A bike can go on the road with you, but can you afford to get one with a seat for yourself?
The answer is yes, according to a new study by Bicycle Australia.
Key points:The study found that most Australians spend around $10 per day on a bikeBut only a small proportion of Australians would choose to buy a bike with a saddle for themselves or a friendIt’s not clear how much of the cycling market is being served by a single bike store or whether the demand is growingThe study also found that Australians spend more than $10 on a daily bike ride.
That figure includes everything from a basic commuter bike, to commuter and family bikes, to a top-end road bike, and then there are even some “bicycles with full-size seats” such as those that have been custom-built for people like cyclists who are not necessarily experienced riders.
In the past few years, there has been a rise in demand for bike hire and rentals.
In a bid to satisfy the growing demand for rental bikes, the National Transport Authority has set up a pilot scheme that aims to provide bikes to all Australian citizens in the first two years of the scheme.
But many Australian citizens are still not confident about renting a bike to use on their own.
The study, conducted by Bike Australia and the University of Melbourne, found that nearly one in five Australians surveyed would not be comfortable taking a rental bike for themselves on their commute.
While a few people might be willing to take a bike for a short ride to their workplace, it would be less than one in ten who would be comfortable with a bike being parked in a shopping centre.
The survey found that while a small number of Australians had bikes with seats for themselves, a majority of people did not think they would want to ride in the same seat as a friend.
Bike Australia CEO and executive director Tim O’Reilly said the survey indicated that the current cycle of cycling was still not being fully supported by people who would otherwise want to use it.
“It’s one of the most important cycling behaviours we can get a sense of and so that’s why the National Cycling Plan has been created to make it easier for people to get their bike,” he said.
While most Australians would be willing or able to rent a bike, it’s not quite clear how well the bike industry would be able to provide the service.””
But this survey shows that cycling needs to be supported on a wider basis to support more people.”
While most Australians would be willing or able to rent a bike, it’s not quite clear how well the bike industry would be able to provide the service.
“We know that some bike shops do a good job of offering bikes to people with a disability,” Mr O’Riley said.”[But] it doesn’t take a doctor or a bike expert to understand that if you’re not in a position to take the bike, the bike shop is unlikely to be able afford to do the job.”
The report found that a small majority of Australians thought that it would not make much sense to rent their own bike for commuting, while a third would not want to do so if they could afford to.
The report also found many people were reluctant to buy their own bicycle, believing that it was not necessary.
“A lot of people don’t think that they would really be able use a bike,” Mr Hines said.
“There are some people who are really committed to cycling but they don’t feel comfortable or confident about it.”
The survey also found some of the main reasons why Australians did not buy a rental bicycle were because they did not believe the bike could be used safely or because they thought it would add unnecessary costs.
The National Transport Agency has also launched a pilot trial of a bike-sharing service in Sydney, and Mr O ‘Reilly said more bike shops needed to be open to make the trial more accessible.
“In Sydney, we’ve got a large bike market where people are already getting into the cycle of cycle, and that’s one that’s not really being supported by the bike stores that we’re talking about,” he added.
“So I think the more we can offer people a bike service that’s compatible with their daily commute, and to have a bit of a range of bikes to choose from, that’s going to be really useful for the cycling industry.”
Topics:cycling,public-sector,australia