Aren't Bicycles Great.

esuhl

Ha! That electric bike actually looks pretty interesting. I wouldn't mind giving one a test-ride to see what kind of range I could get out of it! I wonder whether the weight of the bike affects its "nimbleness" even with the extra power.

My current bike -- okay, I mean my current legs -- limit me to about 35 miles before they take on the appearance and properties of quivering jelly. I wonder how far I could go on that electric bike and how the ride would compare...

The "fatbike" looks interesting too. I didn't really understand the point until recently, but I guess it worked well on the terrain in your photo...? Again, I wouldn't mind a test-ride! I'd be more than willing to give one a go on an endless beach of fine white sand in the Caribbean... (if any travel documentary TV execs are reading... :whistle:)

Retrogamer

I've this weekend booked away for mountain biking in Glentress in Scotland and to stay over in the timber cabins they rent out.

There's huge hill you need to slog up before the fun begins and with a BMI of about 32, it's going to be hard going.

armyknife

Week before last I had, for me, the perfect bike ride, over the downlands to Salisbury and back down the valley to home; a barn owl swoop out in front of me to claim some prey in the opposite field and further along I spotted a white hart and his hinds, he gave me a long good stare.

A nice little 40-45 mile ride, and just one car past me in the last 20 or so, I say perfect, because it didn't score on any speed/endurance metric, but it's the nearest I come to 'just being' on a bike.

Johnmcl7

esuhl wrote: »

Ha! That electric bike actually looks pretty interesting. I wouldn't mind giving one a test-ride to see what kind of range I could get out of it! I wonder whether the weight of the bike affects its "nimbleness" even with the extra power.

My current bike -- okay, I mean my current legs -- limit me to about 35 miles before they take on the appearance and properties of quivering jelly. I wonder how far I could go on that electric bike and how the ride would compare...

I had a little shot and it was quite odd, it accelerates very quickly almost like you've just ridden just down small dip and it just goes like you've got a tail wind the entire time even shooting up a steep hill.

The weight isn't that noticeable when riding it but it is a bit of a pain when maneuvering the bike particularly as most of the weight is at the back of the bike. The ride out and back was around 20 miles and the bike was in sports mode which I think gives the most assist, it was down to 46% after so I reckon in normal mode it should manage 40 miles ok.

The "fatbike" looks interesting too. I didn't really understand the point until recently, but I guess it worked well on the terrain in your photo...? Again, I wouldn't mind a test-ride! I'd be more than willing to give one a go on an endless beach of fine white sand in the Caribbean... (if any travel documentary TV execs are reading... :whistle:)

Although fat bikes were originally intended for snow/sand, I use mine for normal trail riding and just dropped down to the beach for the photo. I've never ridden it on sand as I'd be concerned about the damage from the sand/salt, I bought it for winter riding as I'd been amazed at seeing how well fat bikes could get through heavy mud and being a full rigid, no wear and tear on suspension and linkages.

As a winter bike it was great as it's not just that it can power through mud with ease but that it makes it a heck of a lot of fun but when coming into summer and drier weather, I was still enjoying riding the bike a heck of a lot. The FS 29er has since been gathering dust, it just feels so twitchy compared to the fat bike and it feels almost a little numb as you're a little disconnected from the wheels compared to the rigid. Plus even in the dry the fat bike can still shine particularly on rough trails, you can hammer it over roots and stones with ease and when you go to pedal hard there's no suspension to soak up your power.

The big tyres do drag though particularly as I run them at a super low psi (two on the front, four on the back) so the bike rolls as fast on heavy mud and snow as it does on the road which means it can be harder going this time of year. I've been tempted by a 29+ hardtail (3in tyres rather than 4) but then I'm a bit concerned about the speed as I've been able to absolute cane the fat bike on downhills and the 29+ would be faster still.

John

armyknife

John, interesting review of the electric bike, they seem to have significantly improved in recent years.

Oh and looking at the weather here, maybe I need to invest in a fatbike too!

Richard53

I bought an electric bike last autumn, and since April I have been commuting to work for half of the days (27 mile round trip). I've always had bikes around, but for the last 10-15 years I had hardly used them and had got completely unfit. It's no exaggeration to say that the electric bike has changed my life. I have lost 3 stone, become much fitter (and healthier and happier), and it's saved me a bundle in petrol.


I know some cyclists sneer at them as 'cheating', and in the case of those who fit them with illegal motors/controllers and use them like a small motorbike, I would agree. But used properly they are brilliant. You get a decent workout (you have to pedal to get any assistance, and the motor cuts out at 15 mph), you get back into the cycling thing mentally, and the fitter you become, the faster you go and the longer the battery lasts. For someone who is overweight or unfit, or who has a disability, or who is simply getting old, an electric bike might be the thing that gets them riding.


I have now bought a road bike and have done a full refurb on my mountain bike. The plan is to commute through the winter on the ebike, and then sell it in the spring and commute on one or other of the pushbikes as my fitness allows. I'm using the other bikes at the weekend for fun rides and to build up my strength and stamina more, and I couldn't be happier. Yes, the Wisper is a heavy old beast, and not ideal for unassisted cycling, as I found out one day when I misjudged my charging routine, but overall it is great, and a pretty quick tool for the daily commute. On the hilly rural route I use, it's ideal.

Johnmcl7

I don't see them as cheating at all, I think they're a great way for people to get out and enjoy riding a bike but without doing it all either as I think the e-bike rules are well thought out. I've a friend whose parents have retired and one is a good cyclist the other isn't, the latter has bought an e-bike and now both can enjoy going out riding together. One of the guys in our MTB group wasn't well for a while which really hit his fitness so to keep riding he got an electric mountain bike to tide him over and now back on normal bikes.

My Mum was checking the weather for the weekend to see about hiring the e-bike again and also about getting some lights and similar for her own bike as she wants to use it more.

John

Richard53

Johnmcl7 wrote: »

My Mum was checking the weather for the weekend to see about hiring the e-bike again and also about getting some lights and similar for her own bike as she wants to use it more.

John

That's a win, then!

Rummer

I have just recently got into cycling and I am loving every minute We are lucky that we have loads of local country parks within riding distance so plenty of places to go.

Just starting to get my bike and I ready for the darker nights and wetter weather.

brat

Just had the best three weeks, two in the Jungfrau region of Switzerland followed by a week in the Black Forest in Germany with friends. We're on our way home now :-/ and unfortunately didn't get as much cycling as I'd have liked, only about 150 miles, but I've marked out a few routes for when I return in a couple of years time on a proper cycling holiday!