I know something about bikes. I have four of them. I logged 1,000 miles a month during the summer of 2020 at the onset of the pandemic because my gym was closed but the roads were open. 

I also know about bike crashes, since I've had three of them. My credentials on the subject are impeccable. Within the last 10 years, I have broken 40 bones and spent eight days in an ICU, seven days in a regular hospital bed and 21 days in rehab. My last accident was on May 9, 2021, and that one — which fractured five bones in my spinal column — was the least serious in my string of mishaps. 

After my last crash, family and friends had one word of advice for me: Peloton. 

But 97 days later, either because of stubbornness, foolhardiness or can't-keep-me-down determination, or a combination of all three, I saddled up on a bike again and set forth on the East Bay Bike Path for my comeback ride. 

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So far, so good. It's been nearly a year without a crash or scratch. 

I was thinking about my streak this week when our State House reporter Patrick Anderson reported that Rep. Rebecca Kislak is sponsoring a bill that would let e-bikes operate on streets and bike paths like conventional pedal-powered bikes. Similar laws are on the books in 36 other states. 

Rep. Michael Chippendale, along with state Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti Jr., have criticized Kislak's bill. Chippendale says e-bikes are motorized vehicles and should be regulated as such. Alviti says it is dangerous to have e-bikes share the same space as pedestrians and human-powered bikes. 

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At first, I admit, I thought, "Yikes!" E-bikes on my beloved East Bay Bike Path, my home away from home, my cathedral and and my cost-free therapy on the 32-mile round trip from my apartment. At first I was worried about the e-bike proliferation. I'm a pedal purist, you might say. But, as a journalist and cyclist, I wanted to seek out the facts.

The truth of the matter is that e-bikes are here to stay. According to the World Economic Forum, e-bike sales grew by 145% in 2020 compared with the previous year. The market share of e-bikes stood at nearly $17 billion in 2020. Some market analysts predict it will be a $52-billion industry within six years. Forecasters cite gas prices, environmental advocacy and COVID-19 as factors that will only fuel the growth of the e-bike industry.  

During the pandemic, the number of e-bike trips rose from 7 million to nearly 10 million, according to a report published in Fortune Business Insights. 

Bike shop owners have told me that, as counterintuitive as it sounds, e-bikes encourage more riders to pedal everywhere, even if they are getting a nudge from a battery-driven motor. Riders can go farther and manage hilly terrain that would otherwise intimidate them from biking. (For instance, as a cyclist, I opted not to live in College Hill, the operative word here being "hill.") 

The cost of operating an e-bike is less than filling the tank of my Subaru Impreza, which runs about $50 as gas prices hit an OMG-high.  According to an electric bike industry newsletter, depending on your bike, it costs less than 10 cents per charge on an e-bike, which can get you 250 to 500 miles. I was also surprised that the costs of maintaining and repairing an e-bike are negligible, since they often share similar parts with a regular bike, and repairs can be done at your local bike shop. 

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Of course, for myself — the one with the 40 broken bones — safety is a key factor. 

According to a federal study conducted between 2000 and 2017 that looked at e-scooters, e-bikes and regular human-powered bikes, statistically speaking, there were some telling numbers.  An analysis of 245 million injuries showed that just under 131,000 involved scooter accidents ending with an emergency room visit. There were about 3,100 e-bike injuries. In that time period, there were about 9.4 million injuries involving pedal bicycles. Of course, the number of e-bike accidents may rise as they become more popular. 

Another study said 90% of electric bike accidents are caused by the riders' risky behavior, such as riding in lanes for cars, ignoring red lights and going against traffic. It also said older e-bike riders face a higher risk of brain injury in an accident, perhaps because of slower reflexes. The average age of a rider hurt while on an e-bike is 32, compared with 25 on a traditional bike. 

Hmm. Older riders face a higher risk? I may look into Pelotons and keep my streak alive. 

David Ng is the executive editor of The Providence Journal. Email him at dng@providencejournal.com.