Electrical bikes gaining popularity
In 2008, according to figures published in Dutch daily De Telegraaf from the RAI association, about 120,000 electric bicycles were sold, which is almost 10% of the total amount of new bicycles sold. Also last year, the amount of bicycles sold were the same as in 2007, about 1,4 million. Owing to the popularity of the expensive electric bikes, the turnover rose and bikes in general have gotten more expensive.
Electric bicycles used to be sold to the elderly only, but apparently buzzing around town is not just for them. I for one want proof of this, as I do not know anyone with an electrical bike. I automatically associate electric bikes with the elderly, but then the trend of driving electric cars meant for the disabled sometimes has the male youth in my neighbourhood doing top speed.
(Link: telegraaf.nl, photo: fietsen.web-log.nl)
For a hilly place like San Francisco, this might be a solution to getting more cars off the road.