WATCH: If you’re considering an e-bike, you’re not alone

• E-bike sales tend to surge when gas prices soar
• More investment in biking infrastructure by local governments also driving sales

With gas soaring to record levels in the Okanagan, people are starting to think twice about how they get around.

As the weather warms, one viable and ever popular options: cycling. Drawing even more eyes are e-bikes.

They work just like a normal bike, but have a battery powered motor and can reach up to 32 km/h. They also put less strain on the body.

“In the years past, in our business, when gasoline prices spiked, we definitely saw an increase in sales. We anticipate that again,” Darren Mohl, with Kelowna E Ride, told Kelowna10.

Ever since the pandemic started, she said sales have been steady, as people turned to outdoor activities.

That, coupled with rising gas prices and greater infrastructure investment by local governments is all contributing to a surge is cycling, Mohl said.

“The more investment the city and the community and Okanagan put into cycle infrastructure it’s definitely going to continue to grow and it’s definitely a popular means of transportation,” Mohl said. “The more that every community makes room for bicycles and electric bicycles the safer the industry and riding can become, and the more confident people will feel to go to their bike.”

E-bikes can range from $1,500 to $15,000. Mohr said it becomes an investment for riders when they discover just how much an e-bike can really do when they add things like panniers, and saddle bags.

“We just want to get them rolling and comfortable, so they actually ride a lot,” he said. “That’s the whole goal, is to get people set up so well that they actually want to go to their bike a lot more than their car.”

There are over 300 kilometers of on-street bike lanes, and 40 km of separated paved multi-use paths throughout the city of Kelowna.