eBike - a good long term investment?

Think I should go for it? (post too please)

  • Yes, do it!

    Votes: 10 50.0%
  • No, think about it this way (no)!

    Votes: 10 50.0%

  • Total voters
    20
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Sara_H

Guru
@cycle_bug. I've used an ebike in the past when I was recovering from serious illness and too unwell to ride my ordinary bike.

They are amazing, they flatten out hills. For me it meant that I would ride to places where I would usually have taken the car. There are some disadvantages, they're very heavy, big machines and are very different to manouvre than ordinary bikes (mine feels like trying to steer the Titanic!). If your battery runs out and you're only half way home you've got a tough ride ahead.
They're very expensive too. You can get some cheaper models, but the quality can be questionable.

When I was well enough I put away the ebike and went back to using my ordinary bike, as for me one of the fantastic advantages of riding a bike is getting a bit of exersize whilst travelling to work/ the shops etc.

If you're average fitness and have got any health problems I'd suggest sticking with your bike and riding it more - it'll get easier over time. If you're set on getting an ebike I'd suggest looking at the Pedalec forums - they're a friendly bunch who give good advice and there's lots of bike reviews to help you choose.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
If you are a normal fit and healthy 20 year old, you are better off with a normal bike. Save a load of dosh and keep fit, or has been said, a moped.

My two kids could cover those distances on a bike once their stabilisers came off.

I'm recovering from a badly broken spine (sustained on the bike) but first chance, I've got back on. Already ridden upto 16 miles on the canal on my first ride.

Normal bikes are easy to ride.
 

annedonnelly

Girl from the North Country
How secure is the bike parking at uni? Do you feel confident that you can leave an expensive bike of any sort - ebike or otherwise - and not have it stolen? The advice for students is often to get something relatively cheap and not desirable to thieves.

Like most of the other posters I think you'd manage the distances nicely on an ordinary bike. My commute is only 5 miles but I could easily do 10 miles. And I'm old enough to be your mother :smile:
 

Pat "5mph"

A kilogrammicaly challenged woman
Moderator
Location
Glasgow
My commute is only 5 miles but I could easily do 10 miles. And I'm old enough to be your mother :smile:
Same here ^_^
Every working day no fail, with wind, rain, snow being no obstacles; often with hefty panniers full of shopping, my bike takes me.
I wish I'd cycled from the age of 20, by now I would be doing world tours!
Op, if you like cycling give yourself a week commuting every day, by the second week you'll be riding extra miles just for fun.
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
My old Electric bike battery is 4 years old and still going strong. If that helps.

A very good e bike forum is Pedelecs.uk
 

welsh dragon

Thanks but no thanks. I think I'll pass.
All sorts of people use ebikes today, not just people with medical or physical problems. Its a personal choice of the OP. If they get people out and about then go for it. Most batteries these days will last about 1000 cycles. In other words for charging 1000 times,and some more.

As above poster said have a look at the pedelecs forum. They can offer good advice. Good luck.
 
OP
OP
cycle_bug

cycle_bug

thought i had something more to say
Hi guys, sorry it's taken me so long to reply.

The general answer I'm feeling here is no to getting an eBike, because you tell me I'm young and fit enough to easily do that route (eventually). And frankly, I believe you all. So I currently don't think I'll bother with an eBike.

I've been cycling daily, and trust me, I do want to cycle and have a genuine interest in it for health reasons and as a nice, productive hobby that doesn't harm anything or cost too much. FYI, I would never buy a motorbike or moped, in my opinion these are ridiculous death traps and have less right on the road than even a bicycle - if I wanted the wind in my hair I'd cycle. If I want fast, comfortable motorised transport I'd choose a car over a motorbike any day. In fact, a motorbike takes the worse thing about bicycling, strong winds, exposure to weather, more vulnerable to cars and the worst things about cars, no benefit to fitness as its motorised, burns fossil fuels, costs money to fuel and maintain etc etc.. add the speed and that's why I used the term death trap.. anyway..

I'll keep cycling my Raleigh. It's only like two months old, should have put that in at the start. So it's in good shape, if not a little heavy.
Thanks for everyone who took the time to reply.
 

Lee_M

Guru
if motorbikes are death traps I'd be dead having ridden one for 38 years, they also take the best of cycling, no traffic jams and add a bit of excitement. i choose my motorbike for commuting as its too far for cycling and cycle everywhere else I can, the car comes out about once a month.
 

screenman

Legendary Member
Only 38 years a mere newbie, 47 here only 43 legally though. My brother has just stopped doing track days he is only 83 and has ridden bikes since he was 18.
 

bozmandb9

Insert witty title here
Hi guys, sorry it's taken me so long to reply.

The general answer I'm feeling here is no to getting an eBike, because you tell me I'm young and fit enough to easily do that route (eventually). And frankly, I believe you all. So I currently don't think I'll bother with an eBike.

