The Biking Queen

Because someone knew someone who knew me type of thing, I received a phone call asking if Quint and I would participate in the making of the commercial for Chattanooga Electric Bikes that is opening next week on Frazier Avenue. We thought this sounded like a fun thing to do on a lazy Sunday morning so we opted out on a more ambitious bike ride with the bike club to go. This shop is owned by Garnet Caldwell who has working for him a most enthusiastic promoter in his father Ted (unpaid as he says.) They believe these bikes will take Chattanooga by storm!

Me? I wasn't so sure. I figured you were a biker or not a biker. While there might be a few people, like the elderly who would fall in between and appreciate the electric assist, I didn't think there could be enough to actually keep a shop open.

That is until I actually got on one. The ease and manageability of it was addictive! Going up hills-wow!! Sitting up right, with just the softest whisper of a command from my legs, the bike smoothly and gracefully obeyed. If only my own bike obeyed like that! I was feeling like a biking Queen!

Without breaking a sweat ( one of the voiceover comments taped by a young girl for the commercial was "I'm too cute to sweat" which my voiceover reply was"but I'm cute too!". Here after I will always deny that it is MY voice saying that!), I, in very regal fashion, conquered all hills. I went immediately from thinking it would be a fun thing but who actually needs one? to imagining all sorts of people that would could use such a bike.

Who could use such a bike? Anybody who has ever said "I would love to bike to work but..." This bike takes away those buts...but it is too far... but there are too many hills... but it takes too long, and, yes, the can't get sweaty but. Poof! All gone! With this bike the practicality of using bikes as transportation goes up considerably.

I was unwilling to give up the bike after the commercial shoot so Ted insisted I keep it for the afternoon, so off to Chattanooga Market I went. Quint opted to ride his regular bike and having a regular bike to compare to, it was that much more noticeable the ease of it. Never too much or too aggressive but always just right. Exactly like a loyal subject should be. Quint was struggling to keep up with me-not something that happens in everyday life!

My bike had an option of pedal assist or straight motor. Even going up the hill of Forest Ave, I never felt the slightest need to go to straight motor. I liked to keep the feel of pedal assist so I could imagine it was my own effort that produced such immense response. I always wanted my riding to feel just like this!

The bike drew attention where ever I went and surprisingly to me, the most enthusiastic responses came from bikers. They all wanted to go to the Grand Opening next week to test ride one for themselves. Bikers are such equipment geeks!

After Market and grocery shopping at Greenlife and with a short visit at the Crit going on downtown where I felt I could have joined in with the bike racers with no effort, it was time to return the bike. My Queen self reverted back to my usual biking peasant self. My own bike seemed sluggish and unsteady (it seems the electric bike was very stable, something I didn't notice until I was back on my own)

As I slowly trudged up the hills toards home laden with all my groceries in true peasant fashion, I continued to dream of my Biking Queen self. Maybe I do see such a bike some time in my future. Time to let my inner royalty come out!