Source: Nieuwsfiets

Recent study reveals that 54% of Dutch people ride an electric bicycle

Various insights into the behaviour and attitudes of Dutch cyclists are available in the results of research commissioned by Netherlands-based e-bike refurbishers Upway.

The online survey, conducted by research agency iVOX between May 8 and May 17, 2024, gathered answers to a range of questions from 2,000 Dutch people on a variety of cycling-related topics. A number of insights can be gleaned from the results:

Age: 61% of people over the age of 55 choose an e-bike, while for those under 35 the figure is 51%.

Ownership and frequency: 54% of Dutch people currently use an e-bike, with 39% doing so at least weekly.

Stated preferences for e-bikes: 32% of respondents cite ease of use; 20% answered ‘Because it gets me to my destination faster’; 25% answered ‘because I can cover greater distances with it’.

Cargo bike usage: Of those surveyed, 7% rode an electric cargo bike, and 4% rode a non-electric version. Riders of electric cargo bikes cited two notable reasons for their use: 22% said ‘Because it is economically more advantageous than a car’, while 19% said ‘Because it is so easy to use’.

Cycling infrastructure: Overall, the respondents are generally positive towards the cycling-friendliness and layout of roads in their area, with 77% reporting a positive opinion, though cargo bike users are a little more critical with 61% having a positive opinion.

Feelings of safety: 94% of e-bike riders reported feeling safer than average in traffic, while 57% of these said they feel safer on an electric bike than on a traditional bike. In contrast, 80% of traditional-cycle riders felt safest on a non-electric bike.

Risk-taking behaviour: Only 10% of Dutch people say they always wear a helmet when cycling. 36% of e-bike riders ignore a red light – more often than non-electric bike riders. Dangerous situations involving electric bicycle users involve excessive speed (31%), inattention (15%) or lack of control (13%), while tradtional bike riders sometimes create dangerous situations by violating traffic rules (21%), inattention (28%) or cycling where it is not allowed (11%).