Case studies - how has your electric bike changed your life?

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,985
Basildon
I just read that Guardian article from May that was mentioned above. Some of it isn't bad, especially for those that don't know about ebikes.
If you wanted to make a caricature of a couple of Guardian workers, the first and last pictures say it all.
 

Woodmaster

Just Joined
Jun 21, 2020
4
5
I think it’s something to do with the magnetic field given off by the batteries interacting with the earths core.
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,985
Basildon
I think it’s something to do with the magnetic field given off by the batteries interacting with the earths core.
It reminds me of an incident about 10 years ago and ebikes were quite rare. I had installed a kit on mine with the controller and battery in a bag behind the seat.

I passed a guy struggling up a steep hill just before some red traffic lights. He came up alongside me and said, "You made that look easy". I said, "That's because I have a gravity tilter". That got his curiosity going, so he asked how it worked. I pointed to the bag and told him that it was in there, then I showed him the throttle lever and told him that when I pressed the lever down, it tilted gravity so I could roll down the hill. Before he could ask any more questions, the lights changed, so I said, "watch", and I pressed the lever and glided away from him without pedalling. I wonder how much time the poor guy spent searching on Google. I feel a bit guilty now.
 

MontyPAS

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 16, 2020
390
148
Hey,
We at PedalHub believe that E-bikes could help us contribute to restoring the environmental damages that we have caused, at a personal level. E-bikes are an easy and fun way of cutting down carbon emission while keeping us healthy.
And make you loads of money? ;)
 
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Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,989
8,172
60
West Sx RH

MontyPAS

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 16, 2020
390
148

sjpt

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 8, 2018
3,642
2,652
Winchester
Hey,
We at PedalHub believe that E-bikes could help us contribute to restoring the environmental damages that we have caused, at a personal level. E-bikes are an easy and fun way of cutting down carbon emission while keeping us healthy.
Shouldn't that be a trade post? Even more so the listing on For Sale forum.
 

Fiddler

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 15, 2020
17
3
78
Liverpool
Hi everyone

I’m looking to publish a few stories on the home page ‘news’ area to give examples of the various reasons people buy one and therefore the benefits of e-bikes.

We had this great example a few months back of getting heart-patient Nick back in the saddle. I’d really like a whole host more to show all the different reasons to spur others on in similar situations to try an e-bike.

Dodgy knees, cracking on a bit (it comes to us all!), wanting to get fit, commuting, other health issues.. I’d like to publish people’s experiences in their own words. How they chose their bike, what they do with it, how it’s changed their lives. It certainly doesn’t have to be expertly written and I’d like to show ‘every day’ people with ‘every day’ problems, as well as anything more unusual that their e-bike has overcome, hopefully with a picture of you and your bike too.

I have PMd a couple of members already discussing their experiences on here, so still hoping they’re not going to be shy..

Similarly if any businesses are using e-bikes I’d like to hear about that too.

Please PM me if you'd like to share your story.

Thanks everyone :)
Always interested I electric cars . Drive Electric 80 was an exhibition Wembley 1980 . So built a Reliant 3 wheeler ,48,,V 30 mph . Then 15 years ago bought a GEM EV small 2 seater . . Seeing all the pink Liverpool scooters for hire got me thinking so after lots of dithering bought a 48v rear wheel job . Thinks convert an old Tesco Vertigo mountain bike .Just the job for getting to Liverpool marina . No don't have an electric boat but I do know somebody that's doing one and it's 55 footer!
Still not charged up after 25 miles so really pleased . Would like to help others convert . Have nice workshop and all machines welder etc for all the bits that don't fit .keep in touch .
 

Bikernun

Pedelecer
Mar 10, 2020
28
3
Hi having a ebike has realy changed my life as I had a accident at work which resulted in a leg injury as I don't drive I have to cycle 10 miles each way so 100 miles a week I nearly had to give up my job as I struggled to cycle in then I thought ebike and the rest is history
 

Woodmaster

Just Joined
Jun 21, 2020
4
5
Hi having a ebike has realy changed my life as I had a accident at work which resulted in a leg injury as I don't drive I have to cycle 10 miles each way so 100 miles a week I nearly had to give up my job as I struggled to cycle in then I thought ebike and the rest is history
That has to be one of the most perfect uses for an ebike. Glad it helped you.
 
