I am sharing some things in this article that are facts from last season at Cades Cove. It’s a beautiful, wonderful place day and night, but bad things happen and almost always it is preventable. Almost every Wednesday an ambulance speeds by Scotty Bike in Townsend and a chill runs up our spine. Please don’t let it be you they are coming to pick up. One factual event that we know happened. On a Wednesday that was a no car day we had a young lady (early 30’s) break her ankle, and here are facts. She like many young people didn’t grow up riding bikes for a means of fun and transportation because there was nothing else to do, or no other way to get there. So, she was super nervous while learning how to operate the bike. Not because of it being an e-bike, but simply because she had not ridden a bicycle much at all. She was with 3 more mature ladies who were so excited to go and had no problems riding a bike. I think she was going along to get along or just loving her friends. When they returned that afternoon, she was in the back seat headed to the E.R. She had to have surgery to repair the break. Her aunt said close to the end of the 11 mile loop the young lady was finally getting settled in on the bike and having fun. Someone yelled bear and she turned to look and ran off the pavement.
That was the problem not because it was an e-bike, because she ran off the pavement. DO NOT GET OFF THE PAVEMENT!! At Cades Cove the pavement is much higher than the ground. Very tricky to navigate even by the best of riders, also the road though paved does not have a shoulder. A lot of the pavement not only does not have a shoulder to get off on, but it doesn’t have anything but AIR. A big old ditch where you're going to get hurt. The biggest danger riding at Cades Cove is getting off the pavement. Pay attention and if you are going to attempt to go around a car when riding with cars get off your bike and walk around them.
Another major issue for cyclists in Cades Cove is there are a few steep downhill grades. People, even experienced riders have been killed going too fast and losing control and crashing into a tree. At Scotty Bike our E-bikes have hydraulic disc brakes for superior stopping power, but don’t take chances ease your way down the steep hills or get off your bike and walk if your nervous about it. Better safe than sorry, there is more fun around the curve, so why take a chance?!
Being able to ride a bike is key. Riding a Scotty Bike E-Bike is probably safer than a regular bike, but it will not take the place of bad balance. Many people have a misconception that if they can’t ride a regular bicycle that an E-Bike is in some way possible. Not so. The only time one of our customers has gotten injured in Townsend or Cades Cove they had one thing in common. They for some reason got off the pavement.
Wearing a helmet is also one of the most important things to do for safety. At Scotty Bike we implore you to wear one. Your head, without a helmet even in the simplest of bike accidents always loses one hundred percent of the time. At Scotty Bike we make it fun to wear a helmet, because we supply Sena Communication Helmets with all of our rentals.
So, our best advice on safety at Cades Cove is to ALWAYS STAY ON THE PAVEMENT AND WEAR A HELMET.
Thanks so much,
Kenny and Patrice Scott
SCOTTY BIKE