By Clarence Bass had interesting advice about e-bikes I hadn’t thought of in one of his June articles. This is based on the article “What you need to know about electric bicycles” in the June issue of Harvard Health Newsletter. Many people who are turning to e-bikes as we get older. Some, like myself, have been riding regular bikes and maybe want a little help to extend range or increase our speed so we can keep up with a group. And they are great for that purpose as we already have bike handling skills.
But there’s a segment that I hadn’t thought of: people who haven’t been riding, perhaps for decades, and turn to e-bikes as a fun way to exercise. There’s a danger here, because your bike handling may be rusty but right away you’re on a machine that allows you to go fast. This is especially true in the US, where we allow class 3 e-bikes that can go up to 28 mph (45 kph). To avoid getting in over your head and perhaps crashing, it is best to start slowly, keeping your bike at a low assist setting until you get some hours of riding around under your belt to gain confidence before trying higher speeds.
