#ebikestories Episode 3: Commuting by E-Bike
Commuting by e-bike is a breeze: the miles and the hills melt away and you arrive without breaking a sweat. When CalBike asked you to share e-bike stories to support our campaign for a $10 million e-bike affordability program, many of you told us how much you love your e-bike commutes. Here are four inspiring stories of e-bike commuting.
Erin Shannon aka Queenie, Bay Area
I was encouraged to invest in an eBike in late 2018. A Dear Friend and co-conspirator modified my bike to accommodate errand running and commutes with panniers and a basket. This eBike has substantially changed my life for the better.
The pedal-assist makes it easy breezy to go up hills, and roads that normally I would not have even tried are tackled with only a little effort. I recommend them to anyone who asks about it. I think everyone needs one! I was very out of shape and didn’t think I would ever find an exercise option that I loved doing, but this is it. I lost 35lbs with the initial 12-mile a day commute and I actually get a bit depressed if I am unable to get out and ride regularly.
I use my bike for commuting to and from work, weather and transit permitting. And for my grocery runs, most items will fit on that bike! I went from being super inactive and sitting hours in my car every day and hating it so much to the freedom of riding my bike easily to and from the ferry and BART and back. It was a total game-changer. Once I started riding my eBike I never looked back. I ride to commute to and from work and run errands, including some big grocery runs on the bike.
I never thought I could do this, I thought it was ridiculous to think I could ride a bike regularly, but with the pedal-assist on my eBike and all the extra custom features my friend added, this is a luxury commute/errand running bike and I would not trade it for the world. It is great for my mind and body.
I think you can safely say I am in a committed relationship with my eBike.
Jean Severinghaus, San Rafael
I rode my regular bike weekly from San Rafael to meetings in Berkeley and took my bike on the bus across the RSR Bridge. Great ride. That bus only goes hourly so I’d often wait up to an hour each way for the bus depending on my schedule.
However, when the RSR Bridge bike pathway opened, I could take my e-bike round trip without the bus time lag. So e-biking cut out the bus delay and even though it was a longer pedal, my days became much less time-consuming.
Peggy Arnest, Fresno
I used to live about 9 miles from work and would commute on my bike twice a week to work in downtown Fresno. However, we moved and my commute is now over 13 miles. It was just too far. I tried it a couple times, but it was exhausting and if the temperature was much over 90 degrees, which happens often in Fresno, I felt like I had a heatstroke by the time I got home. I purchased an electric bike and was back to commuting twice a week. I absolutely love it! I can vary the power to get the exercise I want or kick it up to high power when it is close to 100 degrees without getting too overheated. I used to not ride if it was too windy, but with the electric bike, you can barely tell there’s wind. :D
Jim Hilton
Igave my Subaru away and bought an e-bike just over a year ago. I ride 6.5 miles each way to work in the next town over. I’m lucky to have a trail a block from my home that leads me over the river, through the dairy land, to our business/industrial zone. I have rain gear and waterproof panniers and can ride right through winter (coastal living).
No car payments, insurance, oil changes. Better view of the world, mental health, and respect of my peers. Extra cash improves retirement prospects, about 5 years out. 25-minute commute vs. 12 in the car.
Do you have a story about commuting by e-bike? Or running errands, riding with kids, or another tale of happy e-biking that you’d like to share? Fill out this form or tweet your e-bike love @CalBike using the hashtag #ebikestories – or both!
