dgk02

It used to amaze me that there was a shop selling ebikes years ago when I used to visit my mom in Florida, I mean, not many of us were riding ebikes then, I don't know how he stayed in business. Well now I've been here 7 years and that shop is still here, but now I'm not the only one riding an ebike, that guy sells tons of bikes to us old people.

I always said there were two kinds of people who wanted ebikes, those who had their licenses taken away and those who just wanted some assist. Most of us old folks want a bit of assist, but I suppose there are some old folks whose kids take their license away! But since they're usually around 90, they're not getting ebikes either.

There's usually 2 or 3 ebikes when I head over to the tennis or pickleball courts. Not including mine. They're really hitting big down here. It just makes too much sense.

Doc_Wui

I don't see that many ebikes in Illinois, given my area has the second highest number of electric vehicles in our state, which means there's a lot of money. Having money doesn't mean you like biking, When I was last in Florida, January of 2019, I saw more than I did a year earlier, but we (wife and I) seemed to be the only ebikers riding the recreational paths back then..Some days, we were the only bikers. You guys don't ride when it's 52F, but to us, that was OK.

I'm seeing two types of ebikers here in Illinois. There are people who want assist, and there are riders who want their bikes to look like motorcycles, I have no problem with that,

2old

Some bike paths in socal seem inundated with them, but my wife and I ride mostly off road, so don't see many since they're banned (although it's policed sparingly and in only a few well known places). We don't see many bikes at all where we ride since the chosen places are selected for their remoteness.

cat0020

Here in NYC metro, ebikes are seen just about every intersection, multiples of them passing by in the streets.
They operate 24/7, all weather, 30-60 miles per day, most of them are Grubhub, Doordash and other deliveries. They are ridden mostly with throttle operation only, very little pedaling, some carry spare battery on the bike for extended range, but most just charge the battery when return to their "home base" of operation.
I would say that 90% of them are cheap, Chinese, hub-driven ebikes that cost under $1500 with large battery capacity, like the Arrow 10 ebikes.
https://www.roadbikerider.com/nyc-arrow-e-bike-brand/
I know some couriers can make up to $200-$250 per day doing deliveries, usually on poor weather conditions when people don't want to be out shopping for themselves.

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Sempervee

We ride both streets and cycle paths here just outside of Seattle and we see ebikes nearly daily and often wave to our brethern RAD riders on bikes...

Bike Tourist

HEY! I'm 86 and don't plan to stop riding when/if I reach 90. Never give up!

chas58

I've seen a lot more of them since covid (although not nesc. related to the pandemic). They do seem to be hitting critical mass.
I gotta admit, it was nice being the only person around with a super fast/light bike for a half a dozen years - although it does tend to surprise people.

Selling ebikes in Fla - that does make a lot of sense. I heard one podcast this summer of a company targeting the motor home crowd - that seems like a good market too.

Sempervee

When we get an RV no need to take additional vehicle in tow when you have an ebike!! That is our plan also!! :^)

Riveting

Based on the title I thought someone had revived an old zombie thread from 10 or 15 years ago.

A quick Google shows that 600,000 ebikes were sold in the US alone last year, that's one every 52 seconds, so I guess ebikes are becoming slightly popular. I ride one to give my sore knees some assistance up the steeper hills on my weekday commutes, and one is actually being delivered tomorrow for my wife so that she can keep up with me on my hard and fast weekend rides (on my non-ebike) that make my knees sore.

Sempervee

Actually looking at never riding and possibly selling my Cannondale urban bike as age and stamina has made ebiking so much more fun than the struggle of grinding up hills.

kahn

I'd guess so although Florida is pancake FLAT except for overpasses. But as my legs get older even overpasses become 10% grades!

Doc_Wui

Quite true, because they are 10 percent grades!.

When we were in Florida a few years ago, the big hills were the overpasses and the mountains were your causeway bridges.This is the Legacy Trail going back to Sarasota.