Electric Bikes?

Jabel

Hi all,
What are your views on the merits of the Electric bike?
Having never ridden one myself I cannot give an opinion but have been
researching them lately with a view to maybe purchasing one.
I have a nice Claude Butler Levante road bike which I use to commute a round trip of 20miles which I try to do 3 times a week. Anymore than this and I get very tired (over 40 and all that) as I also play football on a Friday evening.
I was contemplating the merits of the Electric bike with a view to cycling 5 days a week and cut out the costs of toll and fuel with the car.
Having looked at some of the systems available I really like the look and purpose of the Cytronex bikes as these are the closest to 'normal' cycling I have seen.
Are they very slow in general? I'm no Lance Armstrong but I do like to push it and don't seem to be able to just lazily amble along.
All opinions welcome.
J

Lumen

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055861032

07Lapierre

Electric Bikes...a bit like non-alcoholic beer... whats the point?

If you don't want to actually cycle, why not get something like a Vespa Scooter? No pedalling, Faster, very economical, no toll/parking fees etc.

Lumen

07Lapierre wrote: »

If you don't want to actually cycle, why not get something like a Vespa Scooter? No pedalling, Faster, very economical, no toll/parking fees etc.

Tax & insurance.

07Lapierre

Lumen wrote: »

Tax & insurance.

Good point. But tax and insurance on a vespa is still a lot cheaper than a car.

Jabel

Sorry, didn't search out previous threads.
Just looking for a little help to extend to a 5 day cycle.
I love cycling and would never consider a scooter.
Some misunderstanding perhaps?

fenris

In fairness an electric bike can make the difference between a manageable frequent commute by bike and taking the car instead. I came close to buying one myself about 2 years ago from Cytronex (No More Hills).

The Cytronex system seems to be the closest to a real bike as it is based on a real bike to start with, I think it was the Trek 7.3 but they were going to change to a different brand as Trek would not let them sell online. I liked the idea that the cytronex only kicks in above 5kph and gives assistance rather than acting as an electric scooter, this allows for a smaller motor and battery giving a shorter charging time. Because it is based on a proper hybrid rather than some yoke made of rusty scaffolding poles you can actually cycle it without assistance.

There was talk of No More Hills offering a kit version, but I don't know what came of it.

Being fat and 40+ I know exactly what you mean about just being too wrecked if you bike it too often, the recovery just isn't there to do a good day job and cycle every day, so I have tried making long (25k each way) and short commutes (8-10kmh each way), full commute followed by drive about half way and cycle the rest. I would give serious thought to using something like the Cytronex to let me turn the short day into a full commute with a little help!

If you do look at any other electric bikes try and just cycle them without assistance up a hill, you will most likely just walk away as they are so heavy/cumbersome, you cannot but use them as electric scooters all the time!

Beasty

They're also eligible for the Bike to Work scheme (but must be complete, you can't just get the frame or motor;)):

a bicycle or tricycle which is equipped with an auxiliary electric motor having a maximum continuous rated power of 0.25 kilowatts, of which output is progressively reduced and finally cut off as the vehicle reaches a speed of 25 kilometres per hour, or sooner if the cyclist stops pedalling;

goldencleric

An electric bike company had a demo in my job last week, so naturally I had an auld go. Didn't really appeal to me but it may to others. The bikes themselves were fast enough and quite comfortable but I personally would prefer a road bike to commute.

www.greenaer.ie is the website of the crowd and they'll give you a test ride to see for yourself.

They are quite expensive but they do fall under the btw

07Lapierre

Jabel wrote: »

Sorry, didn't search out previous threads.
Just looking for a little help to extend to a 5 day cycle.
I love cycling and would never consider a scooter.
Some misunderstanding perhaps?

Why not work upto a 5 day commute? Your currently cycling 3 days a week, so why not try 4 days and see how you get on? You'll eventually be fit enough to cycle 5 days a week.

Beasty

07Lapierre wrote: »

Why not work upto a 5 day commute? Your currently cycling 3 days a week, so why not try 4 days and see how you get on? You'll eventually be fit enough to cycle 5 days a week.

That's exactly what I did - started at a couple of days a week, and felt absolutely shattered, but a couple of years down the line, and quite a lot fitter and lighter, I'm perfectly capable of doing 5 consecutive days, and almost doubling the distance of my commute home. To start I was probably doing up to 90km a week, but now 300+ is not a problem (and I'm going 5-6kph faster)

Jabel

With respect, do you really think that I have not tried to do 5 days?
I have, but found it exhausting to commit to it while maintaining my other pursuits (football, coaching my sons GAA team, e.t.c).
I'm in my early 40's and consider myself fairly fit but have found the body lets me know when enough is enough, you know?
As I have said the Cytronex seems like a creditable compromise between all
so if anyone has experience of this I'd love to hear it.
J