I think it’s worth doing a post just on my new electric bike, but the wider context for the choice played a big part:
Transportation
With my new van not having a bike rack, the decision as to how to transport one or two bikes had to be made, with the options being
a) rack on a back door, as with my previous vans;
b) a towbar + bike rack;
c) a swing-out rack, leaving the back doors openable;
d) inside the van, with sub options being folding the bed up, laying the bike on the bed, taking the front wheel off and laying it under the bed.
Cost: options a) and b) outlay would be similar, c) alot more pricey, but all these would increase the length of the van and potential travelling costs – ferries etc; d) no financial cost but a time cost in faffing
Practicality: option a) – can be difficult to get the bikes up there, weight-wise; options b) and c) better; option d) is great from a security perspective, but if bike is on bed then when in transit, just doing a one-night stopover means having to either move the bike outside or elsewhere in the van – faff and security implications; similar faff if having to put the bed up and down each time
Bike Purpose
I use my bike to explore, to get from A to B while travelling, and to use locally instead of a vehicle, all of which give me exercise as a by-product, which I also love; regular commuting is not a requirement, but the ability to be able to get a bike into a car, bus, train, taxi certainly alleviates the fears from ‘going too far’!
So in conjunction with the consideration of the transportation options and costs, I was considering a non-electric fold-up – extremely portable like a Brompton, an electric Brompton or equivalent, or an electric hybrid.
In the end I made a decision for an electric fold-up, but more multi-purpose than the Brompton, due to being able to have it live under my van bed, and having the battery and motor to extend and improve my exploring, particularly up hills and distances. I went for an expensive one – the Tern Vektron S10:
400wh battery
Bosch Active Line Plus Mid Motor
Magura disc brakes
10 gears – Shimano Deore
20inch hybrid-width tyres
Review
I love my bike. It ticks all my boxes – have ridden it for a 59-mile ride, and a 50-mile one around Nidderdale and Ripon, and without the motor on, it rolls really well. On the flat I tend to have the motor off, unless coming back from a long ride against the wind 🙂 The battery has more than enough life for my usage. It goes up hills like a mountain goat, and that puts the smile on my face, knowing I’ll enjoy a ride with more than one hill!!! But it doesn’t cheat on the exercise as far as I’m concerned, as the motor doesn’t have to be used, and only applies if selected, when pedalling.
One downside – the weight at 22kg incl battery – and for a 4th week, my right arm is still painful from having pulled its muscles, trying to determine how best to position the bike under the bed. Before it’s asked, the battery can easily be taken off the bike when lifting or for charging or for security, which I now do.
