Mea Vita: Carpe Diem

I'd been looking at foldable electric bikes since 2012 and this past July I bought one. My thinking was that I could load it in my plane and use it, instead of renting a car, at my destination. This idea would be a one-bike endeavor, though. Even though my plane can seat four people, it would be difficult to squeeze in more than one bike.

Yesterday, I finally got a chance to try out my transportation mix when I flew up to La Verne to have lunch with my life-long friend, Andy. I told him not to worry about picking me up at the airport. Using my electric bike to cover the four miles from the airport to his house would be a cinch.

It's always a learning experience the first time I try something new. I remembered to pack my helmet and even though the bike has a 25-35 mile range, I packed the battery charger, too, just in case. I even remembered to bring flowers for Andy's wife since they're newlyweds.

I had to laugh at myself when I landed at the airport, took out the bike and hinged it together. I forgot to bring the key. No ignition key for the bike meant no electric power. Of course, I was too proud to call Andy for a lift so I had to use old fashioned human pedal power.

I don't mind making mistakes and learning from them. But I despise making repeat mistakes. So, to avoid this problem in the future I've placed one of the three keys for the bike in my flight bag. I will certainly never fly without it, again.

Prodeco Mariner 7

Two years ago, I checked out my first foldable electric bike in Greenwich Village. I knew it was a matter of time before I bought one. That time arrived two weeks ago as I drove past the San Diego Electric Bike Company in Solana Beach. I made a U-turn, parked, and spent some time speaking with the company founder. Thirty minutes later I purchased a Prodeco Mariner 7 which began my love affair with e-bikes.

The Mariner 7 is a regular, foldable bike, with 20" tires that incorporate a front-wheel drive motor and battery. It easily folds up and fits in the trunk of my Honda Accord. The Florida based manufacturer advertises that the Mariner 7 will go 18 mph with a range of 25 – 35 miles. Of course, range and speed depend on my weight, terrain, and how much pedaling I do.

As the name implies, the Mariner 7 is intended for boat owners – it also works well for those who own planes and RVs. I can pedal it like any other eight-speed bike or use the throttle for some extra zip; or use both at the same time. Obviously, the less I use the motor, the further it'll go.

What I like about my e-bike is that I can ride it around San Diego without breaking a sweat while going up hills on warm days – and San Diego has its share of hills. My bike also draws a lot of attention. Two weeks ago I rode through Balboa Park and snapped some photos. Each time I stopped, people asked me questions about the bike.

Click to enlarge

The most interesting person to ask me about my bike was Rhonda. She seemed to know a bit about e-bikes when she asked me how I liked my Mariner 7. It turns out she and her husband have owned nine e-bikes and she knew all the San Diego e-bike companies and owners.

It's Rhonda's personal story that fascinated me. She used to weigh 457 pounds and lost more than 270 pounds over the past two and a half years. An impressive, transformational achievement.