Just wanted to say hello and thank you for all the advice I've gleaned from this site! For all those that didn't see my first posts, I've got a displaced knee with arthritus - but I desperately want to be able to go out on cycle rides with my kids. I simply don't have enough "pushing power" in that leg to ride a standard bike - especially if there's a head wind or even the slightest of inclines.
I finally got chance to have a test ride today on a Powacycle Windsor. It had just the level of assistance that I was after - not so much that I wasn't doing any of the work, but enough to give me a fighting chance of keeping up with the kids without being in serious pain. I was very impressed at how quiet and inobtrusive the motor was and that I could still freewheel on the flat without the whole thing feeling horribly heavy or like the brakes were binding. In fact, I have to say that the bike didn't feel anything like as heavy as I was expecting it to - in fact, it probably felt lighter than the steel framed Raleigh racing(!) bike I used to ride when I was a kid myself.
I pootled around for about 20 minutes without any difficulty at all. I'm sure I could've ridden for much longer without any problems.
I'd initially looked at the Cambridge, but have to say that the low step-through frame of the Windsor is more practical for me.
The clincher for me with the Powacycles is the good pedal assist (without needing to hold the throttle open) AND a throttle. I don't want an electric moped - I want to pedal and almost forget about the electric side of things - but there will be times where I won't necessarily be able to get going without the throttle (for instance on a slight hill at a road junction).
All in all, I thought that the Windsor was just about as spot on as I could get - especially in my price range - so I've left a deposit and my Windsor (NiMH) is on order to arrive late February - and I can't wait!
I finally got chance to have a test ride today on a Powacycle Windsor. It had just the level of assistance that I was after - not so much that I wasn't doing any of the work, but enough to give me a fighting chance of keeping up with the kids without being in serious pain. I was very impressed at how quiet and inobtrusive the motor was and that I could still freewheel on the flat without the whole thing feeling horribly heavy or like the brakes were binding. In fact, I have to say that the bike didn't feel anything like as heavy as I was expecting it to - in fact, it probably felt lighter than the steel framed Raleigh racing(!) bike I used to ride when I was a kid myself.
I pootled around for about 20 minutes without any difficulty at all. I'm sure I could've ridden for much longer without any problems.
I'd initially looked at the Cambridge, but have to say that the low step-through frame of the Windsor is more practical for me.
The clincher for me with the Powacycles is the good pedal assist (without needing to hold the throttle open) AND a throttle. I don't want an electric moped - I want to pedal and almost forget about the electric side of things - but there will be times where I won't necessarily be able to get going without the throttle (for instance on a slight hill at a road junction).
All in all, I thought that the Windsor was just about as spot on as I could get - especially in my price range - so I've left a deposit and my Windsor (NiMH) is on order to arrive late February - and I can't wait!
