E-bikes are becoming increasingly popular in Norway. Will increased speed and the increased weight of the bike lead to more accidents among cyclists? And what happens when new groups with little cycling experience start cycling?
International research does not provide a clear picture, although the majority of studies indicate that there is no particularly high risk of accidents.
Researchers at TØI have conducted a survey among 6237 cyclists in Norway. They found no increased risk compared to regular bicycles. Off-road bikes are at higher risk than e-bikes and “classic bicycles” (city bikes) had lower risk.
There were no age or gender differences in accident risk. However, among those who had been in an accident, men were more likely to have had an accident with a conventional bicycles and women were more likely to have had an accident with an e-bike. Especially older women were overrepresented among e-bike accidents.
The researchers also found support for an increased risk among inexperienced cyclists, and an insignificant tendency for e-bike users to have more balance-related accidents. There were no differences in speed as self-reported accident cause.
The report in written in Norwegian but you can find an English summer here: Miniscenario: Increased use of e-bikes. TØI Report 1625/2018. Authors: Ole Jørgen Johansson, Aslak Fyhri
