{"id":16,"date":"2019-07-02T22:33:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-02T22:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gazelle-blog.pondigital.solutions\/en-us\/?p=16"},"modified":"2021-09-13T21:52:48","modified_gmt":"2021-09-13T21:52:48","slug":"my-first-e-bike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gazelle-blog.pondigital.solutions\/en-us\/my-first-e-bike","title":{"rendered":"My First ebike: Gazelle Medeo T9"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Should I get an e-bike?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been an avid city cyclist for my entire adult life but didn\u2019t consider getting an e-bike until I moved to Washington Heights, the tallest point of Manhattan, last year. I love the lively neighborhood vibe, beautiful parks, proximity to the Hudson and Harlem Rivers, and the South County Trail that I can use to bike out of town at a moment’s notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The downside is that living someplace so hilly has completely disrupted my bike habits. No matter where I want to go, I know a steep climb will be waiting for me on the way home. My bike commute went from 2 miles to over 14 miles, with a big hill on both ends. I found myself using my bike less and less, and walking and taking the subway more and more. I missed biking as frequently as I used to, and thought an e-bike might help me ride more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My first weekend of e-bike rides<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ll go into how I selected my\u00a0Gazelle Medeo\u00a0T9<\/a>\u00a0e-bike in a moment, but first, let me tell you how amazing it is. On the first Saturday with it in my possession, I needed to do some shopping for household items like laundry detergent. Stores were still closed so I placed an order on Target.com and then biked to the Bronx to do curbside pick-up, about 3 downhill miles away. Upon arriving, I saw a line of about 50 people waiting to pick-up their orders, so… I just turned around to head back home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And here\u2019s the thing: I didn\u2019t care about the 200 feet I was going to have to climb to get back home. With my normal bike, I probably would\u2019ve waited in line just to make the trip feel worthwhile, and then complained about wasting my whole afternoon in line at Target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the way home, I decided to take a detour and ride along the Harlem River bike path and then make my way up the very steep hill to Fort George. I have only attempted to bike up this hill once before and was only able to go a third of the way before I got off my bike to walk up the rest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I put my e-bike into \u201cTurbo\u201d mode to tackle the incline, and still huffed and puffed some, but it was totally doable. My new e-bike essentially unlocked my neighborhood. I could bike anywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ebike<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My first commute day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Monday rolled around and I got ready for my first commute. It was forecasted to be a very hot and humid day so I left on the early side when it was cooler, stopping off at my local coffee shop for an iced coffee before hitting the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I cut through Central Park – that hill on the northwest corner no problem now – and made my way to the Williamsburg Bridge to go to Brooklyn. Normally at this point, I would need a break and would stop at Kossar\u2019s for a bagel and juice. On my e-bike, I felt fine, and just downshifted and rode over the bridge with hardly breaking a sweat, then cruised the last couple miles to my office. Glancing at my phone, I realized I had shaved about 20 minutes off the ride time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I checked myself in the mirror when I got inside. I used to be so sweaty when I arrived that it would look like I had just gotten out of the shower. Instead, I was normal summer morning sweaty, as if I had just walked a half-mile to work. Amazing. My e-bike not only unlocked my neighborhood, but it has also unlocked all of NYC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choosing an e-bike<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If this sounds like the bike life you want, let me describe how I ended up with the\u00a0Gazelle Medeo T9<\/a>. I started by doing research on e-bikes, but frankly got overwhelmed pretty quickly with the amount of choices and specs to learn and choose from. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are so many different brands, from big well-known brands like Trek and Specialized to online-only brands like Radpower and Blix. Prices that range from $1,000 to over $10,000. Watt hours calculations, different motor types, pedal-assist vs throttle, different classes, different types of batteries, and different component brands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After spending what felt like hours watching reviews on\u00a0ElectricBikeReview.com<\/a>\u00a0and still feeling like I wasn\u2019t sure of what I wanted\/needed, I knew it was time to go to a local bike shop and get expert help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Woman<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Help from a e-bike matchmaker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I reached out to\u00a0Propel Bikes<\/a>\u00a0because of their stellar reputation in the e-bike community and because they offer an e-bike matchmaker service. After explaining what I was looking for, they recommended the\u00a0Gazelle Medeo\u00a0T9<\/a>. Here’s why it feels like the right bike for me:<\/p>\n\n\n\n