Electric Bikes! (Emily B. - Dec '19)

Published in the Stevens County Times

Have you seen me zipping around town on the blue bicycle, long skirts and curly hair
flapping a little ridiculously in the prairie breeze? That bicycle—and how it’s changing
my everyday life—has turned me into an “e-bike evangelist.” If you already commute
regularly by bicycle, hurrah! But if you’re someone who is pouring money into a gas-
guzzling monster just to pick up groceries or get to work, please read on.

Electric bikes are becoming more popular and therefore cheaper. They’re also simple to
ride: the battery-powered motor on a pedal-assist bike naturally responds to how hard
you pedal. I ride my e-bike later into the autumn and start earlier in the spring because
the speed makes it comfortable in cold or rain. (With snow tires, it would certainly be
possible to continue all winter.) It’s so much more convenient than my car, especially in
a town of our size. And it’s fun! Think of the sensation of coasting after pedaling hard
on a regular bicycle—an e-bike feels that way all the time.

As a replacement for more time in the car, e-bikes win out for your wallet, health, safety,
and our environment. If you’d like to learn more, I recommend electricbikereview.com.
You can also try one yourself by renting at the RFC, or just get in touch with me to
borrow mine sometime.

Emily Bruce

2 Likes

I love this letter. Can @EmilyB share where she bought her :bike:? She let me ride it when she first got it, and I was amazed at how much power and speed that thing had. I’d used a “battery assist” bike years ago and it didn’t really provide a lot of power. Emily’s, though, really rockets :rocket: if you crank it up.

3 Likes

Thank you, @Nic_McPhee! I bought my beautiful Specialized :bike: (it’s blue, contrary to the emoji) at a terrific bike shop recommended to me by @Susan_Gilbert & Nic: Great Northern Bicycle Co., located in an old train depot in Fargo. Jake’s Bikes in Alexandria also carries electric bikes (Trek, I believe), and did a spring tune-up for me last year.

2 Likes