e-Bike Mania 1/8/22

Bicycling and bike sales sky-rocketed during the first year of the COVID pandemic in our area. The three bicycle shops in State College had difficulty maintaining stock, due to a combination of vigorous sales and supply chain problems. There were lines many days outside the shops. So many area residents got their bikes out of “mothballs” that local bike shops moved to scheduling mechanical work two or more weeks out.

Sales of e-bike conversion kits and e-bikes also spiked during the first year of the COVID. On area rail-trails it became very common to see e-bikes and e-conversions. Rail-trails, municipalities, and states placed restrictions on the power and speed of e-bikes given they can be much harder on riding surfaces (especially packed crushed limestone), and because they can surprise other riders as they almost silently approach a unexpected higher speeds. Common e-bike restrictions are motors under 750w and maximum attainable speeds of 20mph.

Two of my neighbors were early e-bike adopters, which they use as transportation to and from home and campus. If you live within a few miles of campus riding an e-bike is much faster than walking, and especially faster than driving given traffic and parking. As one of those neighbors explained, it also is “perspiration free”.

For Christmas I asked Santa for an e-wheel so I can go back to riding area bike trails with challenging hills. An e-wheel also puts riding the entire 62 miles length of Pine Creek Rail-Trail in one day within the realm of possibilities. A Swytch Kit minus the option hand throttle (so it truly worked as an assist) was my choice:

https://electrek.co/2019/10/31/review-swytch-electric-bike-conversion-kit/

FLASH - SANTA CAME THROUGH!