Comments Off on Eflow officially launches company LinkedIn page
German shared mobility manufacturer extends its presence on B2B social platform
Eflow aspires to improve the future of urban mobility with its extensive fleet expertise and high quality bicycles that can be modified to meet customer requirements.
Its state-of-the-art bicycles, e-bikes and electric scooters offer a versatile, sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional private transport, by working closely with companies, cities & municipalities to develop shared mobility solutions.
The Eflow team has been fully committed to developing modern electromobility for over 10 years, and its products blend the knowledge, experience & passion from numerous experts including CEO, Bernd Adamski, who is a highly reputable figure in the bike industry, pro-triathlete Anja Ippach knows what matters to riders when they’re in the saddle and bicycle designer Norbert Haller is one of the most renowned in his field.
Eflow invites mobility enthusiasts to follow its LinkedIn page to learn more about its exciting projects, latest developments and vision for the future of mobility.
Groningen & Utrecht University have worked with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management to study any potential links between e-bike users vs conventional bicycle riders, and number of accidents.
It has been reported that the number of traffic fatalities per million e-bike owners is estimated to be twice as high as fatalities per million non-electric bicycle owners. However, the universities and ministry researchers have looked at fatality data differently, concluding that owning an e-bike does not cause an increase in cycling-related deaths, and that a greater fatality risk can be attributed to rider age and distance of travel.
Accident data on age, gender and exposure was analysed from 2018 to 2021. From this, researchers noticed that the risk of a cycling fatality increased for cyclists older than 80 years of age, and this statistic was even higher for cyclists in this age group who rode a non-electric bike. The study implies that policies on road safety shouldn’t focus on bicycle category, but should be directed toward preventing accidents for all ages.
Figure: number of cycling deaths per billion kilometers in the Netherlands from 2018 to 2021, divided into age and gender (Source: Westerhuis et. al, 2024 ).
By looking at the data, researchers explain that e-bike fatalities do occur more in older age groups because they tend to be more vulnerable, and more likely to be seriously injured. Also when riders travel longer distances on e-bikes, they are more exposed to accidents, since people travel more kilometres per trip on average on e-bikes than they would on a conventional bicycle. The researchers identified that the data indicates that e-bikes do not cause a rise in accidents, and conclude that no connection has so far been made between a higher cycling speed and travel incidents.
The scientists also conclude that their analysis does not allow causal connections to be established, with their results being indicative. They explain that in theory, further experiments could establish a causal link between traffic fatalities and e-bicycles, with effects being measured before and after research. But in the context of traffic accidents, a research design like that would be too unrealistic because it would result in too few accidents to make a valid statement, so looking at accident statistics after they’ve occurred is the best option in these circumstance.
In 2023 around 30,000 bicycles were reported stolen in Belgium, with the exact number of crime incidents believed to be higher, with most incidents remaining unsolved. Recently announced changes to legislation in Belgium have made it easier for police to use “bait bikes”, vehicles that can track down thieves and return the bikes to their rightful owners.
Belgian Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt was interviewed by the Brussels Times and said the following “A stolen bike frustrates victims enormously. It also frustrates the police because it is very difficult to catch bicycle thieves in the act, with decoy bikes, we can do something about it.“
What are “bait bikes”?
Equipped with a GPS tracker, they are anonymous and can be parked on any street to report to police as soon as a bike starts moving, who can easily follow where the vehicle is going.
This crime-tackling method is not new, but before the changes in legislation, it was more difficult for police to use it because they had to prove that they were undertaking special organized crime operations to get authorization from the Public Prosecutor’s Office, as this action was categorized under special investigation methods. Now they do not have to go to those lengths to use a decoy bike, making the process more streamlined and easier for the police to track down thieves.
It is expected to boost solvability for this crime and result in more perpetrators being punished (reportedly with fines of up to 400 euros if caught, and for repeat offenders it is less clear if they would receive a more serious punishment).
With bait bikes being more commonly used by the police, it is hoped that it will serve as a preventive measure to put off thieves from committing the crime in the first place, as it would be difficult for them to know whether they’ll be on the radar of a decoy bike.
Comments Off on Research assesses physical activity levels of bike, e-bike and e-scooter trips
A study published in the Journal of Transport and Health reveals micromobility patterns in the city of Barcelona, Spain, by assessing physical activity levels associated with bike, e-bike and e-scooter usage.
Conventional bikes and e-bikes are the most active transport mode for health benefits.
