E-bikes are a non-starter for locals, but a zippy novelty for foreigners

By Hannah Leung Source:Global Times Published: 2013-1-28 21:08:01

 

Gridlocked cars never look this happy Photo: Courtesy of BJ Electric Bike Tours
Gridlocked cars never look this happy Photo: Courtesy of BJ Electric Bike Tours



With recent reports of cab drivers refusing passengers and popular subway lines facing more congestion than ever (Line 10 now transports more than one million passengers a day according to the Beijing Daily), there is a way to dodge people and frustration while getting to your destination: whiz through town on an e-bike.

Long preferred by delivery companies, e-bikes ensure that goods, ranging from water coolers to plane tickets, are delivered on time in a perpetually grid-locked city.

Rechargeable batteries power e-bikes, or electrical bicycles. Compared to cars, they are more environmentally friendly, though e-bikes also have their fair share of critics since the vast majority in China use lead batteries.

According to a report by market research group Pike Research, China is anticipated to reach 42 million e-bikes by 2018 - a staggering 89 percent of the total world market. So the next time you spend a wintry day trying to hail cab or get stampeded in a muggy subway station, consider your other option - the e-bike.

Safety and concerns

Canadian Nathan Siy founded BJ Electric Bike Tours, a company that provides tourists with e-bike rentals for group or individual tours. He started the company as a passion project after hopping on an e-bike gave him a near-religious awakening about Beijing.

Siy said that the biggest concern for new riders is safety. This extends to both the riders themselves and the potential hazard beginner e-bikers pose to others, like silent menaces on the road. And unlike motorcycles, e-bikes do not require licenses. 

"One of the main reasons I got an e-bike is because I didn't have to get a license for it. In Paris, I would need one," said French expat Steven Lin, who picked up his scooter when he was working on his undergrad degree at the University of International Business Economics. 

"Plus, you can ride in Beijing without respecting traffic lights," Lin said, half jokingly.

This perhaps is the main grievance against e-bikes. Beijing Daily reported that since December 20, most of the perpetrators in the 13,400 incidents of people whizzing through red lights were people riding e-bikes.

But those who do abide by traffic laws aren't in any clear and present danger.

"I've been to a lot of other cities in China, and Beijing is relatively safe when it comes to electrical bikes and bicycles. At the very least, I'd give a ballpark figure that around 80 percent of roads have bike lanes," said Siy. 

Practicality versus novelty

Most e-bike converts find they save both money and time, making it the optimal mode of transportation.

"E-bikes were my saving grace. It really made me reevaluate my decision to go home," said Siy. "[They] made my life so much more convenient. When I took a cab to work, it would cost around 20 yuan and 30 minutes. The same route took six minutes on an e-bike," he said.

Who can ride an e-bike? The rule of thumb is that if you can ride a bike, you're good to go.

"Most people need two to three minutes to make the transition easily," said Siy.

And it's never too late - or too cold - to start. Siy said he actually prefers taking his e-bike around during the winter, as the roads are quieter.

Of course, not everyone is as enthused about e-bikes. American Ashley Yount said she tried going around Beijing on an e-bike before, but ultimately preferred her tried and trusty bicycle.

"Biking is the greenest option. Plus it's tiring to recharge the battery of an e-bike," she said.

Others may be apprehensive about the e-bike for different reasons. For many locals, a car is a sign of luxury and a status symbol, and despite the convenience of biking, they may opt out.

But for many Westerners, e-bikes trump cars for their novelty value.

"Some Chinese people might [feel] a loss of face if they're riding around or touring around on a bike. But our customers love it," said Siy.

At the moment, Siy's customer base is all expats. Originally, Siy intended on making a Chinese language version of the website. But after consulting several travel agents, Siy was told that few to zero Chinese people would want to tour around Beijing on an e-bike.

"Our customers are mostly from the Netherlands, US, Canada and some from Japan," he said.

In the future, Siy hopes to form more of a community, organizing scavenger hunts for people on e-bikes and donating funds to charity.

"If I ever go back to Canada, I would ship my electrical bike," he said.



Posted in: Metro Beijing

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