my new E-bike

I had given up bicycle riding about 20 years ago when I moved to Maine where the roads all around me are 2-lane blacktop's with cars that whizz past you and the hills were more than I wanted to handle on my old 10 speed.

I recently saw an ad online for an E-bike that intrigued me because the price seemed too good to be true.  I had assumed that all e-bikes started at around $1500 and I've heard that you can spend thousands of dollars on them.  After doing more research I found one that I purchased for $640 which I considered affordable enough.  Including tax and delivery I spent about $750 and have added a number of parts to it including speedometer, blinking safety lights, gel seat pad, water bottle etc.  (Click here to purchase this bike - as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

This bike is made by a Chinese company called Ancheer is considered a best buy for affordable yet high quality construction.  While it is quite heavy at 60 pounds it accelerates amazingly well using its 250W motor and 8AH 36 V battery.  I can use either pedal assist mode in three levels of power or full E-bike mode using the throttle much like a motorcycle.  The range is impressive allowing for up to 30 miles in assist mode and 20 miles in full electric mode (all presumably on relatively flat terrain).  It has 26" wheels, front and rear shocks, a Shimano gear set, disc brakes, fenders, and a headlight and beeper.  What more could you ask for!

The other cool thing about this bike is that it folds down quite small so that I can lift it into the back of my Chevy Volt and drive off to fun locations for bike riding:

I have already put over 30 miles on the bike on all kinds of terrain from hilly backroads to extreme off road and could not be happier with it.  The idea of riding 20 miles an hour with very little effort and using the motor to make it easy to climb significant hills is so delightful.  While I am quite fit at age 66, I see no reason to or desire overexert myself if I just want to go for a bike ride.  There is nothing quite like getting on the bike on a hot humid summer day and getting up to speed very quickly - with no effort - but feeling a very delightful cooling breeze at 15-20MPH.

Yesterday my friend and I put both his bike and mine on the bike rack on back of his car and drove up to Camden Harbor here in Maine.  It is a spectacularly beautiful area with relatively quiet back roads.  I had to keep holding the bike back to allow my friend to catch up on his 10 speed.  Often I would zoom to the top of a hill and wait for him at the top.  Here's a view from the top of a small park overlooking Camden Harbor.

And of course all the energy needed to charge the battery comes from my solar power system so it is a 100% green bike.  I get so much joy from riding this bike that I go out as often as I can, and I do get some exercise using it!