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Fewer bicycles were sold in Switzerland last year than in previous years. However, one category is booming: the so-called S-Pedelecs, i.e. e-bikes that can reach speeds of up to 45 km/h. More and more commuters are using them to get to work.
By 2035, the number of kilometers cycled should double. This is the goal of the «Roadmap Bicycle», which authorities, associations, transport companies and companies agreed on at the National Bicycle Forum in Zurich.
There is a trend towards cycling throughout Europe; Switzerland must be careful not to miss the boat.
In order to achieve this goal, politicians and authorities at the federal, cantonal and municipal levels would have to work even more closely with the cycling scene than they do today: with cycling associations, with manufacturers and dealers, but also with tourism organizations and transport companies and with experts from universities.
The “fast” as an alternative to public transport and cars
“There is a trend towards cycling across Europe; Switzerland must be careful not to miss the boat,” says Ursula Wyss, former Bern municipal councilor. In cities such as Brussels, Copenhagen and Amsterdam, the proportion of bicycles in total traffic is significantly higher than in Zurich, for example. “We must give bicycles more space and include them in traffic planning from the outset.”
The bicycle industry has high hopes for fast e-bikes, the so-called S-Pedelecs, which, thanks to their higher speed of up to 45 km/h, can also be used for longer commutes, making them an attractive alternative to public transport and cars for commuters.

Legend:
He follows the trend: e-bike riders in Zurich.
Keystone/PETRA OROSZ
Meanwhile, 15 percent of newly purchased bicycles in Switzerland are S-Pedelecs, Last year, around 26,000 of them were sold, says Reto Meyer, co-CEO of the Swiss bicycle and bike manufacturer “Tour de Suisse” and board member of the industry association Velosuisse. An increase of 16 percent. In neighboring countries, the proportion of fast e-bikes is significantly smaller.
Switzerland should step on the pedals
“Four out of five people who own an S-Pedelec use it to commute to work. This shows that there is great potential here,” says Meyer. However, many people are concerned about their safety and, if in doubt, do not buy an e-bike or S-Pedelec. In order to make cycling safer, the cycling infrastructure in Switzerland must be expanded more quickly, taking into account the different needs of the various types of bike, for example with new fast routes for e-bikes and ambitious cyclists.
Each S-Pedelec shortens the traffic jam in Bern by five meters, and in Zurich by as much as six meters, because you have bigger cars there!
If more people bought an S-Pedelec, this would relieve the burden on public transport and the roads, adds Matthias Aebischer, the SP National Councillor from Bern and President of Pro Velo Switzerland: “Every S-Pedelec shortens the traffic jam in Bern by five metres, and in Zurich by as much as six metres, because you have bigger cars there!”
Emma Stubbe from the Dutch cycling lobby organisation Dutch Cycling Embassy encouraged Switzerland at the Veloforum to dare to be more innovative: “In the Netherlands, we are quite keen to experiment and implement flagship projects quickly. And most of the time, even those who were previously skeptical are quickly convinced once they have experienced for themselves how nice it is to cycle safely and comfortably together on a traffic-calmed road.”