I've been looking at electric bikes now for about 3 months and was keen to try some at the London Bike Show last weekend. I am looking to commute about 7 miles along a disused railway line now turned into a cycle track/walkway. At first I found it quite confusing as to what bike to look at (I'm still not absolutely sure I have it right), but the commuting bikes were often also called city bikes, which wasn't what I was looking for at all, surely there should be a 'tow path' style bike as there must be a huge number of people who don't want to cycle on the roads at all.
When I arrived at Excel, I was immediately attracted to the new e-motion range and had a go with their rear wheel driven torque sensing models - I liked them a lot and I could see the benefit of the torque sensors giving you a natural feel and a proportionate reward for pedalling hard - the sticking point for me was the £2k asking price, particularly when I was considering the cycle to work scheme (£1k limit), I was about committed to spending much more than I had hoped (after trying and liking the A2B range and getting by with, but not falling in love with the Cyclotricity range, when luckily I spotted the Velocious stand, a brand new company (yes I know - untried and untested) with a full range of bikes all at half price for the show. My wife daughter and I all had a go on the Harmony (okay - the name sounds very female, but it doesn't look it, and fortunately there is no name on it except Velocious), I have bought one at £599 as it was as good as any of the other rotational sensor type bikes to ride, they are also based in Tottenham (as near to me as any other manufacturer/assembler) and the bike looks and feels as good as others I tried at over 3 times the price. I will keep you posted on how I get on as I will start commuting as soon as the frost disappears (I know, I'm a complete wimp!) and I have replaced the tyres with puncture resistant ones (why don't they include them as standard, none of them do under £2k?)
If anyone else has taken the plunge with Velocious I would be fascinated to hear how they get on...
When I arrived at Excel, I was immediately attracted to the new e-motion range and had a go with their rear wheel driven torque sensing models - I liked them a lot and I could see the benefit of the torque sensors giving you a natural feel and a proportionate reward for pedalling hard - the sticking point for me was the £2k asking price, particularly when I was considering the cycle to work scheme (£1k limit), I was about committed to spending much more than I had hoped (after trying and liking the A2B range and getting by with, but not falling in love with the Cyclotricity range, when luckily I spotted the Velocious stand, a brand new company (yes I know - untried and untested) with a full range of bikes all at half price for the show. My wife daughter and I all had a go on the Harmony (okay - the name sounds very female, but it doesn't look it, and fortunately there is no name on it except Velocious), I have bought one at £599 as it was as good as any of the other rotational sensor type bikes to ride, they are also based in Tottenham (as near to me as any other manufacturer/assembler) and the bike looks and feels as good as others I tried at over 3 times the price. I will keep you posted on how I get on as I will start commuting as soon as the frost disappears (I know, I'm a complete wimp!) and I have replaced the tyres with puncture resistant ones (why don't they include them as standard, none of them do under £2k?)
If anyone else has taken the plunge with Velocious I would be fascinated to hear how they get on...
