Jenny Block
From Childhood Rides To Grown-Up Adventures With The Cool New Ebike, And It’s In Glacier Blue
By Jenny Block Photography By Jenny Block & Courtesy Of Lectric Etrike
There’s something unforgettable about that first taste of freedom: wobbling down the street on a shiny new bike, streamers flying, training wheels rattling in defiance of gravity. For many of us, that moment was the beginning of independence; a passport to the neighborhood, the park, or simply the thrill of moving under our own power. Fast forward to adulthood, and the same exhilaration is alive and well, only with a bit of extra horsepower (ok, battery power). The Lectric ETrike brings back that youthful joy of riding, but with a grown-up twist: stability, comfort, and an effortless boost that makes every trip, from quick errands to scenic cruises, a ride worth remembering, according to our girl on the go, Jenny Block, in the Houston area.
I grew up in an era where I would leave the house on Saturday mornings as soon as the Bugs Bunny cartoons were over and come home when the streetlights came on. Most of my friends were on their bikes. I was not. I could not seem to get the hang of riding a bike. I felt too wobbly, too out of control. I always wanted to put my feet down and, inevitably, I would always manage to fall.
My dad tried really hard to teach me. Really hard. And that man has taught me nearly everything I know. But even he couldn’t seem to help me crack the code. I did finally learn. I was probably 11 or 12 by then. I was still pretty terrible. But I could manage. I didn’t do it much. I hated the feeling of going fast, and I was always terrified I wouldn’t be able to stop. I would take the bike to and from. However, I would never ride just for the sake of riding.
Fast forward to adulthood. I have been on a bike a handful of times. A couple of times on a beach cruiser. Once on a fat wheel bike tour in New Mexico. Once in Paris, I promptly fell into the rain at an intersection.
I’m not very athletic. I don’t have the best balance. And I am not the strongest gal in town for a couple of reasons, not the least of which is my age.
Despite it all, though, I have forever longed to ride a bike, preferably a pretty one with a basket and a bell. I just wasn’t sure it was in the cards for me. But that all changed in an instant.
I had heard plenty about both adult tricycles and electric bikes. But I hadn’t tried either or the combination of the two. That is, until I got my hands on my new true love: a glacier blue electric tricycle, the XP Trike, from Lectric Ebikes, to be exact, which costs around $1500.
First of all, it could not be any cuter. Secondly, it could not be any easier to ride. Now I was not there to bear witness. However, my wife said that putting the etrike together was more challenging than she had expected. But a video and a second pair of hands definitely helped!
The good news is, once it’s put together, you are off to the races. The battery comes charged enough to take a spin right out of the box.
I have to admit, I was nervous. Super nervous. The last time I had been on a bike, the day ended with me in an embarrassed puddle of tears. It seemed like whenever I told someone I couldn’t really ride a bike, they would dismiss me.
“Everyone can ride a bike,” they would say.
“Not me.”
“You’re being silly. Just give it a whirl.”
And I would. Like the time I was on a trip where the itinerary included mountain biking. I declined, and the instructor continued to insist. So I suggested he watch me ride in the parking lot area set up for kids to practice the switchbacks, braking, and alternate terrains. The minute I started riding, or instead wobbling, around, I heard him whisper, “Oh my God.”
I yelled over my shoulder, “I told you.” I did not go mountain biking that day. Or ever. Very slow rides in the park on flat, even terrain on a bike with fat tires lowered so I could put my feet on the ground – which I know is not correct – is all I’ve ever really done in more recent years and only on a handful of occasions.
But this was a whole new day, and I was determined to make it one marked by a successful, dare I even hope joyful, day on my bike. My bike.
So I got on and, although I nearly let my nervousness get the best of me, once I trusted the bike, I was cruising along. I had to remember not to look at my feet and not overcorrect. I had to take a deep breath and pedal. And I did. I did it. And when an incline was too much for me, I could give it a little juice. And when a decline was too fast for me, I could just put on a little brake.
I love it. I love, love, love it. I feel so happy and secure on that bike. And, don’t laugh, I feel proud. I’m riding a bike again. It may not be a big deal for many. But when I couldn’t do what felt like such an easy, simple thing for everyone else, it made me feel small. My etrike makes me feel big. Really big.
Even if you don’t necessarily need the third wheel for ease of balancing or need the electric motor for a little push, both are still splendid to have. My wife loves riding it, and when it’s extra hot, as it often is here in Houston, she doesn’t have to work quite as hard or sweat quite as much, which is a welcome treat.
You know that song that goes, “Well, I’ve got a brand-new pair of roller skates. You’ve got a brand-new key”? I know it’s a bike and not skates. And I know that song isn’t literally about roller skates or a bike. But it’s sweet and silly and happy. And it goes through my head whenever I am on my bike or even thinking – or writing – about my bike – because that’s exactly how I feel on my new bike. If I’m being honest, riding it makes me feel downright giddy.
I’m learning every day, never to say never. Sometimes all you need is an extra wheel and a little push…
