Case studies - how has your electric bike changed your life?

[Charliefox]

Hello

I have always had a bike commute 15 miles a day for years. Retired from teaching and bought an e bike to get me up the hills. My Kalkhoff was great when I bought it in 2011. For the last 9 months Krapkoff and 50frithty cycles have not been able to supply a worn replacement part so I have an expensive pile of scrap in the garage. I have bought a new bike and not an e bike from Krapkoff. This was a £2000 bike and sit cannot be used, this us a disgrace.

No chance of having a 3D printer making the replacement part then?

 

[mark81]

I started a new job at a hospital this week and the commute is only 2.5 miles, which isn't much at all so I was planning on just doing it on a regular bike.

However, I was arriving at work a sweaty mess so ordered an ebco tr60 from Halfords. Despite the massive cost that pained me both to spend and tell my wife about, I couldn't be happier. Although only 2.5 miles, on that journey there are 3 inclines, the last one being a real killer. With the ebco I can fly up the hills and arrive at work fresh as a daisy. I still think it's quite a good workout as apart from the inclines I'm usually travelling above 16mph. The only issues I have now are with traffic, although there are some pavements with designated cycle paths so I tend to jump on and off.
I can really see myself cycling a lot more now I've got this bike. I'm relatively fit but having the assistance when you need it is amazing and great fun. It means you can push when you want to, and not because of the terrain!

 

[LeighPing]

I can really see myself cycling a lot more now I've got this bike. I'm relatively fit but having the assistance when you need it is amazing and great fun. It means you can push when you want to, and not because of the terrain!

Yes you will. I've probably cycled 10 miles total in my life, on regular bikes. In the past couple of years I've clocked over 6k miles, mostly with my trusty trail hound. Enjoy.

 

[Ronnie1]

After my first commute on my Cyclotricity Stealth I actually shed a tear because it is a life changer for me. I'm nearly 56 and too many marathons & half marathons have taken their toll on me and I now have advanced arthritis in my spine, hips & knees and I have to use a walking stick sometimes. I have continued cycle commuting every week day for 18 months even though some parts of my journey have killed me and then I decided on the Cyclotricity Stealth because it looks like a normal bike. I really can't exaggerate how happy I am and everybody has noticed I arrive at work & home sweating more than usual but this is because I can put the effort in where I want to and then have a push on the bits that kill me so overall I'm getting a more efficient workout. I only use my car once a week on a Friday or Saturday if I'm going out but all other times I will just get on my bike saving so much in fuel etc. For example my Mum lives two miles away which is a steep hill down for a mile and then a steep hill up for a mile but I just get on the Stealth now.

I know exactly what you mean, I bought the Stealth myself and now I wouldnt do without it, I can do ALL my shopping on it without any noticeable strain on the performance at all, even carrying very heavy shopping. The brakes are awful but thats for another post, I would recommend the Stealth to anyone. Im glad I wasnt alone being very moved to find out the bike could change my life so much

 

[Ronnie1]

Hi everyone

I’m looking to publish a few stories on the home page ‘news’ area to give examples of the various reasons people buy one and therefore the benefits of e-bikes.

We had this great example a few months back of getting heart-patient Nick back in the saddle. I’d really like a whole host more to show all the different reasons to spur others on in similar situations to try an e-bike.

Dodgy knees, cracking on a bit (it comes to us all!), wanting to get fit, commuting, other health issues.. I’d like to publish people’s experiences in their own words. How they chose their bike, what they do with it, how it’s changed their lives. It certainly doesn’t have to be expertly written and I’d like to show ‘every day’ people with ‘every day’ problems, as well as anything more unusual that their e-bike has overcome, hopefully with a picture of you and your bike too.

I have PMd a couple of members already discussing their experiences on here, so still hoping they’re not going to be shy..

Similarly if any businesses are using e-bikes I’d like to hear about that too.

Please PM me if you'd like to share your story.

Thanks everyone

I am still fairly new here but bought my CStealth

Hi everyone

I’m looking to publish a few stories on the home page ‘news’ area to give examples of the various reasons people buy one and therefore the benefits of e-bikes.

We had this great example a few months back of getting heart-patient Nick back in the saddle. I’d really like a whole host more to show all the different reasons to spur others on in similar situations to try an e-bike.

Dodgy knees, cracking on a bit (it comes to us all!), wanting to get fit, commuting, other health issues.. I’d like to publish people’s experiences in their own words. How they chose their bike, what they do with it, how it’s changed their lives. It certainly doesn’t have to be expertly written and I’d like to show ‘every day’ people with ‘every day’ problems, as well as anything more unusual that their e-bike has overcome, hopefully with a picture of you and your bike too.

