How Much Bike Do You Need.
I was speaking with my buddy Tim about the state of the e-bike industry. He pulled me up short, simply stating that he had decided to move on. I understand his frustration as more and more absurd junk is getting us kicked off trails, lanes and MUPs every where.
Tim mentioned that his simple Bob Marley bike (pictured) will get him everywhere he needs. He had Greg Harper install a kick back two speed hub and a dual pivot cruiser side pull up front. These help him to deal with Muscatine’s river bluffs, but that’s as technical as this bike gets. If he needs to be somewhere, he leaves early. When he hits a hill he just slows down. Why are we in such a hurry (especially looking at you my fellow retirees…worried about missing Wheel of Fortune?).
Most of you haul your bike to a multi-use path. Many are former rail ways. You aren’t climbing hills or entering a race (you shouldn’t speed train on trails, lanes or MuPs anyway). Do you really need multiple speeds, much less an e-bike? You aren’t working up a sweat and it wouldn’t matter anyway because you aren’t going anywhere. Remember getting around on a single speed when you were a kid? It works!
I notice the same thing when I ride my antique 3 speed British and Stingray bikes. Simple, unfailingly reliable, they get me where I am going. My daily commute takes about ten minutes longer (I hope never to measure my life in minutes saved). If I ride my e-bike the same speed, I don’t even think about range, even with a 5 year old 10ah battery (thanks again Tim for the used battery).
Don’t get me wrong. I still love e-bikes, but we are putting way too much emphasis on getting somewhere fast and not enough on enjoying the journey. E-bikes are great for replacing car miles. They make cycling more practical for commuters or just visiting friends, but you aren’t seeing the deer lurking at the side of the path, or the eagle’s nest when you’re zipping along at 20mph (if you are, you are a danger to yourself and all those around you). You have to pay attention to road imperfections or the kid that might dart our in front of you.
Friday I had a gentleman approach me about reprogramming his bike. I instantly braced for the usual request for more speed. He said he wanted to cruise the local river front and observe everything around him. He felt his 500 watt Aventon was just too fast. He didn’t want to pedal hard, but he also didn’t want to be speeding. It’s like 5 miles. He doesn’t want his ride to be over so fast. If we enjoy our rides, why are we in such a hurry for them to be over?
I get it, there are a hundred reasons to get around more quickly. Some will ask, “why not walk?” Of course, the answer to this last is that walking is 1/5th as efficient (which is why I do not bike for exercise). Still, why not carefully consider this next time you take off on your e-bike. If you see somebody speeding, encourage them to enjoy what they are missing.