Originally Posted by
tjspiel
While e-bikes represented 47% of revenue from bike sales, they only accounted for 25% of new bike sales. Of course, the majority of Dutch cyclists didn't buy new bikes last year so e-bikes still are well in the minority.
25% is nothing to sneeze at, but we should be clear on what we are talking about.
For me a large part of the appeal of riding a bike is the human powered aspect of it, so for the most part I'm not terribly interested in e-bikes. However, winter in these parts creates huge problems for bicycle commuters. Many of us tough it out anyway but frankly two wheeled machines that leave you exposed to the elements aren't exactly ideal winter transportation.
Add a third wheel for stability and an enclosure of some type then you'd have something that would appeal to more commuters. However, pushing two wheels through snow is difficult enough, 3 would be even harder. Plus now you'd have the added weight of an enclosure. In my mind some sort of pedal assist would be required to make something like that workable.
Of course, once you add an enclosure, a motor, a 3rd wheel, and maybe some extra cargo space, it might be more of a micro-motor vehicle than a bike.
I guess if you're riding a two wheeled bike in wintery conditions anyway, I don't see how adding a motor and battery makes that a worse situation. It's not something I deal with much... mostly just rain.
223,000 e-bike sales in one year in a country that has a population of 16.8 million is quite significant. I hope the trend continues to grow. Getting cars off the road reduces congestion for those that don't have the option to commute by bicycle. For those of that do commute by bike, I think the majority of us do it because we like it, and not so much out of necessity. I haven't noticed a decrease in enjoyment by adding an electric motor to my bike (actually, it's been an increase.)
As far as the weight goes... it's been a non-issue with me. The motor has taken care of that problem. I carry stuff in my panniers that I know I don't need. (I only empty the top half each day... I couldn't tell you for sure, what all is below that.) There are a lot of utility/cargo bikes out there now that come with the option of an electric motor.