In November 2017, my husband, Peter Minnich bought an electric bicycle. He was one of the first people in the Mount Washington Valley to get one. He had been an avid cyclist since 1979, pedaling both mountain and road bikes. He toured fully loaded across Vermont and the length of New Hampshire, rode his bike across Iowa and climbed Mount Washington four times. He started Mountain Cycle Guide Service, led tours and produced mountain bike maps of this area for over 25 years. Why did he want or need an e-bike?
Age was one factor. He was approaching 75 and was slowing down, couldn’t handle technical single track or cranking up hills like he once did. A recent health issue was the other reason. Prostate cancer and radiation treatments left him with no energy. He could barely walk up hills, much less ride them.
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