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Edward Elizabeth

Pedelecer
Aug 10, 2020
136
191
Buckinghamshire
I was bought mine as an anniversary gift. I hadn't planned on buying one, and as a fit and healthy cyclist in my 50s hadn't wven thought about it.

I'm not quite sure where people get tales from about outclimbing Lance Armstrong, or out accelerating Hayabusa's at the lights, because on any of my lighter road bikes I can easily out accelerate, out run and out climb my ebike.

So no life changine revelation for me

That said, it's been an eye opener for my leisure riding. Ive learned that to go faster on the ebike I need to actually ride a bit slower and let the bike do some of the work. I'm seeing more scenery, and I'm riding more often - i ride daily come what may, but I find myself making excuses to slip in yet another ride to return that library book for the Missus, or to post that letter...in the post box in the next village.

So its brought me a different element to enjoy, and a different reason to ride even more.
 

StrawHatMan

Finding my (electric) wheels
May 22, 2020
22
20
Hi everyone

I’m looking to publish a few stories on the home page ‘news’ area to give examples of the various reasons people buy one and therefore the benefits of e-bikes.

We had this great example a few months back of getting heart-patient Nick back in the saddle. I’d really like a whole host more to show all the different reasons to spur others on in similar situations to try an e-bike.

Dodgy knees, cracking on a bit (it comes to us all!), wanting to get fit, commuting, other health issues.. I’d like to publish people’s experiences in their own words. How they chose their bike, what they do with it, how it’s changed their lives. It certainly doesn’t have to be expertly written and I’d like to show ‘every day’ people with ‘every day’ problems, as well as anything more unusual that their e-bike has overcome, hopefully with a picture of you and your bike too.

I have PMd a couple of members already discussing their experiences on here, so still hoping they’re not going to be shy..

Similarly if any businesses are using e-bikes I’d like to hear about that too.

Please PM me if you'd like to share your story.

Thanks everyone :)
 

StrawHatMan

Finding my (electric) wheels
May 22, 2020
22
20
In early 2020, I went for a bike ride along the old Scarborough to Whitby railway track as far as Ravenscar - a distance of about 7 miles each way. At the end of this ride I was exhausted and very “saddle sore” because my old 21 gear Raleigh had no suspension and only two of the gears worked. Those who know this route, known locally as the Cinder Track or Sustrans Route 1, will also know how unforgivingly bumpy it is in places. I was toying with the idea of hanging up my bike clips and giving up cycling altogether.

I’m 71 years old and I had an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) fitted following a cardiac arrest half way up a Scottish mountain in 2014. Very few people live to tell the tale, but I was fortunate because there was an American paramedic following me who administered expert external heart massage. A motorcycle paramedic administered drugs and used a defibrillator to restore my heart rhythm and a team of Edinburgh police carried me down the mountain. An extraordinary amount of good luck and care for which my wife and I will remain eternally grateful. Apart from that, I’m reasonably fit for a septuagenarian and I’ve made a good recovery from my cardiac arrest. I’ve got the normal clicking knees, my stamina and strength aren’t what they used to be and I take a collection of tablets daily for high blood pressure, low thyroid activity and other age related ailments. Clearly, exercise outside such as walking and cycling are of benefit and should be carried on if I can.

I wanted a bike that I could use to explore the hills and tracks of my part of Yorkshire, which is the coastal region between Scarborough and Whitby with an inland radius of about 20 miles. I had absolutely no idea about electric bikes and I had never ridden one. My research was carried out online during the lockdown resulting from the Covid19 pandemic. Clearly, these were not ideal circumstances to make a rational decision!

My essential requirements was for a bike that would enable me to ride in comfort to Ravenscar with sufficient battery power for the journey. However, my ideal bike would allow longer journeys to Robin Hoods Bay, or even Whitby with, of course, sufficient battery capacity for the return. An even better bike would allow me to escape the railway track and enable assisted ascents of the steep hills surrounding my house. I also decided that a step through frame might be advantageous in the long term, given my age. Tracks and bridleways abound in this area so an ability to cope with muddy conditions and stony surfaces was an essential requirement, although I wasn’t needing pure mountain bike specifications.

