My employers are starting a Cycle to Work scheme starting next week and it got me thinking about a new bike. I have never cycled to work before but have started going out quite regularly with the family recently doing a 12 mile round trip which was both fun and easy to manage.
The cycle to work scheme is through Halfords so the £1000 will be adhered to and I will be stuck with suppliers who will work through Halfords.
My commute is 9 miles, one way, and includes 1.5 miles flat well surfaced cycle path with the rest being A roads with quite a few long hill sections but nothing horrendously steep. I am 16 stone, 6 foot and not as fit as I should be. That said I could cycle to work under my own steam if I had to. Time is the major issue for me as I recon it would take 40/50 mins to cycle unaided. An ebike should be able to shave a good 10 mins off that, possibly more, and when parking is taken into account the time should start to be competitive with the car.
My current bike is a Claud Butler Cape Wrath D27 which is pretty well specced as far as I can tell and is both comfy and easy to ride.
Having looked at the posts on here for a few days I have came to the conclusion that a new bike from Juicybikes or Kudos may be the best option through CTW but I would also consider one of the other better specced bikes from Kalkhoff, Cytronex or Oxygen outwith the CTW sceme.
My other option is to convert my existing bike. I am relatively handy and think I could manage the DIY but the range of kits seems to be harder to compare than the ebikes.
Whatever bike I end up with I will be pedalling. I hope this will end up a life changing decision both health wise and fitness wise as well as financially. If I can commute through the winter it would mean I could drop one of our cars which would be a massive benefit to the family coffers.
So to sum up.
Do I start with a new bike through CTW or bite the bullet with a fancy well specced ebike financing the purchase myslef. Alternatively do I convert my existing steed.
I appreciate there is no substitute for actually trying bikes out but there doesn't appear to be much scope for the models mentioned up ion Edinburgh. Thanks in advance for any help.
The cycle to work scheme is through Halfords so the £1000 will be adhered to and I will be stuck with suppliers who will work through Halfords.
My commute is 9 miles, one way, and includes 1.5 miles flat well surfaced cycle path with the rest being A roads with quite a few long hill sections but nothing horrendously steep. I am 16 stone, 6 foot and not as fit as I should be. That said I could cycle to work under my own steam if I had to. Time is the major issue for me as I recon it would take 40/50 mins to cycle unaided. An ebike should be able to shave a good 10 mins off that, possibly more, and when parking is taken into account the time should start to be competitive with the car.
My current bike is a Claud Butler Cape Wrath D27 which is pretty well specced as far as I can tell and is both comfy and easy to ride.
Having looked at the posts on here for a few days I have came to the conclusion that a new bike from Juicybikes or Kudos may be the best option through CTW but I would also consider one of the other better specced bikes from Kalkhoff, Cytronex or Oxygen outwith the CTW sceme.
My other option is to convert my existing bike. I am relatively handy and think I could manage the DIY but the range of kits seems to be harder to compare than the ebikes.
Whatever bike I end up with I will be pedalling. I hope this will end up a life changing decision both health wise and fitness wise as well as financially. If I can commute through the winter it would mean I could drop one of our cars which would be a massive benefit to the family coffers.
So to sum up.
Do I start with a new bike through CTW or bite the bullet with a fancy well specced ebike financing the purchase myslef. Alternatively do I convert my existing steed.
I appreciate there is no substitute for actually trying bikes out but there doesn't appear to be much scope for the models mentioned up ion Edinburgh. Thanks in advance for any help.