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Has the idea of using an electric bike, called an e-bike, piqued your interest? If so and you are looking to extend your range of bicycle travel, you are in luck. Coming to Minneapolis, the E-bike Challenge is March 23–24, 2019. Mark your calendar and plan to see and test the latest e-bike models on the shows indoor test track.
So what is a pedal-assist electric bike
Also called a “pedal-assist” bike, an e-bike has a battery and motor that allows a bicyclist to ride farther, with greater ease. Some cyclists, using an e-bike, can reach a distance of up to 70 miles on a charge. With a pedal-assist system, the rider must pedal to engage the motor to enable a more leisurely ride. see more in the shows: E-bike/Hike Guide to prepare the questions you will want to ask.
With more than 30 bicycle brands exhibiting at the show. Each brand will have several models, so choosing the right type of e-bike for your style of riding. Making it easy to find an electric bike for commuting, recreational riding or hauling cargo, Plus options for shuttling the family, e-trikes, e-fat-bikes, and many e-bike accessories.
A fun test track, many workshop presentations and more
Just imagine, after narrowing down your e-bike selection, taking the bike out for a spin on the indoor track set up around the at the E-bike Challenge. The event also features breakout sessions, a kids’ bike test track, an e-bike theater space, fun family activities, and more.
Breakout sessions at the event include, “Easy commuting by e-bike” and “The secret of ice fishing with a fat tire e-bike.” Another keynote presentation will feature, “How to build the future bicycling friendly city.”
Tickets for the E-bike Challenge are six dollars at the door. When purchased online, they are four dollars; and children up to 12-years with a parent or guardian are free.
For more information about the E-bike Challenge, including vendor information, visit www.ebikechallenge.com. For more information about the organizer, visit www.hicle.com.
Has the idea of using an electric bike, called an e-bike, piqued your interest? If so and you are looking to extend your range of bicycle travel, you are in luck. Coming to Minneapolis, the E-bike Challenge is March 23–24, 2019. Mark your calendar and plan to see and test the latest e-bike models on the shows indoor test track.
So what is a pedal-assist electric bike
Also called a “pedal-assist” bike, an e-bike has a battery and motor that allows a bicyclist to ride farther, with greater ease. Some cyclists, using an e-bike, can reach a distance of up to 70 miles on a charge. With a pedal-assist system, the rider must pedal to engage the motor to enable a more leisurely ride. see more in the shows: E-bike/Hike Guide to prepare the questions you will want to ask.
With more than 30 bicycle brands exhibiting at the show. Each brand will have several models, so choosing the right type of e-bike for your style of riding. Making it easy to find an electric bike for commuting, recreational riding or hauling cargo, Plus options for shuttling the family, e-trikes, e-fat-bikes, and many e-bike accessories.
A fun test track, many workshop presentations and more
Just imagine, after narrowing down your e-bike selection, taking the bike out for a spin on the indoor track set up around the at the E-bike Challenge. The event also features breakout sessions, a kids’ bike test track, an e-bike theater space, fun family activities, and more.
Breakout sessions at the event include, “Easy commuting by e-bike” and “The secret of ice fishing with a fat tire e-bike.” Another keynote presentation will feature, “How to build the future bicycling friendly city.”
Tickets for the E-bike Challenge are six dollars at the door. When purchased online, they are four dollars; and children up to 12-years with a parent or guardian are free.
For more information about the E-bike Challenge, including vendor information, visit www.ebikechallenge.com. For more information about the organizer, visit www.hicle.com.
Has the idea of a bicycle with an electric motor, called an e-bike, caught or piqued your interest? If you are a commuter or recreational cyclist looking to extend your range of travel or you are dealing with a disability, you are in luck. Coming March 23–24, 2019 the E-bike Challenge will be in Minneapolis MN. The Challenge will showcase the latest e-bike models with an opportunity to try them out on the shows indoor test track.
