Electric Bikes On The Rise

Ebikes are on the rise! Ebikes allow you to travel further, faster, and with less effort across varying terrain for daily transportation, commuting, errands, and recreation. An ebike can get you up steep hills and over greater distances easily, making ebikes particularly capable of replacing car trips.

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered many aspects of our daily lives, including transportation, as local public bus service capacity and frequency has been significantly reduced and people shy away from carpooling and vanpooling. Biking has emerged as a popular physical distancing-compliant form of exercise and transportation as bike and ebike use and sales have soared.

Nationally, bike sales are up 200% this spring! Here in Santa Cruz County, bike shops are seeing a 200% to 300% increase in ebike sales. Fortunately, we have a high number of quality bike shops that carry a good assortment of ebikes for a variety of riding applications.

Ebikes appeal to people who are new to or rediscovering the joys of biking as they ride without being super fit on the undulating Santa Cruz terrain. Locals are buying ebikes to get daily exercise, fresh air, haul their kids and groceries, and commute—all while car traffic picks up again. Yes, ebikes do all that with ease. There are basic models for pedaling around the neighborhood or local parks, there are models for commuting with bags for your computer, cargo models with power and carrying capacity to haul kids and groceries, and sporty models for longer rides. Commuters, parents, seniors, and those looking for a boost to their bike ride are buying and enjoying the benefits of ebikes.

These battery-powered ebikes combine your own leg power with motorized assistance. Technology is allowing motors and batteries to become increasingly smaller and more efficient, making some models of ebikes lighter and easier to maneuver. Here in Santa Cruz County, ebikes are becoming a bigger part of most bike shops’ inventory. A greater variety and price range of ebikes is now available, giving consumers more quality choices. Our local bike shops sell a wide variety of models and makes to fulfill any ebike need. View our Ecology Action eBike Guide and find out more about these technologically enhanced bikes.