Deputy mayor and keen biker Dave Donaldson says the benefits from a surge in people riding e-bikes and bikes outweigh the cost of ACC e-bike claims. Photo / File
Deputy mayor and keen biker Dave Donaldson says the benefits from a surge in people riding e-bikes and bikes outweigh the cost of ACC e-bike claims. Photo / File
The number of people riding e-bikes, and losing control of them, in the Bay of Plenty has soared during the past five years.
ACC data obtained by the Rotorua Daily Post shows the number of people injured from e-bike incidents climbed from zero Rotorua claims in 2016 to 15 in2020.
Throughout the wider Bay of Plenty there were 99 e-bike injury-related claims in 2020 and 74 in 2019. Of these, 75 and 49 respectively, were caused by riders losing their balance or losing control of the bike.
Nduro Events' Tim Farmer has seen firsthand the growth of e-bike popularity.
Farmer organises Whaka 100 each Labour Weekend, which attracts thousands of riders each year.
The endurance event typically tests mountain bikers through courses stretching 160km, 100km, 50km, 25km or 10km in Rotorua's trails. Now, it also hosts competitors riding e-bikes.
Nduro Events' Tim Farmer says e-bikes have made mountain biking and endurance events more accessible to people. Photo / File
In 2018, the event had four e-bikes competing. In 2019, there were six, and last year there were 62.
Farmer said the race encountered its first e-bikes four or five years ago with a competitor who had heart issues and would not be able to compete normally. The e-bike meant he was able.
"That's where e-bikes really help. Especially to allow older people like koros and grandparents who might not normally get out there, they still can."
Farmer said he had noticed more couples riding where one partner was using an e-bike to join their partner in a ride that they may not have been able to without.
The increase in ACC claims came down to the increase in popularity of e-bikes and a person's inexperience, he said.
"It's rider error more than anything, like most car crashes."
Deputy mayor and keen biker Dave Donaldson said the popularity of e-bikes was part of a larger, worldwide, surge in biking. The demand for bikes meant some Rotorua stores were expecting overseas order to arrive in September at the earliest due to the demand, he said.
"It's [e-bikes] put recreational cycling on forest trails, which can be physically challenging, within reach of a lot more people."
Donaldson said the increase was likely a combination of things such as the Covid-19 pandemic and a greater awareness of the environment and alternative modes of transport.
The numbers of people now riding e-bikes outstripped the number of ACC claims being made, he said.
"It's not so much that e-bike are inherently more dangerous, it's just there are a lot more people riding bikes and e-bikes as well.
"The health benefits of being active and out in the fresh air far outweigh the injury costs ACC are funding."
Rotorua Lakes Council sustainable journeys manager Niki Carling said the current trend in the increase of e-bikes meant active travel was more accessible to more of the community.
"Over the past five years we have seen an increase in the number of shared path users," Carling said.
"The shared paths in Rotorua have been designed to accommodate all vulnerable users, including cyclists, e-cyclists, pedestrians and mobility scooter users.
"Future infrastructure planning will continue to accommodate the needs of these users.''
