How (e-)bike tourism has changed

The e-bike revolution in cycle tourism

Bike tourism has undergone a strong revolution in recent years due to e-bikes. Increasingly, vacationers are only riding comfortable e-bikes through the mountains, towns and valleys. But how have e-bikes changed bike tourism and what can be done at your inn to keep up with the trend? You can find out all about it here!

Sales of e-bikes compared to regular bicycles

The total bicycle market in Austria had a volume of around 496,000 bicycles in 2020. This is 13% more than last year. Of these, over 200,000 e-bikes were sold for the first time in 2020 (203,515). This corresponds to a market share of 41%, making the Austrian bicycle market the strongest in the D-A-CH region. In Germany, the figure is 38.7% and in Switzerland 34.1%.
This shows that demand for e-bikes is very high throughout the D-A-CH region. In the Austrian sporting goods landscape, bicycles and e-bikes in particular have become the biggest sales hits alongside the ski and outdoor segments.

What your e-bike guests particularly value

Storage & Charging Stations

For an ordinary pedelec, the average e-bike customer pays between €2,000 and €2,500. An expensive purchase, which must not be damaged or even stolen under any circumstances. To relieve your guests of this worry, offer suitable barrier options in front of as well as inside your hotel. Double protection comes first! If your guests make only a short stopover at the hotel during the day, it is convenient to be able to lock the bikes in front of the hotel as well, so that they do not have to be dragged to the bike room separately. However, it provides additional protection to be able to lock the bikes also in the bike room and allow your guests to have a peaceful and carefree sleep.

But where to go when the e-bike no longer has a battery? To offer your guests even more comfort, charging stations in your hotel should not be missing. So the e-bikes can be charged quickly and easily in no time and the ride can start!

Qualitative bike rental

Do you already offer a bike rental service in your guesthouse? Then it’s time to also offer e-bikes for rent. More and more guests are used to the comfort of electric bikes and do not want to miss it. By also offering e-bikes for rent, whether city or mountain bikes, you can both increase your offer and increase customer satisfaction. Since 2021, there are also increased subsidies for (electric) transport bikes and e-bikes. Companies, associations, municipalities as well as private individuals can benefit from higher subsidies. Apart from that, your bike rental offer should be up to date. Because there are better ideas than spending the vacation on a rusty old bike.

Tips for this:
  • Regular cleaning and maintenance of bicycles
  • Regular service (tire pressure, chain oiling, etc.)
  • Replace old bicycles on occasion

E-City or mountain bike – which is better suited?

The “agony of choice” also applies here. Although many assume that mountain bikes are only suitable for mountainous areas, it is surprising that they can also be used in everyday city life.
If your guests are mainly traveling only on paved roads, the city e-bike is more comfortable thanks to its seating position. On an e-mountain bike, the seating position is significantly sportier. On the other hand, the mountain bike’s suspension copes much more easily with curbs or potholes. Thus, the mountain bike can also be used in the city without any problems.
Although the city e-bike is superior to the e-mountain bike in urban use, the e-mountain bike can be used more or twice in the city and nature!

The e-bike revolution should make all hotel operators think about jumping on the trend and adapting their hotel to the growing desires.

Any questions? We will be happy to answer your questions in an individual meeting. Write to us at info@bikeraum.at or simply call us at +43 5474 5500.

Greetings from Pfunds
Your team Regensburger!

Sources:
https://www.bmk.gv.at/service/presse/gewessler/20210226_ebike.html
https://greenstorm.eu/trends/e-bike-kosten/
https://www.vsso.at/fahrradverkaufszahlen-2020/
https://ebike-mtb.com/e-mountainbike-vs-city-e-bike/

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