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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/apr/07/electric-bike-review-commuting
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| Sparta RX Plus review: is this the electric bike to beguile Britain's commuters? | Sparta RX Plus review: is this the electric bike to beguile Britain's commuters? |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| I am suspicious of electric bikes. It's cheating, and besides, who needs extra assistance when you can multitask while travelling, getting some much needed exercise there is never time for otherwise? However, I have just moved and, while my new, longer, seven-mile commute to work is extremely pleasant, on my breakage-prone vintage racer it takes 45 minutes. More often than not I arrive late, dishevelled, with the chain hanging off. This is an existence I tolerate having had an expensive bike stolen. Could a week in an electrified saddle convert me? | I am suspicious of electric bikes. It's cheating, and besides, who needs extra assistance when you can multitask while travelling, getting some much needed exercise there is never time for otherwise? However, I have just moved and, while my new, longer, seven-mile commute to work is extremely pleasant, on my breakage-prone vintage racer it takes 45 minutes. More often than not I arrive late, dishevelled, with the chain hanging off. This is an existence I tolerate having had an expensive bike stolen. Could a week in an electrified saddle convert me? |
| Justebikes in west London, run by husband and wife duo James FitzGerald and Clare Elwes, kindly loan me a Dutch-made Sparta RX Plus. E-bikes are not mainstream in the UK – estimates suggest 20,000 are sold each year – but interest is growing. "We are trying to change the world," FitzGerald says. "To debunk this notion that you have to buy a £20,000 metal box to get from A to B." | Justebikes in west London, run by husband and wife duo James FitzGerald and Clare Elwes, kindly loan me a Dutch-made Sparta RX Plus. E-bikes are not mainstream in the UK – estimates suggest 20,000 are sold each year – but interest is growing. "We are trying to change the world," FitzGerald says. "To debunk this notion that you have to buy a £20,000 metal box to get from A to B." |
| Once Elwes has briefed me on how the rather clunky step-through bike works, I am all set. "You'll feel like you're 16 again," she shouts, as I head out. And boy, does it go. It's quite a sensation, the undeniable boost the motor gives when activated by pedalling, and it's surprisingly silent, too. Some have suggested it's akin to a jet pack. I feel like I am Elliott, about to take off with ET perched on my pannier. | Once Elwes has briefed me on how the rather clunky step-through bike works, I am all set. "You'll feel like you're 16 again," she shouts, as I head out. And boy, does it go. It's quite a sensation, the undeniable boost the motor gives when activated by pedalling, and it's surprisingly silent, too. Some have suggested it's akin to a jet pack. I feel like I am Elliott, about to take off with ET perched on my pannier. |
| Traversing central London, I sail past buses, Lycra-ed up blokes and Boris bikes – some of which are now set to go electric. | |
| What is instantly striking is how much safer I feel with a little extra speed to get away at a junction, which as a female cyclist in London can only be a good thing. | What is instantly striking is how much safer I feel with a little extra speed to get away at a junction, which as a female cyclist in London can only be a good thing. |
| A motorcyclist pulls off his helmet at the lights to get a proper look. "Is that electric?" he questions, bemused. "Don't go too fast." Legislation means that e-bikes can't exceed about 15 mph but you can get into the 20s if you make use of the eight gears. Riding up hills has never been such fun. | A motorcyclist pulls off his helmet at the lights to get a proper look. "Is that electric?" he questions, bemused. "Don't go too fast." Legislation means that e-bikes can't exceed about 15 mph but you can get into the 20s if you make use of the eight gears. Riding up hills has never been such fun. |
| The prospect of leaving an expensive bike out on the street is nerve-wracking. Yet Spartas are renowned for their sophisticated locking systems: the electricity won't work without a detachable digital screen; they have a frame security mechanism as standard with an option of a huge chain that fits into it. Justebikes have only known one to be nicked in eight years – and it was returned four days later. | The prospect of leaving an expensive bike out on the street is nerve-wracking. Yet Spartas are renowned for their sophisticated locking systems: the electricity won't work without a detachable digital screen; they have a frame security mechanism as standard with an option of a huge chain that fits into it. Justebikes have only known one to be nicked in eight years – and it was returned four days later. |
| On the second day I come back down to earth with a bump. As I prepare to depart and pump up the assistance to max, an error message flashes up — the electricity isn't working. Without power Spartas are extremely heavy and I have to cycle the whole route like this. When I get hold of the shop it turns out my test bike wasn't registered so after a certain amount of miles the electricity cuts out as yet another security measure. First rule of using an electric bike: don't run out of power. The battery, which has to be purchased separately, can be easily removed and charged, and diminishes depending on the amount of assistance and weight. | On the second day I come back down to earth with a bump. As I prepare to depart and pump up the assistance to max, an error message flashes up — the electricity isn't working. Without power Spartas are extremely heavy and I have to cycle the whole route like this. When I get hold of the shop it turns out my test bike wasn't registered so after a certain amount of miles the electricity cuts out as yet another security measure. First rule of using an electric bike: don't run out of power. The battery, which has to be purchased separately, can be easily removed and charged, and diminishes depending on the amount of assistance and weight. |
| This puts a bit of a damper on things. Despite my love of this whizziness, I can't help but feel that, while I can reduce my commute by 10-15 minutes, I am losing it elsewhere: lugging the chain around or carrying the cumbersome thing up steps. But being part of the paltry 2.8% of the population riding to work, I am not the target market. E-bikes are perfect for people who aren't into cycling, to enjoy the freedom of being able to cruise around town in an eco-friendly way. And how much better would our city streets be if the bike-phobic were tempted to get on two wheels by devices like these? I for one would happily let them overtake me. | This puts a bit of a damper on things. Despite my love of this whizziness, I can't help but feel that, while I can reduce my commute by 10-15 minutes, I am losing it elsewhere: lugging the chain around or carrying the cumbersome thing up steps. But being part of the paltry 2.8% of the population riding to work, I am not the target market. E-bikes are perfect for people who aren't into cycling, to enjoy the freedom of being able to cruise around town in an eco-friendly way. And how much better would our city streets be if the bike-phobic were tempted to get on two wheels by devices like these? I for one would happily let them overtake me. |
| Sparta RX Plus from £1,699 plus battery from £330. justebikes.co.uk | Sparta RX Plus from £1,699 plus battery from £330. justebikes.co.uk |
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