I LOVE my electric bike and every time I get on it, am reminded why I invested the not inconsiderable sum in it. 

My bike is classified as folding, although in reality I never fold it. In fact, being able to fold down the handlebars doesn’t, in my view, constitute a folding bike.

What I do like about it and persuaded me to buy it is that I can lift it. Full-sized ebikes are heavy and certainly too weighty for me to lift on to the back of or into my motorhome.

I don’t use a bike rack. Many make opening the back door of my motorhome difficult. Also it can be time consuming tying the bike securely in place.

Finally, unless I can lower the rack substantially, the bike is too heavy for me to lift on to it.

I think a lot of short, small-framed, older riders would identify with my experience.

Today, I visited a local bike shop that specialises in selling, maintaining and repairing ebikes and associated equipment.

The cover of my saddle had gradually worn away exposing the filling to the weather. 

I also needed to replace my bell whose rusty spring made it defunct.

To get the saddle I needed I’d had to buy online but the friendly staff changed it for my old one and sorted out an inexpensive replacement bell.

My bike isn’t as good as new – that isn’t possible given that I bought it eight or nine years ago.

However, so long as the battery has life and the chips work in the little handlebar control unit, I should be going strong for some while yet.

Ebikes come in increasingly varied shapes, sizes and prices. But the price trend is generally upwards.

 

 

 

Why? Possibly because the technology is still developing and, although some are manufactured in the UK, a lot of models are imported.

Nevertheless, a superficial search on websites shows many attractive bikes with the words ‘out of stock’ unattractively printed beneath the illustration. Business is booming.

Although I bought a new bike, secondhand ebikes are widely available.

Personally, I wouldn’t buy such an expensive item online. Finding one that suits is similar to buying shoes, successful fit relies on the as good as possible match between your shape and the largely inflexible design.

Having returned from the shop, all I have to do now is to oil the chain. I don’t carry out this task often enough and so am reminded of this failing more frequently than I should be by the grating sound as the dry chain turns around the cogs.

Meanwhile, my bike sits securely under its cover.