Secret Cyclist: Is cycling an e-bike cheating?

Turning up to a stage of the Giro d’Italia on an e-bike is very much cheating. Cycling to work or GAA training on an e-bike is not.

Last year I bought an e-bike. If you cycle, but don’t think an e-bike is for you, there’s a strong chance that you’ll be in the minority by the end of the decade. By 2030, e-bike sales are predicted to make up the majority of new bike sales in the EU.

2020 saw a bike boom that was unpredicted in recent years as people took to cycling for everything from a way to avoid crowded public transport to outdoor exercise within a 5km radius of home. Many people who already have a bike, or indeed like me have several bikes, probably got caught up in all the commotion and found themselves buying a new bike too. That was my excuse anyway.

Bike shops were under pressure to keep up with this demand and it shows no signs of abating. Irish e-bike manufacturer Kuma Bikes reported earlier this month that sales of their e-bikes in the first three months of this year have equalled all of last year. If you want an e-bike this year, you might have to order ahead.

Two things happen immediately when you have an e-bike. Firstly, you go faster up hills. No major surprises there. Secondly, you’ll spend all the time you save cycling faster up the hills answering lots of curious questions about your bike. Questions like: ‘Isn’t an e-bike cheating?’, ‘Do you need tax and insurance for that?’ and ‘Can I have a go?’.

Is an e-bike cheating? Turning up to a stage of the Giro d’Italia on an e-bike is very much cheating. Cycling to work or GAA training on an e-bike is not. The research on e-bikes suggests that when people switch from a normal bike to an e-bike they cycle for longer distances than before and still accrue lots of the health benefits associated with cycling. A study from Oslo found that people who bought an e-bike doubled their use of cycling for transport and increased their overall cycling from an average of 2.1km a day to 9.2km a day.

Similarly, researchers at Brigham Young University found that e-bikes can contribute to meeting physical activity recommendations through moderate-intensity exercise. This ties in with my own experiences. An e-bike feels like cycling down a slight incline with a nice headwind behind. My heart rate usually hovers between 100-120bpm, while it might be around 120-140bpm for the same trip on a conventional bike. I’m not sweaty when I reach my destination but I’m still taking off my jumper and complaining that it’s too warm in the building.

‘Do you need tax and insurance?’. No. Using an e-bike isn’t like using a motorbike or an e-scooter. They are pedal assist so if you stop pedalling, the bike slows down like a normal bike. 

They are also limited to 25kph and any speed after that is ‘human generated’, like a normal bike. There are also things called speed e-bikes available on the market but legally you are into motorbike territory so best avoided unless you think bicycle plus motorbike helmet plus number plate is a look you can pull off.

E-bikes are not without shortcomings. They typically cost more than a similarly designed conventional bike and it’s hard to find one for under €1,500 on the market currently. If you live in an apartment or rent in a house-share, charging may be an issue for you. When the battery runs out, the full weight of the bike can come as a shock and it can be a struggle to finish your journey on your own steam.

So why are they so popular and predicted to take up so much of the bicycle market share? Cycling means different things to different people and e-bikes appeal to a wide range of users. Mountain bikers will use them to gain ascent easier, leisure cyclists will use them to cover more ground on a day out, and road cyclists may use them to regain some lost speed in more senior years.

Arguably, people who don’t cycle right now will buy the majority of e-bikes. Encouraging people to swap the car for the bike for short day-to-day trips is a policy goal of Governments all over Europe. More cycle infrastructure and safer streets are going to be features of most European cities, including our Irish cities, in the coming years. Typically, around 30-60% of people living in an urban area are ‘interested but concerned’ about cycling so the target market is huge. Feeling safe is one thing, but cars offer a degree of comfort that bikes often fail to meet. An e-bike can help bridge this gap.

Looking ahead, I predict e-bikes will continue to appeal to more and more people. Newer models will continue to become lighter and battery performance will extend ranges. Carbon belts and puncture-resistant tyres will cut back on maintenance costs and lower the risk of breakdowns. Existing e-bikes already have some nifty tech features like crash detection (Cowboy), theft defence features (VanMoof), and most models come with in-built lights. I wouldn't be surprised if the next generation of e-bikes offer Bluetooth connectivity and on-bike sensors that will help with everything from optimal route navigation to wellness monitoring.

By 2030, I fully expect my bike to be talking to me and telling me about the weather, the traffic ahead, and how much exercise I've done this week. At least one of my bikes anyway.