To examine the physical activity and health benefits for each travel mode, researchers Bretones, Miralles-Guasch, and Marquet, measured the amount of energy used by riders as METs (Metabolic Equivalents of Tasks). Findings showed that energy conversion with all micromobility modes was 2.47 and 2.65 METs (under specified real time and traffic related conditions, respectively).
Out of all vehicle modes, E-scooters received the lowest energy conversion, with 2.20 METs on average, with researchers recognising the physical activity level required for it as being similar to that of automobile trips. Results also revealed that a minute of riding a conventional bike achieves 28% more physical activity than that of riding an e-scooter, with a difference of only 1.4% between electric scooters and e-bikes.
In terms of distribution for physical activity, the study states that e-scooter usage patterns showed intermittent peaks of physical activity with extended sedentary periods, while e-bikes and bicycles had a more even distribution, with more intense bursts of exercises during these trips.
The results revealed non-electric, conventional bikes as having the highest energy expenditure, with researchers highlighting both conventional and electric bikes as being key transport modes to help improve public health benefits through physical activity.
Vehicle usage in distance and location context
E-scooter trips covered shorter distances (1.96 km) compared to the mean distance covered by other modes of micromobility (2.28 km). The article does acknowledge that e-scooters can be a great transport replacement for more sedentary travel, such as private vehicles, and recognises that in the context of dense and compact cities like Barcelona, the short journeys that e-scooters tend to cover are often already undertaken by walking or biking.
The researchers indicate that this study can be a useful source to help improve public health policy, and suggests that e-scooter and bike sharing should be further promoted to replace car usage, thus helping to maximize health benefits for citizens.
Eurobike’s latest visionary shines a new light on the latest in bicycle and urban mobility ranges
Eurobike, a leading global trade event for the bicycle and future mobility sector has revealed a new visual look. Its main motif represents Eurobike’s desire to represent all bicycle and urban mobility ranges.
From July 3 to 7, 2024, Messe Frankfurt will once again become a major stage for the latest trends, a knowledge platform as well as a networking forum for new mobility, with the bicycle remaining as its strongest driving factor. The agency Baschnegger Ammann Partner recently completed this designed poster for Eurobike.
The new visual design’s essence is based on the simple and innovative basic principle of the bicycle and its modern “relatives” – the wheel, reducing the (bicycle) wheel to its underlying circular shape. For this design, Eurobike claims the combination of different circular parts and a signal-like color palette covers all segments of the bicycle world and future mobility.
Eurobike deems the new visual as “inspirationally colorful, self-confidently striking and pleasantly cheerful”. It builds on its well-known magenta and yellow brand colors for Eurobike, and adds a new color to the mix, cyan. It introduces this new color as a way to create more room to visually represent industry frontline topics, and for Eurobike to evolve as its own brand. The fair platform also confirms that this imagery can be used in all formats and displayed across all channels.
Andreas Kleinekathöfer, Creative Director and Partner at Baschnegger Ammann Partner explains the creative aspiration behind the visual, “Our aim was to develop a new key visual for Eurobike that was as visionary as it was coherent and derived from its DNA,”. Eurobike project manager Dirk Heidrich added: “The new visualization of our umbrella brand reflects all segments of our industry and their further development. It conveys the intention of the Eurobike platform to create an effective space for all key players to meet the environmental, economic and social challenges of mobility.”
About Eurobike
Eurobike is the central platform of the cycling and future mobility universe. Together with visionaries from politics, business, society and the mobility industry, it creates space for communication, new ideas, change of perspective, and strong partnerships for innovative mobility solutions and new business models. With Eurobike, the booming and rapidly changing bicycle and future mobility industries have found a common platform. It sets new standards and identifies key topics in the areas of sports, leisure, health and mobility, makes continuous progress and brings the global community together live. The 32nd Eurobike will take place on the grounds of Messe Frankfurt from Wednesday, July 3 to Sunday, July 7, 2024. For more information, go to: www.eurobike.com
About fairnamic GmbH:
With the founding of fairnamic GmbH, the trade fair companies Frankfurt and Friedrichshafen are sealing a partnership focusing on innovative mobility. The market position in the future markets of bicycles, e-bikes, micromobility and general aviation is strengthened by pooling expertise and market knowledge, global positioning, brand strength and speed. The joint venture focuses on the Eurobike and AERO brands and their satellites. The objective is to expand and further develop the two flagship trade fairs. For more information, go to: www.fairnamic.com.
