I thought I knew what an E-Bike customer was, but it turns out I didn’t. Here I am, surrounded by great bikes that will help people find their freedom and I was surprised by who was attracted to a bicycle that feels like it’s always riding with the wind.
An E-Bike is a traditional bicycle with an electric motor to assist with pedalling and riding. While some of the E-Bikes have throttles, all have Pedal Assist so that when you ride, it feels like dad is running along behind you giving you that little push to get started and keep going.
Mary came into our shop with a friend who was looking at upgrading her bike. As we visited I became aware that Mary wasn’t always loving her bike rides because she struggles with chronic (long-term) arthritis. This means that shifting gears can be difficult and that a small hill can be enough to get her off the bike and pushing. We talked about what an E-Bike could do for her and scheduled a day for her to come in for an extended test ride.
Three days later, Mary and her husband Ted arrived with their helmets, ready to try the E-Bikes. We got them equipped with two bikes, a Norco Scene VLT and an unpowered Norco Scene 3. They were encouraged to trade back and forth to get a feel for the bikes and what the assist could do.
Half an hour later they arrived back at the shop with big smiles and a renewed vision for what cycling could feel like. With an E-Bike, Mary could ride with any of her friends and not feel the limitations of her arthritis. Ted could see that cycling could be fun, predictable and limitless in where they could go. Beyond the adventures, Pedal Assist gets Mary’s joints moving without the sharp pain that comes with starting. Moving is one of the best treatments for arthritis but the pain of starting is one of the greatest hinderances. An E-Bike is a small miracle in providing freedom to Mary in a way she hadn’t thought possible.
Next time I’ll tell you about George who’s taking his E-Bike places that his RV won’t go.