Ride through Europe on Electric Bicycles

Relaxed Trips for Spouses, Grandparents With Varying Energy Levels
Mar 8, 2010 Grace Lichtenstein

Do spouses or friends want less exercise on same holiday? Breakaway Adventures and BikeToursDirect offer tours on bikes with motors in Switzerland and elsewhere.



Bike tour operators have long known that when friends, couples or inter-generational groups sign up for a commercial multi-day bike tours, some members have a higher fitness level or enthusiasm than others.

The good news for “easy riders?” Breakaway Adventures and BikeToursDirect.com, both well-known European tour outfitters, have group bike tours with the option of electric bikes for less energetic clients who welcome the boost that a motor on a bike provides.

What Makes a Bike Electric?
Electric bikes are more or less the same as traditional bikes except that as a rider pedals, the battery automatically kicks in and boosts the power by up to 80%. The rider thus can cover almost twice the distance with half the effort.

The battery is removed from the bike at night and put on charge, just like a mobile phone or iPod.

“The idea really is to appeal to anyone who doesn’t want to be quite as energetic while on vacation,” said Carol Keskitalo of Breakaway.



Read more at Suite101: Ride through Europe on Electric Bicycles: Relaxed Trips for Spouses, Grandparents With Varying Energy Levels http://seniortravel.suite101.com/article.cfm/ride-through-europe-on-electric-bicycles#ixzz0hsZaxT3A