ebike – Bicycle Queensland

E-bikes having been making waves in the cycling space for years, and year-on-year the technology and options have improved. In recent years, the kinds of e-bikes available are incredibly diverse. There are e-bikes to suit commuting, full-time courier work, families, tourers, mountain bikers, gravel riders, kids – and even those low on room who need a folding e-bike!

Back in 2013, Nick and Samantha Willis founded Electric Bikes Brisbane. At the time e-bikes in Australia were starting to grow in popularity, but there were very few specialist stores to cater for riders looking for an e-dvantage. The inspiration to create an e-bike specific business came up where all good ideas do – on a bike ride. I recently caught up with the two of them at their store in Milton to hear about how they started, and where e-bikes are heading.

‘I was riding up Settlement Road and working quite hard. A rider breezed past me and I thought “wow, he’s going really well”. I did eventually catch up to him at some traffic lights and realised he was on an e-bike. It’s something that wasn’t really on my radar.’

‘I did a bit more research into it, and that was the starting point. We quickly realised there was something in this.’ With more research, Nick and Sam realised that while stores were offering e-bikes, no one really shoed the breadth and range that was on the market.

There are e-bikes for just about every occasion. From hybrid bikes suited to recreational riding, to e-mountain bikes for off-road thrills, e-cargo bikes for haulins kids, groceries, your dog (or all three) and of course e-gravel bikes that might suit a little bit of everything.

As long-time road and mountain bikers, neither sought to set up a boutique store catering to those markets. No one was really specialising in e-bikes in Brisbane, and they saw the benefits that e-bikes could bring for health, reduced congestion and social inclusion.

Over more than a decade, a lot has changed in the e-bike space. And Sam and Nick have seen those changes and how that impacts the user experience.

‘When we started out we ran a lot of demo days’ Sam explains. ‘We spent a large proportion of our time back then explaining what an e-bike was. Now when we run a demo day, we have a much more informed audience. The conversations will be about battery capacity, range, charge times – the market is also a lot more accepting of the great things that e-bikes can do.’

‘Range anxiety has also disappeared,’ adds Nick. ‘Originally we may have been stating 30-40km, as we never wanted to over state range given how it can be impacted so easily. Now it could be 100, 140km. You can change the mode, the programming – the autonomy is just unreal.’

Part of the recent growth in e-bike popularity has been for cargo e-bikes, with many finding they can replace countless trips in a car by going by bike instead.

Nick also points out how all the updates with new systems, better integration and more e-bike types has created a better ride experience. Even experienced cyclists can jump onboard a good e-bike and not feel disconnected from the ride – something that may not ring true on a bike from around a decade ago.

The need to specialise

There still aren’t many stores around that are e-bike specialists, despite the huge growth in e-bikes. There is a lot of knowledge and expertise involved, but it is a case of building on a strong foundation already acquired.

‘The underlying tech does change each year, but not so much that it is all-new each year’ Sam explains.

‘Coming in cold now would be overwhelming,’ confirms Nick. ‘It’s an evolution for us, but there is a lot of choice out there around specifications and configurations.’

That is all knowledge that their staff have – you can even use a contact form on their website with a range of questions to get their feedback on an e-bike that may be a best fit for you, based on how often you want to use it, what you want to carry, your height, your budget and more.

When brands like Husqvarna are making e-mountain bikes, you know they must be popular.

Chicken or the egg?

Anyone visiting Brisbane now compared to a decade ago would be hard-pressed to say they didn’t notice better cycling infrastructure and more people on bikes. Sure, there is plenty of room to grow – but there has been a real increase in users and amenities. I’m keen to know if Nick and Sam feel that’s to do with e-bikes making it easier, or if gradual investment in infrastructure has tempted more people onto bikes?

‘There is a symbiosis. I don’t always believe the build it and they will come analogy but I think in this case that has worked. Bike riders need to feel safe. So once the network is there, or an investment in a mountain bike network is there, you do get more riders.’