Somehow, I found the Pedelecs forums and read as much as I could to help me decide whether or not I should continue with what, to me, is a major purchase. This was very useful reading especially the advice to try before you buy. This would be very difficult during a lockdown when the nearest electric bike retailer is 40 miles away and the rules said that my journey would be classed as non-essential travel and therefore not permitted. Thank goodness I stumbled upon Citrus Cycles at Ladysmith on Vancouver Island. They have comprehensive range of no holds barred videos of a wide range of ebikes showing their true capabilities. One video showed a Riese and Müller Homage being taken along just the sort of tracks and paths that I wanted my ebike to cope with. The bike coped with steep ascents and the rain and mud made me feel at home. I was sold.

To cut a long story short, I ordered a Riese and Müller Homage bike which was delivered in May 2020. This bike has a step through frame, front and rear suspension and came with an Enviolo variable gear with belt drive. I also opted for the GX version with bigger wheels and wider tyres as I wanted the bike to cope with the muddy and stony tracks that abound in this area. My battery was 500 Whr although there was a two battery version available and today the specifications include one or two 625 Whr batteries.

So, back to the question: How has an electric bike changed my life? Well, I’m now able to ride to Whitby and back - a distance of 40 miles, so that is really good as my old bike prevented journeys beyond Ravenscar. I’ve also been able to get up the steep ascents and onto the Tabular Hills that surround my house and which have previously been impassable to me. This has allowed access to virtually anywhere within a twenty mile radius although, obviously, not to the East! A typical ride is one that I did yesterday which lasted 3 hours and covered 38.7 km (24 miles) and total ascent of 724 m (7793 ft). The 500 Whr battery would have given a couple of miles on top of that but it was used throughout, often at the highest power for the steepest hills. My rule of thumb is that my bike can get me up four steep hills with some in reserve if need be. This has enabled me to reach as far as the Hole of Horcum using the prehistoric routes of the Tabular Hills. Look at a map - it’s a long way. This is how an electric bike has changed my life. I’m discovering parts of Yorkshire that I’ve never been to before and benefiting from the exercise that gets me there. Since getting the bike in May, I have covered nearly 700 miles with about 40 journeys ranging between 10 and 40 miles. Who could ask for more?The psychological benefits of being in the countryside, especially during these pandemic times, are immeasurable. I have an interest in the numerous prehistoric artefacts that we have here such as tumuli, earthworks and ancient tracks. Being able to visit them by bike enables me to see much more than I ever could during a walk. All in all, this bike has been perfect for me.
 

Phil Dryden

Pedelecer
Jun 20, 2018
230
124
70
Leicester
I have been a lover of cycling since I was a kid, and I regard the bike as a fantastic piece of engineering and technology. Hence I have never been keen on off road and dirt tracks, and have always kept to roads and cycle paths. Until 2014 I was enjoying fairly long rides of 50 - 150 miles, with my personal record standing at 202 miles in 15 hours.

All this ended 5 or 6 years ago when I started becoming short of breath when walking uphill, and eventually this culminated in an ICD (Implantable Cardiac Diverter), being installed in 2017. This was done as a preventative measure as I have never had a heart attack or suffered cardiac arrest. Anxious to get back to some cycling afterwards I bought a Cube Kathmandu ebike and it was a revelation.

No longer was I avoiding steep hills and walking up others, headwinds were no longer an issue, and I was enjoying the bike again. Whilst I still got breathless when walking quickly or uphill, oddly It was nowhere near as bad on the bike. So whilst walking briskly or for long periods is no longer an option for me, thankfully, I can now do rides of 25-35 miles without any trouble. No longer do I have to plan my routes to avoid hills or headwinds.

In a fit of misplaced confidence, I sold my Cube and went back to my non ebike last year, but soon realised that my underlying health issues still presented a significant problem to unassisted cycling, and 10-15 miles was my absolute limit. After 6 months of struggle and decreasing enjoyment, I bought my current Wisper 905 Torque in summer 2020, and immediately felt again the benefit of the extra assistance when needed. In 2020 I have covered 1500 miles, down from my 2400 in 2019 due to my ill advised venture back onto an unassisted bike.

