americanfietser
Member
- Dec 29, 2024
- 23
- 58
Years ago, I submitted a story to Tern for them to use in their publications on the story and progression of my wife, who learned how to ride a bike as an adult and gained her skills and confidence on Tern Bicycle products. Nowadays, she's a confident, cargo hauling, Tern HSD rider, but back then, she put these pieces together starting with the Vektron. Tern most notably published this story on their Facebook website, but I will recreate it here for people to read and reference. I can assure you, if my wife can turn into the bikes-for-transportation inspiration she is today, then anyone can do it.
The Story from 2021:
Thirty-six-year-old Minnesota resident Brandon grew up on two wheels. “I was raised in a small town in Illinois,” he explains. “Cycling was my main mode of transportation for my entire childhood.” In recent years, Brandon has longed to recapture the joy of his bike-centric childhood. But his wife Tatiana grew up in Brazil, where kids on bikes aren’t the norm. “When Tatiana was young, she had a few experiences on a bike, but none were enjoyable,” Brandon says. Tatiana lacked the skills and confidence to enjoy riding a bike—and Brandon’s cycling adventures were incomplete without the most important person in his life riding alongside him. Eventually, the Tern Vektron got the couple riding side-by-side—but not without some detours along the way.
A Lack of Cycling Experience Presents a Roadblock
Determined to ride with his wife, in 2015, Brandon bought a pair of regular bicycles. “Since Tatiana didn’t know how to ride, we tore them down, played an intense game of Tetris to shove them in our car, and drove to a parking lot outside of town,” he remembers. After the logistical hurdles, it was time for a lesson. “I had to do exactly what you see parents doing with their children: running along the back of the bike, holding underneath the seat as she rode to help her learn to balance.” Eventually, Tatiana learned to stay upright. Still, an afternoon at the parking lot couldn’t close the gap between her and Brandon. “Turning was still a challenge, and she had no confidence on the bike. It was a regular-sized bike, but her being short, she felt it was too much to control. She rode with a death grip on the handlebars.” With Tatiana too timid and unsteady to ride on city streets, the pair’s bike trips involved painstakingly breaking down the bikes, packing them into the car, and hauling them to a quiet, uneventful cycling loop—not exactly the kind of adventure Brandon had in mind. “It was a hassle, and it was boring—not what we hoped riding bikes would be. The bikes were uncomfortable and difficult to ride in windy conditions and on hills. Ultimately, they sat in the garage, collecting dust until one day, I sold them both on Craigslist.” A couple of years later, a trip to the Netherlands reignited Brandon’s passion for bikes. Back home in Minnesota, he started cruising around town on a Dutch city bike with an after-market electric motor. But getting Brandon on the road was only half the battle. “I was so happy to be riding, but something was still missing: my wife. I couldn’t fully enjoy myself knowing that she couldn’t pedal alongside me.”
The Tern Vektron Sparks an Idea
All that changed when Brandon attended Minneapolis’s E-Bike Challenge in March 2019 and came across the Tern booth, where he heard a Tern representative introducing the Vektron to another couple. “I stood there and listened to him talk about the Vektron for a few minutes. Then he reached down, and within about 10 seconds, folded the entire bike up! He didn’t struggle with the weight of it either, because it only weighed just shy of 22 kg.” That was the moment Brandon started to see the Vektron’s potential for Tatiana. “He was describing the perfect bike for my wife.” A few key features of the Vektron made Brandon think it was an ideal match for Tatiana, including: Compact Size. Tatiana would feel more comfortable handling a smaller bike. She’d also be closer to the ground, meaning she’d feel safe knowing she could just put a foot down if need be. Folds Down Small. Brandon and Tatiana’s home sits on a road that Tatiana initially didn’t feel safe biking on. She could easily fold the Vektron, put it in the trunk of the car (without folding down the seats!), and haul it to a place where she’s comfortable riding. Folding would also help the couple save space in their small apartment. Wide Tires. The Vektron’s balloon tires would give Tatiana a greater sense of stability and control when riding over uneven terrain. E-assist With a Natural Feel. Since Tatiana struggles with the initial take-off, the e-assist would help her get going more easily—which would, in turn, give her more confidence. And the Bosch motor has a natural feel that would allow Tatiana to enjoy cycling even in the face of wind, hills, and long distances. That all adds up to more riding and less driving—a win for both members of the pair.
