Vancouver e-bike sales spike amid record breaking gas prices

Record-high gas prices have many Vancouverites looking at alternative modes of transportation, including e-bikes.

Paul Dragan is the owner of Vancouver-based Reckless Bike Stores, and he says he is seeing more customers ditch their cars.

“This year, with the increase in gas we’re seeing more repairs on older bikes that people are dragging out to use maybe once a week or twice a week just to lower the gas bill a little bit. We’ve seen an increase in e-bike sales. If you’re just trying to move yourself around, and some paper or or a laptop, you don’t need your car,” Dragan told CityNews.

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Gas prices around Metro Vancouver went up overnight into Friday morning, with many stations posting $2.16 for a litre of regular. And that’s not the end — one industry insider says the price is expected to go up again this weekend by at least a couple of cents.

“I can’t see anything stopping prices going up. This is because there is a severe problem with supply of crude oil, gasoline, and diesel. The inventories are very, very low indeed. And then you have the situation in Ukraine whereby the crude supply out of Russia is going to be shut down by the end of the year, so this creates a severe problem globally in so far as crude is concerned so that’s going to be reflected at the pumps until such time a solution is obtained,” Roger McKnight, chief petroleum analyst with En-Pro International, told CityNews.

Dragan says if you are in the market for an alternative to a car, he recommends picking up something sooner rather than later.

“With public transportation still affected by COVID, a bike is a natural alternative for that. Even scooters, we’re seeing an increase in scooters sales, just to get around downtown so you’re you’re not on public transit and you’re still mobile.”

The bike shop owner says between the increased demand for bikes, and high gas prices, he is content with all the city has done to make bike lanes and infrastructure strong.

“With the increase in bicycle infrastructure, which is done by the city and the municipality, there are more and more people who are realizing that cycling is a viable way to get around and it is easier and it’s more pleasant. And with the bike routes, it’s safer. So more and more people are deciding that they can use their bike as a method of transportation as opposed to just recreation.”