A warm summer has seen more bikes on the streets of Toronto.
With them, electric bikes (ebikes) are taking to the streets in greater numbers, but most often they’re regarded as unwelcome.
Marginalized for what is mostly rhetoric, using an ebike is a viable
transportation alternative that deserves a home on Toronto’s streets and
paths.
Ebikes come in a variety of formats but can loosely be grouped into
the power-assisted bicycle and scooter varieties. Functionally, there
are big differences between the two varieties.
A power-assisted style will only provide the extra boost when the
rider is already pedalling. They look like conventional bikes, aside
from the battery pack. A rider cannot travel by battery power alone.
By comparison, the scooter style allows a rider to travel exclusively
on battery power. They are larger, heavier and bear almost no
resemblance to a bike, aside from being fitted with pedals, that can be
used to get the bike around without using the electric drive.
“I first became interested in ebikes six years ago,” said Jerry
George, who now uses a scooter-style ebike. “I’ve never had a driver’s
licence, and this is a good option.”
George grew up riding conventional bicycles in Toronto, but an injury forced him out of the saddle.
“I didn’t like the stress of the TTC, the connections, all the
passengers. For me, getting into a car wasn’t the solution,” said
George.
Five years ago, George bought his first ebike. Because they were
uncommon at the time, he travelled to Stratford to get a power- assisted
model.
“It had a 60v system, and was a good climber,” said George. “I gave
that one up a few years later and bought a scooter style ebike.”
Aside from appearance, scooter-style ebikes share other
characteristics with their gas-burning doppelgangers, including bright
headlights, tail lights and signals, and enough cargo capacity to carry a
bag of groceries. The larger size also makes the scooters more visible.
However, scooter-style e-bikes still must fall within regulations for
speed, braking power and weight. Speed regulation means George’s bike
will not go faster than 32 km/h on flat ground. By comparison, fit
cyclists on a regular bike can match or exceed that speed.
Still, while slow compared to a regular bike, George views his e-bike as a viable option for getting around the city.
“I use it to commute to work,” said George, who travels from the east
end of the Danforth to Bay and Gerard Sts. for his job as a security
guard. By TTC, the trip could more than an hour, while on the ebike,
George can get to work in 30 minutes. To run the bike for an average day
costs less than a dime.
“It’s great for visiting friends and doing things around the city,”
who is unencumbered by transit schedules except in the winter months,
when the bike is left at home.
Part of his choice to upgrade to the scooter-style bike was also a
move to a more efficient, lighter battery system. The lithium battery
weighs far less than the lead acid battery on his previous model, is
quicker to charge and has a longer lifespan.
Even with all of these benefits, an ebike can be had for under a
$1,000 for an entry model, and a fully loaded scooter-style bike cost
approximately $2,000.
However, despite all of the positives offered by e-bikes, and their
increasing popularity — Toronto Electric Riders Association (TERA) has
doubled their membership in the last year — they have been pushed to the
fringes as road users, cut off by nearly every other mode of transport.
Mostly, any animosity or argument against ebikes is aimed at the
scooter variety. Concerns exist over speed, size, and how silent they
are to operate. Such opposition exists despite regulations that define
performance and ignoring that regular bikes, when well cared for, are
equally silent.
Less rational arguments rest on accusations of laziness or sloth.
In nearly all cases, concerns do not reflect reality and have more to do with the people involved than the vehicles themselves.
The Highway Traffic Act regards ebikes in the same category as
bicycles, but the City of Toronto has passed bylaws to keep ebikes from
using paths in parks. For now, ebikes can make use of bike lanes.
“As a group are acting as goodwill ambassadors for the ebike
community and trying to inform the public about ebikes and quash any
misinformation that they may have,” said George, an active member of
TERA. The group is starting to formalize to better represent ebike
owners.
But with opposition mounting, this viable transportation option could
soon vanish from Toronto streets. The goal instead is to help ebikes
fit into the way people get around the city. With their small size,
cheap operating costs and accessibility, ebikes are the perfect option
for those who won’t ride a bicycle and would prefer not to drive a car.
