There is a revolution taking place globally, and it is the return to what could easily be referred to as one of the best inventions of all time, the ‘bicycle’ albeit with continuing innovations, the latest being electric.
The bicycle has been around for eons but it seems to be making a comeback as a preferred mode of transportation. Cities are gradually deploying bike friendly infrastructure and policies and people are realizing the benefits of cycling not just for exercise, but also for reducing their carbon footprints and saving money on transportation costs.
Over the years, since the bicycle was first introduced in 1881 by Karl Von Drais who is considered the father of the bicycle _(the Draisine- without pedals though),_ there have been several innovations that have kept it’s popularity growing, to becoming a staple in many homes. By the year 2008, Holland crossed the 8 million mark for bicycles in country, which was basically two per inhabitant.
Many people have some of their fondest memories, with bicycles. Like most two or three wheeled vehicles, they represent freedom in many ways and there is no knocking their utility, versatility and reliability, which has continued to grow, along with the health benefits.
About three years ago, an article with this same title, was published here in Nigeria by one Cosmas Omegoh in a daily paper, The Sun. With the fast growing trend of electric bicycles in the world and the introduction of an indigenous brand in the Nigerian space ‘Agile Cycles,’ we ought to examine this story, once more and we will be making several references to it.
Do not despise that man or woman riding a bicycle on the street. An expert says they are simply on their way to a wholesome, happy, healthy life. That is the verdict of an exercise physiologist, Dr (Mrs) Uchenna Azubuike. “A happy rider is a happy person. Those who indulge in healthy exercises are happy people,” she declared.
This was the first paragraph of that article and it captures the essence of what cycling potentially offers. Mrs Azubuike argued, that bicycle riding is a sure way to longevity, adding that “studies suggest that citizens of communities with bicycle-riding culture, live a longer healthier life.”
Cosmas posited that bicycles are steadily staging a serious comeback in Lagos particularly, as can be easily seen everywhere, but also in cities and towns across the country. What’s more, riders enjoy it and most cyclists cannot be separated from their bicycles for long. Serious cyclists even travel internationally with their bicycles, for competitions and sporting/cycling events.
The buzzwords are health, transportation, well being and cost benefits.
All of these are nicely delivered by bicycling but even better, by electric bicycles which add significant ecological/environmental benefits while expanding the possibilities in transportation altogether, and are a great leveler. They break the bands around different fitness levels, thereby promoting more benefits for social groups like the family or an organization and making it less strenuous for the health challenged.
Dr. Azubuike who is a lecturer at the Nigerian Institute for Sports (NISPORTS), though she makes a very strong case for the health and well being benefits of a cycling culture or habit in that article, cautions that cycling is an impact sport and should be approached with caution for people with high blood pressure particularly and or weak hearts. Electric bicycles which come with pedal assist as standard, make this a lot less stressful and even therapeutic.
What is an electric bicycle?
In its basest definition, it is simply a bicycle powered by a battery, with a motor. There’s a whole lot to add to this, but suffice it to say that since 1993 when the pedal assist was introduced by Yamaha, it’s just about standard for all electric bicycles, which are classed into class 1 through to class 3. Between 1993 and 2004, production grew worldwide by 35% and is still growing.
In the Nigerian context, bicycles used to be a big deal and were a status symbol all around, with only the rich being able to afford them. They made an immense difference in commuting and sure used to also move light and heavier loads around. This is just one of the aspects that Agile Cycle brand is determined to re-culture, along with a ton of other benefits electric bicycles carry.
The popularity of bicycles started to wane with the advent of fossil fueled motorized vehicles like motorcycles & cars, and lost its place as a status symbol. In fact the trend was reversed and bicycles were now seen as the purview of the poor, although not every bicycle. At the higher end, there are bicycles that cost a small fortune.
In Nigeria, Cosmas pointed out, the market is filled with used bicycles, as if to confirm the notion. Small wonder, the benefits are massive as revealed in an interview with Tony John Cosmas reported, a private security man working in Amuwo Odofin Extension in Lagos, who told our correspondent that his friends encouraged him to get a bicycle for himself to cut cost of transportation and that it paid off.
