ebikes....

I take out a group of elderly cyclists each week - a number of whom have ebikes. There are a number of good ebike shops around - Cromer, Long stratton, Norwich etc etc and even places like Fast Fit sell them. They range from complete donkeys to high-spec machines costing several thousand and you can even buy DIY kits to convert a regular bike into an ebike. Virtually all have batteries which are charged in advance and then the power is used up as the miles clock up - the range varies according to the terrain but can be upto 70-80 miles. In Holland bike racks have charging points but most pubs or cyber cafes will let you plug them for a recharge.
Many of the people in my group who use them are good cyclists but have medical conditions requiring a bit of extra help - Parkinsons, Arthritis etc. So they are a life saver as they wouldnt be able to stay cycling otherwise.
One downside is that the electric part makes them very heavy - dont even think of lifting them onto the roof of the car and most ordinary bike racks wouldnt cope - so a towbar bike carrier is essential.
Hope that helps a bit. I dont need one but its good to know that, when i get even more old and decrepit than I am now, that they will be a good option. Anything I've not covered?

Posted By: rosarios_school_tie, Feb 26, 13:42:41