Brian Jonker (13) from IJmuiden: ‘When I chose secondary school in Haarlem, my parents asked me if I wanted an electric bicycle. Well, I’m not saying no to that. They already had one. At the weekend we often make a round trip to Zandvoort together.’
Timo Rebergen (14) from Haarlem: ‘Two months ago I got one for my birthday and added 150 euros myself. It is a second-hand bike with a new battery in it. I don’t need it for school, I live one minute from here, but I like being outside and cycling around a bit. In the summer it is really nice to go through the dunes with this bike. Ultimately I want a scooter. I’ll get one if I don’t smoke.’
Senne de Jong (14) from Zwanenburg: ‘I have to cycle 12 kilometers. When I was still riding a regular bicycle, when I arrived at school I was often like: poh!’
Jehfairo Smits (13), also from Zwanenburg: ‘We had headwinds every day. Really every day.’
Joaquin Hernandez (13) from Haarlem: ‘I don’t think this is a nice bike, but that doesn’t matter to me. Other people may say it’s ugly, but they don’t ride an electric bicycle and have to do all the work themselves. I still have one, a regular bicycle.’
Jehfairo: Pulling wheels! If you do that on an e-bike while you’re just getting a speed boost, you can really fall backwards.’
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Finn Stapel (13) from Velserbroek: ‘I’ve only had this bike for two weeks. Cycling has suddenly become fun. I work at the Jumbo and paid it myself. It was used for something like 1,500 euros.’
Jesley Helling (14), also from Velserbroek: ‘I got it from my parents and contributed 600 euros myself. Before this I also had an e-bike, a ‘normal’ one. I found that a bit too boring, it had to be harder. With this I can go 30 kilometers per hour. It now only takes me 7 minutes to get to school in Haarlem.’
Finn: ‘This is perfect for my age, because I can’t buy a scooter yet. If the battery is empty, it immediately kicks extra hard. I’m really careful with it, I always have a thick scooter lock with me.’
Jesley: ‘I’ll put it inside the house and clean it properly. In our group of friends almost everyone has a Super73, or the Knaap bicycle. With a normal bike I never just went for a bike ride, but now it’s just like when you have a cool scooter: I call a friend, maybe we can go to the forest, with a detour? Enjoying nature, talking a bit, putting your earphones in, music, really just touring. For example, we go to Overveen, grab a terrace. As a child you are often looked at strangely when you sit on a terrace, and then you also arrive on such bicycles. I think people think: they must be spoiled.’ Grins: ‘I do feel a bit on this bike, how do you say, man, I admit that.’
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Marit van den Brink (13) from Harskamp: ‘At school we have a bicycle shed with a lot of sockets, because so many children come with an electric bicycle. We cycle every day with fourteen first-graders from Harskamp, which is 25 kilometers from Apeldoorn.’
Monica Meuleman (12): ‘At the beginning of the school year, I did it with a normal bike for a few months. My three older brothers went to this school on a normal bicycle, so my father thought: then she can do it too. But I found it heavy and unsociable.’
Marit: ‘When you met Monica she was all red and sweaty because she had to cycle so hard. My mother had heard from friends with children at this school that cycling together without an e-bike was a hassle. You can hang with someone, but that is bad for the bike. Once, of course, but not every day for an hour.’
Monica: ‘I used to cycle with my brother, but he graduated this year. Now I have been given an electric bicycle, so that I can cycle with the others. My mother always wants to borrow it.’
Marit: ‘My sister also when she has to go out in the evening. If it’s ready the next morning charged again and I don’t need it myself, that’s fine with me. Sometimes I also ride her regular bike, then I really have to get used to it again. It just takes a lot more energy. My bike can go 26 kilometers per hour. When I didn’t have an e-bike yet, I thought if someone overtook me: that is going super fast. Now I’m so used to the speed that I occasionally think: why am I so slow?’
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Thijs Koning (15) from Barneveld: ‘If you cycle 32 kilometers there and 32 kilometers back every day, I don’t think you can say that an e-bike makes you lazy.’
Senna Morren (15) from Kootwijkerbroek: ‘For me it is 24 kilometers. If you have an electric bike, you’ll be fine. We are in a Christian high school. Mom and Dad said: if you go to this school, you can either go by bus or by bicycle, and we will give you an electric bicycle. They have one of their own too.’
Thijs: ‘I’ve done it a few times on a normal bike, but that doesn’t work. You have to pedal way too hard. And you arrive all sweaty.’
Senna: ‘I really never cycle anywhere. I delivered newspapers for two years and work for an assembly company. With the money I earn with this, I bought a scooter and an Aixam, about a 45-kilometer car. I won’t be 16 until December 11, but in the meantime I can already make them a bit beautiful.’ Laughs: ‘Thijs will soon be allowed to ride with me to school, but first he will cycle to Kootwijkerbroek.’
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Evie van der Aar (14) from Haarlemmerliede: ‘When my grandfather died, my mother and I got his electric bicycle. Later, she was able to get another one through her work. That’s this Cortina. If you’re a little daring, you can go 26 kilometers per hour.’
Meike de Kroon (14): ‘I hang out with Evie every day when we cycle to school. That really makes a difference.’
Evie: ‘I am the only one of my friends with an electric bicycle. Everyone always wants to adhere. That’s usually fine with me. Most people pedal along, but there are also those who simply stop pedaling. Then you do feel a bit used.’
Meike: ‘I would also like an e-bike myself.’
Lieke Scheeres (13): ‘Me too. But then I would have to pay for it myself, including the repair if something breaks.’
Evie: ‘One girl in my class has such a VanMoof, they are around 2 thousand euros. I wouldn’t mind that. My mother also says: as soon as we have to wear a helmet, we don’t do it anymore.’
Lieke: ‘I’m in equestrian sport, so all my money is already going there. I’m getting my own horse soon. I also just have legs that do it, so I don’t really need an electric bicycle at all.’
Evie: ‘If I had to choose between an electric bicycle and a horse, I would definitely have a horse.’