If the idea of a bicycle with an electric motor piques your curiosity, the E-bike Challenge should be on your calendar.
The show is the first e-bike event in the United States of its kind. The E-bike Challenge Minneapolis is a place for consumers to compare and test e-bikes; at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
Also called “pedal-assist” bikes, an e-bike has a battery that allows a bicyclist to ride farther—from 50–55 miles—and with greater ease. Some bicycles carry two batteries allowing a reach of up to 70 miles. The bicycle doesn’t do all the work—the rider must pedal for the “assist” to engage, enabling a more leisurely ride.
Compare all the latest e-bikes and accessories at the Challenge.
With at least 30 bicycle brands exhibiting, attendees of the Challenge will learn about—and be able to test ride—e-bikes and accessories from a variety of vendors: offering e-bikes for commuting and recreation to e-cargo bikes, e-family bikes, e-trikes. You will even find e-fat-bikes for winter or off-road riding, along with many e-bike accessories.
From Europe, the E-bike Challenge organizer
Hicle, Inc., is organizing the E-bike Challenge event. “Hicle” comes from Hi(ke and cy)cle and is dedicated to helping people “hike and cycle in the most comfortable, safe, and clean way possible.” In Europe, the Hicle organization is known for the most significant consumer fair in the world for bicycles and cycling tourism.
The show will combine both cycling tourism and cycling sports into the venue to give you all the facts.
Theo Jorna, the owner of Hicle, has been active in bicycling since the early seventies. Crossing several continents and many countries, over the years, by bicycle to promote improvements in bicycling conditions. He started the Dutch equivalent of the Adventure Cyclist, as well as a magazine for traveling cyclists. Jorna organized his first Bicycling Tourism fair in 1995 and had also organized expos for cycling with children. He recently held an E-bike Challenge in the Netherlands. Combining both cycling tourism and cycling sports that event attracted more than 40,000 guests.
“We chose to host the first E-bike Challenge in the United States, in Minneapolis because the interest and the bicycling infrastructure is already in place here,” said Jorna. “There is great potential—increasing the use of e-bicycles as tools of transportation and mobility will greatly impact our daily lives as a community and society.”
Bicycling around Minneapolis
Minneapolis has 129-miles of on-street bikeways, with 97 miles of off-street bikeways. Local interest in cycling for recreation, as well as commuting, continues to rise. The E-bike Challenge will provide hands-on experience for attendees to try out and experience the many types of e-bikes and accessories.
“What if people could cycle farther or not have to put their bicycles away in the winter?” said Jorna. “A person in his or her seventies could pedal an e-bike as if they were forty again. Two or three generations could enjoy bicycling together.”
A fun test track, many workshop presentations and more
Attendees of the E-bike Challenge can try out e-bikes on an indoor track set up around the venue. The event also features breakout sessions, a kids’ bike test track, an e-bike theater space, fun family activities, and more.
E-bike industry reps will be on hand to answer all your questions.
Breakout sessions at the event include, “Easy commuting by e-bike” and “The secret of ice fishing with a fat tire e-bike.” A keynote presentation will feature, “How to build the future bicycling friendly city.”
Tickets for the E-bike Challenge are six dollars at the door. When purchased online, in advance, they are four dollars; and children up to 12-years are free.
For more information about the E-bike Challenge, including vendor information, visit www.ebikechallenge.com. For more information about the organizer, visit www.hicle.com.
See online, at HaveFunBiking.com, free maps for bike-friendly destinations in the upper Midwest.
The Classic 2.0 Garment Pannier may be the perfect travel bag for bicyclists. Especially when packing dressier clothes for the commute to work or touring. If your next trip requires posher duds for that special event or evening attire, Two Wheel Gear has you covered. This pannier is roomy, with a universal attachment system that fits any standard bike rack. When space is needed for a suit, this pannier works perfectly for the touring cyclist and the business professional. If dress attire is not a prerequisite, the space is flexible enough to keep all your gear neat and organized.
