The demand for bikes with electric motors is racing ahead in Germany. As the German bicycle industry association (ZIV) reports, sales of electric bikes are expected to increase by around 50 per cent in 2012, which equates to 1.3 million of them on Germany's streets.

Electric bikes are also extremely popular in Germany's holiday regions – from the North Sea coast to the Alps. Visitors can hire electric bikes at numerous centres throughout the country and discover a huge range of cycle routes.