I would encourage anyone who for whatever reason has found themselves unable to pursue their love of cycling to seriously consider an ebike……….but don’t consider it for too long. Get out and get one!! If you have a love of cycling you won’t regret it. To be able to get out on the open road again is wonderfully uplifting and empowering. Never underestimate the positive psychological effect of getting back to cycling, or the overall benefit on physical health. Just be sure to try some different types and styles before you buy one - torque or cadence sensor, crank or hub drive, crossbar or step thru, are probably the 3 most important areas to get right.
 

Burroo67

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jul 29, 2020
15
4
67
Clydebank
Hi everyone

I’m looking to publish a few stories on the home page ‘news’ area to give examples of the various reasons people buy one and therefore the benefits of e-bikes.

We had this great example a few months back of getting heart-patient Nick back in the saddle. I’d really like a whole host more to show all the different reasons to spur others on in similar situations to try an e-bike.

Dodgy knees, cracking on a bit (it comes to us all!), wanting to get fit, commuting, other health issues.. I’d like to publish people’s experiences in their own words. How they chose their bike, what they do with it, how it’s changed their lives. It certainly doesn’t have to be expertly written and I’d like to show ‘every day’ people with ‘every day’ problems, as well as anything more unusual that their e-bike has overcome, hopefully with a picture of you and your bike too.

I have PMd a couple of members already discussing their experiences on here, so still hoping they’re not going to be shy..

Similarly if any businesses are using e-bikes I’d like to hear about that too.

Please PM me if you'd like to share your story.

Thanks everyone :)
Hi Helen,
I bought my e-bike to cycle the 18-mile return journey to my office. There were 2 main reasons for doing this: -
1. My office was moving further into the Centre of Glasgow so parking would have been VERY expensive
2. With the Covid-19 crisis hitting, I did not want to travel on public transport.
I bought the bike on a Cycle to Work scheme when my employer intimated that there could be an imminent return to the office from home working. I spent a small fortune on buying decent waterproof/windproof winter gear for the commute, but a it turns out my employer did not require me to return to the office after all and I have actually now left that job (after 47+years)!
My new job is based in Edinburgh so I won't be cycling to work, that's for sure. I had to pay the bike off on leaving, thus losing the tax and NI easements and as I had gone for a reasonable spec on the bike it was a bit of a downer having to pay it off in a lump sum.
On the upside the bike is fantastic and I love going out on it, albeit not too far with the Tier 4 restrictions in Scotland.
My wife also has an e-bike and we put a tow bar on my car to house a tow rack so that we can head off to different areas to cycle, again this has not been the case as yet in Tier 4, but we live in hope.
Hope this helps
 

Pedaluma

Pedelecer
Sep 28, 2020
30
6
I had an incomplete quadriplegic spinal injury from a cycling accident in 1995. I was back home in 6 months with some very wobbly walking. My family and friends were great: anytime I needed a lift I just called but after a few months I really wanted my independence back.

I worked in IT and had Internet access so I 'discovered' electric cycling in 1997. Soon I tracked down Cresswell Engineering. who designed the Tri-1 (now made by Pashley). I bought the model with a fold and had it fitted with a motor system and before long I was able to go out on my own whenever I wanted.

After 12 months I could drive again and I chose a 5-door hatchback that would take the tricycle. I returned to work and as my confidence and health returned I got back to 2 wheels in 2000 so I could have a long holiday in America, buying a bike from Scott McGregor at EVDeals.

Since then I designed my own electric solutions and in 2006 I designed the nano Brompton. This became my 'legs' for any journey more than 50 yards but it became obvious that able cyclist wanted one too. I got it into manufacture and more than 500 have been shipped to date. I focus on building bikes to meet special needs and I get a real boost helping folks like me get independent again.

Tony Castles
Because of carpal and arthritis I am doing coaster brake conversions for people with hand issues in California. An older couple from Mill Valley rode electric bikes for the first time yesterday and beamed like kids.
 

Scorpio

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 13, 2020
357
161
Portugal Algarve (temporary)
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sjpt

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 8, 2018
3,642
2,652
Winchester
Excellent. I'm surprised they chose a crossbar rather than step-through. Especially for that job which requires frequent mounting/dismounting. (I wonder if it was him or the donors that chose?)