Retail

Wow, thanks for all the replies and thoughts. Yike bike looks like yikes priced! D8veh - what concerns did you raise on the Gallego? Would be interesting to get the view of someone who has some experience in e bikes and this product (anyone else tried it too?). Seems like a popular suggestion so looks like I've got a trip to Cambridge coming up to meet the woosh team. I might also get myself up to Paddington to try the route on a Boris bike. Looks like a few options then: 1. Gallego. 2. Cycle my current bike to station. Boris bike other end. 3. Brompton/ other non electric folder. 4. Give up the idea and take the tube. Thanks to the posters who told me to go non electric for using language softer than "pedal you lazy @@@@"!

I have been hovering around this site for a while now, read loads and learnt loads so first off, thanks to all the posters and site managers for such a great resource. Last week I visited an (un-named) electric bike retailer for a try ride and a chat and while I was impressed with the electric bike concept the person I met knew less about them than I did (and I know nothing!). I've wanted to be into cycling for years, I'm a 31 year old man and in reasonable shape and I have (until recently) been a keen SCUBA diver but something about cycling (and running) kills me! I've tried a few different bikes, I think I just get bored and at the first sign of a way out, I give up and stick the bike as far into the back of the garage as I can muster. So I discovered the e-bike online and queue my next foray into trying to cycle, reasoning that an e-bike will take some of the strain and give me more reward for my effort possibly easing me gently into cycle commuting. I also reason that even if I take the tube on rainy days, I should save £400-£600 per year on train fares which is money saved (or at least diverted into the bike). I want to ride from home to the station - 1.25 miles and then from London Paddington to Victoria which is 2.75 miles and then return via the same route at the end of the day. Constraints... the train company website says they wont take bikes unless they are folded and will only take folding bikes if they are 18" wheel or smaller, the cycle to work scheme won't let me have a bike over £1,000 and my preference is for both throttle and pedal assist. Any suggestions on which bike I should be looking at? Am I better to go for Boris Bikes in London and get over myself?! Help appreciated.