Press request! Has your electric bike seen you drive less trips/distance?

[mark sutton]

Hi All,

I'm coming to the second edition of Cycling Electric and thought that it may very well be worth tapping in to the wealth of experience on here. My request is a simple enough one, i'm after testimonials and stories of how the electric bike has altered your transport habits over time, in particular if you were formerly using the car the majority of the time.

If you're up for lending some anecdotes and evidence for the piece i'm writing i'd love to hear your comments below.

Cheers
Mark @ Cycling Electric

 

[Hovlev2]

I'm 68 years of age, and bought my new Oxygen S Cross MTB MkIII mainly as a means of getting my fitness back after contracting Covid 19, and afterwards having reduced lung function.
My thinking was that I could get valuable exercise, and if I was struggling, could then use electric power to make life easier. Having had the bike for a month or so, I've found that I'm venturing further, and my fitness has significantly improved.
Apart from exploring my local area, and discovering places I never knew existed, (plus cycle routes and paths which, as a car driver, I was totally unaware of!) I now regularly use the bike instead of the car, and actually find it quicker for local journeys.
For the purposes of shopping for small items, it's great- large objects are still going to need the car!
Another use anticipated for next year (all things being equal!) is put the bike into a caravan, and using it at various race circuits- Le Mans for instance, where access to the track by car involves a lot of queuing, but not a problem with an Ebike!

 

[Bobajob]

I’ve cut the car journeys to 10miles+
anything within 10 miles I do buy bike unless it’s large and heavy items I need to pick up etc., or when it’s raining hard.
it’s usually shopping trips where I load up the panniers, picking up spares for my other expensive hobby, visiting friends where I’d normally drive.
Then there is the exercise rides of up to 50miles thrown in.
Ive only filled the car up three times since January this year.

 

[Darren Hayward]

I bought a cheap ebike in 2014 to help with my general health and fitness and very quickly got rid of the car. I only used my ebike for commuting and shopping (panners and backpack) but the long summer of 2018 saw me leisure riding for almost the first time. I now have a more expensive, more capable bike and a trailer for hauling stuff around. I'd never go back to a car unless health issues forced me too.
I'm 57. In 2014 I did 1700 miles. In 2019 it was 2900. 2020 will be high 3000's.

Darren

 

[Bobajob]

I bought a cheap ebike in 2014 to help with my general health and fitness and very quickly got rid of the car. I only used my ebike for commuting and shopping (panners and backpack) but the long summer of 2018 saw me leisure riding for almost the first time. I now have a more expensive, more capable bike and a trailer for hauling stuff around. I'd never go back to a car unless health issues forced me too.
I'm 57. In 2014 I did 1700 miles. In 2019 it was 2900. 2020 will be high 3000's.

Darren

what bike do you have Darren?
Rob

 

[Benjahmin]

I moved to Wales on 2000 and virtually stopped cycling - couldn't handle the hills.
Converted my bike in 2014 (Ezee kit), since then done about 12000 miles. Use it for local shopping (nearest town is 4 miles) and loads more leisure cycling than I've ever done, I'm now 67.
I'm a self employed carpenter so have to keep a van for tools etc. But I now rarely use it for anything but work.

 

[georgehenry]

I bought my ebike to commute to work and back rather than drive the car, so that immediately reduced car use. I also use my (Now Ebikes) for most general shopping and errands which would have been done in the car and again cuts down on the use of the car.

A case in point last week was a hospital appointment which is a 14 mile round trip where the journey in a car can be congested and parking at the hospital difficult.

It was so much nicer on the bike and I found a covered bike rack 50m from the department I needed.

 

[trevor brooker]

when I stopped working I lost my company car, so I had the option of getting a replacement car or some type of bike. With no income I chose an ebike to see if I could manage. 5 years later I sold it to upgrade. Since March 2018 I have covered 6800 miles, all as a utility vehicle (shopping etc) as I have never got around to leisure riding.

I do not miss a car, as all the freedom to get out & about remains.

 

[Michael Price]

I have had an ebike since about 2011 - found a Powacycle Salisbury for £220 - just over 1 year old!!!
I initially only used it for exercise and fresh air but it meant that I actually got some exercise whereas before I did very little. After a while I started using it when I needed a small amount of shopping.
Since then I have only used the car for shopping if I needs more than I can fit into a backpack - normally once a week - and small 'milk and bread' type shops are done on the bike unless it is raining.
ABout 5 years ago I moved house a found a job a 5 minute drive from home. After a while I started cycling to work instead of driving - which I did every day the weather was suitable. I would have done it more often but the road I need to use if very muddy due to a building site nearby - it seemed unprofessional to wear smart clothes in work - but have them covered in mud splatters!

I retired a couple of years ago so the commuting stopped - but the shopping continues and I have increased the number of rides dramatically - firstly last year through an 'Ampler Challenge' to log 500 miles during July - which I then continued whenever possible - and since lockdown I try to cycle every day - normally about 20 miles