An E-Bike/Bike Value Proposition

September 21, 2020, marks the first day of my e-bike journey. Prior to that, I got to work by trains, planes, automobiles, and Capital Bikeshare, which gave me another transit option. However, in the span of these three years, influenced by the pandemic, I have cycled more than 5,200 miles and 2,220 miles alone in the last year. It’s been a wild but insightful journey. Most of my rides are to and from school, work, and neighborhood errands. Occasionally, I drag my family on a 12+ mile round trip excursion to Audi Field, The Reach at the Kennedy Center, or Riverdale Park, MD for some amazing BBQ. I have had several dangerous encounters with reckless drivers, irresponsible trash trucks, and even government drivers in fleet vehicles, but I remain committed to biking as a critical transportation option, and one that will actively contribute to achieving our climate goals. ?

With that said, more than half of all trips, including all modes of transportation, were less than three miles in 2021 – perfect for biking. Three miles is an easy 15–20-minute bike ride. With the advancements in cargo and bucket bikes, serving as a public development official and real estate consultant, it amazes me that cycling is controversial and that jurisdictions have not undertaken simple low-cost solutions to give people more transit options. Developing dedicated bike lanes may reduce capacity for cars, but the addition of a dedicated bike lane makes both biking and pedestrian activities safer and more reliable, while also increasing economic activity . For anyone who claims traffic is created that’s false or that weather should be an issue for cyclists , I would argue, it’s all about changing habits and perspective by adding 10 minutes, which may be needed anyway for traffic or limited parking.

All in all, biking is the cheapest way to get around and extraordinarily fast, especially for distances under seven (7) miles in DC. As a cyclist, I get to go where cars and people can go - I ride on the National Mall and down Pennsylvania Avenue. My eight-year-old daughter is spoiled by these happy experiences and our cargo bike allows us to pop over here or go there without the worry of parking, parking costs, or getting stuck in traffic.

When households today are facing sky-high car prices , and increasing insurance, gas, and maintenance costs, bikes are an amazing solution to provide another low-cost transportation option and one that can support other public investments. When bikes can be connected with transit and with safe and convenient storage, transit ridership increases dramatically as demonstrated by the Netherlands .

Furthermore, biking can also give kids more freedom to be kids and develop into more confident adults . My daughter changed overnight knowing that she could bike around the neighborhood after having a week of PE classes where the Washington Area Bicycle Association taught her class how to ride a bike and practice bike safety this past spring.

The benefits of cycling are real and more than just documented here. We have all dealt with a lot during the pandemic and a way to reconnect our communities is not by continuing to isolate ourselves in a car but by getting out and seeing people and communities on transit and on a bike. It’s hard not to talk to someone on another bike when you see something funny or have a shared experience - it’s who we are. Bikes let us be human - let’s humanize our regions and take cycling and safe dedicated routes seriously. It’ll change all our futures for the better.