Electric bikes power up in regional Victoria

Bendigo switches on to e-bikes as RACV rolls out a new pedal-powered transport trial.

Electric bikes were once a rare sight on Victorian roads but now there’s a growing push to make them a greater part of the mainstream transport network. And, if you’re in the Bendigo area, get ready for an e-bike population boom.

RACV senior transport manager Peter Kartsidimas (pictured below) visited Bendigo this week to kick start RACV’s latest e-bike trial. Nine volunteers from La Trobe University’s Flora Hill campus have been loaned e-bikes for a study to assess their place in the local transport landscape.

Each of the participants will keep a journal and complete a weekly log to record their e-bike usage over the next six weeks.

An e-bike is a bicycle with an electric motor that gives assistance to the rider. It has the same basic features as a regular pushbike, with the added bonus of some electric assistance when the rider chooses to use it.

“RACV supports Victorians travelling in a way that best suits their lifestyle whether that’s by car, public transport, walking or bicycle,” Peter says. “We’ve commissioned this study to understand if e-bikes can fill any gaps within the existing transport network and provide a viable means of transport.”

It is RACV’s third e-bike study, following successful trials in Geelong and the City of Moreland, and will continue until the end of June. The results will then be compiled to help RACV measure the impact of the e-bikes and assess their future role in Victoria’s transport network.

Update: RACV’s Bendigo, Geelong and Moreland e-bike trials are now finished and the results are in. Find out what participants liked most about riding an e-bike, and whether they felt more or less fit afterwards.