus it doesn’t slow my wife down anymore.”
“It gives you the best of both worlds: exercise and power when your legs just aren’t enough.”
Whether for recreation, mobility, or both, electric bike sales are booming. According to the Light Electric Vehicle Association, 880,000 electric bicycles will be imported into the United States in 2021. millions 10 years after this.
Proponents see e-bikes as a “green” mode of transport that offers low-cost, low-impact mobility. Opponents, on the other hand, see it as a low-quality moped that reduces the purpose and relaxation of riding a bike in the first place.
But the bigger question may be whether people are ready to embrace bikes, and what that means for the way we get around and what our transport infrastructure needs to look like. Hmm.
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What is an electric bicycle?
Simply put, an e-bike is a bicycle with an electric motor that assists when pedaling. The motor gets its power from a rechargeable battery attached to the bike.
To technically be classified as an e-bike, the motor must assist the rider, rather than propel him/herself, so pedaling is required. The amount of power delivered by the motor is adjusted based on the rider’s pedal strength and the level of support the rider chooses. Many bikes offer varying levels of electronic support, such as low boost on flat areas and more power on hills. Some bikes also offer electric assistance when walking the bike, which can be heavier than traditional two-wheeled bicycles.
Choosing a power mode allows riders to extend the life of their bike’s battery. The e-bike’s range, depending on capacity, on a full charge he ranges from 20 miles to 100 miles, or more. In general, the longer the range of an e-bike, the more expensive it will be.
Almost every major bike company offers a variety of bikes for all price points, skill levels, and needs, but they also offer a variety of e-bike models, including top-of-the-line bikes costing thousands of dollars. I’m here.
So do you like them all?
Well, it’s not. Some traditional cyclists see them as a “frankenization” of the bicycle, intended to provide human-powered locomotion and exercise.
Kits are also available that allow riders to avoid the maximum speed of the bicycle motor. Top speed is usually around 25 mph. This could make a ‘hot rod’ e-bike more like a moped than a two-wheeler powered primarily by muscle energy. While Europe has strict rules governing the speed of e-bikes, US laws are lax, allowing some e-bikes to travel as fast as motorcycles and cars.
Local officials have also expressed concerns about e-bikes, or more precisely, their power sources.
Like cell phones, laptops, and many other small mobile consumer goods, e-bikes are powered by lithium-ion batteries. Batteries can pack a large amount of charge into a small package, making them ideal for powering many small electronic devices and motors. In addition, it is rechargeable, reduces waste, and is easy to carry.
But if you charge it with the wrong charger, or if the lithium battery is from an uncertified or shoddy manufacturer, it can start a fire. new york timeslithium-ion batteries have caused 200 fires and 6 deaths in New York City so far in 2022.
As a result, some apartment complex owners forbid charging e-bikes inside the building. Local authorities are also stepping up outreach activities to educate e-bike owners, especially young people and college students, on the correct way to charge and store their bikes.
Are e-bikes good for the environment?
Again, the answer depends on who you are talking to.
Bill Coleman, riding his e-bike down Wilmington’s military cutoff highway on an unseasonably warm November afternoon, said he rarely uses the car to commute the three miles from his apartment to work.
“I save gas, I exercise, I avoid traffic, I don’t pollute,” he said, wiping his sweaty brow.
Research shows that most car trips are quick. In short, e-bikes offer ‘micro-mobility’ for those who don’t want to drive, don’t own a car, or don’t have the option of using public transport.
“A lot of people we meet say they use e-bikes because they don’t want to get in the car to do everything,” said Greg Skelton. facebook group For e-bike enthusiasts in Port City.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is key to combating climate change, and as in most of North Carolina, the largest source of pollution is automobile exhaust pipes. In 2018, transportation accounted for 36{ea2cba5bdf6fe62bbe85e24807814144a71e77d3ae7311fbc27a008558d1372c} of the state’s total greenhouse gas emissions and is projected to decline at a much slower rate than other sectors over the next few years. Emissions from the transportation sector declined relatively modestly, at 3{ea2cba5bdf6fe62bbe85e24807814144a71e77d3ae7311fbc27a008558d1372c} from 2005 to 2018, according to the state’s latest report. “Environmental report card”.
E-bikes contribute some pollution during manufacturing, charging, and when disposing of the lithium battery and the bike itself, but are still marginal compared to the emissions from electric vehicles and other motorized modes of transport. Part of it. .
share the space
However, as electric bicycles become more popular, the backlash against electric bicycles is also increasing.
The National Park Service originally banned electric bikes from entering the park, but recently backed out. Electric vehicles, which are technically electric bicycles, are often banned from backcountry trails in many areas. Some worry that it might clash with more traditional and slower users, such as bicycles.
Proponents, however, argue that e-bikes will open more of the country’s great outdoors to the elderly, the disabled, those who have difficulty walking, and those who find it difficult to use standard bicycles. Many federal parks, including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, now allow low-speed e-bikes.
In more urban areas, similar questions are emerging about what e-bikes are and where they should be allowed to go. They are not fully traditional bicycles and neither are they electric vehicles, thus creating a gray area. can be frustrating. On roads, however, it is often too slow to keep up with the traffic, frustrating car drivers as well.
Safety is also a big concern. E-bikes are still new to the market, but many studies point to an increased risk of injury for e-bike riders. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
agency found Riders on e-bikes are three times more likely to be involved in collisions with pedestrians and are more likely to suffer a concussion than riders of conventional bicycles.
“Worryingly, e-bike accident victims have a 17 percent risk of internal injuries, while pedal bike accident victims have a 7.5 percent risk of the same type of injury,” the Commission said. It is stated based on the survey results of the association. National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.
“At a minimum, it’s imperative to wear a helmet and closed-toe shoes,” Skelton said, referring to the inherent hazards associated with traveling at high speed on a bicycle. “It really goes without saying.”
culture clash
So can all cyclists share a road, or in this case a bike lane?
Skelton said e-bike owners need to understand the concerns government officials and traditional cyclists have about the emerging technology. Otherwise, you may face onerous regulatory threats. Similar to what happened to electric scooters in recent years after they proliferated downtown and clogged sidewalks. and endanger pedestrians.
“When we go on the bike path, we go at their speed,” said the co-owner of Euro-TEK, which handles British-made vehicles. “It’s just a tribute.”
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But e-bikes have taken hold here, and the sheer number of shops selling e-bikes, as well as delivery and tour businesses adopting e-bikes, indicates they have found a significant commercial niche. If so, officials stress that everyone needs to adapt.
This includes building infrastructure to safely accommodate more cyclists. However, voters in New Hanover County on Election Day rejected a sales tax hike that would fund, among other things, additional roads for bicycles and pedestrians.
Still, Skelton said he hopes everyone is on the right track, even though the learning curve can sometimes seem like an uphill climb.
“Everything has to be done within reason,” he said. “I think an e-bike can do that, too.”
Reporter Gareth McGrath can be reached at GMcGrath@Gannett.com or @GarethMcGrathSN on Twitter. This story was made with funding from the 1Earth Fund and the Prentice Foundation. The USA TODAY network maintains full editorial control of the production.
