I'm getting an E-bike!

[ski diva]

I am SO excited! I'm getting an E-bike!

Many of you know I used to be an avid road biker -- that is, until a few years ago, when I had a pretty bad bike accident. Since then, my road biking has become pretty much non-existent. The roads here in Vermont are very hilly, narrow, and winding, with little or no shoulders, so not something I want to do anymore. On the other hand, there are tons of dirt roads. And while these are also hilly and narrow, at least they don't have cars whizzing by at 50 mph. Trouble is, they're really not good for road bikes, and they're far too difficult -- at least for me -- on a hybrid or mountain bike. (BTW, I tried mountain biking, and no, not for me.)

Which leads me to the E-bike. A friend of mine let me try out theirs on the dirt roads, and it was SO MUCH FUN. It's not like a motor bike -- you still have to pedal; you just get a "friendly" assist whenever you need it, like when you're going up a hill -- which is great for me in my advancing years. So I began looking around. I wanted a fat tire bike for the dirt roads, but nothing too monstrous ; some of these bikes can weigh 75 pounds, too big for me to lift onto a rack. And I wanted something I could take places. Which led me to the Aventon Sinch, a lighter weight, foldable fat-tired E-bike. I tried one the other day and it was a blast! So today I ordered one, and I can't wait for it to come in!

Here's a pic:



And yes, I'm getting the red!

Doesn't it look like fun?

Anyone else have an e-bike? What do you have? And how do you like it?

 

[ilovepugs]

Nice! E-bikes are on our very long wishlist. Can’t wait to hear about your adventures!

 

[Amie H]

I have a Trek Verve e-bike in the "small" ladies frame (glad I got sized at a shop for an ebike and didn't buy online! They ordered the small frame for me.)

I got it a few years ago when my daughter was using my car; I ride to work on it when weather cooperates. There is a municipal bike route from my neighborhood to the office park where I work. It's about 5 miles each way. However, in wet weather, I don't like to ride it because the tire& wheel type I have plus visibility to car drivers, I'm not comfortable after doing it a few times. I am able to park my bike IN my actual office space (an empty cubicle) so I don't worry about theft.

I'd like a nubbier tire for riding some crushed gravel trails in our area, but I don't want to have to switch back and forth to a "street" tire.

As noted elsewhere I had an accident a few weeks ago but now I'm fine, so ready to bike commute again this week.

I feel much more confident with an ebike - confident that "I can do it!" even if I feel a bit tired, or there is a lot of wind, etc. I hope you enjoy your new bike!!!

 

[Jenny]

Looks nice!

 

[marzNC]

Sounds like fun!

My family had a couple of folding bikes when I was growing up in NYC. We could take them on the bus to go ride in Central Park on weekends when the loop road was closed to cars.

I did a SheJumps 1-day workshop at Massanutten several years ago for mountain biking. Mostly curious since my daughter had liked it at summer camp. Confirmed my expectation that mountain biking is not for me. Much prefer riding my hybrid bike on Rails-to-Trails multi-use trails. Although not something I do that often.

 

[skibeauty]

I am SO excited! I'm getting an E-bike!

Many of you know I used to be an avid road biker -- that is, until a few years ago, when I had a pretty bad bike accident. Since then, my road biking has become pretty much non-existent. The roads here in Vermont are very hilly, narrow, and winding, with little or no shoulders, so not something I want to do anymore. On the other hand, there are tons of dirt roads. And while these are also hilly and narrow, at least they don't have cars whizzing by at 50 mph. Trouble is, they're really not good for road bikes, and they're far too difficult -- at least for me -- on a hybrid or mountain bike. (BTW, I tried mountain biking, and no, not for me.)

Which leads me to the E-bike. A friend of mine let me try out theirs on the dirt roads, and it was SO MUCH FUN. It's not like a motor bike -- you still have to pedal; you just get a "friendly" assist whenever you need it, like when you're going up a hill -- which is great for me in my advancing years. So I began looking around. I wanted a fat tire bike for the dirt roads, but nothing too monstrous ; some of these bikes can weigh 75 pounds, too big for me to lift onto a rack. And I wanted something I could take places. Which led me to the Aventon Sinch, a lighter weight, foldable fat-tired E-bike. I tried one the other day and it was a blast! So today I ordered one, and I can't wait for it to come in!

Here's a pic:

View attachment 18796

And yes, I'm getting the red!

Doesn't it look like fun?

Anyone else have an e-bike? What do you have? And how do you like it?

It looks like fun. I bought a new K2 road bike, it is complicated, and I have to learn how to use the gears etc.

 

[Abbi]

I was interested to see your post and experience. I bought an REI Co Op bike last year but with one thing and another I find it tiring to ride and since I am a little unsteady it’s frightening on some roads. REI sent out an email to members about the e-bikes somewhere in the last week or so. I am going to go to the store this week and poke around and talk to the people there. I have the feeling a little bit of help would be good for me. Of course figuring out how to get it anywhere besides my neighborhood could be an adventure! I don’t even have a rack for my current bike as I have a full-size spare tire on the back of the car. There are a couple of possible racks but they cost about half what I paid for the whole bike! I can’t justify that!