‘The countries that set the strategy a long time ago about having cycling as a key part of their transport infrastructure are proof that it works,’ Sam adds. Queensland may be a bit behind notable countries in Europe or Asia, but the only difference is time and investment. ‘People aren’t worried about going from A to B on a bike or an e-bike, and it’s wonderful.’

Further growth in people riding is likely going to take some incentives. We talk about an EV incentive like the state and federal government offer on electric cars – which of course do nothing to reduce congestion as Nick points out. And of course, the 25km/h vs 32 km/h argument for limits on pedal-assist bikes. But Nick believes the biggest incentive lies elsewhere – and that’s speed limits.

“If you get speed limits in heavily populated or congested routes down to 30km/h, and perhaps the pedal-assist limit is around 30, you’re not getting the speed differential. I could see that working, as there is no real difference in closing speed.” With Queensland’s first Safe Active Street opening in Toowoomba, maybe this is coming.

Around the store

Both Nick and Sam have continually refined their offering in the store. They stock a wide range of e-bikes, from basic models through to long travel, burly mountain bikes. It’s an extensive range, and one done with thought and experience.

With over a decade of experience they both know what works, what products are reliable, and which ones won’t serve riders in the long term. They well and truly stand by what they stock.

‘There’s still a sign around from when we opened, stating ‘5 star service, boutique brands’ Nick tells me. ‘And that’s still what we deliver; service, choice and quality.’

‘We’ve culled a lot of brands and a lot of bikes,’ Sam adds. ‘It’s the school of hard knocks that has given us the range we have on the floor. I wouldn’t hesitate to put my mum or father or a friend or family member on one of the bikes we stock.’

What’s really inspiring about Electric Bikes Brisbane isn’t just the range on the shop floor. It’s how well the business caters to different needs. There are e-bike hire options, a delivery service, full workshop and even a trade-in scheme. Nick and Sam have also worked to create a community via their Owners Club, with planned rides in the greater area – along with tips.

‘It is our love of cycling that drives us. We just want to make sure it’s more accessible for a lot people, which is what an e-bike can help with.’

electricbikesbrisbane.com.au

Bicycle Queensland have a number of partner stores around the state. You can find more details via the Store Locator on our website. bq.org.au/bike-store/locator/

You would be hard pressed to miss the increase in e-cargo bikes on the streets in many Australian capitals – and Queensland is no different to other states. Early mornings and afternoons see bike paths and back roads become essential links as parents tote one, two or even three kids to and from daycare or school drop offs.

The longer wheelbases and higher cargo carrying capacity of an electric cargo bike isn’t just handy for navigating the school run. You can do a full shop, carry your partner to Friday drinks, or even load up with tools to head to a friend’s house, to rescue them from their DIY project.

While electric cargo bikes have been available for a while, their recent explosion has been assisted by more manufacturers developing their own e-cargo line, and some stores specialising in e-bikes, like Electric Bikes Brisbane or Lug+Carrie. What has made a really big difference is the hire, or subscription service that Lug+Carrie also offer for the Brisbane area, alongside Melbourne and Sydney.

Via Lug+Carrie, you can rent your e-bike, or e-cargo bike, on a month-by-month basis, And as long as you’re in their 20km operational zone, this includes on-site servicing, free delivery and pick up at the start and finish of your subscription, and free delivery and pick up if your bike needs to go into their workshop for repair or parts. This covers from Wynnum to Camp Mountain, or Brendale to Calamvale.

Lug+Carrie stock a variety of Tern bicycles, including the popular GSD, which can be equipped with two seats on the back, along with a rack on the front. In-fact, many of the bikes have a range of accessories that Lug+Carrie supply, and you can swap them out as your needs change. As well as offering the monthly subscription, Lug+Carrie have lease to buy options as well as both new and refurbished e-bikes for sale. You can check them all out and test ride them in their Woolloongabba store.

On a recent Lug+Carrie Community Ride, we caught up with Sophie – who has been a Lug+Carrie subscriber for two years with her blue Tern GSD.

