Discovering Bratislava on ebikes. (source: Courtesy of up! city )
The cycling season is in full swing while electric bicycles have made this style of transport even more popular. The number of cyclists on ebikes is also increasing in and around Bratislava.
“Without ebikes, we would not dare set up for such a long-distance ride,” said Markus and Maria from Sweden, while passing Bratislava on the EuroVelo 13. This cycling route runs along the former Iron Curtain that once divided Europe into West and East.
The popularity of ebikes has resulted in not only many shops where people can buy ebikes but also rent them.
“People want to try the ebike before they buy it, but they also want to have the possibility of not owning but using,” said Karol Guľa of the company ebajk – Svet elektrobicyklov, which sells and rents ebikes.
Apart from mountain ebikes, their fleet of 25 ebikes features one urban ebike suitable for flat terrain.
“Our ebikes are often fully booked during the season,” said Guľa, adding that for weekends it is often necessary to book an ebike even two or three weeks in advance. “During the week and outside the season some ebikes are always available.”
People can rent ebikes also as part of the up! city project by carmaker Volkswagen Slovakia and the Alliance Stará Tržnica, the Bratislava city council, the bicycle courier Švihaj Šuhaj and electricity distributor ZSE. Apart from four ebikes, they rent out traditional bikes, electric cars and electric scooters.
“The interest in renting bikes especially increases during warm and summer months, weekends and holidays,” Lucia Kovarovič Makayová, spokesperson of Volkswagen Slovakia told The Slovak Spectator, adding that tourists dominate between April and October over the locals.
