Before getting an ebike

I was a casual rider at best. I was never particularly confident, but after a move to a very hilly suburb, and a child (now just over 2), my cycling status had moved to entirely lapsed.

I started seriously thinking about getting an ebike when my son hit toddlerhood.

When he was a baby we walked and walked, but once he was a toddler, I was out with the pram less. I found myself making a lot of short car trips to parks, playgrounds, the library and daycare that were a lot of effort to walk but felt wasteful to drive.

We joined some friends riding with their child and it was super enjoyable. We got a bike trailer in an effort to get us back out riding, and my husband could manage it fine, but I struggled up any kind of incline, so it wasn’t a solution for me for everyday use.

The advantages of having an ebike over a non-powered bike are

That I actually use it. It turns the bike into a legitimate transport option. Prior to the ebike, riding with my toddler was kind of a big deal that had to be planned in advance. Our son’s daycare is at the top of a big hill, so there was no way I could ride as everyday transport without a motor. It’s so good to be able to adjust the amount of help you get depending on your terrain, your fitness, or your general level of enthusiasm. If you want to work, you can do that. Also, lets face it, Brisbane is hilly and hot, so it’s a pretty good advertisement for an ebike. I feel far less restricted in where I can go and more freedom to explore and improvise my route – if I take a turn up a really hilly street by accident, it’s fine! Not having to avoid hills as much also makes it easier to stick to quiet roads. I’m a lot more confident riding on the road than I used to be – I know I have power behind me when I need it, and I can be a more predictable rider.

For me, the benefits of riding more are

It’s an easy way to fit in exercise, so my fitness has increased. I do less km in the car, which is good both for my wallet and emissions, and it’s great for my mental health – I am always happy when I get off the bike. I have noticed an enormous difference in social interactions when I’m in the car vs when I’m walking or on the bike. I would talk to a lot of people in my neighbourhood when I was out with the pram as it was easy to stop and chat. I really lost that when the pram trips reduced, but on the bike it’s really easy to stop and say hi again. It really opened my eyes to how important active transport is for maintaining a cohesive community. 

I chose a Tern cargo bike because

They’re made for towing kids. Not only do you have a child, you’ve got *stuff* to drag about. It is so smooth and easy to ride, it feels incredibly stable, and it has some serious get up and go for the hills. If it wasn’t easy for me to get out the door quickly and easily with a toddler in tow, I wouldn’t ride, but the Tern makes it easy. I like that its weight capacity means we should be able to use it for years as my son grows. 

Accessories I added

Thule Yepp child seat – for lugging the small one. 

Tern Transporteur Rack – which happily hauls bags and my son’s scooter (plus fits pizza boxes perfectly!)

Tern Cache box – so I don’t have to think about packing the chain every time I leave the house.

Tern DuoStand – a huge help for loading/unloading.

Rear view mirror – helps me feel safer riding on the road.

Overall

I love my Tern Cargo Bike enough to justify the cost – Tern bikes are not cheap – but I have no regrets, use it plenty, and my son loves it. I think having a child to haul around made it a no-brainer to get an ebike, but I would encourage anyone who wants to ride more to consider one. The staff at EveryBody eBikes were super approachable and helpful – I can highly recommend going to have a chat to them.

This blog was shared by one of our happy customers - Alicia from Brisbane.

EveryBody eBikes are specialists in electric bikes, for families and for commuters, for those just starting their ebike riding journey and for seniors who want to ride with friends, with family and with grandkids. We are with you with every rotation of the bike riding journey.