“I live in Surulere,” he said, “There is no way I can get a straight commercial vehicle from my home crossing the Oshodi-Mile 2 expressway to Amuwo Odofin Extension. For me, that makes going to work difficult. I top of that, the cost savings were significant vs any other form of transportation. He was very happy with his decision, a result that Agile Cycle is banking on, as it establishes itself in the though terrain of doing business in Nigeria.
One of the challenges to surmount is the cost. New bicycles can be expensive relatively, and electric bicycles even more so. They cost more than small ‘cc’ motorcycles popularly used for okada, but the overall savings on electric bicycles cannot be compared, especially with the many innovations coming on stream.
Firstly, it’s bye-bye to buying fuel, which is growing in scarcity as well as cost. Just saving the waiting time used on the petrol queues is simply refreshing, ushering in the next big point, time saving. In a city like Lagos where on the average, commuters spend 6 to 8 hours daily commuting, the impact on the quality of life is immediate and lasting. The added advantage of being assisted while riding, takes away the sting and the sweat of self commuting. There’s a ton of other benefits of electric bikes, which you can read in our other article, ‘why ebikes?’
Over the past few years as Cosmas reported, bicycles and the cycling culture have been clawing their way back steadily. This is a global tend, especially for electric bicycles. Gone are the bicycles of yore, which have been replaced by all manner of modern bicycles that are colorful, eye catching and fun, ranging from sports bikes to road bikes, to mountain bikes to commuters… the options are wide and are as mouth watering.
One factor that cannot be overlooked are the health benefits, which are another major reason for the trend. According to the chairman of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria, cycling is one sport you can engage in from childhood to old age. Dr. Azubuike hag this to say about cycling in that article, “Doing so regularly increases the cardiovascular fitness of the rider – the lungs, heart and arteries. It also increases muscle strength; it helps the joints of the muscles and improves their flexibility, making them to move freely, meaning that you can squat and stand, with no joint pains and complaints. It reduces the stress level and improves the rider’s posture and co-ordination.” She added that the practice “strengthens the bone because it is an exercise; it equally decreases body fat level and for that reason, it is helpful in the management of diseases such as cancer and diabeties, because one burns down lots of body fat. So, that helps in obesity and weight control as it increases the body’s metabolic rate. For anyone who wants to lose weight, it is a great idea to include cycling into a healthy eating plan.”
So, people are returning to riding bicycles, many to keep fit amongst the more well-to-do and for its excellent transportation benefits amongst the other classes.
The obvious challenge to this trend here in Nigeria, is the dearth of infrastructure like bicycle lanes, easily accessible service providers, parts and enabling policies, easily accessible service centres, OEM parts and the negative mindset that follows every new trend, which is to tread carefully.
“Let people keep riding their bicycles,” Dr Azubuike enjoined, “I have seen people in Lagos doing that. It is wholesome. They should not be deterred by our drivers’ attitude on the roads. But they need to be careful. “If we have paths for bicycles, why shouldn’t people ride their bicycles?”
Let government encourage cycling
The NISPORT teacher urged the government to encourage people to ride their bikes. “They have to create paths for riders. Government should realise the health benefits of this to the citizenry and think along that line.
Agile Cycles are convinced these challenges will be overcome sooner than later and have thrown their hats into the ring, expecting to ride the global wave that is electric bicycles, as it sweeps over the continent especially in Nigeria where its utility cannot be denied in any part of the country. They are working closely with the government, to help brought about the needed changes. After all, they say, you cannot fight an idea whose time has come. And boy, do they have big plans for the country, which has them also establishing a state-of-the art bicycle after-sales outfit, amongst their other significant plans, to better the quality of life of the Nigerian citizen.
Watch this space as we follow the trends and the players. Overall, it seems that the bicycle is definitely making a comeback as a preferred mode of transportation.
#The Amateur writes from Lagos Nigeria.