This carry-on luggage, with a laptop, all fits into the Classic 2.0 Garment Pannier below.
Items transferred from the carry-on luggage comfortably lay in the Classic pannier.
For me, the pannier works well when exploring a new destination to write about or biking to a power meeting. See the video on this multi-functional pannier. With this bag, there are fewer chances of the clothes wrinkling when secure in the pannier. I can safely pack my laptop, presentation boards, and promotional material for meetings with the Two Wheel Gear’s Classic. As the perfect all-in-one luggage bag, this pannier also meets airline carry-on requirements. Plus, in the satchel position with the shoulder strap, it’s easy to carry.
The Two Wheel Gear’s Classic 2.0 Garment Pannier, in its satchel position, meets airline requirements for carry-on.
The key features of the Classic 2.0 Garment Pannier
For the daily commute or a multi-day bike trip, the Classic 2.0 Garment Pannier is a great addition to any cyclist’s gear inventory. With several compartments in the bag, organizing everything you need to shower and change for a productive day at the office or on a trip is a breeze.
This Classic Garment Pannier comes with a clip-on bag to store the highly visible waterproof cover.
The Two Wheel Gear universal mounting system
The universal mounting clips on the bottom side of the panniers make it a snap to clip the bag onto the rear rack. That is all that is required to mount the Classic Garment Pannier (see video) easily.
Here the Classic’s highly visible and waterproof cover protects the pannier from wet weather and road residue.
Waterproof, high visibility cover
In a clip-on pouch, the Classic’s cover will keep your gear dry in wet weather conditions. Using the neon green cover with reflective silver accents over the panniers also adds additional visibility to the bike. A helpful tip: If the pavement is wet and the bike lacks wheel fenders, consider using a sheet of plastic material over the bike rack before securing the bag. This will act as a guard helping to repel moisture away from the underside of the pannier.
The Two Wheel Gear panniers exterior offers reflective material and straps to attach a blinking light for more visibility.
Plus a padded sleeve for a laptop
Everything about this Two Wheel Gear bag is durable and high quality. Even the zippers to several compartments will help keep things organized. The bag also has a 15″ padded sleeve compartment designed for a laptop. This allows me the opportunity to leave my computer bag at home and use more of the Classic’s all-in-one features.
Seasons change and eventually we are left with more darkness than daylight, thus night biking. day. This annual march to the darkest day of the year was the inspiration Robert Frost needed to write Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. On occasion my “Little Horse” asks if “there is some mistake”, but of course Frost was talking about the animal and I the machine. The draw of the dark and cold is the same though, snow muffles sound and darkness can be beautiful. If you haven’t tried night mountain biking, I encourage it!
Snow, dark, and silence make mountain biking at night great.
Night biking, who turned off the lights?
You will need a good light to mountain bike at night. I recommend to start with something around 1000 lumens, but more if you can get it. Be aware of the beam pattern when you buy a light because while a wide and dim beam would be great to alert passing motorists of your presence. When mountain biking, you need all the light in front of you, so for that reason try to find a light with a rather narrow beam. Another consideration when buying a light is if it can be mounted on your helmet. Many riders prefer to sync their light with their sight line, so they can look around corners and up the trail if needed, while pointing the bike where it needs to go. By contrast, bar mounted lights only point toward where you are going at that moment.
Buddy system is best for night biking
Night riding is not a time to go it alone. It’s not as if the actual riding is any more dangerous or difficult, but if there is an issue, you are far less likely to run into a helpful passerby at night. Therefore, bring your helpful passerby along with you. The only issue I have had riding with others at night is the shadows that more than one light will produce. This issues is easily remedied by spreading out a bit further than you would in the daytime.
Night Riding in groups is fun and safe.