I've been cycling daily, and trust me, I do want to cycle and have a genuine interest in it for health reasons and as a nice, productive hobby that doesn't harm anything or cost too much. FYI, I would never buy a motorbike or moped, in my opinion these are ridiculous death traps and have less right on the road than even a bicycle - if I wanted the wind in my hair I'd cycle. If I want fast, comfortable motorised transport I'd choose a car over a motorbike any day. In fact, a motorbike takes the worse thing about bicycling, strong winds, exposure to weather, more vulnerable to cars and the worst things about cars, no benefit to fitness as its motorised, burns fossil fuels, costs money to fuel and maintain etc etc.. add the speed and that's why I used the term death trap.. anyway..

I'll keep cycling my Raleigh. It's only like two months old, should have put that in at the start. So it's in good shape, if not a little heavy.
Thanks for everyone who took the time to reply.

I'd look at your bike set up, and your bike cycle_bug. If you have no medical conditions, you're half fit, and don't live in a mountainous region, then in a reasonable amount of time, you should be able to do that distance standing on your head. In fact, the only problem could be that you're not warmed up for the first ten miles (that's what I find). In fact, that could be it! I'll often find maybe my quads will hurt for the first ten miles, but then it goes away.

If you're finding it tough, have you eaten before you cycle? Again, I've found riding much easier by making sure I'm properly fed, and hydrated. I'd suggest going out for a recreational ride of maybe 20 miles or so, also perhaps pop into the place where you bought your bike (or anywhere else you can get good advice), and check your bike set up. If you have the saddle too low, or a really bad bike set up, it can make riding very much more difficult. There are also videos online which can help with this.

Anyway, you're on the right track. Use your bike, save a fortune (unless you get really hooked, that can be another story!), and get in the greatest shape of your life! Oh, and save the planet.
 
I'd look at your bike set up, and your bike cycle_bug. If you have no medical conditions, you're half fit, and don't live in a mountainous region, then in a reasonable amount of time, you should be able to do that distance standing on your head. In fact, the only problem could be that you're not warmed up for the first ten miles (that's what I find). In fact, that could be it! I'll often find maybe my quads will hurt for the first ten miles, but then it goes away.

If you're finding it tough, have you eaten before you cycle? Again, I've found riding much easier by making sure I'm properly fed, and hydrated. I'd suggest going out for a recreational ride of maybe 20 miles or so, also perhaps pop into the place where you bought your bike (or anywhere else you can get good advice), and check your bike set up. If you have the saddle too low, or a really bad bike set up, it can make riding very much more difficult. There are also videos online which can help with this.

Anyway, you're on the right track. Use your bike, save a fortune (unless you get really hooked, that can be another story!), and get in the greatest shape of your life! Oh, and save the planet.

N+1 :smile:
 

Saluki

World class procrastinator
A chap up the road, has just bought one of those Gtech ebike things, advertised on the tellybox. He's about 30 years old and I chatted with him about it, for a couple of mins today (then I overtook him on my off road bike as he wasn't going fast enough). He paid £950 for the thing. It looks nice though and he says that it's fun but "it runs out of battery pretty quick". I asked if he pedalled as well as just riding along, he said "only when starting off", that'll be why the battery runs out then. His last ebile got nicked and it wasn't nearly as nice as the Gtech thing. We live in a very safe town too, I was as surprised as he was, bearing in mind a lady 3 or 4 doors down, leaves her disabilty scooter thing in her front garden and it's never been touched.

Ebikes, from what I can gather, are pretty darned expensive. Not that either of my bikes were any cheaper :smile:
When I was your age, I rode 6 miles to do my horse in the morning and then 5 miles to work from there. After work, I rode 5 miles to do my horse in the evening and then 6 miles home again. On Wednesday evenings, my friend did my horse for me and I rode 8 miles to college instead and around 7 home, in a weird triangular sort of route. I had my books and whatnot in panniers. It didn't kill me but I was relatively fit in the first place as my parents made us walk the 2 miles to school and back, or cycle. I do own a car, sometimes I even drive it. Mostly it sits outside though, not earning it's keep.

I would suggest, that at your age, your commute is short enough to ride. You will get fit quite quickly :smile: The only downside is the rain, but you'd get just as wet on an ebike. Waterproof overtrousers and lightweight jacket will keep you dry. Happy riding.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
If it's not insurance it's repairs. If it's not repairs it's petrol. Right now, it's all three.

My essential commutes:
Home to the City: 7 miles
Home to friends house: 9 miles
Home to university: 6.5 miles

Obstacles:
- Wind
- Carring books / laptops etc
- Weather - rain, etc N. Ireland is the same as the UK climate in general
- Serious investment in a bike when it may break. I have a car to also spend a sh*t load of cash on - at short notice when it what you think and give me your own experiences!
Bikes need to be maintained or they'll end up failing. If you're lucky, it'll just be the bike that needs repairing.

You mention wind, cross winds in particular. A strong wind can and does affect every form of wheeled transport, not just bikes. That removes one of your reasons for wanting an electric assist.
The weather is the same for all of us, but something that might be worth asking about is the cold weather performance. Not readily available on many sites.

I'd have a look round, and whilst doing that be asking myself "why do I want electric assist on a bike?"
 
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