Am i kidding myself? Advice please?

[dazzie]

Wow congrats Emma, sounds you have a like a fantastic company to work for.

 

[tenderbehind]

Crumbs Emma, I wouldn't fancy a 50 mile trip every working day, I've got the Wisper 905se and it's a great bike but I certainly wouldn't want to wake up thinking I'd have to cycle all that way in all weathers. I think, as much as I like my e bike, a small economical motor bike would be the answer.
If you do go ahead I think the battery would cetainly need a charge at each end. I'm an outdoor person, but not to that extent!

 

[Conal]

50 miles each day - go for it

Emma

I am 17 stone and often travel 60 miles on a return journey to work and back. I find the journey very enjoyable and don't want to put you off.

Some factors to consider:

It may be overkill to suggest that you ask for a doctor's advice but any existing medical condition should be considered. I have found that the electrical assistance allows me to avoid sustained high heart rates and I rarely get out of breath even travelling up hills.

Time taken to recharge batteries - these take 4 1/2 hours each to recharge. I have had to buy a second charger as I have three batteries. With two chargers I can charge two and nearly charge the third in the eight hours I am at work. I have to carry both chargers as I need then at home to recharge too. The extra batteries allow me to used full assist for the whole journey and so travel faster. Also you will forget to charge your battery occasionally and having some power left makes getting home possible.

Time taken to travel - For me 1 hour 50 mins to two hours each way. I travel at 20 miles per hour average speed but have to allow for normal delays on top of this - traffic lights, roundabouts, and busy traffic all slow me down.

Time take at work - 15 mins each way - I have to park and lock my bike, take the batteries off and take them with the chargers to my desk where I recharge them. I also have to get changed into office gear and sometimes have a shower. At the end of the day this is reversed (except for the occasional shower).

It is easier mentally and physically to cycle to work than it is to cycle home after a day's work, but once you set off the journey home can be just as enjoyable.

Much of my travel is in darkness on country lanes - I use bright lights!

Rain and wind can be a pain (two pains in fact) - but appropriate gear is essential. I have bright yellow gloves, jacket, and hat, and waterproof socks, and bought cycing glasses on offer from Halfords with interchangable lenses - tinted for daylight and clearer for night.

A good D lock and a long cable - other advice is on the forum. If your saddle is easily taken off - take it with you.

A secure place to park as work, if its sheltered even better.

It is easy to be enthusiastic at the beginning and then, after a few days, find it too much. I vary my journeys between the full 60 mile route; a partial journey of 38 miles and a relatively short journey of 12 miles. For the 60 mile journey sometimes I drive in, cycle home, cycle in the next day and then drive home making it 30 miles each day. My bike fits in the back of my estate car so this is possible (I can also put it on my tow bar).

It is likely that, in the long term, you won't lose significant weight by cycling unless you include a calorie controlled regime. If you read the forum posts a few members have successfully made livestyle changes incorporating their cycling, but many have found that adding cycling alone makes very little difference.

My understanding is that light/moderate cycling will burn about 600/800 calories for a larged frame person such as us (educated guess as googling does not come up with helpful examples) in one hour. To lose one pound of body fat you need to "burn" 3500 calories. I know weight loss does not work like that, but appplying simple maths you would think the pounds would drop off. This has not been my experience but I am not very discliplined in my eating habits.

You will get fitter and muscles will tone up resulting in slight bulking of areas where the large muscles used for cycling are - calves, thighs, bum (am I allowed to say that or should it be gluteus maximus?) and to a lesser amount, triceps, biceps, pectrials, deltoids and trapezius. Unfortunately little abdominal work so in my case the beer belly stays,

You may fall of your bike. Most electric bikes feel different to non-electric bikes - the added weight and its distribution, the assistance you get when you set off, and the speeds you can reach. Also, just like other bikes, they slip and slide on leaves and icy surfaces, and bad rod surfaces can damage your wheels and lead to puctures. Most members advocate care and, if you fall and are not hurt, getting straight back on.

Repair kit - read the forum posts and make sure you include a spare inner tube or. if you feel confident, a puncture repair kit. After reading the form and having two punctures on the same journey I carry two inner tubes and the tools to remove and replace wheels tyres and tubes. I also carry tape as I have to reattach an electric cable to the hub wheel.

Buy a bike with a powerful motor and the best battery you can afford. Buy a spare battery as well as a spare charger. I opted for a model with 26 inch wheels which (I have since found) are a little slower but are stronger than the equivalent 28 inch wheel. In my opinion this means buy the best bike available which will be from £1,000 and well above (that pesky Euro!) - you will read great advice on the forum - you have already had some! I used my work's "Cycle to Work" scheme and saved £100s. You could consider a second hand bike from a Forum member or from ebay (buyer beware for the latter). Some are very well kept, little used and good value, and may be derestrictable (a can of worms) as some new bikes do not have an "off road" option.

My experiences and those of many members of this forum who have been kind enough to share experiences with us should encourage you to take the plunge and start cycling - you will find using electric assistance adds greatly to the experience of cycling.

Good luck

Conal

 

[Mussels]

It is easy to be enthusiastic at the beginning and then, after a few days, find it too much.

When I started I was keen, then went through the slight pain stage as my muscles got used to it and then I found a new experience. I got lethargic when my muscles ran out of glocuse, I wanted to pedal but by legs would not work well but that's where the battery works wonders! After a brief rest I was more eager than ever.

It is likely that, in the long term, you won't lose significant weight by cycling unless you include a calorie controlled regime. If you read the forum posts a few members have successfully made livestyle changes incorporating their cycling, but many have found that adding cycling alone makes very little difference.

My understanding is that light/moderate cycling will burn about 600/800 calories for a larged frame person such as us (educated guess as googling does not come up with helpful examples) in one hour. To lose one pound of body fat you need to "burn" 3500 calories. I know weight loss does not work like that, but appplying simple maths you would think the pounds would drop off. This has not been my experience but I am not very discliplined in my eating habits.

You will get fitter and muscles will tone up resulting in slight bulking of areas where the large muscles used for cycling are - calves, thighs, bum (am I allowed to say that or should it be gluteus maximus?) and to a lesser amount, triceps, biceps, pectrials, deltoids and trapezius.

I haven't lost a lot of weight overall, it started to fall off in autumn but below 5 degrees my muscles don't work well enough to burn off a lot of energy. Now it's getting warmer I am losing weight again even though I am eating more.
Independant of the weight loss was the change in body shape, very quickly I lost an inch off my waist and my chest whilst my legs got bigger. I'm going towards the body shape of a kangaroo but i guess it's OK as that's quite fashionable since the olympics. I really need to get a few weights to try and keep in proportion.
I'd agree with everything Conal says up there but I guess you know a lot of it already as you have done long distances on a bike before.