I’m 60 years old. Almost. And averagely fit for my age, well perhaps a bit better than average, but I would never consider training to do a marathon or anything like that. But I absolutely LOVE my ebike.
I grew up in the countryside riding bikes a lot and have always loved the sense of freedom on a bike and the fresh air, the connection with the landscape and everything in the natural environment. Walking is nice, but too slow, and in a car I’m in a bubble, separated from my surroundings.
I cycle to work at the University of Bath, about a 6 mile ride, and I can cycle up North Road at between 7–10mph. At the top of the hill I feel like I’ve had some exercise, but I’m not too out of breath or too sweaty and I still have energy to teach, cycle home again, do the garden and look after my animals. I couldn’t do it all if I rode a normal pushbike.
One of the huge benefits of cycling is that it’s easy to park. Driving around in a car, looking for a parking space and paying Bath parking rates puts me off going into town with my car. I’ve got two panniers on my ebike which hold a surprising amount of shopping, but I hardly feel the extra weight when I’m pedalling.
Some people worry about the traffic and there are certain roads that I avoid. I will choose a longer route if it’s prettier and safer. If I ever don’t feel safe, if the road is too narrow or isn’t well designed for cyclists, I get off and push the bike along the pavement for a while until I feel confident again. I feel I’m doing something for the environment in terms of emissions and fuel consumption and it saves me money too.
I’ve had my ebike for about three years and have done over 5,000 miles on it now. Riding it is such a pleasure and I’m thinking of doing a cycling holiday on it. You honestly get all the pleasure of cycling without the pain of slogging up the hills.
Cycling purists say it’s cheating but it’s so much fun I don’t care. Anyway, driving is cheating 🙂