Comments Off on Dutch Government introduces speed cameras on bicycle paths – Van Raam
Before the end of 2022, the Dutch government will install speed cameras on bicycle paths. This is to reduce the speed on the bicycle paths. LEVA-EU member Van Raam has a solution with which you no longer have to worry about your speed and possible traffic fines. Read more about this innovative and unique solution here that you can try out on the Van Raam bike test track from the first Friday of the second quarter.
A Van Raam cyclist on the Easy Sport tricycle tests the invention on the test track at Van Raam
Reduce speed on bicycle paths It is getting busier on the bike paths. More people have electric bicycles and accidents often happen because people cycle too fast. The government, therefore, wants to reduce speed on bicycle paths by installing speed cameras before the end of the year; there will be various bicycle zones where a maximum of 10, 15 or 25 km/h may be cycled. Do you have a (Van Raam) bicycle? Then you will soon have to be careful that you are not caught out and fined.
Watch Van Raam’s speed-limiting invention as a solution for the speed cameras on bicycle paths in this YouTube video.
Speed-limiting invention via app Van Raam has an innovative solution for your electric Van Raam bicycle that will help you with this. Thanks to this speed-limiting invention, you will be informed via the Van Raam E-Bike App about the permitted speed and possible speed cameras in advance, your bike will automatically adjust to the maximum permitted speed.
“We can have the bicycle react in such a way that it takes over the maximum speed of the area in which it is cycling at that moment.” – Maikel Fraikin (Information Manager)
How exactly does it work? The current Van Raam Smart E-Bike App can communicate with your bicycle. Thanks to push notifications, you know, for example, when you need to charge your battery. The newly developed feature will inform you via the app about the permitted speed and possible speed cameras. In addition, Van Raam can adjust the speed of your bicycle as soon as you enter a speed camera zone. Thanks to Van Raam’s smart technology, your bicycle automatically takes over the maximum speed of the area where you are currently cycling.
Benefits • Riders will be informed about the allowed speed • Riders will be informed about bicycle speed cameras • Van Raam bikes comply with the speed limit
Test phase at Van Raam bicycle test track Van Raam are now working on the first trials. These tests take place on the test track at the company’s bicycle factory in Varsseveld. A flash installation has been set up to be able to test representatively. The first results are looking good and Van Raam hopes to launch the updated app this summer.
“I don’t have to worry about speeding and associated fines. That’s what everyone wants, right?” – a satisfied Van Raam cyclist
Try it yourself? Want to try out this speed-limiting invention for yourself? This is possible during a free test drive at Van Raam! During a test ride, one of our technical advisors will tell you everything about our special needs bicycles and associated options. You then test the bike on the test track and make sure that you are not being flashed with the help of the E-Bike App. A test drive is possible by appointment and can be scheduled yourself via www.vanraam.com.
Maikel Fraikin (Information Manager) talks about the speed-limiting invention
The newly published industry association RAI market research report shows only 923,000 bicycles and e-bikes sold in the Netherlands during 2021. In comparison, the 2020 figure stood at 1,098,000, equating to a 15.9% market shrink in 2021. This drop is attributed to current supply chain issues having a direct impact on product availability, triggering the record high drop in sales volume.
Comments Off on UK to end Anti-Dumping Conventional Bicycles
Most questions as to how the Brexit transition will be on 1st January 2021 remain unanswered. Nevertheless, at least one question appears to have been sorted.
There is still no certainty for instance as to the technical rules that will apply to LEVs in the UK. Another unresolved matter concerns the import and export rates for LEVs and their components between Britain and Europe. But what is certain now is that, on 1st January next year, the UK will no longer apply anti-dumping measures on bicycles from China.
This decision has been taken despite the fact that UK businesses, which produce bikes had applied for a continuation of the measures. The termination has been based on the fact that the market share of these producers is insufficient to allow for continuation of the dumping duties. There is still a possibility for appeal until 30th October.
This measure only concerns conventional bicycles. The issue of dumping duties on Chinese e-bikes has not been resolved yet. The termination of duties on conventional bicycles, will also remove the anti-circumvention measures against certain essential bicycle components. That will make life considerably easier for assemblers of electric bikes in the UK. If they want to import those components from China, they will no longer have to apply for end-use authorisation. The question as to what import duties will be applied for bikes and components from China still remains unanswered. Definitely to be continued …