Tatiana Overcomes Obstacles with the Vektron
Brandon went home to pitch his idea to Tatiana. “I showed her a bunch of pictures of the Vektron, went over all the specs, and gave her my take on what I thought it could mean for her to own this bike—along with my vision of us riding together, easily and happily, throughout the Minnesota bike trail network.” Tatiana quickly agreed to visit Perennial Cycle in Minneapolis for a test ride. That test ride became a turning point. Here’s how Brandon describes it: I already had an idea of how I figured the ride would go. I know she easily gets overwhelmed on a bike. But as we started to ride, I looked back to see that she was smiling. Her initial take off from stopped to pedaling surprised her at how easy it was with the help of Tour ode. Heading down the street was going well. As we came to a sharp corner where she’d have to slow and turn, instead of stopping and walking the bike around the corner, she made the turn! For her, it was huge. I didn’t say anything, but in my head, I was jumping up and down in celebration. We finally got to a bike path that goes around lake Bde Maka Ska, and it was absolutely loaded with people. I didn’t think this would bode well for her test ride—but there was no problem! She just kept riding! I couldn’t believe it—this was not the same Tatiana I had seen struggling to ride a bike before. Experiencing how easy it was to climb steep hills on the Vektron sealed the deal. “We couldn’t deny that Tern had engineered the perfect bike for my wife.” The couple ordered a Vektron. With the help of the staff at Perennial Cycle, they also selected an extra-long Physis Handlepost and swept-back handlebars to make Tatiana’s riding position as upright and comfortable as possible.
Riding Off Into the Sunset …Together
Brandon and Tatiana went out cycling together again the very next day, with Tatiana completing a 55 km round trip on the Vektron. After a dinner stop on the way home, she even hauled her first piece of cargo—a pizza box holding the couple’s leftovers.
“While it was kind of funny, it was still a milestone,” Brandon says. “My wife, who didn’t grow up on a bike and had little-to-no biking confidence, just rode a bike almost 80 km in two days—and hauled something home on the back! That’s more than she has biked in her 35 years on Earth. This was something we’d never have dreamed of until Tern made this bike.” Since then, Brandon and Tatiana have continued to ride together often. "Tons of grocery trips and restaurant rides," Brandon says. "Our main thing is going to our community garden plot to work. We haul everything we need on our bikes."
Brandon says the couple is looking forward to making lots more memories on their bikes. “We’re thankful for the Vektron. This wouldn’t be possible with any other bike currently on the market.”
The Story from 2021:
Thirty-six-year-old Minnesota resident Brandon grew up on two wheels. “I was raised in a small town in Illinois,” he explains. “Cycling was my main mode of transportation for my entire childhood.” In recent years, Brandon has longed to recapture the joy of his bike-centric childhood. But his wife Tatiana grew up in Brazil, where kids on bikes aren’t the norm. “When Tatiana was young, she had a few experiences on a bike, but none were enjoyable,” Brandon says. Tatiana lacked the skills and confidence to enjoy riding a bike—and Brandon’s cycling adventures were incomplete without the most important person in his life riding alongside him. Eventually, the Tern Vektron got the couple riding side-by-side—but not without some detours along the way.
A Lack of Cycling Experience Presents a Roadblock
Determined to ride with his wife, in 2015, Brandon bought a pair of regular bicycles. “Since Tatiana didn’t know how to ride, we tore them down, played an intense game of Tetris to shove them in our car, and drove to a parking lot outside of town,” he remembers. After the logistical hurdles, it was time for a lesson. “I had to do exactly what you see parents doing with their children: running along the back of the bike, holding underneath the seat as she rode to help her learn to balance.” Eventually, Tatiana learned to stay upright. Still, an afternoon at the parking lot couldn’t close the gap between her and Brandon. “Turning was still a challenge, and she had no confidence on the bike. It was a regular-sized bike, but her being short, she felt it was too much to control. She rode with a death grip on the handlebars.” With Tatiana too timid and unsteady to ride on city streets, the pair’s bike trips involved painstakingly breaking down the bikes, packing them into the car, and hauling them to a quiet, uneventful cycling loop—not exactly the kind of adventure Brandon had in mind. “It was a hassle, and it was boring—not what we hoped riding bikes would be. The bikes were uncomfortable and difficult to ride in windy conditions and on hills. Ultimately, they sat in the garage, collecting dust until one day, I sold them both on Craigslist.” A couple of years later, a trip to the Netherlands reignited Brandon’s passion for bikes. Back home in Minnesota, he started cruising around town on a Dutch city bike with an after-market electric motor. But getting Brandon on the road was only half the battle. “I was so happy to be riding, but something was still missing: my wife. I couldn’t fully enjoy myself knowing that she couldn’t pedal alongside me.”
