A busy Norwich city centre welcomed large crowds to this year’s cycling show.
Sponsored by Electrifying Cycles of Cromer, the selection of latest models drew a constant stream of interest from people demoing the bikes – couples, keen cyclists and ‘Red Devil’ bikers included.
A noticeable increase in footfall this year, coupled with increased confidence in getting into the saddle to try out the new range, kept retailers busy from the rainy start to the close of the show.
On display were the Yamaha crank drive Haibike, A2B Kuo, Wisper’s new 905 and 705 Torque models, the Riese and Muller blueLABEL Pony alongside the new name in electric bikes: Emu.
Andreas Toerpsch, formerly of Momentum, was the front man showcasing Emu’s ‘roam free’ cross bar and step through bikes today.
Five years in the design process has resulted in brightly-coloured crossbar and stepthrough versions, with 36v Samsung SDI battery, Shimano brakes and a 2 year warranty. Retailing at £999, branded accessories are also available to complete the look.
David Miall was also demonstrating the latest Wisper models. We enjoyed a smooth, quiet and comfortable, albeit unfortunately brief demo round the block on the 705 version. The new bikes have both a (twin) torque and cadence sensor and you can switch between the two while riding depending upon your style. We will have a model to review in a couple of weeks so watch this space. The Wisper lithium 36V 575Wh batteries have a ‘deep sleep’ mode to stop the battery from draining when not in use over long periods. A RCSS (remote control service system) will allow Wisper service centres to upload battery diagnostics for fault diagnosis, usage statistics and uploading new software.
Also at the show were previous customers with their own electric bikes, all of whom were happy to share their success stories.
Willie, previously an electronics engineer, came to the show with his beloved – and lovingly modified – 2 year-old Kudos. Realising his legs were no longer able to do what they once could in his army days, Willie says his Kudos has given him a ‘new lease of life’. New forks, a new back wheel and a sawn off seat tube (to lower the bike to a comfortable level) are among just some of the modifications. Bespoke front and rear wicker baskets, fashioned with Goji berry stems from his allotment, means Willie uses his bike to both tend to the allotment and travel 3 miles to his weekly car boot sale.
Roger and Sue purchased ‘his and hers’ blueLABEL e-bikes as birthday presents to each other a year ago. At the time, the cost was a “b***er it” investment, says Roger. A year later they are “one of the best purchases” they’ve made. Local to Norwich, the couple use their e-bikes to get around town and have taken them on the train to the coast. Sue explained that in their ‘ordinary cycle’ days, Roger would “often tear off ahead and then have to wait for me to catch up”. Now she has the added power of assistance to complement her own efforts. Although she calls notching up the assistance on her display a “get out of jail card” if she gets left behind, both have noticed that using their e-bikes as regularly as they have, means they rarely go higher than the first assistance setting of ‘eco’ mode however. Something that has changed since their fitness levels have grown stronger over the last 12 months.
Broad smiles and the much-echoed sentiment of ‘they’ve changed our lives,’ is something the couple wanted to pass on to anyone else considering investing in an electric bike. Sue added that she was relieved they invested in good quality e-bikes, adding “thank heavens we didn’t plump for cheap bikes. The quality and comfort is like the difference between a cheap car and a BMW”.
Demeter and her husband also came to enjoy the day. Demeter has been riding a bike as her main means of transport since she was four years old. While her husband owns a Wisper, Demeter has recently also invested in a blueLABEL Wave. The pair leave the UK for the warmer climate of Spain every winter, taking their electric bikes with them on the ferry. They have kindly promised to write a few words for Pedelecs on their next winter adventure.
