By John Torsiello

Need a little assist with your bicycle up a tough hill? Well, Bob Ensign has you covered.

The owner/operator of Covered Bridge Electric Bike in West Cornwall rents E-bikes—a modified bicycle that looks and functions like a traditional bicycle with a major caveat; users can tap into a small electric motor that can help power the vehicle up steep hills.

Litchfield is a great place to bicycle, says Ensign, but there are a lot of steep hills that deter some people, especially those who are a bit older or have some physical limitations. “The electric bikes allow people, anyone really, to get back out and enjoy riding again. When you need an extra boost to get up a hill you can very simply adjust the motor to produce that assistance, and when you are coming down a hill or on flat ground you back off on the assistance.”

One of the favorite routes for renters of E-bikes from Covered Bridge Electric Bike is along scenic River Road that runs fairly close to the Housatonic River leading into Massachusetts. I went for a ride and loved the E-bike’s ability to help me climb several hills, acting as a traditional bicycle when I wished. The tires on the E-bikes are wider than those on traditional road bicycles, which lent stability and security to my ride.

Covered Bridge Electric Bike rents by hour increments that can stretch to all-day trips. Some of the E-bikes have rear seats for small children to ride in.

Covered Bridge Electric Bike
421 Sharon-Goshen Turnpike
West Cornwall
860-248-3010