 

[SarahXC]

I’m a pretty serious bike fanatic and one of my many bikes is a spincity brand ebike. I’ve had it about a year and a half. It is road oriented — bought used (barely) from my neighbor who ordered it for his wife but it didn’t fit her well. Definitely for fitting it seems more difficult with some of the ebike brands to get a traditional geometry chart and be able to select based off those numbers versus a more general height range. I have it set up with front and rear racks and love it for quick trips that I would have used the car for before — bringing papers to the office (I’m still working at home), groceries, post office or ups drop off trips are my biggest uses. Things I could do on a regular bike but usually I wouldn’t have the extra time available for the grueling last mile climb (with 17% grade sections!) to get home (then shower) are a breeze on the ebike. It takes very little more time than the errands would by car and I find I am always talking to someone who asks about it when I am out and about so I feel a sense of community when I do errands this way. Anyone who visits tries it out and has a blast. It’s just fun! Enjoy your purchase!

 

[SkiGAP]

I don't have one, but they ubiquitous around here - people commute on them, the Uber eats delivery people use them, and at an Andorra bike park there even specific e-Mountain Bike trails. You are in good company.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

I adore the ebike I bought in the fall somewhat begrudgingly. I use it for all sorts of transportation situations where I used to use my car. I live 8 miles from town, and the first, and more importantly last mile on the ride home is an 800 foot climb on a winding narrow road, the rest is bike path. The bike has completely changed my interest in using two wheels for transportation as opposed to recreation (I used to teach mountain biking). I am now trying to sell my dirt bike to pay for the e bike. Don't miss the smell or noise of that little beast.

Do other Divas have safety concerns when using their ebikes on shared bike paths. I have almost been hit a few times almost each time I use it. Adults and kids, cutting blind corners at speed, or trying to pass me without letting me know. Wish we had some regulations or mandatory road safety for kids starting in kindergarten like they do in some european countries.

 

[SarahXC]

@snoWYmonkey the near misses sound scary! Back when I worked in human factors the rule of thumb was for 200 incidents, 29 near misses, 1 accident. I’m not sure those statistics are the most current these days but the idea holds. I wonder if anything can be changed physically about the path design besides the idea of training the users?

It’s a flat section when I use the shared path I use for the grocery so I take the electric off if I am unloaded or leave it at level 1 if I have a loaded bike and just go slow. The path section I use isn’t high use by others so it’s been ok for me. (Of course it does get flooded and muddy a lot so that will probably keep use low…also not ideal)

I was hit when on my normal mtb when descending by an ebike coming up hill. The closure was just too high for the line of sight with an ebike coming up that fast. Oddly enough the guy who hit me was a fellow in his late 60s who I have met on that trail dozens of times on his regular bikes. I don’t think in that accident we were making bad decisions and skill or predictability of the users wasn’t a factor it’s just the trail wasn’t built for the speeds that can be achieved climbing on ebikes. I think that will be a challenge for trail design as more ebikes are in use.

ETA: I reread your post—cutting blind corners like crossing the middle line without visibility in the turn??? If so, yes! Training for the riders!

 

[SkiGAP]

Do other Divas have safety concerns when using their ebikes on shared bike paths.

I have safety concerns when I am walking or riding my regular bike. e-bikes can come fast, and some riders seem not so skilled..

 

[snoWYmonkey]

@skigapfor certain, regular bikes, rollerblading or walking are scarier. Our paths are shared and second to bikes not following basic rules are dogs running loose with owners not paying attention. Ugh, my own DH went wide across the line in a blind turn riding yesterday. I was livid and still this morning wonder who this man I chose really is...

 

[VickiK]

E-bikes are so much heavier, so getting hit by one on a bike path or trail, where you'd think you'd be relatively safe, is be no joke.

On my street, a very busy one, some people scream by on their e-bikes. That's just dangerous and stupid.

 

[altagirl]

I road ride on bike paths a lot and its the scooters that scare me most. Some of those motorized scooters are FAST and often its families with kids goofing around and swerving in front of you without looking. And I saw a dad accidentally run his own kid off the trail in front of me (he braked and swerved while looking backwards for the kid and ran him straight into the bushes.)

I guess that's the plus of being on gravel - no motorized scooters!

 

[SallyCat]

Congrats, @ski diva ! Glad to hear you're back on two wheels!

I have a neighbor who has a very nice drop-bar E-gravel bike. For her, it's a game-changer socially because it allows her to join gravel rides with her husband and groups of friends who are all competitive bikers, whereas she is a mere mortal.

Enjoy your rides!

 

[geargrrl]

I just picked one up that I am setting up for groceries and errands.

 

[MissySki]

I’m so intrigued by this now, been looking at them since you posted @ski diva. I’m not a big bike rider though, so not sure it’s worth it for me right now.

 

[Jenny]

@ski diva - Do you have it yet?

 

[ski diva]

I do, and I absolutely love it! We went up to the Lake Champlain islands for a couple days to break them in, and it was SO MUCH FUN! And yes, we can get two of them into the car, since they fold.

What I really like is that you can go for a ride and not feel totally beat up at the end. I mean, you still get a good workout, but not to the extent that you feel like you're been through the mill. Going up the hills is just SO much easier!

Here are some pics:

And here they are, in the back of the car: