Beyond Bikes: How the Rise of E-bikes and E-Scooters is Reshaping Our Cycle Lanes

Several people ride bikes and other micromobility devices on a multi-use path.

Guest Author: Amir Hassanpour is a Ph.D. candidate in Transportation Engineering at UBC, working as a researcher and analyst at the Research on Active Transportation Laboratory. His research focuses on cycling and emerging personal transportation technologies, such as e-bikes and e-scooters. Amir is also a member of HUB Cycling’s Board of Directors.

Cycling has become an integral part of our transportation system, especially since the bike boom that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no doubt that cycling is more popular than ever. But if you regularly ride for daily transportation, you’ve probably noticed that it’s not just bikes in the cycle lanes anymore. A growing variety of unique and intriguing personal mobility devices (PMDs) are sharing these spaces.

You might see parents walking with their kids on scooters or skates, a person on a recumbent tricycle—electric or not, it’s hard to tell—a group of tourists on e-scooters or e-bikes, or even a food courier on a unicycle! What does this shift mean for our cycle lanes? For people who already use them? And for those we hope to encourage to drive less and cycle more? These devices are increasingly popular for urban travel, but their rapid adoption also brings challenges. Shared spaces like off-street cycling paths must now accommodate a diverse mix of users while ensuring safety and comfort for everyone.

Understanding the shift

I had the privilege of examining these changes in a TransLink and NSERC-funded project. Over four years, we at UBC’s REACT Lab—a team of researchers dedicated to improving transportation systems—studied shifts in mode shares, speeds, and path user comfort across Metro Vancouver. Our data, collected from 12 locations in 2019-2020 and 2023, revealed some fascinating trends:

A map of various popular cycling and multi-use paths in Metro Vancouver.

A fourfold increase in electric/motorized devices

In 2019-2020, conventional bicycles dominated the mode share, accounting for 91% of devices in cycling facilities. By 2023, this dropped to 74%, while electric bicycles surged from 4.5% to 16.4%, and stand-up electric scooters climbed from 0.4% to 4.2%.

Rising speeds

Average speeds for all devices on off-street paths increased by 11% (or 2 km/h).
The fastest device—self-balancing unicycles—saw an alarming 10 km/h rise in speed, while speeds for electric and conventional bicycles converged.

Comfort levels

With a growing number of people adopting electric-assist transportation choices, the average path user in Metro Vancouver is now less comfortable due to mode share and speed changes, reflecting growing safety concerns tied to higher speeds and increased presence of motorized PMD.

A graph plotting the average path user comfort vs. the speed (km/h).

These findings have significant implications for how cities like Vancouver design and manage their cycling infrastructure and ensure more and more people are walking, cycling or rolling for their daily transportation needs. For instance:

Speed management: Updated speed limits and mechanisms to reduce speed—such as design adjustments—may be necessary to ensure safety.
Wider paths: The increase in overtaking maneuvers, particularly on steep grades, underscores the need for wider paths to better accommodate a diverse mix of users.
PMD-specific policies: The rapid rise of devices like self-balancing unicycles and electric skateboards calls for targeted regulations, such as speed caps or restrictions on their use.

Looking ahead

The study concludes that while Vancouver’s off-street paths have adapted remarkably well to increased PMD use, ongoing moni

The title page of the report called "Four-Year Trends of Personal Mobility Devices in Metropolitan Vancouver: The Evolution of Mode Shares, Speeds, and Comfort in Off-Street Paths" by Alexander Bigazzi and Amir Hassanpour.

toring and proactive measures are essential. With mode share and speed trends likely to continue upward, cities must balance the benefits of micromobility with the need for safety and comfort for all path users.

Advocates and policymakers alike have a role to play in shaping the future of urban mobility—one where innovation, equity, and safety coexist on the paths we share.

Interested in reading the full report? Click here.

HUB Cycling is pleased to share our second benchmarking analysis of the Metro Vancouver bike route network. This report is the next stage in HUB Cycling’s ongoing State of Cycling initiative. It profiles bike route growth, comfort, and types. It compares 2016 and 2021 Canadian Census data about cycle commuting with State of Cycling network data for the same years, and also looks at network development relative to road safety data and research. New for this report is a broader health and climate resilience focus, including analyses of how factors such as slope, noise, pollution, heat and tree cover, and flooding may inform network siting and design.
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Unlocking Equity in Metro Vancouver's Cycling Network

Transportation inequities persist in Metro Vancouver, posing challenges for the region's residents. The high cost of living and low-income rates makes living in Metro Vancouver increasingly unaffordable for many households, leaving them with limited transportation options and an increasing reliance on personal vehicles. This exacerbates existing transportation inequalities. Moreover, motor vehicle transportation investments often lead to gentrification and displacement of vulnerable populations. Integrating equity considerations into cycle network planning to address these issues is crucial.
This report examines the current state of cycling infrastructure in Metro Vancouver, identifies areas of inequity, and provides recommendations for improving access to quality cycling infrastructure.
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