
An archipelago pedal: e-bikes and islands in northern Norway I theguardian.com
I balk a little at the idea of riding an e-bike for our multi-day trip across the Helgeland archipelago in northern Norway. Bar a brief pause in my 20s, I have ridden a bike most days of my life without electrical assistance. And we’re only set to average 22 miles (35km) a day, albeit carrying a week’s worth of clothing, which I don’t usually do.
“You’ll enjoy it more this way,” says Maylinn Storjord at the tourist office, where my friend and I are hiring bikes. “It is flat, but Norwegian flat.”
The comparison reminds me of the way surfers in Hawaii scale their waves differently from the rest of us, on account of their huge size. I take her advice but vow not to switch the battery on for at least the first day. I regret this decision almost immediately, as e-bikes are a lot heavier than normal bikes, especially with panniers jam-packed with provisions.