Me and My Bike

In the summer of 1960, I received my first bicycle. It was a surprising gift on two counts. First, I was a disaster on a tricycle, having decided to tackle a significantly long hill behind my house at our home in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, a ride which ended with me planting my face in the gravel at the base of said hill. Secondly, the bicycle was a gift from my 16-year-old brother, who, by the way, got royal sh—for not supervising me on my tricycle. Either he was being very nice to his little sister or he was hoping I would meet an early demise. Regardless of his motives, it was a generous gift, one he paid for from one of his first paychecks. That bicycle saw me through my pre-teen years and up until the time I received my driver’s license.

My bicycle adventures lapsed for a few years, high school, summer jobs and university intervening. Shortly after Jim and I married and purchased our first home in St. Catherines, ON, I acquired my second bike. The brand escapes me, yet I remember getting on the new ten-speed machine and wobbling around the street where we lived. Yes, it is true – its like riding a bike again! The muscle memory and balance returns. Of course, now the challenge was to learn to shift gears and maximize my efficiency. The bicycle became a key ingredient in my summer adventures as I biked every weekend solo or with my friend Marg, exploring the backroads of the Niagara Peninsula, through orchards and vineyards.

Let’s be clear here – I am not an athlete, never have been. Biking and walking have always been my ‘fitness’ activities of choice. Yes, I have had gym memberships and yes, they have expired. Exercising with equipment and testosterone is simply not my idea of fun. Biking has not only served as physical activity, it has also been a refuge, a place to relax and pedal and sort through the storms in my head.

My second bike saw me through my St. Catherines and Edmonton years, to be abandoned once we moved to Montreal. Yes, there are amazing bike paths in Montreal and there are also crazy drivers. I left my bike behind in favour of the BMW method of transportation – bus, metro, walk. Having given up my car, I walked a lot!

Fast forward to 2020, when once again I became a bike owner. With the assistance of our nephew Graham, who owns Frontenac Cycle in Kingston, we purchased our first e-bikes. Admittedly I was initially reticent. Now 70 years old, I wondered what the heck I was getting myself into. Secondly, was an e-bike really exercise or was it cheating. I have since learned a great deal about e-bikes having completed a fair amount of research and of course experiencing the ‘ride’ first hand. Four seasons and 12, 000 km later, I now consider myself to be a bit of an expert, as flawed as that may be.

My bike, better known as the Green Goddess, has become a regular companion. When weather is on our side, Jim and I are biking as frequently as possible. I am sharing my experience as biking has definitely contributed to my overall sense of well-being over the last four years, not to mention improving my fitness levels. While an e-bike does give you a boost, helping navigate windy conditions, hills and more, our model of bike requires the rider to pedal and still requires leg power.

While we are seeing more and more e-bikers on the paths in Cornwall, the numbers continue to be small, thus I have decided to use this month’s column to share not only my experience but a little more about electric assist bikes. The model we chose is NORCO. This is one of many options available on the market. If you are considering an e-bike, here is a bit of info I gained from my research:

“Electric bikes (also known as e-bikes and electric assist bikes) amplify your pedaling power thanks to an electric drive system. There are many different kinds of e-bikes, but all of them use an electric motor and battery to help you power your bike. Most have a remote or controller that lets you choose the amount of power the system provides and allows you to turn the system on and off.”

There are two types of e-bikes: pedal-assist and throttle. Pedal Assist is the standard method of operation for e-bikes. Pedal-assist e-bikes rely on the rider’s pedaling input to engage the electric motor. The motor senses the rider’s pedaling motion and provides assistance that is proportional to the rider’s effort.

On the other hand, throttle-controlled e-bikes do not require pedaling input to engage the motor. Throttle -controlled have a handlebar-mounted device that can engage (and sometimes adjust) power output from the bike’s motor. Electric bikes with throttles can be completely self-propelled, since throttles tell their motors to dispense power without the need for any pedal motion or input from the rider.

Our personal preference has been the pedal-assist. It gives me a greater sense of control as I, as the rider, am in control of the speed where as the throttle-controlled bikes are self-propelled with a pre-set speed. Call me a control freak. Both choices are great options although if you are biking for physical exercise as well as the biking experience, pedal-assist is the better choice.

Clearly electric bikes might make your ride faster because they make pedaling feel effortless, allowing you to maintain your energy levels for a longer duration. Research studies are confirming that e-bike users are reaping the cardiovascular benefits of regular bike riding as users tend to bike more frequently and for longer distances. So, it is not cheating after all!

Again, from the research, here are our Top 10 health benefits of riding an electric bike: Moderate Exercise, Cardiovascular and Heart health, Improved Muscle Tone, Weight Loss, Boosted Immune System, Improved sense of Wellbeing, Disease prevention and management, Improved Sleep and Rehabilitation for hip and knee injuries/surgery.

We are fortunate to live in an area with a vast array of bike trails and paths, both within the city of Cornwall and throughout the counties. It is possible to bike from Grey’s Creek to Upper Canada Village completely on a bike path. SD&G counties have numerous bike trails mapped out allowing the biker to experience the best scenery in the region. These are available through Cornwall tourism.

Final Thoughts Physical exercise and being outside contribute to your overall health. Whether walking or biking, leaving your house and experiencing nature is an essential ingredient for mental, emotional and spiritual health. Bikes are most certainly a great alternative and certainly e-bikes a choice that facilitates ease in enjoying the biking experience. Having had two knee replacement surgeries, a regular bike was not a viable option for me. I have been delighted with my e-bike, now my regular companion, and the feeling of being back in the saddle again. Yes, after an almost 40 years lapse between bikes, I once again wobbled when I first mounted the bike and pedaled the first few meters. Slowly I have regained my confidence and now feel like I am queen of the road! We have several great bike shops locally with a variety of e- bike options if you are interested. I hope to see you on the trails soon!

Until Next Time,