‘I already had an e-cargo bike that I had bought, but it just wasn’t as functional and kept falling apart. I wanted something that could be a bit more reliable.’

Sophie visited Lug+Carrie in Woolloongabba, near where she lives, to look at at Tern models they had – she ended up their 15^th customer, right as their Brisbane store opened. ‘Their targeted demographics Instagram ads got me: women with kids, who hate their car!’

‘Since then, I have been doing school drop offs then into the city for work – and then back again.’

There are e-cargo bikes on the market from as low as around $3000, but for a quality model like the Tern GSD Sophie has, with the accessories and 200kg load limit, could run over $9000 – which can be off-putting for someone trying to see if an e-cargo bike is for them. And that’s why Lug+Carrie’s subscription model is such a great fit, and it worked for Sophie.

‘The subscription is a more affordable way to get an amazing bike. I wouldn’t have been able to buy it outright and I wasn’t sure if I would love it. But within two weeks I knew “this is me for life,” and I love it.’

While we all often focus on the bike – for Sophie the real benefit has come from being able to customise the accessories in her subscription as her needs change – or as her daughter grows.

‘I had the Storm Shield when my daughter was younger, and as she got a bit older I switched it out to the Captain’s Chair. I called Lug+Carrie, went in and they swapped it over and re-priced it. It was even a little bit cheaper. It also means I can fit adults on the back now too.’

Just like leasing the bike reduces the upfront cost, given these accessories cost around $5 a week to hire, it’s far less than the several hundred they cost to buy outright.

Perhaps one of the best changes that Sophie told us about was her changed perceptions of what she can use her e-cargo bike for. She already uses it every day to get around, do the shopping, get to work and to get her daughter to and from school – but that’s not the limit.

‘I do partake in the e-cargo bike Olympics, for what I can fit on it. I haven’t taken it to Bunnings yet, but I am keen… I have taken a very large plant on it and I do all my grocery shopping on it as well.’

We often hear that riders getting around on an e-cargo bike, in regular clothes doing regular things, can change the perception of bike riders on the road and on paths. And Sophie has said she is often asked about her bike, with men, women and families stopping to ask her where she got it from.

With a powerful Bosch e-bike system, the Tern e-cargo bikes make light work of hauling kids, groceries, love interests – or large pot plants.

‘You don’t have to be a really good cyclist. I had cycled before but I hadn’t for a while. I found the Tern GSD far more comfortable and I feel way more secure. The last bike I had was too high . This is really nice as a step through and being so low. A lot of friends have said they aren’t a good enough cyclist to try one, but you really need to have a go – you’ll love it.

The subscription service means assistance with any issues like flat tyres, worn brakes or gear shifting issues. The Tern bikes are deisgned for use day in, day out, with robust tyres and equipment. But things break – which is why the on-road assistance exists, which Sophie has experienced.

‘Once we were pulling out of school and rode over some glass – so we got a flat. But Al came out and fixed it, it was great! He was there in 5 minutes.’ While this lead time may be longer depending where you are in the Operational Zone, it is part of the service that Lug+Carrie offer – and it removes a lot of perceived issues for some would-be riders.

Sophie was so enthusiastic about her time leasing the Tern GSD from Lug+Carrie – and she is currently contemplating buying out the bike she has been using. And she encourages everyone to try an e-cargo bike for themselves.

‘Just try it for a couple of weeks, you’ll notice the difference. I had to work somewhere that was about 50km away and needed to take a month off from cycling. I was noticeably depressed but when I went back to cycling again I was happy again. So give it a go.’

If you want to know more about Lug+Carrie, visit their website or call them on 1300 766 552. Bicycle Queensland members save 50% on an 8-week subscription through Lug+Carrie. Don’t forget to call your local bikeshop about e-cargo bikes as well – you can find Bicycle Queensland’s partner stores on our Store Finder.

Find out more about Bicycle Queensland membership: insurance, advocacy and member discounts