eMountainbike: More guides for Switzerland

Stuttgart/Reutlingen – Bosch eBike Systems is extending its involvement with Swiss Cycling, Switzerland's cycling association, by a further two years and is thus promoting the development of specific safety and cycling technique courses for the eMountainbike community. The integration of eMountainbike courses into existing training formats is planned for 300 mountainbiking guides in 2017.

eMountainbike training courses: combining riding technique with the pleasure of cycling

According to Tamara Winograd, Head of Marketing and Communication at Bosch eBike Systems, "With a powerful partner, well-trained guides and keen eMountainbikers, we can help ensure safety, correct behaviour on mountainous terrain, and the sheer enjoyment of this popular form of sport. That's why we're extending our collaboration with Swiss Cycling for a further two years." When the project was launched last year, training was initially provided for 20 eMTB guides, who then in turn trained over 200 bikers in riding technique and safety courses in six mountainbike regions across the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Following the success of the pilot project "Swiss Cycling eMountainbike courses epowered by Bosch", eMountainbiking will form an integral part of the training programme for the current 300 mountainbike guides from the spring of 2017 onwards. The aim of this measure is to train more professional guides and thus increase the number of courses available to end customers. Sven Montgomery, who is responsible for recreational sport in the Swiss Cycling organisation, explains the reasons behind this: "There has been a considerable amount of positive feedback about the courses, so we have decided to extend our involvement in order to offer more guides up-to-date training, thereby providing them with excellent prospects for the future. We're delighted that Bosch is continuing to lend its support to this project."

Bright prospects

The primary focus of the courses for eMountainbikers is on traffic rules, codes of conduct and the specific riding technique required for eBikes. Apart from mountainbike and tourist regions, the retail trade also benefits from the courses. After purchasing an eMountainbike, the customer can immediately try it out with the assistance of a guide. The growing interest in eMountainbikes is reflected in the sales figures. According to a study undertaken by e-bike-finder.com and covering 2,556 eBike models from a total of 80 manufacturers, the eMountainbike sector is currently booming: its market share within the eBike segment has risen 4 percent from its 2015 level and now stands at 19 percent. According to Bosch, this is a trend which is set to stabilise in the years ahead. As Winograd explains: "We are convinced that eMountainbiking will become popular on a large scale. The prerequisite for this is the ongoing development of the sport and that includes professional framework conditions, experts and training programs. We are making a start here with the joint development of courses and the training of professional guides."