I have PMd a couple of members already discussing their experiences on here, so still hoping they’re not going to be shy..

Similarly if any businesses are using e-bikes I’d like to hear about that too.

Please PM me if you'd like to share your story.

Thanks everyone

I am still new here buy bought my Cyclotricity Stealth 1000W 6 weeks ago, and I have been meaning to drop a post on here since then, the problem is I have been out on it ALL the time lol so didnt get around to it until today, my brakes are being replaced lol.
I am 64 and have been off and on sickness benefit for the last couple of years and have been through all the horrible stuff that brings including being thrown off it three times and having my living money cut back to the barest benefit payable. I ended up living in a bedsit and because they stopped giving people bus passes at age 60 I could not even afford the bus fare to visit my mum in her care home,
I had to walk and because of my health problems it almost killed me.
Now they have decided to listen to the my specialist and decided I actually AM sick and reinstated my claim for normal Benefit.
The backdated money they owed me paid for the Stealth, it has changed my life completely. For starters I saved me the £6 per day it used to cost me to go to the home and jobcenter and the weekly shop taxi, I am better off than I have been for years AND I am getting exercise every day. The bike flies up ALL hills even on just the thumb throttle {If I want to do that} and it is simply amazing, I can go virtually anywhere on it. Do anything you can to get one, they are lifesavers

 

[Adamski]

Hi everyone!
Up until a couple of years ago I was running 25-30k per week, swimming, cycling, skiing, and kite surfing.
Throw in some other mountain sports and various water activities and you have a picture of an active, happy person. Then, it all went wrong, 4 years of stomach problems, heart issues, and massive joint pains and eventually a diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, POTS, Raynauds, and a couple of other fun things that are a bit too personal to discuss.
I lost 2 inches in height, started to have difficulty with walking and even sleeping!
I had a short while sulking, sold my motorbikes, and road bikes as I couldn’t ride them anymore, and cut the running right back...I honestly thought one of the funnest activities (bikes) was gone for ever.
Then I had a try on an e bike, and CRIKEY!
This was amazing!
I had a couple of rides on hire bikes, took a Halfords trial twice, and once funds allowed I have bought myself a Voodoo Bazinga...I know that isn’t what it is really called, but it’s the only thing I can think of when I talk about it.
I have only had it a week or so, but it has allowed me to have the mobility AND fun that makes my life what it is!
I am planning on using it at home, for fitness AND nipping to the shops/friends locally At our house in France, in one of the country parks, so lots of scenery to explore and routes to try. In Italy, in the Alps, we have some fantastic trails to explore, along with a newly developed downhill course...I may not take part in that, but I will be able to continue up, and over the horse shoe summit, and see how far I can go before the terrors set in!
My electric bike has quite literally given me something back that I thought I had lost forever! I will be posting video and blogs about my adventures...as well as renting out our flat to other bikers, or skiers!

 

[EddiePJ]

Hi everyone!
Up until a couple of years ago I was running 25-30k per week, swimming, cycling, skiing, and kite surfing.
Throw in some other mountain sports and various water activities and you have a picture of an active, happy person. Then, it all went wrong, 4 years of stomach problems, heart issues, and massive joint pains and eventually a diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, POTS, Raynauds, and a couple of other fun things that are a bit too personal to discuss.
I lost 2 inches in height, started to have difficulty with walking and even sleeping!
I had a short while sulking, sold my motorbikes, and road bikes as I couldn’t ride them anymore, and cut the running right back...I honestly thought one of the funnest activities (bikes) was gone for ever.
Then I had a try on an e bike, and CRIKEY!
This was amazing!
I had a couple of rides on hire bikes, took a Halfords trial twice, and once funds allowed I have bought myself a Voodoo Bazinga...I know that isn’t what it is really called, but it’s the only thing I can think of when I talk about it.
I have only had it a week or so, but it has allowed me to have the mobility AND fun that makes my life what it is!
I am planning on using it at home, for fitness AND nipping to the shops/friends locally At our house in France, in one of the country parks, so lots of scenery to explore and routes to try. In Italy, in the Alps, we have some fantastic trails to explore, along with a newly developed downhill course...I may not take part in that, but I will be able to continue up, and over the horse shoe summit, and see how far I can go before the terrors set in!
My electric bike has quite literally given me something back that I thought I had lost forever! I will be posting video and blogs about my adventures...as well as renting out our flat to other bikers, or skiers!

Would you happen to be the Adamski from the old Visordown forum?

 

[Adamski]

Would you happen to be the Adamski from the old Visordown forum?

Certainly am!!

I heard you were about in here from someone on TRC!

Loving my electric bike!

