I happened across this bike last night tied to a fence and took a quick snap. It got me thinking about the future of cycling if it is to be a mainstream method of transportation for everyone, as many governments want cycling to become.
There are many obstacles to overcome for cycling to become the norm. Dangerous cycle lanes, inclement weather, steep hills and a general unfitness of many people.
I like climbing hills but many do not. An electric bike overcomes the difficulties associated with hill climbing. This one even looks sexy. After taking these photographs a couple of people overtook me on fold-up electric bikes. The range of electric bikes has expanded quite dramatically in recent years. Although not for everyone, they could overcome several problems that prevent more people taking up cycling as a regular form of transport.
I live in a very hilly place that makes cycling quite unpopular except for tourists. Narrow roads, parked cars and multiple hills to negotiate, are all issues that reduce cycling take up. This is not just a problem here but many countries have similar problems. At least one of them can be helped by electric bike usage.
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Now we need to overcome the cycle path issue.