Loes gets back on a bike after years

For forty years, Loes Beun did everything by car: the supermarket, visiting friends, and trips to the hairdresser. She didn't miss cycling. Life was busy, and she simply had no need for it. "Until I retired. I wanted to get back outside and enjoy cycling again, to broaden my horizons.
I just didn't feel stable enough on a two-wheeler anymore. Fortunately, the Thuja came along," Loes says.

Loes explains why she did not get on a bike for forty years. “I worked full-time, I had children, my life was simply very busy. Because of my rheumatism, I did not feel stable enough on a two-wheeler. I could not walk far either, so I did everything by car. Even when I only had to go a few hundred metres down the road. ”When Loes retired, she wanted to be able to go cycling together with her husband. “But not only that. I just wanted to be able to cycle to the hairdresser or to a restaurant again."

Through her dealer, Loes came to vanRaam in Varsseveld for a test ride. “At first I tried the EasyRider, but I was not entirely convinced yet. I did not like the fact that I had no idea how wide the bike actually was. As it happened, they had a prototype of the Thuja there. I was sold immediately. That was the one I wanted! On the Thuja I sit just as high as my husband, I can see exactly how wide I am, and on top of that it looks absolutely beautiful.”

Many benefits

It's not just her mobility that has improved. Her body benefits too. "I notice that moving more is good for my rheumatism. I'm gradually increasing the distances I ride. We now sometimes go on trips of around ten to twelve kilometres. Our goal is twenty kilometres, so we can cycle to a lovely restaurant we enjoy visiting with friends."

With her Thuja, Loes attracts plenty of attention along the way. "People don't know the bike. They all think it's a beautiful, sporty bike. Nobody ever asks if something's wrong with me. It's so reassuring that I can clearly see whether I'll fit past a bollard or not. I never have to get off and can stay seated throughout the whole ride.

That's especially nice because traffic has changed over the years. It's so much busier now. People are in more of a hurry, and then there are those e-bikes speeding past you." "The Thuja has literally given me my freedom back."

Start assist

"My favourite feature is the start assist. With the press of a button, the bike moves off automatically. If I'm waiting at a level crossing, I press the button, and I'm away again straight away. And being able to carry my shopping in the front of the bike is incredibly handy too."

Loes can hardly stop talking about her Thuja. Her husband has since switched to an electric bike as well. "He couldn't keep up with me anymore," she laughs. "Cycling is really enjoyable. At first, I found it quite daunting. I was tense on the bike. That's why I had a mirror fitted and gave myself time to get used to it.

Now I do all my short trips by bike: the beauty salon, errands, visiting friends. I've even discovered completely new areas and lovely cycling routes close to home. And if I'm able to ride even further in the future, there'll be even more beautiful places to find," Loes says. ■