The bicycle thread

[Charlotte]

I have been riding more in the last five years, and two falls ago I bought an ebike.

Friends, it is the very best thing I have ever purchased. Getting in an ebike produces an instant sensation of being 30 years younger. I look for excuses to get out there for a few hours or a day. I hang out and keep up with some much younger colleagues on long rides on gravel roads and single track trails. I go in random exploration rides of my city. I do the 49 mile round trip commute to work some days.

Now I am planning a ride across the state in the spring, making it a public history social media event. We'll see if I pull it off.

I'm glad to hear you've had such success with ebikes. I have been considering getting one. Which one did you choose and are there any drawbacks/things to consider that you would advise before getting one?

[darkstarrynight]

I am just jumping on here because while I do not ride, my spouse does. In fact, I think cycling has finally made hu comfortable with where we live, in a small college town. Hu has two bicycles plus an indoor stationary one for colder months. There is a very nice cycling community here that hu is involved in, and in the past few years hu has participated in several organized rides and races around the region. First, hu cycled in-state, but recently has done regional rides and races in nearby states. Hu also has a bike rack for road trips to bring one or both bikes along. It will be fun to follow this thread.

[larryc]

I'm glad to hear you've had such success with ebikes. I have been considering getting one. Which one did you choose and are there any drawbacks/things to consider that you would advise before getting one?

Go to your local bike shop and try some out.

I wasted a year in research and indecision. There are so many options, and so many are brand new companies. My two most important decisions were 1) go with an established bicycle brand, and 2) get a mountain ebike.

The first is so that when I need a replacement battery in five years I'll be able to get one. And the mountain bike is the most versatile. On roads you're fine because of the assist, but you can also veer off to explore that dirt road or trail or just pop a curb and cut across the park. So much fun.

I got a Giant Explore. I do these long wild rides where I take side streets out of town, catch the rail trail to the state park, and then bomb around the trails until I'm good and lost. Or maybe drive out in the countryside and then do a long loop of gravel roads and lakes and cemeteries (my odd hobby I guess). It's exhilarating.

I turn 60 in a few months and this is my favorite thing I have ever owned. Get one.

[jimbogumbo]

Thanks larryc! Just turned 68, and will be joining my wife in Colorado at the end of next year. I seriously want one, as she's younger and an avid cyclist. I have a Trek hybrid now, and have been looking at their ebikes.

[Charlotte]

Thanks! It sounds wonderful. I'm definitely going to be purchasing one soon but feeling rather indecisive about if I should go with one designed more for road or trail. I don't want to limit my options but I'm not sure how often I'll get out on trails either. I'm very excited though and looking forward to some longer rides exploring!

[Charlotte]

Anyone else bicycling a lot? I took the plunge and bought an electric bike. It's incredible! I'm very happy with it and with the weather getting less cold I'm looking forward to some longer rides.

[apl68]

I've been riding around town again now that spring is here.  I'm still trying to work back to the endurance I had before my accident the year before last.  Recently I rode for about an hour non-stop.  Still more worried about dogs than I used to be.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I've been considering buying a bike to ride around our neighborhood. It has been awhile since I've been on a bike!

[mamselle]

Re-opening since someone mentioned looking for it!

M.

[larryc]

Whose got summer bicycling plans?

I bought an ebike a few years ago and wheeee! It is like a regular bicycle except you are 30 years younger. If that sounds like something you'd enjoy.

Last summer I rode from Montana to the Olympic coast, 650 miles, staying in hotels and riding mostly rail trails. IT WAS EPIC FUN. Now I'm trying to figure out the next adventure.

Who's got a bicycle trip planned? Or dreamed of?

[ohnoes]

I am slowly building my outdoor miles.  I became a devout indoor rider while rehabbing an injury but hated my road bike because it was so difficult to ride.  Turns out all it needed was new tires.

[Volhiker78]

Whose got summer bicycling plans?

I bought an ebike a few years ago and wheeee! It is like a regular bicycle except you are 30 years younger. If that sounds like something you'd enjoy.

Last summer I rode from Montana to the Olympic coast, 650 miles, staying in hotels and riding mostly rail trails. IT WAS EPIC FUN. Now I'm trying to figure out the next adventure.

Who's got a bicycle trip planned? Or dreamed of?

I don't bike but I have driven portions of the Natchez Trace Parkway around Natchez and Nashville.  Car traffic during June when I was on it was very light.  But there were lots of cyclists. Here's an article about biking the trace:

https://www.scenictrace.com/top-3-tips-for-biking-the-natchez-trace-parkway/

It's scenic, not spectacular like Montana. I was visiting historic sites on and nearby the Parkway. There are places where the Original Natchez Trace is still visible and can be hiked for a short distance. I thought was pretty cool walking on such an old 'trail'. 

[Sun_Worshiper]

I used to bike all the time and I own a very road nice bike.... but I rarely use it these days and it is mostly collecting dust in the garage. I should break it out more often.

[lightning]

Anyone go biking in the Netherlands? I thought it was weird that no one was wearing helmets, so I didn't wear mine. I saw a couple of Americans wearing helmets and they looked ridiculous. BTW, those Dutch people bike really fast.

[darkstarrynight]

My spouse got a serious injury in a bicycle accident a few months ago and is recovering from surgery through the summer. It has been difficult since hu cannot be active and cannot move much or drive.