 

[EddiePJ]

That's brilliant. So glad that you have made it across to here. It oddly seems a natural progression from motorcycles to ebikes. I look forward to catching up.

Mussels from VD and TRC is on here somewhere as well.

 

[Adamski]

That's brilliant. So glad that you have made it across to here. It oddly seems a natural progression from motorcycles to ebikes. I look forward to catching up.

Mussels from VD and TRC is on here somewhere as well.

I have really enjoyed getting out on my bike again...motorcycles are out for me now, but my VooDoo gives me lots of laughs WITHOUT dislocation of my hips, knees, and ankles!

 

[Adamski]

I often set off for a steady ride to see how far I can eek out the battery, but as soon as there is some competition its into turbo mode and ride as hard as I can. Surprisingly doing this doesn't use loads of juice as its so quickly up to 15.5mph and pedal on without the help! If anyone thinks this is an easy way of cycling my HR goes through the roof which means I am working hard.
Or, to put it into perspective..
When I am stopped at the lights or the local railway crossing, in Turbo mode I can easily leave the fittest young licralist behind on acceleration alone and it takes them a goodly while to catch me up,but if there's a hill or two, I can definitely stay in front much longer,(imagine this.. You are 25, pumped up, on your 3 ounce 5 grand racer, and some old geezer on a mountain bike with panniers on leaves you behind!) but last week I was at the lights with another pensioner on a road bike, and from his point of view I was gone in 60 seconds, never to be seen again!!
So my e-bike allows me to compete (even if its only in my head) and gives me a much better work out than plodding along on my lightweight roady which has become a bit boring, especially if there is a head wind...
I agree with Geebee... give it some stick and crack on .

And HOW much fun do we have?

In every other area of my life I am struggling, but my E-Bike really makes me smile, and feel normal!

 

[Llandudno Wisperer]

I started a blog on this site recording my bike riding history over the last eighteen months but all blogs have disappeared. I had a 5x heart bypass operation exactly two years ago. I had hoped my blog might help other people with heart issues. From being totally unfit, doing very little exercise and smoking and drinking far too much, my electric bike and my walks around the North Wales Coast over the past two years have helped me regain a reasonable level of fitness.
I have now completed 1400 miles on my Wisper 705 SE since I bought it in July, 2017. I have ridden to Chester, over 40 miles away and to Criccieth from our home in Llandudno. I have also walked the Wales Coast Path from Chester to Menai Bridge and in 2018 completed the Anglesey Coast Path over a period of 15 days.
There is no doubt my electric bike has helped my fitness levels. I know myself, by monitoring myself at the gym, that I can produce 60 watts of power to the pedals for a sustained amount of time but can only produce 100 watts for a short period and if I try to produce more my ribs will click.
My electric bike allows me to ride further distances and ensures that even with a strong wind against me, I can get home.

Longest ride so far this year, 42 miles to Prestatyn and back. This statue marks the start or finish of the Offah's Dyke path.



In the summer I rode from Bangor to Criccieth, along Lon Las Menai and Lon Las Effion. A brilliant ride and off rode for the majority of the way. I would like to complete cycle route 82 from Holyhead to Barmouth and perhaps eventually to Cardiff.

 

[Nev]

I am 99.9% certain I have seen you cycling through Llandudno on more than once occasion. If you see a Cube e-bike locked to the railings outside Starbucks café (I am in there once or twice a week) call in and I will buy you a coffee. I will prick your brains about some local cycling routes, sounds like you have done several of them in our area.

 

[Llandudno Wisperer]

Nev, I'll keep a lookout for you. I cycled to Llandudno last week and went around the Great Orme. It was brilliant because it has been closed for traffic but you can still walk and cycle around it. We are in Wales till the end of January and then we go to Cyprus for 4 weeks.

 

[gbb]

Members of another cycling forum may recognise my user name but just signed up here as now a fairly new ebike user.
Formerly very fit roadbike user (fastish 50 mile rides were quite normal) but at about 55 I caught tuberculosis , pneumonia and a few complications through work which took me off the bike for 2 years. My fitness evaporated and I have a damaged lung which impairs my oxygen uptake...which of course iimpacts my ability to rebuild muscle strength.
Now 60 and have gradually got some reasonable fitness back but it's hard maintaining mojo. The ebike was really to help my son out commuting for a few months and I'm on the verge of gaining full control of it...and the occasional rides I get on it are a revelation, allowing me to exercise without busting a gut. I mix use of the two bikes, roadie if it's fine weather, ebike if I'm tired or it's just a bit crud out there.
I still roadbike and during the summer of hope to get back to 15 mph average rides over 30 miles so the ebike helping me maintain mojo through the winter.
Commutings a revelation as well, 14 miles each way is quite comfortable...I'm looking forward to spring no end.

