Fascinating discussion here. Thanks everyone.
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I am still finding it hard to bite it at £1700!
It's RRP is at £2199
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Do these machines truly payback? I am trying to offset it with my annual commuting budget (£1000) but don't really know if it will truly work.
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Quantifying getting healthier is definitely a rather difficult prospect at 29.
... My observation would be , and I am assuming you still have a 28 mile commute is that.
1. This distance will take more than an hour travel each way. Unless you are on dedicated cycling paths, it would be difficult to sustain any faster speed in traffic
2. It would be desirable to recharge the battery at both ends of the journey, so factoring in an additional charger would be a good idea. If not feasible then the largest possible battery the better.
3. Plenty of other contributors here will advise on ensuring you have a safe storage place. Theft of a nice shiny new bike... Tempting
4.you need to invest in a few additional items if you are seriously going to commute.. wet gear, puncture resistant tyres your tyres might need replacing after 6 months with your milage.
5. You will sleep better at night, you will not need to join keep fit classes and will retain the lean and hungry look. You will lose a bit of anxiety as you won't be at the mercy of public transport.
6. Provided the bike is not stolen or crashed, and you are using one of the premium brands you have posted about, the bike will last indefinitely, but will need replacement battery after probably 3 years max... This could be extended by the practice of recharging every commute. So as a financial investment it will pay off in the long run.
7 I would have done, albeit many years ago and when I was your age, a cross city commute of about 8 to 9 Miles each way for 7 years . So with ebike is certainly feasible.
