How An E-bike Made Cycling Turkey’s Lycian Coast Possible

I've lost count of how many times I have persuaded a Freedom Treks customer to opt for an e-bike so they can enjoy their daily rides and look forward to their holiday, rather than dread it. "It's not cheating!", I have said on repeat.

So, when an invite came to enjoy the 'moderate to challenging' graded Turkey's Lycian Coast Boat & Bike Tour, l knew I could only say yes if I opted for an e-bike. After more than 10 years of enjoying Freedom Treks biking holidays, it would be my first e-bike tour and suddenly I understood the guilt our customers sometimes feel. But I couldn’t resist the blue skies and the promise of exploring a lesser-known area of Turkey in October and November, so I accepted with a grateful "Yes please but ONLY with an e-bike."

And wow, that was such a great decision! Home was a deluxe boat for the week, and the crew were amazing and attentive. Exploring Turkey's history and mountain scenery, along with spectacular coastal views and refreshing post-ride swims was blissful - and all possible due to the wonderful invention of the e-bike.

Our strap line at Freedom Treks is 'We do the work; you just pedal!', and that's still very much the case with an e-bike. A common misconception is that the e-bike does everything for you and you are continually propelled. "It's like a moped, isn't it?" - No, it's not!

E-bikes need to be pedalled to move forward so you still put in the effort. I was pleasantly surprised by how the harder you pedal, the more power is provided and the faster you go, courtesy of - in my case - the Bosch battery assistance.

Our lovely local guide, Ali, gave the group a quick introduction on the first morning of the tour about how to use the four different modes of power: Eco, Tour, EMTB (e-mountain bike) and Turbo. I admit, it all sounded initially rather complicated but once we were on the move, switching through the modes quickly made sense.

Eco mode, with its low level of support, was perfect for the flat rides along seaside promenades, where we passed marinas and cycled through small, rural villages. With a quick flick to Tour mode, I was provided with consistent support as the roads began to gently incline. Once the incline felt too much, it was another switch up to EMTB for a direct boost of speed. Then for maximum acceleration, Turbo mode would help on the steepest ascents, as a last resort.

On this beautiful tour, there are many, many climbs. From scenic winding mountain roads, passing rugged and rocky outcrops to steep switchbacks through wonderfully scented pine forests; when you start at sea level in Turkey, there is only one way to go - up!

Ali, our guide, would divide up the day into varying forms of undulations: easy undulations, mid undulations, high undulations and occasionally ‘killer’ undulations when Turbo mode really came into its own!

At the top, everyone was always hot and sweaty but not dripping and collapsing with exhaustion! Our lungs and legs still felt the benefits of the workout and we still felt a sense of achievement every time we reached the top and took in the magnificent views into the valleys or across the spectacular coastline.

We still had energy for sightseeing, exploring archaeological sites and learning about Turkey's fascinating and complex history. We could spend the evenings on the deck of our deluxe boat way past dinner, rather than sloping off to bed early due to tiredness. Plus, we were always fresh to do it all over again the following day with a smile on our faces!

If I'm being honest, in the back of my mind, I was a little concerned before the tour started that once I discovered Turbo mode, I might never be able to return to any other! But I decided to challenge myself and used Eco and Tour to keep the battery bar levels above two. This helped preserve the battery, although there was more than enough juice left over if I needed an extra boost.

It wasn't just competition with me, soon a healthy competition began to develop between some of the other e-bikers, asking how many bars we each had left and comparing!

Naturally, steep hills using Turbo mode drain the battery fastest. A few scrolls of your handlebar display shows your speed and how many kilometres are possible on each assistance mode. The lower the mode, the greater the distance. With e-bikes being heavier than hybrid bikes (although significantly lighter than when they were first introduced to the market!), you do not want to be in a position where you have run out of juice!

In short, opting for an e-bike allowed me to enjoy cycling further, whilst also enjoying a steady speed than I could on a standard hybrid bike. It was easier to face harder terrain and I was able to try - and thoroughly enjoy - a route that would normally be out of my comfort zone.

Cycling on an e-bike gives you equally as many physical and mental health benefits as you get without the electric pedal assistance. Along the way, you still enjoy spectacular views without any worries about holding up the rest of the group. I can't recommend e-bike touring enough, and if you aren't sure which holiday to choose, phone me or any member of my team here at Freedom Treks for e-bike guidance.