What to expect when night biking
The greatest part of night riding is it’s ability to surprise you. As an example, I find that trails I know by heart take on new dimensions when my light is focused but limited. This change of visual often directs me to take new lines and approach areas differently. Also, you see totally different wildlife in the woods at night. Coyote, owl, and bats are some of my more favorite night time friends. Finally, mountain biking at night gives you the feeling that you are going faster. I don’t exactly know the psychological reasons, but when you can only see 20-30 feet in front of you, those feet seem to accelerate faster than if your vision was unlimited.
Quiet
Riding a mountain bike at night is also a chance to enjoy the quiet. Fewer riders and less commotion helps me eliminate one more distraction and just enjoy the trail. Add in snow to muffle any sound that is there, and you have the recipe for a Zen like mountain biking experience.
Surroundings melt away leaving only the trail ahead.
“But I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep”
We all have a life outside of our bike, and far too little time to live it. Riding your mountain bike at night is a way to find hours you might not normally have to ride. After the kids are asleep, the dishes are done, lunches are packed and laundry folded, consider mountain biking an alternative to turning in for the night. You might just love what you find!
As we wait for the new year, page through some our posts here and in the HaveFunBiking Blog, on Facebook or Instagram. You will find plenty of fun pictures of cyclists enjoying 2017.
Enjoy the pics we captured below
Fun is fat bike riding in the Minnesota River bottoms in Bloomington, MN, through the winter.
Fun Riding the Saint Paul Bicycle Classic.
Considering a bike commute as part of your routine, it might add a bit of brilliance to your next story as you share some of your successes.
Family fun riding across the U.S.
Bike touring season is in full swing here in Minnesota and the Fergus Falls Bike Advocates arrange dinner, accommodations and warm welcome to the Ziemer Family this summer.
Lakeville Minnesota’s new mountain bike trail is a sweet ride!
If life were a mountain bike trail and Wheelie Wednesday helped smooth out your day-to-day ride, have fun dropping into your sweet spot.
Ice Cream smiles from AAA Auto Club staff.
Its Ice Cream Smiles Sunday and here a couple AAA staff members tip a cone after spending the day introducing their new Roadside Service program for bikes, in Iowa.
Most agree that home-made country fresh pie is one of the best delicacies on a bike trip.
These lucky biker chicks found some desert samples at this table on a Root River Taste of the Trail ride.
Winter fun is only a bunny hop away!
There are tons of exercises, drills and products to help you keep you shape through the winter months, but we think some fat bike fun is still the best!
Sharing the road with another mode of transportation!
Fun biking in Southeast Minnesota’s Amish Country on the Root River Bluff & Valley Bike Tour.
Biking opportunities around the world
It is fun to take a European bike vacation to explore the Netherlands and the 100’s of bicycle routes that follow the picturesque canals and rivers there.
With below normal temps snow is sticking throughout the upper half of Minnesota making it perfect for some fat bike fun as this biker chick demonstrates.
Now rolling into our 11th year as a bike tourism media, our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun. While highlighting all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more destinations you can have fun at we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. As you scroll through the information and stories we have posted, enjoy!
Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you may know that we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to: [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each), of who is in the photo (if you know?) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger, to be considered. If we do use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.
As we continues to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your next bike adventure – Also, check out the latest Bike Guide, mobile friendly as we enter into our 9th year of producing print and digital guides.
So bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure. Please share all our pic’s with your friends and don’t forget to smile. We may be around the next corner with a HFB camera ready to document your next move while you are riding and having fun. Capturing you in one of our next ‘Pic of the Day’ posts.
Along with Lupine’s SL-A7 we received a smaller package containing the Rotlicht (German for “red light”). While on the exterior it looks t be a normal red blinking light, this little package houses big features. With the brightness of 160 lumens (higher than some front lights) and an internal rechargeable battery, this light might just be the best rear blinker ever made. Read on to see what else is hiding inside.
Unique blinker light features
One thing this light does that is totally unique, it gets brighter when you stop. Thanks to an accelerometer inside, the Rotlicht can sense when you are slowing and increase its output. Additionally, you can preset one of 20 different output settings (4 blink modes with 5 brightness levels).
