Richard Young reflects on how e-bikes are changing the way people of all ages are experiencing Vancouver’s streets, parks and waterfronts
Richard Young
Journalist
Wooweeee the good weather is here!
Finally I get to ride my new-to-me, second-hand e-bike. I bought this puppy on New Year’s Day through Marketplace, and I’ve been waiting all winter to get it out on the road.
It’s an Armada Recon e-bike made in China. A brand new one sells for around $3,000. Mine’s a few years old and I picked it up for a thousand bucks.
It needed some work… Fortunately, my nephew has the exact same model, so the two of us spent the winter fixing it up. We remounted the handlebars and replaced the throttle assembly. Now it’s finally ready to ride.
My bike originally came with six heavy lead-acid batteries, similar to car batteries, which made it incredibly heavy. I swapped them out for a single lithium battery that’s just as powerful, but weighs about 70 pounds less. A lighter bike means I can travel farther on a full charge.
The downside is that lithium batteries don’t perform well in cold weather. That’s fine with me, though. This bike is strictly for summer; winter riding is too dangerous anyway.
Besides, with a top speed of 32 km/h, it’s perfect for getting around town. I can ride it on public roads and in bike lanes without needing a licence, registration or insurance. Though, a word of caution: bylaws are constantly changing, so it’s worth checking with your municipality if you’re considering buying one.
OK, enough tech talk. Let’s talk about the joy of riding. Oh my gosh, I just love it.
There are more bike routes than ever, and they’re so well planned. They take you through great neighbourhoods, parks and along the beaches, all without having to battle heavy traffic.
You can get around the city in record time, and 32 km/h is plenty fast enough for a senior like me.
Imagine yourself cruising slowly down a tree-lined street with the cherry blossoms in full bloom beneath a bright blue sky. Your ride is almost silent, but with a twist of the throttle you have all the power you need to glide ahead. What could be better than that?
There’s the Stanley Park Seawall, Kits Beach, Granville Island — all of it within easy reach.
My bike is a bit big for me, but I see senior couples older than I am riding more traditional-style e-bikes along the seawall. Some of them probably aren’t able to ride regular bikes anymore, yet they’re out there enjoying the freedom of being on two wheels. I love seeing that.
The e-bike generation is here! Oh, did I mention?
I LOVE MY BIKE!
Richard Young
Journalist
Richard Young was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and came to Vancouver in 1970. Richard has been a part of Megaphone for seven years, first as a vendor. He is now a member of The Shift peer newsroom as well. He volunteers at Agape Church in Burnaby and is also a “Chinatown ambassador” as part of the Chinatown Community Stewardship Program, fostering a more harmonious community in and around Chinatown. He's a sucker for his Grandma's famous apple pie.
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