I had been thinking about buying an electric bicycle for many, many years. My hesitation was that, the price seemed a little out of my reach, and I was not sure if I would use the bicycle enough to justify the cost. However, when Covid-19 first started, in Victoria, I had to cancel my annual Cross Canada motorcycle trip. I decided to use the money I saved from my (now cancelled) vacation to buy an electric bicycle. I bought a Cannondale Electric bicycle, in early May. Since then I’ve never looked back. I began riding every day simply for exercise. I had cancelled my gym membership when Covid started and I found riding the bicycle to be a great way to get in my cardio. I also enjoyed riding so much, I started to use my electric bicycle for getting groceries, dropping books off at the library, getting to the post office and a host of other errands that I used to do by car. I now use my car as little as once per week. This saves the environment, saves me money by buying less gas, and contributes to my exercise program and it’s enjoyable. The funny thing was, I was one of those car drivers that wondered if the bicycle lanes in Victoria were worth the money for taxpayers. Now I love the bicycle lanes and wish we had many, many more. I’ve also taken so many side routes to my usual destinations, that I’ve come to know many of my close neighborhoods so much better. I was having so much enjoyment, that my husband bought a new electric bicycle. He loves his bicycle as much as I do. Then we decided to buy my grandson, age 8, a new (NON-electric) bicycle so that he could learn and ride with us on some of the trips close to his home neighborhood. We were able to introduce my grandson to the Lochside trail and the Galloping Goose. He was over-the-moon to be riding on these trails, and usually wanted to be out in front and was as fast as we were on our electric bicycles. Overall, the experience of our new bicycles for us and the whole family has been amazing.

Sheila Best, Victoria