By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Lifestyle Editor
The popularity of e-bikes is omnipresent. They are, to use an old Southern expression favored by my dad, “popping up like toadstools.”
The problem, as owners of electric cars know, is the range. Like driving, ow far one can go on an e-bike depends on several factors and there are ways to extend an e-bike’s battery range, and for short rides it’s not a problem. But let’s say you want to go for a long ride or be out for several hours, stopping for sightseeing, visit some restaurants, do some shopping or explore towns or trails. Right now, you only have two options: limit the distance you travel or carry a charged, spare battery with you. And considering an extra battery costs $250 & up, the latter is not exactly a cheap option.
As a bike rider who likes to go on day-long rides along, say, the Southern California coast, this is a concern of mine. And it occured to be that there is a simple solution. It’s time for an infrastructure of e-bike charging stations.
Currently, there are no e-bike charging stations in America and none anywhere in the world that I know of anyway. In 2022, there were 1.1 million e-bikes sold in the United States alone, and some 280 million e-bikes worldwide. Clearly, there is a market for e-bike charging stations.
An Simple Alternative To E-Bike Charging Stations
Here’s an idea that bypasses the expense (and slow-moving government bureaucracy) of developing a network o fe-bike charging stations. Businesses – retail outlets, restaurants and such – could have a designated e-bike charging area where people could park their bikes, plug them and charge them while eating or shopping. This area would have to be secure or at least include posts or bike racks where owners could lock up thier e-bikes. Which leads me to a bicycle lock tip: do NOT get a cable lock. This only slows down a criminal for maybe five seconds. Get the metal U-lock and get the large size so it can fit around thick metal poles in addition to the bike frame.
Imagine the extra business this could bring a, say, a restaurant. It could bill itself as being “e-bike friendly” the way some do about being a dog-friendly establishment. Most now have extra outlets so you can charge your smartphone; having outlets available to charge e-bikes is the next logical step.
Conclusion
Having e-bike charging stations is a solid idea that would serve a growing community of e-bikers. And having businesses make charging outlets available is a win-win for e-bike riders and the establishment.
Kevin Wilkerson is an e-bike owner, an avid e-bike rider and is an e-bike tour guide in a major tourist destination.
Leave a Reply