 

[Crossroads]

I started a blog on this site recording my bike riding history over the last eighteen months but all blogs have disappeared. I had a 5x heart bypass operation exactly two years ago. I had hoped my blog might help other people with heart issues. From being totally unfit, doing very little exercise and smoking and drinking far too much, my electric bike and my walks around the North Wales Coast over the past two years have helped me regain a reasonable level of fitness.
I have now completed 1400 miles on my Wisper 705 SE since I bought it in July, 2017. I have ridden to Chester, over 40 miles away and to Criccieth from our home in Llandudno. I have also walked the Wales Coast Path from Chester to Menai Bridge and in 2018 completed the Anglesey Coast Path over a period of 15 days.
There is no doubt my electric bike has helped my fitness levels. I know myself, by monitoring myself at the gym, that I can produce 60 watts of power to the pedals for a sustained amount of time but can only produce 100 watts for a short period and if I try to produce more my ribs will click.
My electric bike allows me to ride further distances and ensures that even with a strong wind against me, I can get home.View attachment 28375

Longest ride so far this year, 42 miles to Prestatyn and back. This statue marks the start or finish of the Offah's Dyke path.

View attachment 28376

In the summer I rode from Bangor to Criccieth, along Lon Las Menai and Lon Las Effion. A brilliant ride and off rode for the majority of the way. I would like to complete cycle route 82 from Holyhead to Barmouth and perhaps eventually to Cardiff.

I enjoyed reading your blog, you have some amazing rides in your area , pretty well perfect cycling country.
Thanks for sharing, hope your blog reappears !

 

[Llandudno Wisperer]

Thanks Crossroads. It would be nice for the blogs to reappear as it was a good way of recording my long rides and hopefully give reassurance to anyone facing the same operation that I had. I did not want to come across as big headed, look at me, look at what I have done. I am now recording my rides on facebook for my friends to see. I am very lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the country that has some cycle tracks that are traffic free. It would be nice if there were more as, on cycle route 5, there is a long section on roads through Flintshire which could easily be made to a traffic free path, connecting Deeside with the North Wales Coast.

However, for anyone holidaying on the North Wales Coast, it is worth bringing your bikes with you.

 

[Mike_P]

Converted a hybrid to an ebike and the immediate benefits are that I can now cycle around a pretty hilly town without sweating excessively so the bike is now being used for trips that before were done by car - a cross town journey today was actually fruitless due to the shop being sold out of the one item I wanted but that was just an occurrence in the bike ride whereas by car it would have been an annoyance that I had made the journey for no purpose .

 

[Nefarious]

simple story from me...
I live in a very hilly city, am past 50 and have a chronic back problem. My e-bike allows me to get in and out of work every day in 15 minutes each way, regardless of time of day, as opposed to 45 minutes, whether by car, bus or foot. That extra hour means I get to regularly eat dinner with my kids, help with homework and support my partner more. It also makes me feel in control, rather than being subject to traffic, weather, etc, significantly reduces stress levels. It has done so much for my quality of life, as well as giving me that knowledge that I am doing my bit for the environment.

 

[SteveB1262]

I know this is an old thread but if gets one person back on a bike then it's worth the effort. I am 71 years of age this year. I retired from the fire service at the age of 46 with moderately severe spinal injuries. I kept reasonably busy as a facilities manager with a large government dept but my injuries took a turn for the worse resulting in two further major operations. Still I kept as active as I could but gradually did less and less until I had a heart attack over two years ago. My spinal degradation also progressed quite rapidly until I was only able to walk very short distances and only then with a walking frame. After the heart attack I was determined to make an effort to get on the move and my doctor suggested a bike. I laughed of course barely being able to walk but a short time later there was a cycling event in Warrington and the lass on the advice stall suggested an ebike. I thought about it but my first option was to buy a cheap ordinary bike and see how I went on. Well, surprisingly, my back pain actually receded when sat on the bike and I was actually able to pedal fairly comfortably. Balance was a problem due to difficulty starting from rest and my wobbles were positively lethal until I got some speed up. I struggled but improved daily. My only concern was overdoing it and not being physically able to get home. This is where the ebike came in. It gave me the confidence to cover greater distances knowing I had the facility in the Bosch motor to get home with greatly reduced effort. Launching from rest is improved but still not brilliant. I just wait till all the traffic had moved off before moving or use cycle lanes as much as possible. My fitness has improved greatly and I look forward to going out every day if I can. I use the motor as little as possible but it is there when I do have need of it. It has changed my life more than you can possibly imagine so if you are giving it some thought just go for it. It's the best thing I could possibly have done.