Fall weather is upon us! The apple cider and hot chocolates are brewing, the leaves are changing colors, and the pumpkins are getting carved. It’s also one of the absolute best times of year to ride your bike outdoors. The scenery is new and colorful, and the temperature is still mild. Now is a great time to get a few more miles in on your electric bike. Although many summer activities are now behind us, a new season means new experiences are possible.
Many of the best autumn activities can be enjoyed on an e-bike. Ride to an outdoor pumpkin patch, haunted house, or corn maze. Travel to a nearby apple orchard for donuts and cider with a friend. Throw on a scarf and take a sight-seeing tour through roads where the leaves are changing to orange, red, and yellow. Whatever you decide to do, there are some key tips for riding an e-bike this autumn. Now that you have some ideas about what to do on your bike, please enjoy our riding guide for this fall!
Wear an Outdoor Jacket
With cooler temperatures comes the need for warmer clothing. Wind, rain, and cold shouldn’t be an excuse to skip your enjoyable bike ride. Sometimes the best sights can only be seen when the clouds are large and dark. Colorful leaves look especially gorgeous against a stormy background. In order to protect yourself against getting cold or wet, plan ahead by checking the forecast and bringing the appropriate clothing with you. Dressing in multiple layers can also give you flexibility as the day warms up and your body temperature rises.
For sunny days, a sweatshirt or vest will keep you warm and give you the option to remove them if you get too warm. If the forecast calls for rain, bring a lightweight rain jacket. And if it is a windy day, a windbreaker would be most suitable. Check the outdoor temperature before getting on your e-bike. If the temperature is cooler than you normally ride in, bring a jacket. It may not feel especially chilly, but once you get cruising at top speed using the power of the electric motor, you will be glad you brought warm clothing.
A quality bike helmet can also keep your head warm and protected at the same time. Enjoying your ride is all about being prepared and feeling confident in your safety.
Warm Up
Another key tip for riding an e-bike in the fall is to warm up prior to your ride. Do some light exercise to get your blood flowing and increase your heart rate a bit before you set off on your autumn journey. According to the University of Calgary Human Performance Laboratory, short, light warmups were the best exercise for cyclists.
A good warmup might include jumping jacks, stretches, a bit of jogging in place, or even a few pushups. You do not want to push yourself to muscle fatigue because the main exercise will be on the bike. Conserve most of your strength for the ride but prevent injury or strained muscles by doing a light, full-body exercise with plenty of range of motion.
Drink Lots of Water
It can be tempting to skip bringing cool water on a bike ride in the fall because it is not as hot as during the summer months. The sun isn’t as strong, and we feel we sweat less. However, it is just as important to stay hydrated during rides in the fall months. In fact, it may be even more necessary to be mindful of our water consumption because there are fewer external reminders such as sweat on our skin or heat on our back.
Use Lights
As the days get shorter, and the sun rises and sets at different times than in summer, it is important to use e-bikes with front and rear lights. Cars, pedestrians, other cyclists, and even animals, may be less likely to see you in the dawn or dusk light. All of the same tips still apply that we discussed in our guide, Helpful Tips about Riding an Electric Bike in Traffic, but you also need to add low light to the conversation.
If the sun is not out, or it is a dark day, it may be difficult to see obstacles and risks on the road in front of you. Headlights can help you see potholes, debris, mud, tree branches, and loose gravel in front of you. You may then have more time to slow down or go around the problem.
Reflective clothing and gear can help in these moments. As headlights from cars or streetlamps hit the reflective stripes or material, the light is reflected to the driver and gives them a greater chance to see you. Combined with a front headlight capable of illuminating the road in front of you, and a rear light to signal to others that you are slowing or stopping, you will be very visible and safe. Check out our E-bike Rear Rack Bag which comes equipped with reflective strips on both sides.
You can also rest easy knowing that all Himiway electric bikes come with a bright red integrated taillight, a 48V LED headlight, and a backlit display that shows your battery power, speed, and odometer.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our riding guide for this fall and are now able to get even more use out of your e-bike! Remember to wear a suitable jacket and dress in layers, perform a brief warm-up exercise before getting on your e-bike, drink lots of water throughout your ride, and use lights to ensure you are visible and can see where you are going.
In addition to these tips for riding an e-bike this autumn, we have plenty of other guides for related fall activities such as 5 Tips for Efficiently Hunting on an All-Terrain Electric Fat Tire Bike. Fall can go fast as the leaves begin changing and falling in the blink of an eye. Don’t miss it. Get out there and explore this autumn!
