Mike169

Hi Lynda and all, ok i'm off for a short while, gotta do the weekly shop catch you laters

Hi RobF Interesting point about only saving a few seconds on an illegal bike it was more so the free transport that was more appealing obviously a scooter has it's ongoing running costs and i am not totally sure of the law about needing a driving license to ride a scooter. I have an old car licence which at the time meant you could drive a 7.5 ton truck, in my past i drove an 44 ton artic lorry, legally, with a class one licence but that has now expired as i wouldn't of passed the medical req'd. I think i am looking for some free to run wheels which can propel itself along and me having the option to pedal it only if i want to if for the exercise if nothing else. I am good with a spanner so to speak so maybe a self build kit is an option something i will have to look into whether they come as a complete kit or whether you have to source the parts individually? Mike.

Hi Lynda, many years ago when i was an energetic teenager 10 gear racing bikes were the thing, i can remember doing one particular journey when i averaged 28mph all the way home lol so yea speeds in excess of 15mph are welcomed, i actually think it is safer to have spare power in case you ever get in trouble so to speak and have to get out of a situation. As for steep hills yea where i live we have one which is about half a mile long, so whatever bike will need a motor strong enough to pull the bike and 15 stone 6' 3" me! I see many bikes now have disc brakes which seems a good idea and some sort of rack on the back so i can hang panniers, reason being i am lucky enough to own a 30 foot motor boat so much of my journeys will be to pop down to the boat which is in a sorta marina, only a mile down the road so i can either just enjoy the creek it's in or do repair jobs on it.....so to quote yourself when i go out in my boat......of course i sleep around, lol. Mike.

Hi Lynda, great to hear from you. The longest trip i will ever do will not exceed 20 miles and even then i can charge up the battery at the half way point so to speak. Yea i think i will be looking for a bike with a bit extra and the main reason for owning such a bike is just so i can pop down the road as my walking distance capacity is a bit impaired and my total weekly mileage i doubt will ever exceed 20 miles and to pay road tax, insurance etc for such little use would pro rata become costly and probably cheaper to 'call a cab' which is a route i didn't want to go down, so for me i feel i would like a free to travel, short journeys only, the most regular one being but a mile away and a mile back. A bike that works on 'twist and go' only would be ideal but also with pedals so i can at will turn them as well to keep my dodgy knee moving and hopefully slow down the dreaded arthritis from stiffening up more than it has already. Mike :o

Hi all, i am new here so thought it would be great to link up with you all, form some good friendship and of course exchange advise and experience with others. I am technically partly disabled as i have a blue badge in my car but i need a different means of transport as finding a cheaper way to live is becoming my need and goal. I am quite osteo arthritic and have a replacement knee and a metal plate in my other foot with 8 screws in it in my big toe area to stop me being able to move it, hence no pain I though the idea of a powered bike a good one but and a little concerned that it seems to me powered bikes built new today all have to have the pedal turned all the time to get the power assistance and i believe bikes of 'yesterday' many had a power button only i.e. you didn't have to pedal the bike at all. Any advice from anybody about and new bikes that are 'power button only' or that don't really need to be peddled for the assistance would be very appreciated. I have noticed modern bikes have a speed restriction of 15mph but have also seen conversion kits that 'upgrade' bikes so they do say 30mph, any advise on these kits would be very appreciated as of course i would only be using the bike off road The idea of a free to run, i.e. no road tax, no insurance, no MOT's etc is very appealing i also will consider a very good 2nd hand one if the right bike came along. I am 56 years old and live in Benfleet in Essex, regards to all, Mike.