Electric Bikes

uptomyeyeballs

EdgEy wrote: »

Electric bikes are nice for those in old age that can't actually make it up the hills.

Seeing a regular old 20-40 something on one makes me a bit sad really.

7 miles doesn't get you all "sweaty" unless you're pedalling in too high a gear or using a £90 rust bucket.

Better than using a car or motorbike and deserves applause for that, but I find it strange the fear people seem to have of cycling, on a real bike, at a proper cadence.

God, there's some patronising people about! I'm 51 years old and have had an ordinary bike before. I don't have a 'fear' of cycling at all, but I do have a dislike of cycling snobs. You appear to be one. The bike is getting me fitter, and to work comfortably, without turning me into a lycra-clad knob head.

thescouselander

EdgEy wrote: »

Electric bikes are nice for those in old age that can't actually make it up the hills.

Seeing a regular old 20-40 something on one makes me a bit sad really.

7 miles doesn't get you all "sweaty" unless you're pedalling in too high a gear or using a £90 rust bucket.

Better than using a car or motorbike and deserves applause for that, but I find it strange the fear people seem to have of cycling, on a real bike, at a proper cadence.

Thats because you have no imagination and can't put yourself in someone else's place. I see a lot of people on electric bikes, many of them in their work gear. Its quite possible they have no facilities to shower and change wherever they are going in which case an electric bike would be just the thing as they may want to avoid working up a sweat.

And, 7 miles is plenty of time to work up a sweat if you want to make reasonable progress, especially if you happen to work at the top of a hill.

uptomyeyeballs

That's right, nowhere to get showered. Plenty of steep hills and no longer a twenty-something. I get to work in approximately 30 minutes, still feeling relatively fresh. People took the p*ss out of the bike until they'd had a ride, then they thought it was great.

Derivative

As I said, it's fair enough if you actually aren't in the physical condition. My apologies if the 'old age' comment was a bit patronising, it wasn't intended and I am not referring directly to you in these comments.

I simply find that people vastly underestimate their abilities on a manual bicycle.

Cycling 7 miles on the flat is roughly equivalent to walking maybe 2 miles. A person in average shape isn't going to work up a sweat walking 2 miles. It's not strenuous exercise if you go at a moderate pace.

I used to struggle and knacker myself going 3 miles to college, before I learned about the importance of choosing the right gear and 'spinning' the pedals instead of struggling in a high gear.

If it makes me a cycling snob to say that most people can get by on a sub £300 bike instead of a £1500+ electric assist, I'm proud to call myself snobbish.

No idea where you get the 'lycra clad knob head' tosh from.

And yes, obviously it's not a good plan if you're fighting against hills all the way. I wasn't suggesting that.

thescouselander

EdgEy wrote: »

Cycling 7 miles on the flat is roughly equivalent to walking maybe 2 miles. A person in average shape isn't going to work up a sweat walking 2 miles. It's not strenuous exercise if you go at a moderate pace.

That all depends on how fast you're going. On the flat the equivalent walking pace on a bike might be 8 mph or so. On an electric bike you can do 15 mph so you can go nearly twice as fast for the same effort.

uptomyeyeballs

EdgEy, you claim to not to be referring to me, but you are replying on my thread, and quote several things I mentioned further up - the distance, the comments I made about the condition I liked to arrive at work, and the fact that you think it impossible to be a 'sweaty mess' after only 7 miles (NOT ON THE FLAT); the general patronising tone of those comments. Yes, you were referring to me and my choice not to ride a 'normal' bike, as if I was somehow inferior to you. That makes you a snob. I obviously am not intelligent enough to even change into the right gear!

I said I wasn't interested in turning into a lycra-clad knob head. What's the matter? Do you recognise yourself from that description? ;-)

Derivative

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

Yes, you were referring to me and my choice not to ride a 'normal' bike, as if I was somehow inferior to you. That makes you a snob. I obviously am not intelligent enough to even change into the right gear!

I said I wasn't interested in turning into a lycra-clad knob head. What's the matter? Do you recognise yourself from that description? ;-)

I wear padded shorts to look after my dangly bits, and normal clothes.
Calling cyclists 'lycra clad knob heads' is akin to comparing all car drivers to F1 with their full race gear and helmet. A silly comment.

I'm sorry you feel so sensitive over the fact I'm giving advice contrary to you on a public forum.

'The right gear' on a bicycle is counterintuitive and if you look at the average person on the street, most won't be in the right gear. No need to take it as an insult.

I am happy for you to use your electric bike, simply giving advice for others who may think a bicycle is somehow 'too much effort' for them.

Sweating on a manual bicycle at moderate pace is not normal. Even uphill, unless you lack low enough gears. It is similar to walking around a town centre all day, your leg muscles and bones should start to ache before you sweat from simply walking.

SailorSam

thescouselander wrote: »

Just having a quick look on the internet those sorts of bikes are about £1600 new - so if the OP paid full price thats around £1 per mile if you ignore the cost to charge the battery. A fairly pricy form of transport if you ask me.

I can't see how you work out it's cost £1 a mile to run.
The Op still has his bike and it's probably still worth £1k, so it's cost about £600 for the year.
What's that about the same as it would have cost to get the bus, and a lot less than if he drove a car.

Uptomyeyeballs, what have you done about insurance. i've looked at electric bikes (i like the Oxygen), and wondered if my house insurance policy would cover it.

uptomyeyeballs

Rather amusing that EdgEy thinks that my reference to 'the wrong gear' was about clothing :-)

I wasn't offering any advice at all, i'm not that arrogant.

SailorSam : I have insurance with a specialist cycle insurance company.

P.S. I have a 1 in 3 bank on my route on the way to work. That would draw sweat from most cyclists ;-)

SailorSam

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

SailorSam : I have insurance with a specialist cycle insurance company.

Do you mind me asking what it costs ?