This is where I came in.....

rog_london

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 3, 2009
764
2
Harrow, Middlesex
.....just a year ago.

I ordered my Wisper 905SE from Electric Bikes Direct on 1st January 2009 (£1200 delivered) having never ridden an e-bike and so I was, in a sense, buying 'a pig in a poke'. However, I'd done my homework and although I've seen other bikes from different manufacturers which also appealed to me during the past year, I think I made the right choice - for me, anyway.

After a year of ownership and close to three thousand miles of entirely leisure use I've had no reason to regret it. I wouldn't have ridden any sort of standard bike for a tenth of that mileage which was the main point of doing it. Also, as a result of getting somewhat fitter, the old standard mountain bike has had a few outings too.

No regrets therefore - as a long-time motorbike rider, I didn't think it was possible to have so much fun at (usually) less than 30 mph!

Also, if like some cyclists alledge, it's 'cheating' to have a motor and battery, I'm quite happy to do that to experience the exhilaration of tearing down a hill without worrying about pedalling back up it later on....

Rog.
 

Mussels

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 17, 2008
3,207
8
Crowborough
Good to hear, I have difficulty trying to explain to other motorbike riders how it can be fun and I've been accused by someone on a motorbike of cheating. :confused:
 

jasono

Pedelecer
Sep 19, 2009
217
3
Leicestershire
Nice to hear your ebike story so far Rog. I too am a motorcyclist, but have found myself preferring popping out on the Wisper

Take care and have a great New Year

Jason
 

lemmy

Esteemed Pedelecer
If an e-bike is cheating because it's a bicycle with battery and motor, I reckon that non e-bikes are cheating because they are perambulating with pedals and wheels.

Motorcycles are cheating because they are an e-bike without pedals.

Cars are cheating because they are a motorcycle with four wheels and you don't get wet or cold.

The only way not to be a cheat is to walk but even so I feel the wearing of shoes is a bit of a cop-out.

So, by cyclist logic, anyone who moves from one location to another is a cheat unless they do so by walking there bare footed.

You still shouldn't get away scot free, though. As the Beatles said:

if you drive a car, car - I'll tax the street
if you take a walk, walk - I'll tax your feet.
 

Straylight

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 31, 2009
650
2
I didn't think it was possible to have so much fun at (usually) less than 30 mph!
I've a theory about this: that the more physical work, attention you have to pay & in touch with the road you are (lack of suspension etc.), the lower the speed required to have an equivalent amount of fun (if fun is quantifiable).

So maybe, 15mph on an unpowered bike = 20mph on an ebike = 60mph on a motorbike = 100mph in a Mercedes?

To conclude that ebikes are just as fun as fast cars, but a lot less lethal :D (just got to watch out for the unenlightened ones still driving around...).
 
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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
I've a theory about this: that the more physical work, attention you have to pay & in touch with the road you are (lack of suspension etc.), the lower the speed required to have an equivalent amount of fun (if fun is quantifiable).
I think it's more than just a theory, something I've noticed tends to indicate it's fact.

I can ride my very powerful Q-bike almost everywhere either moped fashion or pedalling using less motor power. When burbing along on throttle only at up to 16 mph it seems very slow and I get bored quickly. When doing the same up to 16 mph by pedalling with a bit of added power, it seems that I'm making fast progress and it never gets boring. Clearly the extra involvement makes all the difference.
.
 

Straylight

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 31, 2009
650
2
It's a shame that this point would be very hard to market IMO, as it's pretty fundamental to getting people hooked on any form of personal transport. The motor manufacturers have it easy with their top speed and 0-60 stats, as they're something that's easy to imagine without having experienced it.
 

Wisper Bikes

Trade Member
Apr 11, 2007
6,211
2,174
68
Sevenoaks Kent
Thanks Rog

.....just a year ago.

I ordered my Wisper 905SE from Electric Bikes Direct on 1st January 2009 (£1200 delivered) having never ridden an e-bike and so I was, in a sense, buying 'a pig in a poke'. However, I'd done my homework and although I've seen other bikes from different manufacturers which also appealed to me during the past year, I think I made the right choice - for me, anyway.

After a year of ownership and close to three thousand miles of entirely leisure use I've had no reason to regret it. I wouldn't have ridden any sort of standard bike for a tenth of that mileage which was the main point of doing it. Also, as a result of getting somewhat fitter, the old standard mountain bike has had a few outings too.

Rog.
Thanks for the comments Rog, I am delighted the bike ios doing well for you!

Flecc I love the thought of you burbing about on your Q Bike. Maybe we should adopt Burbing as the verb for ebike riding. A collective noun for ebikers could be a burble although I quite like a shock of ebikers! :D

All the best

David
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
Flecc I love the thought of you burbing about on your Q Bike. Maybe we should adopt Burbing as the verb for ebike riding. A collective noun for ebikers could be a burble although I quite like a shock of ebikers! :D

All the best

David
With my rotten typing I left a letter out of course, and it made an L of a difference. :D

Should have been burbling of course, but as I'm on the fringe of London in the suburbs, often abbreviated as the 'burbs, 'burbing along also seems appropriate.
.
 

Barnowl

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 18, 2008
954
1
I love burbing along on my bike. The countryside is greatly over rated.

Historically I suppose the first people to ride horses were the first big cheats. The Romans were cheating something rotten with those long straight roads.
 

Mussels

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 17, 2008
3,207
8
Crowborough
I love burbing along on my bike. The countryside is greatly over rated.

Historically I suppose the first people to ride horses were the first big cheats. The Romans were cheating something rotten with those long straight roads.
I'm very thankful to the Romans as one of their roads goes almost direct from work to home, it's a bit dull though so not my favourite road.
 

Straylight

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 31, 2009
650
2
Maybe the Lycras that accuse us of cheating should try it without the ultra light road bikes, carrying luggage, and with somewhere to go, rather than riding round in circles for the sake of it :D . Bit of a generalisation I know - but hey, I couldn't resist ;) .

I think the cheating thing is bourne of guilt, because they know they should be doing their bit for their health/the planet - but somehow don't find the time, so will deride anyone who's found a practical means of doing this - incase they have to re-evaluate their own oh-so-comfy existence.

Or, a sadistic need to feel superior, and again absent themselves from any feeling of responsibility for their own lack of action.

Or, a puritanical need to feel superior, and evangilise loftily for the sake of ego maintenance.
 
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