A Cycling Sea Change? By Angela Rieck

I love cycling, but I use a bike only to run errands. For me, it is an environmentally sound alternative to a car (and yes, I have been caught in more than one rainstorm…NOT FUN). Flat terrain and safe biking lanes through towns are all that I need. Unfortunately, on the Eastern Shore the latter is rare. I hope someday this will happen so that we can replace the car for short trips. After all, the Eastern Shore is practically designed for cycling.

In Key West, I use my bicycle for everything. Key West is a bike-friendly, flat, small island, perfectly configured for cycling. On a typical day, I ride 5-10 miles, just getting around. Shopping is a little more challenging, but I have a basket and a backpack and, if necessary, I have friends that share their car with me.

This year, I have noticed a sea change in cycling. E-bikes have taken over. Most locals (called ‘conchs’) have replaced their bicycles with e-bikes. Instead of pedaling, they coast.

First, a few basics about e-bikes. In addition to basic bike speeds, most e-bikes have two controls: a pedal assist feature and a throttle. The pedal assist feature allows the cyclist to choose the amount of pedal assistance they need. Most e-bikes offer from 0 (no pedal assistance) to 5 (full use of motor). Users can change pedal assistance based on terrain, weight of groceries, fatigue, fitness, exercise, etc. The other feature, the throttle, allows the e-biker to coast without pedaling. And that is what I have observed in Key West, most e-bike cyclists are not using the pedals.

There are a couple of misconceptions about e-bikes. First, pedaling does not charge the battery. In truth, humans cannot generate sufficient power to charge it. A YouTube video, called Olympic Cyclist Versus Toaster, shows an Olympic cyclist, who is hooked up to a toaster to see if he can toast a piece of bread. Despite his best efforts, the toast is barely browned. (Some bikes do recharge batteries by using a regenerative method with braking similar to hybrid cars.)

Secondly, the extra equipment doubles the weight of e-bikes (between 40 and 80 pounds). A lot more effort is required to pedal without mechanical assistance.

E-bikes are expensive. While the price is going down and their functionality is improving, a quality e-bike is around $1,500. E-bikes are also costly to service and repair. E-bike batteries are limited to 20 to 100 miles and have short lifespans. Because of their value, e-bikes are more likely to be stolen than regular bicycles.

The popularity of e-bikes has grown more than 269% in the US since 2019 and sales exceeded $1.3 billion in 2022. Many commuters (especially in locations that are urban, have bike lanes, and favorable climate) have replaced their cars with e-bikes.

Europe and China have taken the lead on e-bikes. Eighty-five percent of all e-bikes are sold in China. Most of Europe is showing double digit growth in e-bike sales year over year. In the UK, 5% of the population owns an e-bike.

There are safety issues, including deadly battery fires and cyclist and pedestrian deaths. Despite their popularity in China, in July of 2023, some major cities banned them because of safety concerns, especially battery fires. E-bikers travel at much higher speeds (up to 28 MPH) and can cause accidents with traditional cyclists and pedestrians, especially in congested areas. Accidents associated with e-bikes are three times more likely to result in hospitalization.

One of the biggest problems is that municipalities don’t know what to do with them. Most have banned e-bikes on bike and pedestrian paths for safety, but enforcement is rare. Recently, a Florida municipality completely banned e-bikes after a citizen was killed.

Where there are no age restrictions (as in Florida), e-bikes have become popular with preteen (and younger) riders, who have caused a number of serious and fatal accidents.

To date, there are insufficient regulations for e-bikes. Should there be a minimum age requirement? (MD requires that e-bike riders be 16 or older.) Should there be restrictions on sidewalks and bike trails? (Many states have them but they are not enforced.) Should there be limits to a maximum speed of e-bikes sold in the US? Should there be licensing or safety training? What driver protocols should be used (e.g., should e-bikes yield to pedestrians and traditional cycles)?

I have never ridden an e-bike, but they look like fun. In this wild west of e-bikes, anything goes; but I hope that governments start taking steps to ensure e-bikes are successful. At a minimum, age, and speed restrictions are necessary. I would hate to see such a promising mode of transportation be banned for the lack of foresight.

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.