This week, I had the chance to test-ride the Heybike Mars e-bike, which was possibly the hardest test I’ve ever given an e-bike. It was more difficult than the Hill of Doom and more difficult than my 20-mile trip from my suburb to the city, which required climbing a mountain without any bike lanes. The Canvas Test, the most difficult of them all, was the test I gave it.
WHY A CANVAS ON AN ELECTRICICLE? If you have ever canvassed for a candidate, you are already accustomed to the routine of going door to door, urging people to vote for your candidate, and strolling the streets.
Canvassing can be physically demanding, especially when lengthy staircases and driveways are involved. When the homes on your list are far apart, it may also need frequent getting in and out of the car.
Usually, the canvas organizer provides you with a list that you may complete with a partner in around two hours. By the time you reach the midway point, it may seem tedious. Your feet are sore, your gas is running low, or both, most people aren’t home anyway, and those who are either cranky or short on time don’t want to talk.
On an e-bike, not so. Last year, I canvassed for the first time on an e-bike in a neighborhood across from mine. It resembled magic. Every minute was enjoyable, and I traveled farther and faster in a car or on foot. I couldn’t wait to do it once more.
Additionally, the environment in that specific neighborhood was favorable for canvassing, e-bike or not. It was in an older, flatter section of the city where the houses were near to each other and the curb.
CONSULTATION ON A MARS E-BIKE Last Saturday while canvassing, I put the Mars e-bike to the test. This time, I was given the task of canvassing in a less than desirable area of town that is more suburban, either on foot or by car.
It was impossible to cross the area on foot alone this time because the residences on my list were dispersed far. Although a car would be useful, every home in that area of town is set back from the road, necessitating a long walk from the curb up a driveway to reach a walkway to the front door, with typically some steps thrown in for good measure. The amount of footwork was enormous, even with a car.
Another choice would be to use a bicycle, however in this neighborhood, the streets abruptly curve around a hillside. As a result, the majority of the driveways are also steep. A fit biker could complete the route in two hours, but the rest of us couldn’t.
The obstacles vanished and the terrain was simple to navigate when using the Mars e-bike. I rode the bike for about three hours nonstop, including the hour it took to get from my house to the mustering place. Even though I didn’t finish my list in two hours, I managed to do far more than I could have by using a car, foot, or non-ebike.
The Mars e-bike vomited out each of those unpleasant, steep routes one by one after chowing down on them like a tiger. Another significant time saver was riding the bike up driveways. I’m not sure about your town, but in mine it is acceptable to ride a bike up someone’s driveway but not to park your car there unless you have been invited. Each time, I would have had to leave my car parked on the street and walk up.
Overall, the e-bike handled the rigors of canvassing like whipped cream froth from a can. For two hours straight, starting, stopping, parking, walking, restarting, and repeating the process didn’t seem like a chore at all. I had to be somewhere else later that afternoon, so I couldn’t stay for a third hour and finish the area.
The smooth aesthetics of a big tire ride, a comfy seat, and the great chunky feel of the Shimano shifter to adjust between power settings completed the experience.
HEYBIKE