The Tern Vektron Sparks an Idea
All that changed when Brandon attended Minneapolis’s E-Bike Challenge in March 2019 and came across the Tern booth, where he heard a Tern representative introducing the Vektron to another couple. “I stood there and listened to him talk about the Vektron for a few minutes. Then he reached down, and within about 10 seconds, folded the entire bike up! He didn’t struggle with the weight of it either, because it only weighed just shy of 22 kg.” That was the moment Brandon started to see the Vektron’s potential for Tatiana. “He was describing the perfect bike for my wife.” A few key features of the Vektron made Brandon think it was an ideal match for Tatiana, including: Compact Size. Tatiana would feel more comfortable handling a smaller bike. She’d also be closer to the ground, meaning she’d feel safe knowing she could just put a foot down if need be. Folds Down Small. Brandon and Tatiana’s home sits on a road that Tatiana initially didn’t feel safe biking on. She could easily fold the Vektron, put it in the trunk of the car (without folding down the seats!), and haul it to a place where she’s comfortable riding. Folding would also help the couple save space in their small apartment. Wide Tires. The Vektron’s balloon tires would give Tatiana a greater sense of stability and control when riding over uneven terrain. E-assist With a Natural Feel. Since Tatiana struggles with the initial take-off, the e-assist would help her get going more easily—which would, in turn, give her more confidence. And the Bosch motor has a natural feel that would allow Tatiana to enjoy cycling even in the face of wind, hills, and long distances. That all adds up to more riding and less driving—a win for both members of the pair.
Tatiana Overcomes Obstacles with the Vektron
Brandon went home to pitch his idea to Tatiana. “I showed her a bunch of pictures of the Vektron, went over all the specs, and gave her my take on what I thought it could mean for her to own this bike—along with my vision of us riding together, easily and happily, throughout the Minnesota bike trail network.” Tatiana quickly agreed to visit Perennial Cycle in Minneapolis for a test ride. That test ride became a turning point. Here’s how Brandon describes it: I already had an idea of how I figured the ride would go. I know she easily gets overwhelmed on a bike. But as we started to ride, I looked back to see that she was smiling. Her initial take off from stopped to pedaling surprised her at how easy it was with the help of Tour ode. Heading down the street was going well. As we came to a sharp corner where she’d have to slow and turn, instead of stopping and walking the bike around the corner, she made the turn! For her, it was huge. I didn’t say anything, but in my head, I was jumping up and down in celebration. We finally got to a bike path that goes around lake Bde Maka Ska, and it was absolutely loaded with people. I didn’t think this would bode well for her test ride—but there was no problem! She just kept riding! I couldn’t believe it—this was not the same Tatiana I had seen struggling to ride a bike before. Experiencing how easy it was to climb steep hills on the Vektron sealed the deal. “We couldn’t deny that Tern had engineered the perfect bike for my wife.” The couple ordered a Vektron. With the help of the staff at Perennial Cycle, they also selected an extra-long Physis Handlepost and swept-back handlebars to make Tatiana’s riding position as upright and comfortable as possible.
Riding Off Into the Sunset …Together
Brandon and Tatiana went out cycling together again the very next day, with Tatiana completing a 55 km round trip on the Vektron. After a dinner stop on the way home, she even hauled her first piece of cargo—a pizza box holding the couple’s leftovers.
“While it was kind of funny, it was still a milestone,” Brandon says. “My wife, who didn’t grow up on a bike and had little-to-no biking confidence, just rode a bike almost 80 km in two days—and hauled something home on the back! That’s more than she has biked in her 35 years on Earth. This was something we’d never have dreamed of until Tern made this bike.” Since then, Brandon and Tatiana have continued to ride together often. "Tons of grocery trips and restaurant rides," Brandon says. "Our main thing is going to our community garden plot to work. We haul everything we need on our bikes."
Brandon says the couple is looking forward to making lots more memories on their bikes. “We’re thankful for the Vektron. This wouldn’t be possible with any other bike currently on the market.”
