I've just been out for a ride to test whether commuting is feasible. I have a 26-mile round trip over hilly terrain, and although I have been assured the bike will do it no problem, and the likely time (around an hour each way) is reasonable, I didn't know how it would make me feel. It's a long time (30 years) since I last commuted by pedal cycle. Energy levels are well down, knees are creakier, lower parts have lost their saddle-hardness, etc etc.

 

Well, I got home and had a pint of orange juice to celebrate. I feel absolutely great, elated, totally on a high, ready to take the world on. I'm someone who hates exercise. I never liked playing sport, and found running totally boring, but I always loved cycling. And I am delighted to discover that I still do. What a wonderful way to spend an hour on a sunny morning.

 

There is no point to this post, other than to say that I feel 110%, love my ebike, and am thrilled that cycling has lost none of its pleasure for me.

Hi.

 

I have two chronic physical disabilities and only since my 8 fun kit has stopped working have I realised just how important it has been.

 

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and syringomyelia. The bike hasn't just been transformative in supporting me in work it'd helped me exercise which has supported me with physical fitness. Since my bike has stopped working I have been in more physical pain and have had major disruptions to my sleep. I really hope my bike can be fixed and I can get back to riding very soon.

A month ago I managed to persuade my missus to let me bu my dream car a VW Scriocco ;leather heated seats, sat nav, Bluetooth all the gadgets etc. Unfortunately it developed a gear box fault the first week and ended up in the Garage for nearly 12 days. At the time there wasn't any courtesy cars available so I thought I'd dust the old mountain bike off out the garage and cycle to work.

My commute is about 7 1/2 miles with one large hill and another not so large which is why I had been reluctant to attempt to cycle in before. Anyway first attempt into work it took me 1 1/2 hours as I had to stop for a 10 minute re-coupe and felt like passing out at one point. Google maps said should of been 50 minutes on a bike.

Whilst at work I herd on the radio about a local council cycle to work initiative where they loan free of charge a electric bike for 3 months. So I gave them a call and a few days later a man in a van dropped off a nearly new Raleigh Motus e-bike with the 2014 Bosch system. My first attempt into work and I did it just under 30 minutes and didn't need a stop. In the car with the usual traffic it normally takes me 20 minutes. At the moment it actually take longer as Rotherham council for the next 9 months have decided to dig the main road up on my route.

So the following week I did three out of five days on the e-bike and the next I did the same. Got my car back that week but didn't really used it that much and this week I've cycled in all five day's. At the moment I'm really enjoying it. That may be because the weathers been so good in September and I've not had to use the water proofs I bought yet. I just wish I hadn't spent so much on my new car and saved a couple of grand to buy my own electric mountain bike. The guy who dropped the bike off did say I would probably have it more than three months as no body will want one then until next year so fingers crossed.

The Motus is an awesome bike. My wife got the low step version, and I wanted the crossbar type, but none were available for several months. I'm happy with the Wisper, but I would upgrade to a Motus tomorrow if I could get one.

No serious cycling for years. Got a Chinese bike and saw the potential but returned it as it was crap. Moved onto second hand BH with Panasonic motors. My cycling went up and up. Realy began to enjoy the bike and did all the steep hills.

Then hit by a car. Broke my arm badly at the wrist. Had to give up the traditional shape bike and moved onto a recumbent.

Well it is as fast as an electric on reasonable ground. Realy fast on flat or down hills.

Today I did over 175km at around 24 kph. When I slow down or get a large insurance claim in it will be an assisted recumbent for me. That will shift like xxxx

The simple truth (that so many users have found) is that ebikes have now enabled a much wider range of people to enjoy cycling, and therefore cycle further and much more regularly.

 

The pitch was queered over the past few years with the early lead-acid batteries and very heavy frames that were too heavy to manhandle and pedal, but now we have a huge range of truly dual-purpose bikes that have hardly any weight handicap.

 

Portable electric power is getting there at last, with lithium batteries and sophisticated phase switched motors.

I raced for a living, finishing my career as the state RR champion. I worked professionally as a cycling coach, taking care of myself and aspiring champions alike.

 

Everything in my life was turned upside down in a heartbeat. I lost my ability to race. I lost my ability to ride with my friends. I lost contact with so many. I survived what few ever do, an out of hospital cardiac arrest. I laid in front of my friends clinically dead. The FD deserve every bit of respect they get.

 

While it took several months to gain the courage to get on a bike again, I wanted to get some of my life back. When I first rode a pedelec, I was all smiles, realizing what it meant. I could ride with my friends again.

