Why did you or why will you buy an electric bike?

[Kudoscycles]

Am interested why existing or potential customers bought an e-bike?
Just some thought starters-
Because you wanted an inexpensive transport to work
Because of the increasing high cost of fuel
Because you wanted some exercise but needed help up hills
Because you want a mini moped and don't want to pedal
Because you are green and this is a small planet saving contribution
Because you have a caravan or motorhome and need transport to the local town
Because you enjoy roaring past uphill the lycra clad sports cyclist
Because you want to cycle to work and arrive fresh and not sweaty
Because your partner needs help to keep up with a fitter rider
Because you want to leisure cycle without undue effort
.......any other reasons

In designing bikes or attending shows it is useful to me in knowing why you bought an e-bike or what you are looking to achieve from an e-bike purchase.
Dave
KudosCycles

 

[cwah]

For an easy way to travel from point A to B with the minimum amount of hassle.

EBikes have the advantages of:
- being able to go over traffic jam
- allow me to forget about the overpriced and slow london tube
- easy to park
- ability to bring it inside buildings
- ability to carry it home
- no need to peddle
- and with a mini bike such as a brompton I can also carry it when I'm shopping and fold it under my desk or restaurant table

Really really convenient way to travel

 

[jasono]

To arrive at work without being too tired, whilst maintaining some exercise
For the environmental benefits over the infernal combustion engine
To regulate the time of my journey to work, headwinds and fatigue aren't a problem
To transport the kids by bike without so much effort
And I suppose to be abit different!

 

[7cfm]

We wanted 3 bikes with approx budget of £1,000 each. Our 'local' electric bike shop turned out to be Electric transport shop Cambridge which either 45 miles by car or 9 miles to the local railway station then by train. We all wanted hub gears for easy maintenance.

Reasons / Requirements

Me

To get some exercise and fresh air while commuting to work April - September
To avoid the hassle of parking when I get to work
30 mile round trip on forest paths / dirt tracks / C class roads and cycle paths so need some off road capability and long range
Hub gears
Diamond frame
Quiet battery charger in case I need to top up at work


Wife

To get some exercise and fresh air while commuting to work April - September
23 mile round trip on C class roads to work
Hub gears
Integrated lights connected to bike battery
Step through frame


Daughter

To get to college every day (No bus service)
22 mile round trip in summer on C class roads
8 mile round trip in winter to the nearest bus stop on C class roads
Hub gears
Step through frame

What we ended up with

Me - Smarta GT8
Wife - Ezee Sprint Eco
Daughter - Smarta LX3

I would have seriously considered Kudos had they been available at the time.

 

[flecc]

To help with pulling large trailer loads in a hilly area, then ridden in parallel with my unpowered bikes for a while. The e-bike made me lose fitness though, so it became all e-cycling then.

 

[avronb]

I bought a Izip Ezgo of e.bay for £250 as new condition to see if e.bikes are for me,yes they are,i shall keep the Izip for the rest of this year,its used for popping into town(3 miles) and liesure runabouts along tow paths and lanes.I shall be looking at the Kudos folding range when i do decide to change,they dont seem to charge an arm and a leg for their batteries.

 

[BrianSmithers]

> Because you wanted an inexpensive transport to work
Well that would have been nice but given my commute is 5 miles each way the pay back period is quite long. However, the money is invested now and I'm inflation proof given the ever increasing cost of the petrol alternative - so maybe it won't be quite as long. Of course, you do have to factor in a replacement battery at some time. So this can't be the major consideration for most people.

> Because you wanted some exercise but needed help up hills
Oh boy yes. I tried a conventional bike and I arrived at work with painful knee joints.

> Because you want to cycle to work and arrive fresh and not sweaty
I still get quite warm but not as much by a long chalk as on the conventional bike.

> Because you want to leisure cycle without undue effort
Certainly that's a consideration for me.

The major reason was I'm in my late 50's, a little overweight and diet alone isn't going to either get the weight off or get me any fitter. It gets hard to exercise as you start to wear out a bit and cycling is helping me in that regard.

I hope that helps Dave.

- Brian
Kudos Tourer

 

[oigoi]

Main reason for me is help to get up the hills

 

[timidtom]

To regain fitness.
To overcome hills and headwinds.
To regain the enjoyment of cycling.
To attract attention to the joys of cycling.
To have a stylish environmental-friendly vehicle.

 

[smudger1956]

To stop using the car for commuting and general 'running around', saving on fuel.
To regain fitness.
To be a bit 'Green'.

 

[martx007]

Cheapest way to do my 28 mile round trip to work and have some energy left to do actual work.
Now turned into a bit of hobby meddling also.

