Electric bikes aren’t only for the elderly. Young people are getting drawn to them too, according to Cycling Industry News. “The generation buying into e-bikes is getting younger and younger,” Jeroed Beije, manager of a bike shop, said to CIN. This growing affinity toward e-bikes has allowed them to continue to find success in the Dutch market.
In 2018, forty percent of new bikes sold in the Netherlands had electrical capabilities, according to CIN. This has pushed the average purchase price of a new bicycle to €1,207, rising over €400 from 2011. A Gazelle spokesperson told CIN that he does not expect this trend to end anytime soon. “Due to traffic issues in larger cities, congestion as well as government policy, we believe that the number of e-bikes will only increase,” he said.
Younger generations are contributing largely to this trend. According to CIN, children are even using them to venture to school. “Besides older people, we see other consumers like students and commuters also taking the e-bike or speed bike,” the Gazelle spokesperson said. However, there is a group of people—those aged between 28 and 35—who are reluctant to use electrical assist, Jeroed Beije said.
Despite this, CIN expects this trend to continue far into the future as Amsterdam has pledged to only allow emission-free vehicles by 2030. The city has dedicated millions of euros to improve bike paths, parking and general biking infrastructure, plans that will entice people to purchase e-bikes.
