“There is beauty in silence and there is silence in beauty and you can find both in a bicycle!”
Mehmet Murat ildan
The gift of riding. That’s a simple statement but I think it needs to be expanded on. I had been looking at bicycles because I began having issues with my back when I walked more than 5k steps. This August it will be two years since I purchased my e-bike. From that purchase a new world opened for me and the gifts began appearing. So here are some reasons I consider riding my red steed as a gift. It includes good cardio exercise since it does not bother my back. I do not have to deal with the insanity and congestion of traffic. I spend less money on gas, put fewer miles on my car and I pollute less. I am spending more time in the elements of nature. This was a surprise because the riding puts me in nature rather than being enclosed in a car. To enhance the experience of nature I enjoy taking the Spring Creek Trail, even though it’s a longer ride than across campus. In taking that trail I’m experiencing more of the sounds, sights and smells of nature. While riding I am in the midst of the beauty and the silence of nature. For me it is the gift of a spiritual experience and a wonderful way to start my day.
I bought the Trek Verve+ 1 bicycle. I did a lot of research into what I wanted before settling on this bike because I felt it met my needs as a Class 1. It has a small rear hub 250W motor with 40NM of torque. That easily gets me up any hills around here. The battery is rated at 250Wh, is integrated in the downtube, and lets me get about 32 miles on a charge. It has a Shimano 8 speed shifter, which has more gears than I need or use. I handed them my credit card after the return of my first test ride!
2 Comments
Earl
Like many kids, I grew up riding my bicycle, spending countless summer hours exploring on two wheels. Eventually, I moved on to motorcycles for work, transportation, and sport. I truly loved the freedom of the two-wheeled world. These days, though, my rides are limited to my feet, a car, an office chair, or a Lazy Boy recliner.
There have been plenty of times I’ve considered getting an e-bike—especially since Bonnie vetoed any thoughts of a motorcycle. However, the riding environment here is a far cry from what you find in Fort Collins. Convenient bike paths and lanes are more the exception than the rule. Where they do exist, they’re often just narrow painted lines squeezed onto already busy roads. Sidewalks, when available, may seem safer for cyclists, but riding there is generally discouraged or restricted.
Things have improved somewhat in recent years, but in my view, the area still has a long way to go before it can be considered truly bike-friendly. To make matters worse, many drivers here are aggressive and often oblivious to motorcycles—let alone bicycles. So, for now, my e-bike dreams remain just that: dreams.
In your circumstances, it was a great decision, Monte, and you were wise to choose the e-bike you did. I do envy your supportive environment.
One very positive thing you forgot to mention about your bike—it’s a beautiful, bright red! 😁
Monte Stevens
You ride a Lazy Boy recliner? I’m totally jealous now!
Seems the car has become a dominant factor in our infrastructure design. And because of that, we design communities and neighborhoods with the car in mind first. Even though I have a bike friendly community, there are still neighborhoods that are not bike friendly. I find it interesting how many neighborhoods do not even have sidewalks. The car dominates. And there are roads in this town that you will not find me riding a bicycle on. And in this country, it seems there is a feeling of privilege to have two and three cars. For some, along with the feeling of privilege, comes aggression.
Yes, I am grateful to live in a bike friendly community and not just in Fort Collins. We now have bike/ walking trails that connect Fort Collins to Loveland to Greeley. The city has even built bicycle underpasses on major roadways. I have two underpasses on my ride to the coffee shop, therefore no car interaction to deal with and no stops.