• bicycles,  bicycling,  Transportation

    New Wheels

    So I purchased some new wheels, a Class 1 electric bicycle. I have been thinking about one for a while but never seriously did anything about it, allowing it to remain a fantasy. It has been a part of the idea of simplifying my life and reducing my carbon footprint. I was also highly influenced by a book titled Curbing Traffic that was recommended to me by one of the baristas at a coffee shop. Over the past few years I have driven my car less , using the city’s mass transit and walking. I primarily use my car as an escape from the city, bulky groceries, traveling longer distances or when cold, or inclimate weather convinces me to take the car.

    On the advice of a friend and since I had never ridden one, I decided I would take one out for a test ride. Fortunately or unfortunately, it was love at first ride. I handed them my credit card when I got back. I even liked the color! 😁 I made the purchase on August 9th and have already ridden over 200 miles with it. Hopefully, over the next few weeks I’ll share with you information about how it’s working out for me and what I’m learning. So far everything is positive, almost feeling like a kid again. Even though I’ve ridden bicycles throughout my life, this is turning out to be a new experience. I’m 74 years old and wondered if I was too old for this; primarily my strength, balance and reaction time. I am also discovering that an e-bike rides differently, so there are plenty of lessons to learn. Pedaling on….