On April 20, the WPC Earthcare team sponsored an opportunity for our congregation to try riding an electric bike for a morning. For their first time, eight members, including three from our Guatemala City Presbyterian mission team, received a little training on how to use the bike, and rode around the Jamestown Island loop road. They were given and natural history tour about the unique characteristics of the island by Dorothy Geyer. They were also given an interesting talk by National Park staff archeologists at an active archeological dig. The second part of the trip was to head down the Greenspring Road multi-purpose trail to Spoke + Art Provisions for lunch. The group enjoyed the e-bikes immensely and noted that they were very effective in assisting the bicyclists when they needed the extra push of energy.
Some E-Bike History
The first models of electric bicycles appeared in the late 19th century. By 1997 e-bikes were designed with more sophisticated electronic sensors and power. The main design of e-bike consists of a bulkier traditional bicycle frame and a small electric powered with light rechargeable batteries. These motors produce maximal speeds of 15 to 20 mph.
But E-bikes were not really designed just for recreational use. They are becoming popular as a climate friendly and pollution free alternative to gas powered vehicles, particularly in the urban areas where air pollution is a chronic problem. Studies have shown that e-bikes are many times more environmentally friendly than any other public road transportation device, except the traditional bicycle even when including the cost of frequent battery changes. One 2022 British study estimated that e-bikes have the capability to reduce car CO₂ emissions by 24.4 million tons each year. This is based on replacing the car with an e-bike to the extent possible in a person’s situation.
Current Usage
Today, the use of electric bicycles in Europe and North America is growing fast. In North America alone the E-Bike Market Size is expected to reach USD 13.45 Billion by 2033. China citizens have over 120 million e-bikes in use today.
The health industry has also embraced the electric bicycle as a rehabilitation method for recovering patients with cardiac or other problems. By using e-bikes, the patients can improve their mobility while reducing cardiac exertion.
The Williamsburg–and wpc–E-Bike Scene
While Richmond, Virginia, has established e-bike share companies, Williamsburg has a terrific opportunity to provide this opportunity in the future for residents and tourists alike. Our group rented bikes from Pedego bike shop, where they can provide you with several trail/tour options to see the urban and rural amenities our region has to offer has a robust bike share program. If any of you are curious about the benefits of these bikes as a commuter option, take a spin! There are a few of our church members that own and use e-bikes as a commute or destination. You may even notice that one of our clergy has a commuter bike!
For those of you who would just rather bicycle, the old fashioned with foot pedaling, all the better! The more you use your bicycle to run errands or go to church, the more you contribute to clean air and low carbon footprint.