 

I am working on building a pedelec because I want others to get a chance to live their life again. This community is filled with so many talented and enthusiastic cyclists. Thank you for having me.

hope you go from strength to strength.

it,s great that you are riding again and in contact with like minded people.

i know people who have been keen competative cyclists but for medical reasons could no longer ride a non electric bike.

it was a catch 22 situation because to improve healthwise riding a bike was the way to go , but they could not get started on a regular bike.

the electric bikes changed all that.

Thanks steveib. I'd love to take down those barriers.

 

It's a struggle though. I'm still battling my personal issues around exercise. I'm in the tail end of a masters program for exercise physiology. When in class, I would read paper after paper talking about individuals who could reverse or rehabilitate from a serious condition but choose not to. Choosing not to is not a stubborn active choice, rather it's a choice based on the weighing negative perception, discomfort, and lack of social support.

 

I do want to help those individuals who could use some help to re-engage themselves in a healthy active lifestyle. However, I am torn, feeling like a little kid jumping up and down, crying "this isn't fair", knowing that I can't fix myself with any exercise. Rather, my heart is just going to be falling apart more and I'll be getting myself closer to having complete heart failure with each strenuous beat.

 

That said, I'm still around and with a purpose. I hope, with the help of the community, that we can empower people to live their lives again.

i would like to say my Ebike Scott E Sub Sport 2015 Model has changed my life because i play Crown Green bowls and i have always wanted to play at another club about 8 miles away and unable to before i got my electric bike and now been able to go is amazing without any problems and it also lets me go to the next town with ease to claim benefits.if i never had this Ebike i wouldn't be able to play Crown Green bowls at another club that i have wanted to play for about 10 years and also it would of been a lot more harder for me to claim benefits too because when coming home i would have to wait about 3 hours to get the next bus home now i just jump on my bike and come home straight away i am well home before the bus even gets in my town and also it saves me a lot of money to because i am not paying the bus fare to get back and too claiming benefits.I have never been interested in passing my test because all the people that i know that drive never really have no money because they are paying to keep there car on the road with fuel various another things you would need to keep it working in fine order.The thing is for one year first insurance is £1000 or more then you have buy a car to go with it your easy over £2000 for the car and your insurance and this before you are putting fuel in your car too.i think 6p to charge my battery in 2hrs 30mins is good enough to go anywhere for me

Nice and knowledgeable information shares. I learnt a lot

thanks for sharing.

I had been commuting on mine twice a week (I work nights, so it's really four separate days riding). When the clocks went back, I reverted to the car at my wife's request - 13 miles of unlit country roads each way were making her worry for my safety. But when the clocks went forward, I started using the ebike again. In that time I have got much fitter and lost over 2 stone. I feel great and much healthier, so much so that I am now thinking of going back to a pushbike. This ebike might have saved my life.

I had been commuting on mine twice a week (I work nights, so it's really four separate days riding). When the clocks went back, I reverted to the car at my wife's request - 13 miles of unlit country roads each way were making her worry for my safety. But when the clocks went forward, I started using the ebike again. In that time I have got much fitter and lost over 2 stone. I feel great and much healthier, so much so that I am now thinking of going back to a pushbike. This ebike might have saved my life.

i cycled to work this morning - 13 miles including some very dodgy fast b road without a hard shoulder - i didnt want to do it (teh car broke, probably terminally, this weekend) - but as usual teh reality of it was great - i imagined lorries droning too close past me and instead experienced fields and shrubs and scenery and benevolent motorists giving me a wide bay. perhaps i wont replace the car, it's safer, or feels it, but part of living an insulated life in which i end up feeling not as much part of everything as after a day that included two hours cycling in sun or rain

Spot on. In the last week I have seen a huge dog fox (let me get within 10m or so), a family of bullfinches scrapping in a hedge, sunshine on fields from a high vantage point, hills rising from a sea of low mist like tropical islands. I have said good morning to total strangers, nodded at fellow cyclists, and been surprised how courteous the vast majority of car and van drivers are.

 

I love my cars and (motor)bikes, but you don't get any of this with an engine.

For me it means recovering a practical means of personal transportation after several years without.

 

I live in a region with very bad public transport which is just next to a region with fabulous public transport. Between the two is about 13 km of hilly road. I have done it on the push bike. I have walked it (often). But neither are a satisfactory solution.

 

Now I can ride to the station and get on a train (bikes are allowed) or continue riding if the weather and my agenda permit. I can stay on after the last train and ride home (28 km).

