Why My Pedal-Assist Ebike Changed Everything
I’ll admit it – I was skeptical about ebikes. Maybe it’s because I’m attached to my vintage Cannondale hybrid, or maybe I had this idea that using electric assistance somehow wasn’t “real” cycling.
My boyfriend bought me a pedal-assist ebike for Christmas. I’d been dealing with some lung issues, and I think he thought it would help encourage me to keep riding. I was sort of embarrassed to have one and felt weird talking about using my bike. Funny how our vanity affects us, isn’t it?
The first thing I noticed? It still felt like riding a bike. You pedal, you steer, you brake – all the familiar motions are there. But then you feel it: this gentle, almost magical push that makes everything easier. It’s not like a motorcycle where you twist a throttle and zoom off. The motor only kicks in when you’re pedaling, amplifying your effort rather than replacing it. (There are ebikes that have a throttle. They’re like large mopeds and that’s not what I have. They’re not allowed on the trails around me.)
I rode through some rolling hills that normally would have had me wondering why I thought this was a good idea. Instead, I found myself actually enjoying the climbs. The assist didn’t do the work for me, but it smoothed out those moments where your legs start burning and your breathing gets heavy. I was still getting exercise (I could feel it in my muscles) but I wasn’t gasping for air at the top of each hill, though I was breathing a bit heavier.
What surprised me most was how it changed my whole mindset about the ride. Instead of mentally calculating whether I had enough energy to make it up the next hill, I was actually looking around, enjoying the scenery, having conversations. The physical challenge was still there, but it wasn’t overwhelming everything else.
A pedal-assist bike has let me ride with my boyfriend and keep up. It’s discouraging to always be lagging behind.
I think there’s room in my garage for one more bike after all.
Curious about the technical side of pedal assist? This beginner’s guide explains how the technology actually works.
