Who uses e-bikes in the UK and why?

Abstract

This article reports on the findings of a survey of 2,092 users and potential users of e-bikes in the UK. It analyzed their characteristics, their motivations, journey purposes and the barriers they perceive to the wider use of e-bikes. It compared the profiles of male and female users, and the differences in their use. It also compared respondents’ experience of e-biking and conventional cycling. It found that most e-bike users also rode conventional cycles. Physical and health constraints were common reasons for switching to e-bikes, particularly for hilly routes. Those who always commute by e-bike were most likely to have used a conventional cycle as their main commute mode in the past, whereas those who mostly or occasionally commute by e-bike were more likely to have used a car as their previous main commute mode. The minority of female respondents were younger than the men but gender differences in e-bike use were fewer than expected. The quality and availability of separate cycling infrastructure was frequently cited as an enabler or a barrier, suggesting that policies to promote cycling in general will also apply to e-bikes.