I am a 60 year old computer architect and have been working at a large Hospital for more than 25 years. Sitting in front of a computer screen all day makes me crave the exhilaration of being on two wheels and e-bike riding.
I first heard about e-bikes at the start of the pandemic. We were all looking for a way to socialize and still stay safe. I felt that the bikes at the time still needed bigger batteries and bigger motors and overall more refinement. Then in 2022, a lone YouTuber posted a series of videos featuring the Troxus Lynx. I was hooked on the elegant design and practical features. Fast forward to 2023 and I have a beautiful bright red Troxus Lynx.
Armed with a 750 watt motor and a 20 amp hour battery the local bike paths were my new playground. The steep hills of Connecticut were now flat. The next step was to find other like minded riders for group events.
Find a local riding group. Search Facebook groups. Look on Meetup dot com. Talk to your local bike shop. You may find a group that is already dedicated to e-bikes. You might only find a traditional cycling group. Don’t be afraid to contact the group and inquire if the group is open to e-bike. Unless it is a group training for the Tour De France they probably already have a member or two with an e-bike.
Here are some other steps to being a successful group e-rider.
Become knowledgeable about e-bikes in general so if anyone in your group has questions, you’ll be a strong resource to help out. You’ll also need to know your bike well enough to manage a field repair or share specifications about your e-bike with others who are interested.
Be familiar with the ride area. When is traffic light/heavy? Where are bathrooms along the route? Are there interesting areas for scenic rests? What restaurants are good for a memorable meal? Remember that you’ll either need a team member to watch the bikes or you’ll need outdoor dining where you can sit near the bikes.
Range anxiety. Make sure everyone will have the range to complete the ride using moderate pedal assist level. I am spoiled because my Troxus Lynx has a 20 amp hour battery and can go between 30 and 60 miles depending on how much I want to pedal.
When you are ready to announce the event or club, make sure to collect and/or share contact information. This can be helpful if a person gets separated from the ride. You’ll also want the ability to contact the e-riders to set up future rides. You might want to have inexpensive business cards made so people can reach you after the ride or if they want to pass your name along to their friends for building up the meetup group.
If you’ve announced your ride on social media you might want to post a reminder leading up to the ride. Include information such as a rain date, expected weather, scheduled stops, etc.
Be early to the meeting location. There’s nothing worse than expecting someone only to find them MIA. As people arrive, introduce yourself and introduce the riders to each other. If nobody is interacting, ask questions about their e-bikes in order to generate a group feeling. How long have you owned that one? Do you feel it’s a smooth ride? What do you like best about your e-bike? If someone has never ridden an e-bike offer to let them ride around the parking lot.
Before you go, discuss a few safety issues such as distance between riders, protocol with traffic lights, and what they should do if they get lost. Someone should carry a first aid kit, just in case. Let the riders know who has the first aid supplies so they can flag you if they get a bee sting or a scrape.
When it’s time to go, GO! Try not to wait too long for others to show up. If you feel uncomfortable with this, mention it in a reminder post, “We’ll be leaving promptly at X:XX.” Make sure everyone has a phone and a helmet.
Start slowly. It will always take a bit of time for riders to get used to the group pace. Once everyone seems in sync, you can pick up the speed and move toward more challenging terrain.
Ask for feedback at every opportunity. Use lunch breaks and rest stops to ask riders if they are enjoying the ride. Ask if the speed is comfortable. Ask if there’s anything you can do to make the outing better.
When you return to your original location, Ask more questions before people start packing up. You’ll want to know who is interested in another ride and where they might like to go. Find out if they have friends or family who might want to come along next time, and get the contact info if possible. Thank every person individually for coming on the ride. You might even be able to set up a date for the next e-ride. Remember that it sometimes takes time and patience to form a group of e-riders who work well as a team. Just keep your focus and try various ways to announce rides. Eventually you’ll be a skilled and experienced E-Bike Team Member.
Final Step: Make sure you are having fun.
Interested in becoming a Troxus Ambassador？
Interested in becoming a Troxus Ambassador？