Construction
As far a blinking lights go, this light is in a class by itself. Most lights are injection molded plastic, with poorly fitted o-rings designed to keep everything water resistant. How the Rotlicht differs is its CNC aluminum case. The lens and electronics are bolted into place and all the seals are snug and sure to be waterproof (although their site doesn’t give specifics as to how waterproof it is?). Also, the USB charging port is located on the back of the light, well protected from the elements, it uses a custom rubber plug to keep it dry.
How it fits
One of the best parts of the Rotlicht is how secure it mounts. The aluminum case acts as a great foundation for the lights long rubber pads. Those pads keep the light nearly immovable when mounted with the included rubber strap. I have ridden this light for a few weeks without it slipping down or twisting on the seatpost.
Moving forward
Like any product tested here in Minnesota, I am really excited to see how it handles the cold and wet winter ahead. So far the Rotlicht has shown remarkable promise even after being subjected to a cold, wet, salty ride. Stay tuned for a complete review.
I really didn’t know what to expect when I heard we were going to be reviewing Lupine’s new SL A7 light. You see, Lupine is a brand I always hear excellent things about, but until now have not had the pleasure of trying one myself. This is by far the clearest and brightest 900 lumen light I have ever seen. It turns out the light uses a custom reflector and lens to focus the light exactly where you need it. Hearing amazing things about their quality and durability as I researched the light. My first experience with their product reinforced everything I have heard and more. Read on to learn more.
Lupine road bike light out of the box
What I did know as I opened the box, Lupine is a German based company. They do all the development and production in house and the light comes in a robust box with ample foam padding. The padding is precisely cut to fit the components and hold them firmly in place. based on their excellent packaging, I would say it’s unlikely your light could arrive damaged due to shipping. In the box you will find the lamp, battery, charger, two straps, mounting hardware and a pair of small wrenches. Overall, the light looked great and was rather light weighing just over ½ a pound. After reading about the light I was saddened to see its output was only a 900 lumen. Typically, I find most lights below 1000 lumens to be rather dark for my commute. Turns out, I was way totally wrong as you will see.
The SL A7 mounted to my handlebar.
My first impression
Like I said, 900 lumen lamp isn’t usually a lot of light. What I have learned with the SL A7 is that the amount of light is not as important as how that light is used. Turns out the light’s lens is as important as the light’s final output number. We will touch more on this later.
First, I mounted the light to my bike. The light uses a handlebar mount that appeared to be delicate. That elegant mounting system is easy to use and surprisingly holds the lamp firmly in place. I then secured the battery with the shorter of the two supplied straps and it showed no signs of moving.
Detail of Lupine’s SL-A7 elegant mounting hardware
First Ride
Upon kicking off for my first ride with the SL A7, I could not believe what I saw. This is by far the brightest, clearest, and most capable 900 lumen light I have ever seen. The light uses a custom reflector and lens to focus the light exactly where you need it and not waste any of the beam. It is difficult to explain, but the beam almost appears to be a solid bar of light, running horizontally, across your field of vision. In addition to Lupine’s mastery of the beam location, they seem to also offer a better color than I am used to seeing. Again, it’s hard to explain without seeing it, but the light has a color that seems to eliminate excess glare and shadow. I was able to see more than I typically can, and see it clearer.
The battery run time is published to be 3 hours. In my initial test, received every minute of that 3 hours before recharging. The battery itself was really keen with a push button charge indicator that worked well.
Detail of the 6.6 Watt Hour battery included with the SL A7
Future tests
Although designed for on road purposes, I plan to take this SL-A7 light off road for a test. Our trails are pretty smooth, so I don’t think vibration will exceed the lamp’s mounting capabilities. Additionally I want to see exactly how much light this thing can throw in the woods. Another big concern of mine is to see how the light handles cold temperatures in the upper Midwest. So expect a lot of sub-freezing rides comments in my next review. All in all, if this light continues to perform like it did initially, I see a very good final review coming. Stay tuned.
