SIMON Raby took up an offer to hire an eBike from Maleny bike co-op and has ridden around 10,000 kilometres in 18 months commuting to work.
“The e-bike ‘flattens’ out the hills and, yes, I’m grateful for the motor after a days work!” Simon said.
“I live 12.5kms from town, I can get to town and back twice on one charge.”
It costs about 10c to charge an e-bike, so it has cost him about $20 in electricity and about $300 in maintenance to travel his 10,000 kilometers.
A new car on finance would have cost him $27,000. However it benefits people’s health too. “My health and fitness have never been better, I was in good shape in my 20’s, but I hit that slippery slope. I wasn’t well – physically or mentally,” he said.
“I ditched the car and was lucky enough to be chosen for the Maleny eBike pilot programme.
“18 months of riding instead of driving helped me to turn that emotional and mental battle around.”
The eBikes were supplied by Eco Villages Australia.