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As e-bike distributors congregated at last month’s Tour de Presteigne festival in Wales, it was clear that as the industry moves towards the mainstream bicycle market a new approach to marketing is emerging.

The advent of lithium batteries with improved capacity-to-weight ratio, sophisticated control systems and excellent sales back-up have given the uptake of electric bicycles added momentum. For its part, the cycle insurance industry has kept pace by offering theft cover and even breakdown recovery services for this new breed of bicycle.

In common with other aspects of cycling, the British market for power-assisted bikes continues to lag behind other European countries, but the launch of e-bikes by Yamaha, Bosch and Panasonic confirms the popularity of e-bikes is a global phenomenon. And as would-be cyclists in Britain are made aware of the advantages of power-assisted cycling, e-bikes in Japan are evolving apace.

http://www.eta.co.uk/2011/06/02/electric-bicycles-no-longer-%E2%80%98gadgets%E2%80%99?utm_campaign=apple+3.06.11&utm_medium=email&utm_source=The+Environmental+Transport+Association