Abstract
Large-scale analyses on the travel behavior of e-bikes are scarce, and current knowledge regarding who the e-bike owners are is inconsistent. Also, commuters represent a relevant user group with an unexploited potential. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine (i) associations between type of bike (e-bike vs. regular bike) with place of residence (county), sociodemographic variables (age, sex, educational level, income and ethnicity) and habitual physical activity level, and (ii) if public employees possessing an e-bike cycle more often and longer distances to work. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2017 among 1977 (5.2% of eligible subjects) public employees in Southern and Western Norway. Binary and multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted. Respondents possessing an e-bike were less likely to perform high levels of leisure time physical activity (OR 0.56 (CI 0.39-0.82)), compared to those possessing a regular bike only. For those residing in Agder, the likelihood of possessing an e-bike (vs. regular bike) was almost 4 times higher (OR 3.98 (CI 2.53-6.26)), compared with participants residing in Sogn og Fjordane. Compared with those possessing a regular bike only, e-bike users cycled more frequently to work, both occasionally (OR 3.71 (CI 2.44-5.65)) and most of the time (OR 4.28 (CI 2.79-6.55)), and they had higher odds of cycling medium distances to the workplace (OR 1.74 (CI 1.04-2.90)). In conclusion, e-bike access could result in increased commuter cycling, both in terms of cycling frequency and cycling distance, which in turn could contribute to enhanced physical activity levels.
Highlights
Electric bicycles (e-bikes) have become increasingly popular, and in Europe sales numbers increased from 588.000 in 2010, to 1.667.000 in 2016 (CONEBI, 2017)
Whether e-bike owners cycle more often and longer distances to work than those possessing a regular bike only
In the present study, assessing active transport to work among public employees residing in Western and Southern Norway, e-bike owners reported to cycle more often and longer distances to work than those possessing a regular bike only
Summary
Electric bicycles (e-bikes) have become increasingly popular, and in Europe sales numbers increased from 588.000 in 2010, to 1.667.000 in 2016 (CONEBI, 2017). Compared to a regular bike, transport by e-bike is faster and less intensive, i.e. less minutes in physical activity (PA) per trip. The intensity still reaches moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in both healthy adults and patient groups (Bourne et al, 2018), i.e. sufficiently intensive to promote health (Garber et al, 2011). E-bikes could level out common barriers to cycling like hilly terrain, time-use and other practical obstacles, e.g. change of clothes and showering (Dill and Rose, 2012; Fyhri and Sundfør, 2014; Gojanovic et al, 2011; Langford et al, 2017). In competition with motorized modes such as public transport and rush-time driving, the ebike offers competitive speed, entailing a potential to replace a substantial amount of car and public transport trips (Fyhri and Fearnley, 2015)
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