 

I also have a trailor for shopping in the supermarket. Having a motor means I have a larger choice of supermarkets and that I won't be spending hours pedaling like mad in granny gear with a full load of shopping.

 

In brief - independance!

Spot on. In the last week I have seen a huge dog fox (let me get within 10m or so), a family of bullfinches scrapping in a hedge, sunshine on fields from a high vantage point, hills rising from a sea of low mist like tropical islands. I have said good morning to total strangers, nodded at fellow cyclists, and been surprised how courteous the vast majority of car and van drivers are.

 

I love my cars and (motor)bikes, but you don't get any of this with an engine.

many thanks. I have be commuting for a few weeksnow since the car broke and realised two things today. on is that in a totally unexpected way (pedelecing doesnt feel strenuous) i lost half a stone (which is a relief), and i feel so much healthier.So much for all those who say its "cheating" - tome (i do a lot of running on a treadmill) it feels a lot more like being able to stay within "the zone", not being forced to overexert. the second really great thing is today: it was a firly crap commute to work at top speed (around 25 mph dodging potholes, not dodging some and very nearly causing a pinch puncture), BUT - havig survived it there is the procpect of a relaxed cruise home on a wave ofsome electric torque on a bicycle, something to me far better than a drive in a convertible

Hi Guys . Its been a while since i was last in here .. Bought my kalkhoff BS10 (45km) from 50 cycles just under 2 years ago . I was recovering from a cancer op & needed something to Get me on my feet again .

Well here i am up & running & a lot of km done here in Norway , the bosch motor gave up the other day & one call to 50cycles was all that was needed . Send over the motor & we will send You a new one ..

This is the reason i bought from them in the first place as i read about There customer service on blogs Etc & in here.

So just to say .. My kalkhoff has really hjelped me back on my feet

I can honestly recommend this company & after sales

Cant wait to Get the motor back in ..

In my case I was done for drink driving recently, I'm an alcoholic and I didn't drive for 7 years because I knew what

would happen. I relied upon public transport and ordinary (but nice) pedal bikes, I've been a hardcore cyclist most of my life, all weathers, had a short job working somewhere with a really steep hill for the final mile, that was a killer of a hill, after two or three weeks I built up the stamina to do it without stopping but I'd arrive at work pumped up, hot and sweaty. Then have to deal with an office environment.

 

Sure got me fit though, lifelong drinker and smoker, I stopped both for a couple of months and got lazy in my recovery and bought a nice car, relapsed, busted, lost licence, wits end...

 

Somehow in the back of my mind must have been something about e-bikes. Didn't take long to make some calls and then my bike arrived, after a little wait.

 

I'm still fit enough to ride a decent push only bike but my e-bike is great for knowing I can chill if I want to and let the motor help with the hills.

 

It's basically a luxury item, a decent flat bar road bike did and would do me, eat the leg burn!

 

My purist friends scorn it, and I miss my sadly stolen Giant Rapid, it was such fun for mad exercise, ideally I would have a stable of different bikes.

 

But when it comes down to it, 90% of my bike usage is commuting, shopping, and 10% having fun, and my Sparta RXS is surprisingly good at handling the things I ask it to do, it looks a bit staid and boring in the Dutch style but it is rock solid, ok I can't pull stoppies or do skids, but it's rewarding in other ways.

 

I am midlife-crisis man, it was either this or do my motorcycle test, the latter is out of the window now!

 

Roll on.

Bloody love my new ebike even though it seems im relatively young to own one at 35 lol

 

Had it a few weeks now and have racked up 86 miles so far commuting every day to and from work, as a non driver it has given me back the freedom i had as a child who was always on his bike when as an adult im just not fit anymore and now it also means i can take a short cycle out to the nearby village where my sisters ashes are buried to see her.

 

I went crank drive for the hill climbing and its been amazing being able to climb the worst of hills this town has to throw at me while giving my legs a good work out but not breaking out in to a lactic acid pain fest, and with long term usage im hoping this will really help build my fitness levels and leg strength.

Bloody love my new ebike even though it seems im relatively young to own one at 35 lol

 

Had it a few weeks now and have racked up 86 miles so far commuting every day to and from work, as a non driver it has given me back the freedom i had as a child who was always on his bike when as an adult im just not fit anymore and now it also means i can take a short cycle out to the nearby village where my sisters ashes are buried to see her.

 

I went crank drive for the hill climbing and its been amazing being able to climb the worst of hills this town has to throw at me while giving my legs a good work out but not breaking out in to a lactic acid pain fest, and with long term usage im hoping this will really help build my fitness levels and leg strength.

