Best eBike Shops & Rentals in North Conway, NH -- the Mount Washington Valley

Things to do on an eBike in North Conway, New Hampshire

North Conway sits in the Mount Washington Valley on the Saco River, and it is the tourist hub of the eastern White Mountains -- which cuts both ways for a rider. Seven bike businesses in one village is exceptional coverage. Route 16 through the village is also one of the busiest tourist strips in northern New England, and worth avoiding on a bike in season.

Get off it and the valley is superb. The floor along the Saco is relatively flat and open with enormous mountain views, and every road leading out of it climbs into something worth seeing.

The Mount Washington Valley: flat open floor, and mountains in every direction from it.

Cathedral Ledge and Echo Lake

The best short ride here, and the one with the most view per mile. Echo Lake State Park just west of the village sits beneath Cathedral Ledge and White Horse Ledge -- big sheets of bare granite that are among the best-known rock climbing in the East.

Echo Lake under Cathedral Ledge -- and a paved road climbs to the top of it.

A paved auto road climbs to the top of Cathedral Ledge, and the view from up there across the whole valley to the Presidentials is one of the best in New Hampshire for the effort involved. It is short and steep -- exactly what assist transforms. A commuter eBike with genuine hill-climb torque makes it a viewpoint rather than a workout. State park land, with its own rules and seasonal access.

Jackson and the covered bridge

A few miles north, Jackson is entered through a covered bridge and it is one of the prettiest villages in the state. Jackson Falls drops over broad granite ledges right above the village, and the loop road through it makes a short, quiet ride away from the Route 16 traffic.

Jackson: in through the covered bridge, with the falls above the village.

Jackson also sits at the foot of Pinkham Notch, where Route 16 climbs north beneath the eastern face of Mount Washington -- a serious sustained ascent and one of the great road rides in the East. Shops: Jackson eBike shops.

Crawford Notch

Northwest, Route 302 climbs from Bartlett into Crawford Notch State Park -- a deep mountain pass beneath Mount Willard, past Arethusa Falls and the high Frankenstein Trestle carrying the old railroad across a ravine on the valley wall.

Crawford Notch: the old railroad trestle still crosses the ravine on the valley wall.

It is one of the most dramatic road rides in New England and a sustained climb from the Bartlett side. Traffic is moderate but fast, and there are long stretches without shoulder.

The Kancamagus from the east

Conway, just south, is the eastern end of the Kancamagus Highway -- the scenic road running west over the mountains to Lincoln. Approached from this side it is a long steady climb to the Kancamagus Pass with no services anywhere along its length and fast tourist traffic in season. Carry everything. Shops: Conway eBike shops.

The national forest, and where you cannot ride

Most of the mountain land here is White Mountain National Forest -- federal, and stricter than the roads. The forest sets its own rules on where bicycles and electric bikes may go, differing between forest roads, designated trails, and wilderness. Bicycles are prohibited outright in designated wilderness areas, of which there are several in this county.

Locally, Whitaker Woods in North Conway has a network of trails close to the village, managed with its own rules. Check before riding rather than after.

South to the lakes

The county's other half is water rather than mountains. South, Ossipee and Moultonborough sit near Lake Winnipesaukee's northern shore, and Castle in the Clouds above Moultonborough is a mountaintop estate with carriage roads and long views down the lake. Quieter riding and a real change of scene from the notches. Shops: Moultonborough eBike shops.

Why an electric bike here

Because everything worth seeing is at the top of a climb. Cathedral Ledge, Crawford Notch, Pinkham, the Kancamagus -- these are mountain ascents, and on a standard bike each is a day's objective in itself. On an eBike they become things you ride to and look at. In a valley with this much rental capacity, that is exactly what most visitors want.

Best eBike routes from North Conway (rider plans)

Echo Lake and Cathedral Ledge (8-14 miles): West to the state park, up the paved auto road to the summit, and back. Short mileage, steep climb, and the best view-per-mile in the valley.

Jackson village loop (14-20 miles): North off Route 16 to the covered bridge, the falls, and the village loop. Quiet, pretty, and away from the strip.

The Saco valley floor (10-20 miles): The back roads through Intervale and toward Bartlett, flat by local standards with the Presidentials in view.

Pinkham Notch (25-40 miles): North through Jackson and up Route 16 beneath the east face of Mount Washington. A serious sustained climb and one of the great rides in the East.

Crawford Notch (35-50 miles): Northwest on Route 302 from Bartlett into the notch, past Arethusa Falls and the Frankenstein Trestle. Riders doing consecutive long days sometimes keep a portable power station for eBike day trips at home for an overnight top-up.

The Kancamagus from Conway (30-50 miles): South to Conway then west up to the pass. No services on the highway at all -- treat it as a mountain expedition.

How to plan a North Conway riding day

1. Avoid Route 16 through the village. It is one of the busiest tourist strips in northern New England.
2. Check national forest rules before any off-road plan, and remember bicycles are banned outright in designated wilderness.
3. Ride the notches early. Traffic builds through the day and the shoulders are narrow.
4. Carry everything on the Kancamagus. There is nothing along it.
5. Watch the season. The high roads open late and close early, and foliage weeks are extremely busy.
6. Know your class. New Hampshire uses the three-class framework and Class 3 is handled differently on some paths.

Who this North Conway eBike trip is for

Visitors without a bike: seven businesses in one village, several of them rentals. This is the easiest place in New Hampshire to just turn up and ride.

Climbers: Pinkham, Crawford, and the Kancamagus are three of the best mountain road rides in the East, all from one base.

View hunters: Cathedral Ledge gives more view for less effort than anywhere else in the state.

Anyone assist-curious: this valley is the clearest demonstration of what an eBike changes.

New Hampshire eBike laws snapshot (North Conway riding)

New Hampshire defines electric bicycles in three classes and treats them broadly like bicycles -- no driver's license, registration, or insurance required for ordinary use. Class 3 machines are handled differently on some paths and facilities.

As in Grafton, the land rules here matter more than the road rules. Echo Lake and Crawford Notch State Parks set their own policies, including on the Cathedral Ledge auto road and its seasonal access. The White Mountain National Forest is federal and its rules differ between forest roads, designated trails, and wilderness -- with bicycles prohibited outright in designated wilderness areas. Local trail networks such as Whitaker Woods are managed separately again. For the county picture, see things to do on an eBike in Carroll County and eBike shops in New Hampshire.

eBike rentals and service in North Conway

Ride The Whites at 5.0 across 67 reviews is the highest-rated shop in the valley. REI at 4.5 across 218 reviews and Sun & Ski Sports at 4.6 across 138 are the big outdoor retailers with service departments.

For rentals specifically, Cranmore Bike Rentals operates at the mountain and Red Jersey Cyclery in the village. The Bike Shop and Bob Terry's Ski & Bike round out an unusually deep market for a village this size.

Nearby eBike shops (Carroll County)

Frequently asked questions about eBiking in North Conway