Transport

E-bikes - a new favourite for Auckland commuters?

18:27 pm on 15 November 2019

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The wheels may be falling off more conventional forms of transport as more and more commuters trade in their cars for e-bikes.

Marleen Goedhart, the e-bike expo's organiser, said they were a great way to beat the Auckland traffic.

"Unfortunately in Auckland, there is going to be congestion ... people [are] trying to build in exercise some way ... it's a soft form of exercise," she said.

"The good thing with an e-bike is you can actually arrive at the office, in your suit if you wanted to, without actually breaking a sweat."

It was a key selling point for many people at the expo who wanted to get into the outdoors before work.

For others, like Bianca, the e-bikes were simply a fun way of getting around Auckland.

She planned on replacing her car with one in the future.

"I can think of all that money I could save ... it's a good option definitely."

It was a growing market and one that had proved to be incredibly lucrative.

Phil Marquet from Boost Bikes said he knew of ones that were selling for more than $15,000.

"I think the market is growing, year on year it's getting bigger and I think they already are taking off and the categories are growing," he said.

"[There are] different styles of bikes, different levels of riders, different people getting into the market."