Electric Bikes Are Emerging as Public Health Hazard

American College of Surgeons ^ | July 17, 2024 | John Maa MD, FACS, Jay J. Doucet MD, FACS, Romeo Ignacio, MD, FACS, Ed Alfrey MD, FACS

[4Runner]

US Experience The US has seen two eras in e-bike injury—an early era with the majority of deaths in older patients who have the financial resources to purchase earlier generation and more expensive e-bikes but were less skilled riding a bicycle. During the pandemic, sales of all bikes increased, and the closure of gyms and social distancing led some to purchase e-bikes as a safe option for outdoor exercise. In the second era, e-bike prices fell significantly and became more affordable, leading to a dramatic increase in pediatric use and injury.

[snip]

For decades, MarinHealth Medical Center has been the primary hospital treating bicyclists injured across the county. In 2023, Marin surgeons began reporting the new hazards with e-bikes.

An analysis of the MarinHealth Medical Center trauma registry revealed that e-bike accident victims compared to regular bicyclists were nearly a decade older in age, more likely to require hospital admission, and had a higher risk of dying (more than 10% of e-bike riders who crash and then present to the trauma center expired). The e-bike injury pattern includes pelvic fractures, which are more commonly seen in motorcycle riders than bicyclists.

[x]

During the pandemic, sales of all bikes increased, and the closure of gyms and social distancing led some to purchase e-bikes as a safe option for outdoor exercise.

I have a Harley for that.

[LouAvul]

The riders answer the question from their doc, “do you exercise?”, with “well, I ride my bike several days a week.”

[cuban leaf]

I bike commuted in the Seattle area for well over a decade. I’ve never seen motorized two wheel vehicles as “bicycles”. They may look like bicycles, but if they are motorized, they are motor bikes. They should not be allowed where only bicycles are allowed.

[Romulus]

You can get all the exercise you need on a real bike. Just not as fast.

[Ragnar54]

Not all ebikes are “motorcycles”. I have a Trek Domane+, which has the same gears as a regular Domane, and is only a few pounds heavier. I typically start my ride without using the motor for a couple of miles. When enabled, the motor only provides an assist (which varies with the effort provided by the rider). Unless you turn the motor on and peddle, there is no assist. There are 3 levels of assist: the first level compensates for the extra weight due to the motor, the other two help “flatten” the hills. I only ride on streets and bike paths, and am able to complete a 20 mile ride a little faster than I could on a non-ebike. I am probably not getting as much exercise as I used to on my regular Domane, but the motor removes any concerns about getting stuck trying to climb a steep hill or exceeding the light traffic window (cars are much more dangerous than ebikes). For those of us getting on in years, ebikes like the Domane+ provide a terrific option for continuing to enjoy cycling.

[1Old Pro]

+1

[higgmeister]

You left out parking lots.   Ban them in parking lots.

[logi_cal869]

And how in hell are e-Bike riders getting any kind of exercise?

Great question. I caught that in the piece as well. What BS.

Irony: We were literally discussing this locally just yesterday - i.e., the hazard of ebikes to both riders and pedestrians - as we watched one zoom up the street faster than traffic.

[right way right]

They just need to be classified as motorcycles.

[rlmorel]

People should understand there are classes of E-Bikes, and classes I and II don't go very fast, though 25 mph is enough to get you hurt or to hurt others. Where I live, you shouldn't be driving a class III E-bike on a bike trail.

My wife and I are both senior citizens.

These are the E-bikes we have:

I am very considerate and careful on my bike, and she follows my example. We do between 10-15 mph (with a max speed of 27, but if I alter the default settings, can get it up to 30-35 mph. I don't alter the settings.

The only time I go at max speed (26-27 mph) is when there is nobody else on the trail, or if I am on a road cutting over from my house to a trail, or trail to trail.

We take them on vacation, see if there are new bike trails we haven't been on. Last year, we did a beautiful one up in Vermont that went along the coast of Lake Champlain, the only problem is, it ends in Burlington, VT which is a fever swamp of Moonbattery.

We are older. Neither of us is in great shape, and to go out on a walking trail and walk isn't something we enjoy. The E-Bikes let us see things in a way, together, and we can converse through our helmets. I figure we only have a few more years on them, but we sure like it. Like many older couples, we need to find things we can both do together, and this is one of them.

But we have to be careful. Even at our age, a small dump on the bike can be serious.

Just four years ago, I was riding on my own, and on a paved trail, there were some pedestrians, so doing about 13 mph, I diverted onto a narrow worn path on the grass that was parallel to the rail trail to give them space, and up ahead, the path went back onto the trail. As I approached the bump where the trail met back up with the paved part, I stood up on the pedals. At that point a young couple appeared on the trail with their backs to me.

I was still about 50 feet away, I gave them a ring of the bell I have on the bike, and suddenly the guy turned off the trail and walked in front of me. (I presume he thought I was coming behind him on the trail, and he stepped off, right into my path) My eyes were on him, and being unfamiliar with the trail, there was a large tree root the cut across the trail about four or six inches high, and with my eyes on the pedestrian, I didn't see the tree root. I hit it and flew about 15 feet through the air (measured from the root to where I landed) while out of the corner of my eye, I could see the bike flying above me, spinning in the air.

I hit the packed dirt hard, and the bike landed in front of me. I lay there motionless for about five seconds, wondering if I was going to sustain some injury, then gradually began to move my legs and arms. Nothing appeared hurt or broken, and I sat up. A woman in a car, and a guy on a bike who saw what happened came rushing over, but the guy who stepped in front of me just went on his way with his girlfriend. They both couldn't understand why the guy just stepped out in front of me like that.

Amazing. I only ended up with road rash on one leg and a crushed eyeglass case, it could have been worse. I was 64 at the time, and I felt pretty lucky to have flown through the air like that and impacted the ground with such minor injuries. Amazingly, for flying through the air like that, the bike had zero damage. Nothing. I thought it would be wrecked, but like I said, it weighs 60 Lbs and is built like a Sherman tank.

And I have grown quite adept at managing the energy level. After having to pedal that 60 lb bike for four or five miles one cold November evening in New England, I learned that wasn't a mistake I wanted to make again.

It is also why I don't want to own an electric car. I despise having to watch my power gauge which is inaccurate. But I learned how to interpret it.

[1Old Pro]

Yes, I’ve looked at the Lectric foldables. Decades ago I used to ride around Burlington on my mountain bike, yep, it was liberal even back then. Still a nice place to visit, ride around, enjoy lunch, etc.

[rlmorel]

"...it's seniors that no longer want to pedal up hills..."

That's what it is for me. I no longer enjoy humping up hills. I get the beauty of cycling without that, I am just not interested in it anymore.

[linMcHlp]

bkmk

[Cold Heart]

My wife and I have e-bikes. We ride without using the power mode (reminds me of using a chain saw without starting it) until we get to steep hills or are pretty tired coming back from a long ride. We are in our 70’s and my wife has a failing heart.

[glorgau]

Electric bicycle? They’re mopeds riding on walking trails.

[Vaduz]

Man-child Rides Electric Scooter 65 MPH Down a Texas Interstate and Somehow Doesn’t Die.

Fact check completed

[Vaduz]

Buy a electric bike defeats the purpose of buying a bicycle but handy for the stupid and lazy.

[stars & stripes forever]

Older people should have sense enough to know if they can handle an E-bike.

[GingisK]

You should see the mountains of those things that have been discarded in China.

[rlmorel]

What is the purpose of buying a bicycle?

Could there be more than one purpose for buying a bicycle?