climateXchange

Post edited 4:03 am – March 27, 2010 by John Symond

My first post was done while being shown how to do it by Marea (Thanks)

I have test ridden 3 bikes. The first cost $1400 and was OK but I was not convinced. 

The second cost $4,500!! It was great but not in my price range.

If I worked full-time and had a long commute, I would have no hesitation in buying an electric bike. But, as a retired person, I have been looking at it as a way to get rid of my car, and it must help me to make journeys that I would normally use a car for, or take a bus. This means, most often, only one trip a week. Also, hills are a problem. 

I rejected the third bike I rode because it ran out of puff on the first bill hill I used it for. OK, I am overweight… This was an electric kit fitted to a standard bike and would have cost $2600. 

At one point I calculated (probably on the most expensive bike) that over ten years, with no compounding or sophisticated methods, a trip to one Belconnen friend would cost me about $5, because I expected to make such little use of the bike. I decided to delay getting a bike and take the all-weather alternative – a bus. 

This week I heard that a friend of a friend had imported 40 Chinese bikes and was selling them for $1000. I may need to re-consider…

The VW electric bike looks great on that video clip! What I wasn't sure about is whether you can pedal manually as well as use it in its motorised state?

I love the way you can fold it up and put it away!