It's not a bicycle for old people. Even if many think so, the ebike (the pedal-assisted bicycle, pedelec or bipa) is a bicycle for everyone. Like electric bikes, it has a motor, but for anyone already thinking of a resemblance to a scooter, it's best to make one thing clear from the outset: even with the motor active, you have to pedal. So much so that the leg assistance only lasts until you reach 25 kilometres per hour, a speed beyond which you are assumed to be cycling on flat ground or downhill. The difference compared to a traditional bicycle, then, is the help the motor gives the cyclist when tackling longer journeys or uphill stretches.

If the traditional bicycle has already come back into fashion because people's awareness of the environment is growing — as is their attention to their wallets — the pedal-assisted bicycle could become the vehicle of the future.

Pedal assistance, a growing market

This view is backed by 72 per cent of retailers who responded positively to a Gfk Eurisko survey on the potential for growth in the market for this type of bicycle in Italy. To meet rising demand, supply is also making giant "strides". Today it is possible to buy bipa with a classic frame, but also a folding one or one that is reminiscent of a fixed-gear bike.

As well as meeting renewed social and environmental needs, the bipa gives people the opportunity to pay attention to their appearance too, because the level of physical exertion can be adjusted according to the destination. How many of you have often given up cycling to work simply out of fear of arriving sweaty or tired for an important appointment?

The advantages of the pedal-assisted bicycle

Environment, health, time and wallet. These are the main advantages of a pedal-assisted bicycle. It produces no CO2, the leading cause of global warming, while also helping large cities tackle the problem of fine particulate pollution. It safeguards the wellbeing and health of both the individual, through physical activity, and the community, by making cities more liveable. The journey time for a trip of between 4 and 6 kilometres is shorter than that of a car caught in traffic — traffic it even helps to reduce. And you save money: there is no tank to fill other than your own stomach with a natural fuel such as a delicious piece of seasonal fruit.

For all these reasons, the pedal-assisted bicycle is a vehicle that falls within the concept and plans of Mobility Revolution, the project launched by LifeGate to inform people and help them make choices in favour of sustainable mobility. For anyone wishing to deepen their knowledge of the world of pedal-assisted bicycles, the BikeUP festival is held every year in Lecco, featuring model displays, workshops and conferences on bike sharing, electric cycling, cycle tourism and retrofitting — that is, converting your traditional bicycle into a pedal-assisted one.