Steve Fagin: Charged up over e-bikes
Sep. 12—A few years ago, when former national champion bicycle racer Jim Case found it increasingly difficult to keep up with younger riders on hills, he joined a rapidly growing trend and switched to an e-bike.
"Isn't this great!" Jim exclaimed the other day, while he and I were zipping up North Stonington's relentlessly tough Wintechog Hill Road, aboard power-assisted bikes. We were still pedaling hard, but the lithium battery-charged motor provided an extra boost. After cresting the hilltop, we shut the power off and relied totally on our legs.
A couple days later I joined Jim and his wife, Carol, on an e-bike ride that included several steep grades along the Groton shoreline. Once again: Power on going up; off heading down.
Jim and Carol, who live in Groton, are both 82, but neither looks nor acts their age.
"I like to go fast," Carol said with a smile. Her assessment of the e-bike: "I think it's fantastic!"
Carol is a founder and oldest member of The Turbo Girls, an informal group of local women who ride e-bikes several times a week. They typically cover 25 to 30 miles, but sometimes stretch it out to 40 miles — "with a coffee break in between," she said.
Jim, who at age 60 won the mountain bike national championship for his age group on a strictly human-powered cycle at Vermont's Mount Snow, has also placed second and third at New Hampshire's prestigious Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb. Now, decades later, he still rides competitively and likes to train hard with cyclists who sometimes are less than half his age.
"I only use the power going uphill," Jim said, "I don't want to lose any fitness."
The Cases also joins weekly rides with the Pequot Cyclists, a local club whose members include e-bikers as well as traditional, pedal-only bikers. The e-bikers tend to stick together on those rides, Carol said.
While some hard-core, pedal-only bicyclists may sneer at e-bikers, and some parks prohibit them, I enthusiastically support everybody who wants to enjoy the great outdoors — particularly those with mobility issues, as well as those who are getting on in years.
First of all, let's clear up a popular misconception: An e-bike is not a motorcycle. It won't move without a rider doing at least some of the pedaling. Secondly, it can't be propelled at highway, or even secondary road speeds. One class of e-bikes can only go 20 mph, another, 28. Of course, e-bikes and pedal-only bikes can coast 40 mph or faster on steep downhills. At a glance, a casual observer can't distinguish an e-bike from a traditional bicycle.
I do have some misgivings, though, about using e-bikes, and even traditional mountain bikes, on some footpaths. They can be disruptive for hikers and also erode trails in fragile terrain.
By and large, though, nearly all the riders I encounter while hiking through the woods are polite and respectful of the environment.
Still, the growing popularity of e-bikes is forcing some parks and nature preserves to re-evaluate permitted activities on their trails. Many already regulate a wide range of uses, including horseback riding, pushing baby strollers, and even running.
Jim and I wound up pedaling 25 miles through hilly parts of Ledyard, North Stonington, Stonington and Groton, and I had a rewarding first time on an e-bike, loaned by Jim and Carol. I also had a wonderful ride with the Cases that included a section of the paved bike path between Haley Farm and Bluff Point, along with roads around Groton Long Point and Noank.
Of course, you don't have to be riding an e-bike to savor the spectacular view of Fishers Island Sound and the mouth of the Mystic River from the top of Palmer Court in Noank. But I admit it was wonderful having the power assist when Jim and I finished our ride by climbing the long, winding, steep access road off Route 1 that connects Groton's Sutton Park, Ella T. Grasso Technical School, Fitch Middle School and Fitch High School atop Fort Hill.
That hill goes up, and up, and up some more.
"You try that without an e-bike," Jim said.
Some advice for those who may consider buying an e-bike: The fastest-growing segment of the bicycle market, e-bikes are much more expensive than traditional bikes — the average price is about $2,000, with entry-level models selling for $1,000, and top-of-the-line models pushing $20,000. Low-end traditional bikes can cost about $100, while custom-built racing bikes can sell for as much as top e-bikes.
Be sure to buy from a reputable dealer, and that the rechargeable battery is certified by a qualified testing organization such as Underwriters Laboratory. Black-market batteries have been blamed for numerous fatal fires.
Book talk Monday at Kelley's Pace in Mystic
I'll be at Kelley's Pace running store in Olde Mistick Village at 6:30 p.m. Monday to discuss and sign copies of my new book, "AMC's Best Day Hikes in Connecticut & Rhode Island."
This 350-page volume, the fourth edition of a popular guide published by The Appalachian Mountain Club, has been revised and expanded with new hikes that range from easy strolls to strenuous scrambles.
Hope to see you there!