Oh, you will, you will! I have been commuting by ebike for six months now, and the improvement in my fitness has been amazing. Hills that were an epic struggle to start with I can now climb fairly easily, a 13-mile hilly journey now seems trivial rather than heroic. I've got tons more puff, and my legs are far stronger. People often think that an ebike involves no effort, but I get a damn good workout on mine. What it means for me is that I can get to work in a reasonable time (roughly equivalent to a properly fit rider) but without being totally knackered at the end. I'm hot and breathing deeply, but still ok for a long shift. I'm going to stay with the ebike over the winter, and I am aiming to transition to a pushbike next spring. By then I hope to be able to do the journey in a roughly similar time. Enjoy the journey.

I don't have any tales of heroics, just my love of my little pedelec bike.

 

After always cycling as a teenager and student, including the London-Brighton marathon while at Uni in Brighton, I simply got out of the habit once I learned to drive and had my own car. Then, on moving to the hilly Wye Valley and not being fit enough to tackle the hills, my student bike moved into the shed beneath the cobwebs. I occasionally dusted it down and took it out but there was no fun in staggering up the hills, drenched in sweat and going dizzy with a pounding heart. Then I had the brainwave of an electric bike to tackle the hills, pondered for a year and have never looked back.

 

I use my folding electric bike purely for leisure. I squeeze it into my tiny campervan and take it with me despite it completely blocking the miniscule amount of available floorspace I have and have yet to manage lifting it onto the folded-down passenger seat as an alternative means of carrying it.

Locally I am using it for day trips - leisurely picnics at local castles, enjoying our local countryside and no longer having to worry about the hills or whether I'll be able to get home if I go too far and flop.

 

My little bike is a very small, cheap and simple one compared to many others here on this forum but I absolutely love it and the freedom it brings. My only regret is not buying it much sooner.

Thanks for sharing your story. I am also looking for a good electric bike.

Size, cost & style of bike are of no importance if it gets you out and about and puts a big or on your face.

In my case I was done for drink driving recently, I'm an alcoholic and I didn't drive for 7 years because I knew what

would happen. I relied upon public transport and ordinary (but nice) pedal bikes, I've been a hardcore cyclist most of my life, all weathers, had a short job working somewhere with a really steep hill for the final mile, that was a killer of a hill, after two or three weeks I built up the stamina to do it without stopping but I'd arrive at work pumped up, hot and sweaty. Then have to deal with an office environment.

 

Sure got me fit though, lifelong drinker and smoker, I stopped both for a couple of months and got lazy in my recovery and bought a nice car, relapsed, busted, lost licence, wits end...

 

Somehow in the back of my mind must have been something about e-bikes. Didn't take long to make some calls and then my bike arrived, after a little wait.

 

I'm still fit enough to ride a decent push only bike but my e-bike is great for knowing I can chill if I want to and let the motor help with the hills.

 

It's basically a luxury item, a decent flat bar road bike did and would do me, eat the leg burn!

 

My purist friends scorn it, and I miss my sadly stolen Giant Rapid, it was such fun for mad exercise, ideally I would have a stable of different bikes.

 

But when it comes down to it, 90% of my bike usage is commuting, shopping, and 10% having fun, and my Sparta RXS is surprisingly good at handling the things I ask it to do, it looks a bit staid and boring in the Dutch style but it is rock solid, ok I can't pull stoppies or do skids, but it's rewarding in other ways.

 

I am midlife-crisis man, it was either this or do my motorcycle test, the latter is out of the window now!

 

Roll on.

I am fairly new here and have only just read your post.

Your story moved me.

I know that admitting you are an alcoholic is part of the what you do to recover but it still seems damned brave of anyone to come out with the statement and you have my full respect for that.

Don't go and knock your dutch style bike, learn to love it! I have one and I think they look gorgeous - so there!!

Good luck with your continuing recovery.

For me, it's served several purposes.

 

One was getting me to work faster, and not having to think about trains or buses to get where I want.

 

Helped me out of a depression. I hate hustle and bustle. I hate buses and crowded places. It enabled me to get to work along Brighton's undercliff pass which is one of the most healing experiences you can have, on an almost daily basis.

 

And it saves me a fortune on travel! I can ride where cars and motorcycles can't, away from it all, and I don't have to be bound by public transport. I can stay at a friend's 15 miles away, and if it gets to 1 am and I decide I don't want to sleep on the sofa, I can float through the night all the way home