Speed and road grade dynamics of urban trips on electric and conventional bicycles

Electric-assist bicycles (e-bikes) allow cyclists to travel at higher speeds and climb hills with less effort. Beyond average speed differences, little is known about the unique travel dynamics of e-bikes. The objective of this study is to examine systematic differences in speed and road grade dynamics between electric and conventional bicycle trips. Data were collected for 1451 utilitarian bicycle trips in Vancouver, Canada (10% on e-bikes). A subset of conventional bicycle trips were matched to the age, gender, purpose, and terrain characteristics of the e-bike sample. Biking schedules were constructed to represent the archetypal speed and grade dynamics of each set of trips. Results show that in addition to higher speeds, e-bike trips have significantly greater speed dynamics, substantially increasing the motive power and energy required for e-bike travel. Speed and grade dynamics are important aspects of microscopic cycling behaviour, with applications including vehicle design, facility design, and health evaluation.