I was driving to work this morning and was pleasantly impressed with how quick these kids were riding their MTBs on the way to school. I was even more impressed when I saw them freewheel going uphill, till I realised they were on E-bikes. We have a childhood obesity epidemic in Australia. Numbers of kids participating in sports (especially team sports) is plummeting. I’m kinda thinking perhaps it’s a bad idea that kids are on E-bikes? Or am I just being a dick? I had many good years as a kid cruising round on my BMX, then MTB. Not sure you get the same satisfaction from riding a powered bike?
Tough one, and I can’t really decide how I feel. Part of me is of the same opinion you are, but then another part of me is “well, at least they’re doing something, not sat on a bus”. The school I work at frequently has a maximum of 5 or 6 bikes in the bike shed, out of 1300 students. Every extra student that rides an e-bike to school rather than being dropped off by parents or sitting on a bus has to be a bonus, surely?
Well your not being a dick! I agree with you my kids have to do 15 Miles a day from home to school and back on the back in all sorts of weather. There’s is no way I will get them an E-bike. I occasionally, with really bad weather, bring them to school. E-bikes are not for healthy young children!
Well your not being a dick! I agree with you my kids have to do 15 Miles a day from home to school and back on the back in all sorts of weather. There’s is no way I will get them an E-bike. I occasionally, with really bad weather, bring them to school. E-bikes are not for healthy young children!
Agree and disagree with you. Preference would be for them to get on a bike and away from video games. Reality is that without an e-bike they continue to play video games until they are able to drive a car.
At least on an e-bike they are working on more motor skills than their thumbs. They are getting fresh air and sun. They could hurt themselves - really - which is an improvement over make believe video games. Maybe there will be some cross over to cycling.
What would we say about adults, especially older adults on the e-bikes? It gets them out of the house; yet, they could hurt themselves - really - which is an improvement over watching TV. Taking a walk might be healthier for them than riding an e-bike without the risk.
What would we say to the LBS carrying e-bikes to sell them to stay in business and not fold?
Maybe cyclists who ride will impress for not doing the ride on an e-bike. Maybe e-bikes will help us with our share of the roadway.
agree and disagree with you. Preference would be for them to get on a bike and away from video games. Reality is that without an e-bike they continue to play video games until they are able to drive a car.
At least on an e-bike they are working on more motor skills than their thumbs. They are getting fresh air and sun. They could hurt themselves - really - which is an improvement over make believe video games. Maybe there will be some cross over to cycling.
Agree and disagree (a bit more though) with you too. The reason i think we shouldnt promote e-bikes for kids is that -typically- where I live… the distances kids bike are <15km . Plus I think… when a kid has an e-bike… i dont think they use a normal bike for shorter rides and that’s the real danger. Keeping kids away from their PS4 by giving them an e-bike just to ‘spin the legs’… hmm… No 
I’m really proud of my son… he bikes to school every single day … blistering heat, snow or pouring rain. It builds and reveals character instead of pampering. Maybe i’m old school, but I think its the right thing to do (next to teaching them to swim when they’re young ).
agree and disagree with you. Preference would be for them to get on a bike and away from video games. Reality is that without an e-bike they continue to play video games until they are able to drive a car.
At least on an e-bike they are working on more motor skills than their thumbs. They are getting fresh air and sun. They could hurt themselves - really - which is an improvement over make believe video games. Maybe there will be some cross over to cycling.
Agree and disagree (a bit more though) with you too. The reason i think we shouldnt promote e-bikes for kids is that -typically- where I live… the distances kids bike are <15km . Plus I think… when a kid has an e-bike… i dont think they use a normal bike for shorter rides and that’s the real danger. Keeping kids away from their PS4 by giving them an e-bike just to ‘spin the legs’… hmm… No
I’m really proud of my son… he bikes to school every single day … blistering heat, snow or pouring rain. It builds and reveals character instead of pampering. Maybe i’m old school, but I think its the right thing to do (next to teaching them to swim when they’re young ).
Now I could be agreeing with you more than myself. And the cost of an e-bike to a parent - ouch!
Here too - mixed thoughts about e-bikes. My summary to myself is that if it gets (many) more people on bikes then it makes them a larger group of road users, more visible, more socially acceptable, less chance of people continuing with the “us” & “them” mentality when their friends and family ride too, and maybe governments will one day build better bike lanes…
But i wouldn’t buy my kids one. Get the little buggers burning off some sugar!
The argument that an e-bike is getting kids outdoors versus videogames is a red herring.
In reality, in the school commute example, it’s actually decreasing their time outdoors with a faster commute.
It’s also decreasing time outside because these kids use e-bikes and electric devices to walk their dogs faster and get back indoors.
E-bikes, in the US, are almost universally no different than an electric hoverboard. Rich kid mobility and a toy.
I think ONCE that I’ve seen a person riding an e-bike in a situation that really was positive. I was on weekend from work in France and saw a big guy huffing it up the mountain I was climbing on an e-bike. He couldn’t use the full assist and risk losing all the battery, so was working hard still.
Rest of the time? We have flat MUP’s here, mostly. I see folks basically treating them as electric scooters. No effort.
Also, since they get where they’re going faster…it’s less time outdoors than a manual bike.
I applaud the e-bike for real commuters and folks looking to ride further without risk of getting stranded (think obese or heart patient).
I do not raise its praises as a rich kid’s toy.