Batemans Bay business owner Clare Lovelace discovered the joys of electric biking by necessity. Now, she's a permanent convert.
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When Ms Lovelace temporarily lost her driving licence after an accumulation of speeding fines, she couldn't fathom how she'd travel from her home in Broulee to her business, Soul Tribe Studio in Batemans Bay, by 5.30am each morning.
"I thought it was the worst news ever and wondered: what am I going to do?" she said.
Her brother, a UK-based long-time biking enthusiast, suggested an e-bike but Ms Lovelace was initially sceptical.
"It's 20km each way so I thought it would be impossible," she says.
"But with an e-bike, the ride is so much easier - you pedal with help up the hills, then get to coast down the hills. The more hills the better! It takes me about 40 minutes each way, it's fast and enjoyable, keeps me fit and is really fun."
Ms Lovelace isn't alone in her e-bike awakening - Eurobodalla's enthusiasm for cycling is electric, with a growing number of locals and holidaymakers boosting their pedal power by buying or renting e-bikes.
Moruya Bicycles is reporting a surge in purchase of e-bikes - more than 50 percent of its total sales now attributed to e-bikes, against around 4 percent just two years' ago.
"In the last few years (e-bike sales) have gone crazy," Angus Murphy from Moruya Bicycles said. "In 2016, we had three types of e-bikes for sale and maybe sold 12 in the first year.
"In 2020, we've sold about 300 e-bikes."
Visitors are taking advantage of an e-bike rental service run by Moruya Bicycles in partnership with The Southcoast Health and Sustainability Alliance (SHASA) since 2018.
Recently, SHASA has formed an Electric Transport Committee to further increase awareness and uptake of electric and active transport in the Eurobodalla.
Mr Murphy says the response to the hire service - offering e-bike trials for a modest fee - has been overwhelmingly positive. "Most have been tourists," he said.
The most common use of purchased e-bikes is recreation, but a growing number are using their bikes instead of cars.
"A higher percentage use e-bikes for recreation, but some for commuting, shopping, visiting friends or going for a coffee," Mr Murphy said.
"Many riders do 80 percent recreation and 20 percent commuting trips."
SHASA President Kathryn Maxwell - who uses her multi-purpose e-bike for commuting and shopping, as well recreational mountain-biking - says innovation benefits cyclists.
"I've been riding e-bikes for the past 10 years and have seen significant improvements in their comfort and operation. I can ride around Moruya for three weeks on a single charge," she says.
E-bikes start at about $1500, with the most popular e-bike sold in Moruya worth $4000.
"The extra investment gives you an e-bike that saves you time, is more comfortable and can save you money if you use it for trips previously done by car," Ms Maxwell said.
"The physical and mental health benefits are fantastic."
Ms Lovelace said she had underestimated how much she would ride and the joys it would bring.
"It's taught me I don't need a car and that the thought of not having a car is actually much worse than the reality of it," she said.
"I can get shopping online and I can ride to the markets with my friends. If I need a lift, there are a lot of people who are willing to help. Without a car, you feel much more part of a community."
For e-bike information or to join SHASA, please email contact.shasa@gmail.com