Hello, is an ebike a suitable alternative to a expensive train commute?

[howard_thomas]

Hi everyone.

I've recently changed my role at work and will now be based out of an office in the centre of Cardiff, rather than being a mobile worker.

While the train commute is ok I begrudge paying £50 a week. So I'm thinking of alternative.
The only issue is if I were to cycle it would be around 40km each way.

I just wondering if this kind of distance (maybe not every day) is feasible on an ebike, either new or diy conversation kit. I have a cheap road bike and would describe myself as the weekend warrior type.
I see lots of mountain bikes and hybrids converted, is a road bike a suitable donor or should I just scrap that idea early?

Thanks
Howard

 

[Woosh]

not for your distance.
E-bikes are excellent for short commutes, under 10 miles each way.
The more you increase the distance, the lesser the savings.
Over 10 miles each way, a motorbike works out cheaper.

 

[howard_thomas]

Thanks for the quick response.

Well at least now I will save the disappointment of an expensive spontaneous purchase of a kit online.

 

[Mac_user82]

£50 is these with a yearly pass or paying daily on the train or at the ticket office

 

[howard_thomas]

£50pw is the daily walk on price.

Season tickets are slightly better.
1 month £164
3 months £492
6months £983
12 months £1708

Still quite a bit of money
Looks I'll be buying a season ticket rather than a new bike.

 

[Mac_user82]

When you mention that word "transport" it costs money which every method you choice if you are going to be doing a lot of miles i would possible go with a hub geared bike and belt so you don't have to do so much maintenance

The thing is with the trains you are ruled to what time you can travel and you have to wait around for the train which sometimes can be a bit
of a pain.

The one good thing about a e-bike is you can come and go when you please which is a good thing

if personally am not a car lover at all and i use my e-bike to get me everywhere i need to go that is why i have two batteries to hand so if i need to go the distance i can do with no problems at all

 

[LeighPing]

40 Km is at least a 2 hour commute each way.

 

[E-Wheels]

Hi everyone.

I've recently changed my role at work and will now be based out of an office in the centre of Cardiff, rather than being a mobile worker.

While the train commute is ok I begrudge paying £50 a week. So I'm thinking of alternative.
The only issue is if I were to cycle it would be around 40km each way.

I just wondering if this kind of distance (maybe not every day) is feasible on an ebike, either new or diy conversation kit. I have a cheap road bike and would describe myself as the weekend warrior type.
I see lots of mountain bikes and hybrids converted, is a road bike a suitable donor or should I just scrap that idea early?

Thanks
Howard

Howard,
The new Specialized Turbo Vado has been designed for long distance commutes http://www.bikeradar.com/au/road/gear/category/bikes/electric/product/specialized-turbo-vado-review-51250/
In ideal conditions and with reasonable fitness you can travel the 40km commute in about 100 mins

 

[howard_thomas]

Howard,
The new Specialized Turbo Vado has been designed for long distance commutes http://www.bikeradar.com/au/road/gear/category/bikes/electric/product/specialized-turbo-vado-review-51250/

Thanks. I'll investigate further.

 

[anotherkiwi]

40 Km is at least a 2 hour commute each way.

Maybe in trafic, my average is 26 km/h.

If you don't care about breaking the UK law an s-pedelec would solve your problem - moped speeds with pedelec running costs. 40 km is the sweet spot for s-pedelec commuting.

 

[KirstinS]

Maybe in trafic, my average is 26 km/h.

If you don't care about breaking the UK law an s-pedelec would solve your problem - moped speeds with pedelec running costs. 40 km is the sweet spot for s-pedelec commuting.

Agreed , my commute is only 25km which I do daily my very good mate does 48km daily. He has a charge plug 5 steel hybrid with bbso1 250w legal conversion. However he has increased the assist speed In the settings so it cuts out somewhat higher than 25kph.

So it is perfectly doable

 

[Warwick]

Ask yourself if you'd want to be sitting on a bike in the rain for that length of time.

Is there a way you can cut the cost of the commute by cycling part of the way & then putting the bike on the train? I ask, as I live in Warwickshire where transport subsidies are minimal; if I cycle a few miles into the West Midlands county, train travel is much cheaper.

 

[howard_thomas]

Ask yourself if you'd want to be sitting on a bike in the rain for that length of time.

Is there a way you can cut the cost of the commute by cycling part of the way & then putting the bike on the train? I ask, as I live in Warwickshire where transport subsidies are minimal; if I cycle a few miles into the West Midlands county, train travel is much cheaper.

The is a stop around half way to work. The cost of the shorter train ride would be only 60% of my current journey, saving £20 P/W. Doesn't sound much, but that would add up. If i were to do it more regular.

The distance would then only be 20km.

 

[Wendy S]

Hi everyone.

I've recently changed my role at work and will now be based out of an office in the centre of Cardiff, rather than being a mobile worker.

While the train commute is ok I begrudge paying £50 a week. So I'm thinking of alternative.
The only issue is if I were to cycle it would be around 40km each way.

I just wondering if this kind of distance (maybe not every day) is feasible on an ebike, either new or diy conversation kit. I have a cheap road bike and would describe myself as the weekend warrior type.
I see lots of mountain bikes and hybrids converted, is a road bike a suitable donor or should I just scrap that idea early?

Thanks
Howard

I suppose it depends where you live. Cycle to within the Cardiff Bus zone and buy a weekly/monthly/yearly ticket, around £18 for the weekly one.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Get yourself a 50cc motor scooter. Even with tax, insurance and protective clothing, it'll work out cheaper. It'll be a lot more comfortable too.

 

[ttxela]

not for your distance.
E-bikes are excellent for short commutes, under 10 miles each way.
The more you increase the distance, the lesser the savings.
Over 10 miles each way, a motorbike works out cheaper.

How so?

Just wondering why this would be? My current commute is 12 miles each way and likely to go up to 16 miles each way. I've been riding my ebike since January and will soon have done 1000 miles, apart from the initial cost of the bike I have needed to buy one new inner tube. I'm sure the battery charging has cost me something but to be honest I've not noticed an increase in my electricity bills when they come in.

 

[Woosh]

How so?

50cc mopeds are much cheaper to buy than e-bikes.

There are lots of studies about the time spent in commuting, the general consensus is commuting time less than 30 minutes is acceptable, that's roughly 10 miles one way. Over 30 minutes, it becomes more of a chore. Then the saving in time becomes more important than fuel and insurance.
If you take into account depreciation and maintenance, mopeds win.

 

[ttxela]

I see.

I suppose when motorbike was mentioned I had something other than a moped in mind!

I'm also fortunate in that a dedicated cycle way exists for at least half my journey which is more direct than the nearest road on which the traffic is bad at the times I travel. My current 12 mile commute by ebike takes around 50 minutes, the journey by car is more like 15 miles and at the time of day I travel also takes 50 minutes.

 

[Woosh]

you can ride a 50cc moped at 28mph.
it would help if s-pedelecs were legal in the UK. Then 15 miles one way commutes become cheap and acceptable.

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

I have contemplated a moped to do my 15 (soon to be 20) mile each way commute.
Problem is the moped rules out the use of cycle lanes, and tracks that the moped can not be used on. Plus I would get even less exercise on a moped than I do on my ebike.
I can do my current commute in about 45 to 50 minutes on the ebike, it would take pretty much the same time on a moped.

Horses for courses really