MagicShine might not be the first name you think of when going out to buy a bike light, but maybe it should? The company’s beginnings were humble. In 1999, Minjun Electronic (Magic Shine’s parent company), opened for business in Shenzhen, China with the intent to produce LED light components. As a result of the need for a high quality/low cost light, in 2008 MagicShine was created, bursting onto the scene with the MJ-808 light. In fact, that light produced a startling 2000 lumens at a cost less than ½, of its competitors. Now, almost 10 years later they continue to produce cutting edge lights at approachable prices, like the MagicShine MJ-900B.
What makes this Magicshine Light so unique?
The MJ-900B is a 1000 lumen, single beam, rechargeable LED light. This Smart Light mounts to your handlebar and it recharges with a USB cable. At maximum brightness, the MJ-900B has a runtime of over 2 hours. Overall, these stats aren’t unique to the MagicShine, what is exciting is that this light can connect via Bluetooth with an app on your phone to manage light power and mode. On top of that, it retails on MagicShine’s website for $79.99 (well below any of its competitors).
Out of the Box for the first time
Out of The Box
The MJ-900B comes in a sturdy box, with a clean, die-cut foam packaging so you shouldn’t expect any damage from shipping. In the box you will find the lamp, lamp strap, battery, battery strap, USB cable, and instructions. The lamp is exquisite in design, and uses what appears to be only super durable materials. The lamp in held in place via a rubber strap that hooks the lamp’s steel baseplate. Whereas the rubber strap isn’t unique, the fact that they use steel rather than plastic for the base is special. Additionally, the Lamp has large cooling fins cast into the back of the light which are both elegant and robust.
Lamp details front and side
The battery is well sealed and sports a large, soft, rubber base that should hold well against any type of surface. The 18” battery cord is removable for storage and watertight once installed. There is a rubber cap on the backside that can be opened to expose the charging port. Next to the charging port is a USB port you can plug into to charge other devices and a power button that displays the batteries current charge.
Detail of the USB charging doc, power indicator, and removable battery cable
Bluetooth app functions for MagicShine
I downloaded the MagicShine App to see just how well it worked. The first thing I noticed was that the App started without asking for access to any of my phone’s files (it’s a major pet peeve of mine when apps need access to unrelated parts of your phone). Once the app opened, you add your email address and receive an activation code through e-mail quickly. With the code in, the app connected to my light automatically. From there, it was super easy to navigate. Changing light settings or functions is as easy as tapping the icon and if you find settings you like, they can be saved for later use.
The Bluetooth app is really easy to navigate and expands the amount of control you normally have over your light
Moving forward
I am excited to see how long the light runs and how quickly the battery takes to recharge. As a point of reference, the light came out of the package with a full charge. Considering that package was most likely sealed months ago, it’s a good indication the batteries are pretty stable. Keep an eye out for the extended review coming up soon.
To lead a fulfilling life, at any age, the first thing to do is fall in love with your mode of transportation you use to get around no matter the weather. Considering a bike commute as part of your daily routine, it might add a bit of brilliance to your next story as you share some of your successes and adventures.
Heading to work or running errands here are some tips to stay comfortable when riding not matter the weather.
View all the fun ideas and bike destinations in the latest Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends in one of Minnesota’s HaveFunBiking Destinations.
Thanks for Viewing Our ‘Commute’ Pic of the Day
We are now rolling into our 10th year as a bike tourism media. As we pedal forward our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun while we highlight all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.
Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you may know that we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to: [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each) of who is in the photo (if you know) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.
As we continue to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure – Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile friendly, as we enter into our 8th year of producing this hand information booklet full of maps.
Remember, bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends and don’t forget to smile. We may be around the corner with one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo apperance while you are riding and having fun. You could be in one of our next Pic’s of the Day.
