The Wisper is just a year old now, and this morning the odo turned over 1000 miles. I rode it a little last autumn, but when the clocks went back I put it away and used the car. It has been on regular commuting duty since April this year. I intend to keep using it through the winter, now that I am in the swing of it. My commute is mainly rough country lanes, and the bike has started to get a bit rattly, so I will need to attend to that with spanners and threadlocker. But it remains a very solid ride, the wheels are still true, no loose spokes, no punctures, no major issues. No appreciable wear to tyres or brakes as yet. The battery has had about 40 charge cycles, and remains strong with no apparent loss of capacity.
I have made two modifications: I have taken off the stylish but shiny and slippery pedals and replaced with MTB pedals, which give a much firmer foot position and allow me to stand on the pedals for the steeper sections, and I have taken off the plastic saddle and replaced with a Brooks B67, which is like an armchair in comparison. The Wisper saddle, which isn't at all bad, is now on my MTB, where it is a massive improvement over the no-name monstrosity that was on there before.
Two changes I am planning for the near future: a solid seatpost and some wider bars. The suspension seatpost was always something I had doubts about (never seemed to need one before) and it started squeaking like mad. I dismantled and re-greased it, which improved matters, but I am still very aware that it is there, performing a function I don't really need. A normal seatpost with micro-adjuster is probably on the cards. The existing handlebar is a fairly crowded place (grips, levers, gear shifter, battery display, not to mention computer and headlight) and I feel my hands are quite cramped. My right-hand fingers have to wrap around the gear shifter, which is not very comfy. Also, the crowded space forces the display and gear indicator to be at awkward angles, and not easy to see. I plan to fit wider bars and move everything but the grips over, so I can position the battery and gear displays to be readable while riding, and have more room for the hands. I would lose the throttle on the left grip, but I never use it anyway. I could also fit a bar-end mirror, and perhaps bar ends for a change of hand position. All 100% reversible, in case I sell the bike.
But overall, I am very happy with the bike, and glad I got it. The best news is that in 20-odd weeks of commuting, it has saved me about £150 in petrol, lost me over 3 stone, got me much fitter and brought my BP down to near-normal levels. I couldn't be happier, and would recommend the bike to anyone.
I have made two modifications: I have taken off the stylish but shiny and slippery pedals and replaced with MTB pedals, which give a much firmer foot position and allow me to stand on the pedals for the steeper sections, and I have taken off the plastic saddle and replaced with a Brooks B67, which is like an armchair in comparison. The Wisper saddle, which isn't at all bad, is now on my MTB, where it is a massive improvement over the no-name monstrosity that was on there before.
Two changes I am planning for the near future: a solid seatpost and some wider bars. The suspension seatpost was always something I had doubts about (never seemed to need one before) and it started squeaking like mad. I dismantled and re-greased it, which improved matters, but I am still very aware that it is there, performing a function I don't really need. A normal seatpost with micro-adjuster is probably on the cards. The existing handlebar is a fairly crowded place (grips, levers, gear shifter, battery display, not to mention computer and headlight) and I feel my hands are quite cramped. My right-hand fingers have to wrap around the gear shifter, which is not very comfy. Also, the crowded space forces the display and gear indicator to be at awkward angles, and not easy to see. I plan to fit wider bars and move everything but the grips over, so I can position the battery and gear displays to be readable while riding, and have more room for the hands. I would lose the throttle on the left grip, but I never use it anyway. I could also fit a bar-end mirror, and perhaps bar ends for a change of hand position. All 100% reversible, in case I sell the bike.
But overall, I am very happy with the bike, and glad I got it. The best news is that in 20-odd weeks of commuting, it has saved me about £150 in petrol, lost me over 3 stone, got me much fitter and brought my BP down to near-normal levels. I couldn't be happier, and would recommend the bike to anyone.
