Yes, I got an ebike.
No, I didn’t get rid of any other bikes.
Yes, I still ride my non-electric bike.
No, it’s not cheating.
Let me back up a little bit and explain. I didn’t intend to get an ebike. I was contacted by the good folks at Rad Power Bikes in January, as Kailey and I were gearing up to go to Washington DC for the National Bike Summit. With a bold statement that “We design and build electric bikes that are built for everything, and priced for everyone” I was excited to partner with this company.
As a frequent bike commuter in Seattle, I’ve looked with envy as increasing crowds of folks joined bike commuting with a Rad Bike and was excited to ride a Rad bike for the time we were in DC. When our travel plans got cancelled thanks to COVID-19, we kept up communication and they generously shipped a bike to my house!
I’ve had my ebike for three weeks and to say I love it is an understatement. I’m honestly super impressed with so many things about it - the setup, customer support, and thoughtful details on the bike.
Prior to the bike arriving, the team at Rad sends you a number of emails, which serve to a) get you really excited about your new bike b)educate you on what to expect and c)obsessive tracking on the FedEx website.
As a disclaimer, I have some mechanical experience, so putting together the bike was pretty simple It comes nearly fully installed, only requiring mounting the handlebars, front wheel, light and fender. They kindly send you a cute little toolkit as well, with just about everything you need to put it together (except a torque & pedal wrench.)
In less than an hour after unboxing, I was ready to take it on my first test ride. (Quick note: Rad encourages you to have a professional mechanic inspect your bike before riding - I had a friend help me check it out who worked as a shop mechanic for many years.)
To be fair, this bike isn’t a replacement for my current Surly. I’ve found myself riding it for errands - I no longer feel daunted by trips up to Phinney Ridge or across town to the Central District. These are all routes I would do on my non-electric bike, but it’d be a sweaty, kind of hard ride and to be honest, I’d usually opt for my car. Since getting this bike though, it really has become a car replacement. I still ride my regular bike for fun, exercise, and when I want to go on a really long ride.
In short - different bikes, different purposes.
I quickly realized I needed a front basket and ordered the large basket and platform from Rad. One thing in life I don’t love is details - confirming compatibility with eyelets, disc brakes, all that jazz. Rad has made it super easy and painless and manufactured nearly all of their accessories to fit all of their bikes. They clearly state on their website which accessories work with which bikes and installation is pretty painless as well.
I’m really excited to continue to put this bike through the paces and see what its really capable of. I’m looking forward to commuting to work on it once we’re allowed back in the office. I think this bike will enable me to commute by bike more and enjoy the process again.
If you’re on the fence about getting an electric bike, I seriously recommend testing them out. There are all sorts of models out there and price points ranging from $1200 to much higher, and hopefully they’ll continue to contribute a more sustainable future for all.
Social Distance Bike ride through my favorite road, Interlaken Drive