 

[spiritburner]

Had 4 operations on both my knees in the last 3 years and could not ride a normal bike without major suffering now i can enjoy cycling again without most of the pain.

 

[Jimod]

I work in an oil refinery control room. I sit in front of 16 computer screens for 12 hours and it involves NO physical work at all. I get plenty of time off but I wasn't doing any exercise and was becoming REALLY unfit.
So, I bought an E-bike. I wanted an E-bike as I knew I'd never use a proper bike. I didn't buy it as an alternative/cheap form of transport. I didn't buy it to be green. I've never once used it to get to work.

I've had it 9 months now and I've done 770 miles. It has been the best 'toy' I've ever bought. I've cycled to loads of places up wee roads I'd not be taking a car.

It worked, I feel fitter and healthier than I was before the bike.

 

[Mussels]

I wanted:
Inexpensive transport (or at least cheaper than the train).
Easy to park, in London motorbikes are not.
Exercise, but not so much I end up knackered.
A pleasant commute, the ebike is a much nicer ride than a motorbike and almost as exciting.
Reliable transport, it's great having something that works when it's icy and all other transport systems have failed.

 

[Marchant]

When my work moved out of beautiful Bath to a soulless business park seven miles south I was utterly cast down as I apart from the inconvenience, I hadn't driven to work since the early '90's. I put up with it for a year or so and then found this site and advertised on it a barely-used 2nd hand Oxygen. That was August 2010, since when I have racked up 2700 miles cycling to work virtually every day and only driving between the end of November and end of Feb between which dates the commute is far too dark and frankly, scary.
I've always loved cycling but my 7 mile commute is VERY hilly and I just knew that I would need assistance if I were to do it every day. Also I just couldn't face the hassle of showering and changing every time I arrived. The ebike is a wonderful solution to green, fitness-improving commuting and I absolutely love it. When the time comes to change I will be having a good hard look at Kudos cycles...

 

[avronb]

several people inc .myself seem to be looking at the Kudos range of bikes,happy days are here again Dave if this trend continues.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Bit of a review so far-
Some exercise but not overdoing it.
Hub drives are liked
30 mile range seems ok for most
integrated lights are liked
low battery replacement price is important
good hillclimbing ability
being green
The latter is important because we are all exhibiting at green type shows but I was never certain that being green and e-biking were connected,I am relieved that to many e-biking is considered green.
Thanks
Dave
KudosCycles

 

[yselmike]

I found that after a day working in a kitchen the 30min bus trip home while easy [ the bus stops outside my house] ,
caused me to seize up in the legs it was a bit scary and then my knee went, the meniscus needed an op so I tried
a commute on my road bike but it was a bit much every day the narrow tyres actually rattled a bridge loose and did bad things to my shoulders and hands its a 40km round trip and in any sort of wind its a no no so the answer to move the legs, get the fresh air in all weathers apart from ice is an e-bike and it works my Flyer s lets me speed along I can cruise
at 35kph If I want to, or chill at 25kph and smell the flowers at 20kph, I can hit 40 -45 with the wind behind me.
The high speed IS NOT COMPULSORY but its nice to have the choice.
I may try a fast road mountain type bike in the summer that does not have narrow tyres as I am not sure the E-bike is
such a good thing for my overall fitness.

wo

 

[Eaglerider]

I had often romanticised about an electric bike to climb up the 2 mile hill to get back from the pub. The idea remained a fantasy until last September. A mate's son had just welded a bracket to hold a car starter motor on the downtube of a beat up old mountain bike. Whilst crude and rather dangerous, a five minute ride had me completely hooked and I bought an Ebike a week later after reading this forum.

It has influenced my life to a much greater extent than I would have imagined. It's just damn good fun. The sensation of contentment whilst cruising along the lanes is quite magical, it clears the mind, leaving me very satisfied. But then, I'm a sucker for two wheelers anyway.

I bought an Ebike because I rode one, and it was fantastic, and I had to have one.

 

[Scottyf]

I brought a kit.
I'm younger than most of the audience here but my reasons are also slightly different.

I wanted to commute by bike when I moved to the city and car spaces are a premium.
It was 9miles each way and I didn't think I could do it.

It helped me get over that and it became something more

I brought an off road bike to do trail riding no assit but it's helped me not be scared of distances.



Another reason is that I feel battery tech is a viable source of transport in private transport and the ebike is about the cheapest form of that. It's something I don't have in my knowledge and knowing more about it has improved my general understanding of how motors work.

I've rebuilt cars and know and understand how internal combustion engines work and how tomtune them. But electric was always a myth. A black science I didn't not understand. I now feel the cycling and electro
Knowledge has helped me in understanding this.