In the second part of our series, three more first-time electric bike riders share their thoughts about e-bikes, the experience of riding one and whether they see an e-bike in their future.
Check out part 1 of the series here.
Part 2:
- Jess (30s, Postwoman)
- Katie (20s, Content Marketing Executive)
- Ian (70s, Retired)
Can you tell us a bit about your past cycling experience? How often do you cycle?
Jess: I cycle at least once a week. I always cycle to my drumming lessons. I much prefer to cycle as it’s free and I can park my bike close to the studio. I’m not a leisure cyclist, but rather someone that uses my bike to get places.
Katie: I cycle often at the gym on a static bike and maybe once or twice during the summer on bikes that we’ve borrowed or loaned for the day. I used to ride my bike a lot when I was a teenager and used it as my way of getting freedom before I had a car, or on days out with my family. But since I started working, I’ve mainly used my car for transport and not really thought twice about cycling.
Ian: I’ve always had a bike and try to cycle at least once per week, about 10 miles minimum.
Before you got on the e-bike, did you have any preconceptions about what the experience might be like?
Jess: I actually knew very little about them. I thought it would probably get me to places a bit more quickly, but that’s it.
Katie: I’d seen a lot of people on electric bikes so felt pretty on top of what they were and how they worked. However, I was shocked at the different modes that were available and how you could adjust the assistance level depending on the kind of ride you were doing or how hard you wanted to make it.
Ian: Not really, I’d never had a test ride so didn’t know what to expect.
What surprised you most about riding the e-bike?
Jess: How easy it was to cycle up hills! I could overtake other cyclists without breaking into a sweat.
Katie: I was really surprised at how far you could go on one charge of the bike. I tried to test out how long the bike would keep going and was shocked that the battery lasted basically all day. As well as this, I expected the bike to not be usable in the rain; however, I got stuck in the rain on a long trip and the bike worked and was fine despite the shower.
Ian: That the bike was lighter than I thought it would be and even without electric assistance, the bike was still an improvement on my previous bike.
If you had an e-bike, what would you mainly use it for?
Jess: Maybe some commuting, but I’d mainly use it to go to the local shops, go to the pub and for my hobbies.
Katie: I’d like to use it as an alternative to my car. Especially for short trips to the shop or going to a café on the weekend – this experience has shown me how useful an electric bike could be for those journeys. For longer trips I’d also consider taking an e-bike if I didn’t have luggage and there was a cycle route. I feel that with the right mode, an e-bike would allow me to cycle further than I have before.
Ian: Just pleasure cycling, I think.
What was it that made you want to try out an e-bike?
Jess: I was curious about what riding one would be like.
Katie: I’d seen lots of people using them in my local area and had always wanted to find out how fun they could be.
Ian: To get some assistance on gradients so that I could cycle further than I was likely to do on a conventional bike. To continue to enjoy my cycling as I get older.
If you had to sum up what you enjoy about cycling in three words, what would they be?
Jess: Free, green and fun.
Katie: Fun, exciting and healthy.
Ian: Exercise, freedom and relaxation.
Based on this experience, would you consider buying an e-bike in the future?
Jess: Yes!
Katie: I would love to when I live somewhere less rural and can use it as a replacement for my car.
Ian: Yes, I’m unlikely to return to a conventional bike.
Finding the perfect e-bike for you
There are loads of e-bikes to choose from, including hybrid bikes (perfect for the everyday), mountain bikes (perfect for conquering those off-road tracks) and folding bikes (perfect for the commute).
Our Electric bike buyer’s guide offers some great tips and advice about how to narrow down the options to find your ideal ride, while also answering some of the key FAQs about what exactly makes a bike an e-bike and how they work.
Once you’ve found your perfect e-bike partner, you can pay over 24 months on orders over £99 with Klarna to help you spread the cost. You can find out more online at Halfords.com.
