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Upper Valley E-Bike Lending Library - Vital Communities

The Upper Valley E-Bike Lending Library:

Many of us enjoy and celebrate big climbs, but we also have friends and relatives whose idea of a nice bike ride is much less strenuous.  The regional rail trails offer options to get folks out on bikes who might be reluctant to ride in hilly terrain or in traffic.

The Northern Rail Trail and Mascoma River Greenway in Lebanon:

Friends of the Northern Rail Trail

The Mascoma River Greenway

The Cross Vermont Trail

Cross Vermont Trail expands into nearby communities with connector to Lamoille Valley Rail Trail - VTDigger

Many cyclists use standing -- pedaling up out of the saddle -- only for hard efforts such as sprinting or steep grades. It's stand, thrash, sit.  Learning to stand while relaxed is a great addition to a rider's skillset. It engages different muscles than pedaling seated, making it a nice way to give those seated muscles a rest or a stretch. It's useful on long climbs. Being comfortable transitioning smoothly between sitting and standing is also helpful on rolling terrain or on rough ground where maintaining momentum is important.

If you’ve ever biked through New England, you don’t have to go too far to find a warning sign for an upcoming unmaintained road. You’ll hear it called Class IV, Class VI, sometimes Pavé, but regardless of the term, you better get ready… you’ve been warned.

Walk Bike Plan 2022

https://sites.google.com/view/hanover-walk-bike-plan-2022/home

Question:

"Why are there no bike lanes connecting the hospital on rt 120? Why are there no bike lanes connecting west leb and hanover on 10? Why do we have so many traffic lights when roundabouts would be faster and less prone to mega traffic jams? What are we doing about these things?"

LebAnswer:

Thank you for raising concerns about bike access and traffic flow. The City of Lebanon continues to work on safer, more connected travel options. Here's an overview of current efforts and challenges.

Walk Bike Ride Leb | Lebanon, NH

https://lebanonnh.gov/1526/Walk-Bike-Ride-Leb

Walk, Bike, Ride Leb is a plan for a safe, comfortable, and connected walking and bicycling network in the City of Lebanon, including connections to public transportation.

Lower gearing can make climbing hills easier and more enjoyable, allowing riders to maintain a comfortable cadence and avoid unnecessary suffering. It is a practical solution for riders who struggle with steep climbs, regardless of their fitness level or the type of bike they ride. While there may be some trade-offs, such as larger gear steps or a lower top gear, the benefits of lower gearing far outweigh the drawbacks.

When I was a kid, all of my neighborhood friends would cruise around our town, population maybe 1200, in our Kmart Huffys like we owned the streets. We found ways to get hurt creating games like “bicycle freeze tag” or “who can make it down the slide first”. And the ultimate challenge was being able to successfully bike to the summit of Cemetery Hill (a quick detour to Strava showed me this was a whole 0.5mile and 200ft). At some point the Huffy was gone, probably sold off in the town yard sale, and bikes were forgotten about. It wasn’t until 2013 when I was re-introduced into the world of cycling. I picked up a used hybrid, flatbar, aluminum Cannondale for $300 off of Craigslist and set out of my first bikepacking adventure. The rest is history.