Hello!

JimRides

Pedelecer
Sep 9, 2016
55
47
Liverpool
Hi all,

I recently purchased a Coyote Connect folding electric bike, with the intention of using it for my 6-7 mile commute to work, instead of being at the mercy of the vagaries of public transport. At £500 for the bike, plus a few extra bits (against nearly £70 per month for my travel pass) it should have paid for itself in less than a year.

My intended route to work is as flat as a pancake for the most part, but when I took my new toy out for its first ride yesterday I wanted to give it a bit more of a challenge to test it out, so I rode up a fairly steep local road route.

When I made my first (and only!) trip up there on my knackered old Apollo mountain bike a year or so ago, I had to stop at the side of the road about three times to push my lungs back in :p

On my new electric mount the journey was an absolute doddle and I did a four mile round trip without breaking sweat, even though it was a pretty humid afternoon.

In fact, the most tiring thing about it was carrying the folded bike up three flights of stairs to my flat - it weighs an absolute ton! Next time, I'll wheel it up the stairs and then fold it once I get in the flat :)

I really enjoyed riding it and can't wait to get back out on it again.

I stumbled across this site whilst just searching for electric bike related things, but it looks like a busy and useful resource for e-bike users, whether old hands or newbies like me, and I'll be paying a visit a lot in future (maybe just to read rather than post!)

Jim
 

Suseka

Pedelecer
Jun 14, 2016
87
88
Norfolk
Hello and welcome :)

It's great... isn't it - love my e-bike and the fact I can ride around with relative ease and I don't end up a sweaty mess at the end of it.
 
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Angelnorth

Pedelecer
May 13, 2016
209
170
Hexham, Northumberland
Hello, welcome! Fairly new to this game myself but enjoying getting out and about - the assistance makes that possible even though my local terrain is anything but "flat as a pancake"! Hope you've got some decent waterproofs for those inevitable North West weather days so you can keep up the cost savings by not having to resort to public transport on those days!
 

JimRides

Pedelecer
Sep 9, 2016
55
47
Liverpool
Hello, welcome! Fairly new to this game myself but enjoying getting out and about - the assistance makes that possible even though my local terrain is anything but "flat as a pancake"! Hope you've got some decent waterproofs for those inevitable North West weather days so you can keep up the cost savings by not having to resort to public transport on those days!
I've been very lucky with the weather on my two trips out so far, but yes, I've been to an "outdoors shop" and invested in a proper lightweight waterproof jacket and some over-trouser things, don't want to get into work in the morning looking like drowned rat :)
 
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JimRides

Pedelecer
Sep 9, 2016
55
47
Liverpool
I did my first commute to and from work today!

I did a dry run a couple of Saturdays ago, just to get a feel for the route, but the traffic wasn't like a weekday morning and I wasn't wearing shirt, trousers and shoes, so it wasn't really the same.

Rode 7 miles-ish from Garston into Liverpool city centre, mostly along the waterfront. Nice views, and got to enjoy them due to there hardly being anyone around to crash into :p

route.JPG

Went onto the roads for a bit about halfway to avoid some cobblestone-y sections, but squeezing between lorries and an e-n-d-l-e-s-s row of parked cars was no fun - will take my chances with the cobbles next time!

Was incident free apart from turning the wrong way down a one-way street at the Albert Dock (just because you are familiar with somewhere as a pedestrian doesn't mean you know it on a bike!) - had to quickly dismount and pretend I meant to walk through there anyway. Doubt anyone was fooled :(

Side Bike2.jpg

Got into work bang on 9:00am, 45 mins for the journey, including stop-start traffic in Garston and walking in town. Ride home was a bit more slow paced, because I had forgotten my charger and was worried about running out of juice. Needn't have worried - did about 14 miles on mostly medium assist and got home with leccy to spare :)

Genuinely enjoyed myself - when my travel pass runs out at the end of the month I'll be doing it every day. Can't wait :)
 
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Angelnorth

Pedelecer
May 13, 2016
209
170
Hexham, Northumberland
Sounds much more fun than being crammed on a bus/train/tram full of people with the early-morning grumps! I'm sure you'll quickly figure out the absolute best route in terms of road surfaces, traffic etc. May the bright autumn weather shine on you for a good while yet!
 

JBello

Finding my (electric) wheels
Sep 16, 2016
6
0
49
Berkhamsted
Hi JimRides
Glad to hear that you are enjoying your commute to work with your e-bike. I am working for a sustainable transport charity and I'm doing some research on e-bikes. My focus at the moment is case studies of people new to e-bikes and I'm also trying to gather a larger set of data on people replacing car journeys with e-bike journeys. Would you be happy to answer a few questions for my study?
Kind regards
JBello
 

JimRides

Pedelecer
Sep 9, 2016
55
47
Liverpool
Hi JimRides
Glad to hear that you are enjoying your commute to work with your e-bike. I am working for a sustainable transport charity and I'm doing some research on e-bikes. My focus at the moment is case studies of people new to e-bikes and I'm also trying to gather a larger set of data on people replacing car journeys with e-bike journeys. Would you be happy to answer a few questions for my study?
Kind regards
JBello
Sure, no problem at all :)

If you want to email me; jmorojo1@gmail.com