E-bikes Coming to Hanover
The Upper Valley E-Bike Lending Library will be in Hanover from June 8 to 28. Volunteers from Sustainable Hanover and Hanover Bike Walk will offer a mix of two-day rentals and one-hour test rides for community members to experience why electric-assist bicycles (e-bikes) are an increasingly popular choice for local travel. See the schedule and make a reservation (required) online. As in prior years, the event is free.
What’s new this time? A foldable mini e-bike has been added to the Library fleet. During Dartmouth graduation weekend, the June 11 Demo Day and June 12-13 pickup/drop off will be held at Gile Hill, a convenient location for test rides on the Medical Center bike path. All other Demo Days and two-day rentals will be held at the Hanover Parking Garage. Also new this year, the E-Bike Library is operating under the sponsorship of Vital Communities.
E-bikes make it possible for more people to get around locally without using a car. They have battery-powered motors to supplement the rider’s own pedaling to help them ride further. Some describe e-bikes as “riding with the wind at your back”, especially on Upper Valley roads with hilly terrain. Studies have shown e-biking improves the rider’s health and fitness. The cost for recharging an e-bike battery amounts to pennies instead of gasoline dollars. When more people choose to drive less, air pollution and carbon emissions go down, there is less traffic and less wear-and-tear on the roads, and the pressure for more and more parking is reduced.
The four e-bikes in the Library’s fleet represent an assortment of styles and price range, from a “cargo e-bike” that can haul groceries or kids to lighter-weight “commuter e-bikes” to a foldable mini e-bike.
So far, more than a third of the people who have borrowed Library bikes have said they plan to buy one of their own.
Hanover will host three Saturday “Demo Days” offering one-hour appointments to test-ride one or more e-bike models, and 28 two-day overnight loans for a more in-depth experience. Last year Sustainable Hanover and Hanover Bike Walk also held special Demo events for the Hanover Public Department and Town staff. They plan to host a special Demo for Hanover teachers this year
Besides Hanover, the Library will travel to eleven other Upper Valley towns and one workplace (Hypertherm) in 2022. It was started in 2020 by a consortium of volunteers representing several town energy and sustainability committees facilitated by Vital Communities. Previously logistical support was provided by Burlington-based nonprofit Local Motion. This year, the project is fully supported by Vital Communities.
Questions? Email sustainablehanovernh@gmail.com
