Ebikes charge into the Lakes Region

There’s a childlike joy that bicycles can offer — the wind in your face, as you feel the possibility of traveling farther than you ever dreamed you could before, all you have to do is keep those pedals turning. That exuberance can fade with the decades, particularly as the limitations of knees, hips and hearts make us think twice about a long route or steep hill.

Enter the ebike. They look like a conventional bicycle at first glance, but a closer inspection will reveal a thick frame for battery storage, and an electric motor near the crank. Ebikes can come in different compositions, but typically still require pedaling. The electricity on board is used to augment the rider’s power, making high speeds and ascents easier, removing the anxiety of your own capabilities and replacing it with that feeling a child has when they head off down the road, feet pumping, with no plan except to just go.

Within the past year, ebikes have found traction in central New Hampshire, and not just with individual riders adding one to their garage. A few organizations have seen opportunities in electric-assisted bicycles, with one company forming to serve a growing interest.

Lakes Region Ebikes

Audry and Justin Barriault started Lakes Region Ebikes as a mobile rental service last year and have since grown into a brick-and-mortar storefront on Central Avenue in Franklin. They said that their business’ growth has been driven by people who aren’t ardent cyclists. Their target customer would like to explore the quiet roads and long trails of the region, and doesn’t want to depend solely on their own legs to get out and back.

In fact, that describes the Barriaults as well, who weren’t much for two-wheeled travel until summer of last year.

The history of Lakes Region Ebikes starts in August of 2021, when Audry was laid off from a job in library sales. Justin, a mechanic by trade who had come to appreciate the area’s trails from the seat of a snowmobile, had heard about ebikes and figured they could take off in central New Hampshire. For market research, Audry took a trip to the next closest place that rented ebikes, and when she called him, giggling, after her first ride, they knew they were onto something.

They launched in October of last year with four trail-ready rental bikes. They’ve since doubled their rental fleet, and have added retail sales.

The Barriaults find that a lot of their customers wouldn’t call themselves cyclists, but they might be friends or partners with one and want to tag along without being left in the dust. Or they might be a former cyclist who wants to ride like they used to before age took its toll. They might be people who wondered what was down a trail in their town, and a bit of electric assist gives them the courage to explore. Lastly, said Audry, they might be people hosting guests from out-of-town, who want to show off the region’s beauty.

“You can go 20 or 30 miles, pretty easily,” said Justin. A favorite is the Northern Rail Trail, a 57-mile trail that runs from Boscawen to Lebanon, and passes through Franklin. It’s a great way to share the area’s charms with houseguests, Audry added.

“If you like your family, you can go ebiking. If you don’t like your family, you can go ebiking,” she said.

Lakes Region Ebikes figures their business will slow down after foliage season, but they plan to fit studded tires for those undaunted by winter weather.

Steele Hill

The resort at Steele Hill, set in rural Sanbornton and with views of lakes Winnisquam and Winnipesaukee, and mountains beyond, offers a wide range of activities for its guests. Among its amenities is a four-mile circuit of hiking trails, though, as anyone on the trails learns, those views don’t happen without elevation change.

To make the trails a bit friendlier, the resort added a dozen ebikes available to be booked for guided tours. Christian Parenteau, activities director, said the rentals were offered all year and have been increasing in popularity, with September being the busiest month yet.

“Our trails are beautiful. There’s a constant change in elevation, you’re either going up or down, they’re perfect for biking,” he said, adding that some of the ascents would be impossible for all but the fittest of cyclists, if it weren’t for the electric motor that amplifies the rider’s native torque.

Parenteau said he’s seen a surprisingly diverse range of riders sign up. “I could have a booking for a couple in their 70s, and an hour later, teenagers,” he said. “People feel curious about it, they sign up for it, and they love it.”

It’s adventure without all the exertion, he said.

“Our trails, I will say they’re exhilarating,” he said. Riders climb and descend, climb and descend again, all the while surrounded by views of forests, fields, lakes and mountains. “The bike takes the effort away, so you’re just having fun.”

Parenteau said the guided ebike tours, which are open to both guests and the general public, will be offered through Thanksgiving. An expansion of the trail system is being planned, with an eye toward adding a variety of difficulty.

Concord Public Library

The staff at Concord Public Library had been talking about the concept of bookmobiles, to bring library services out into the community, for a number of years. The city has a significant population of new Americans and other residents who aren’t in the practice of using public libraries, said Becky Kasten, youth services manager.

“This gets us right in front of people who didn’t know that our services are free and available to them,” Kasten said, describing the value of the “Word on the Street” program, which uses ebikes to create pop-up libraries across the city. “We are going to them instead of them having to find us.”

“Word on the Street” is an evolution of the bookmobile idea, in which a van would be used to spread the library’s collection beyond its Green Street location. Vans can carry a lot and can go far, but they have their own limitations. Once they get to their location, they are limited to parking lots and roadsides. That’s where ebikes have the upper hand.

Last fall, Concord Library applied for a federal grant, which, along with help from local supporters, brought two ebikes and two trailers, which are used to bring books and other materials to places where members of the community are already gathering.

Matt Bose, assistant director of the library, said the Concord staff was advised by the experience of other libraries, in Colorado, Massachusetts and Wisconsin, that had already developed such programs. The “Word on the Street” program launched in September of this year, and Kasten and Bose say that Concord is the first library in New Hampshire to utilize ebikes. But, based on their experience, others will likely follow soon.

“It’s been fantastic,” said Bose.

“It’s been a great way to interact with the public,” Kasten said, “help them to see what we offer.”

The trailer — with “welcome” printed all over it, in many languages — would be too heavy to pull up the city’s hills without electronic assistance. And since it can go anywhere a bicycle can go, they can ride right into the middle of city parks to set up a display of books and DVDs, and to hand out craft projects.

“When we’re riding down the road, lots of people are waving to us, it’s a very feel-good experience,” said Kasten. The bikes can get to all corners of the city and back, they said.

Not only do the ebikes provide extra watts, they’ve proven to be good marketing for the library by attracting attention.

“A pleasant surprise is that it has been such a conversation starter,” said Bose. Many of those conversations are sparked when library staff are trying to hook up the trailers to the bikes for an excursion into the community.

“We can hardly get off for our ride because everyone wants to come talk to us about them,” said Bose. “It’s just been overwhelmingly positive.”