Case study: my ebike is a replacement vehicle

 

I have owned a Brompton for the last 8 years, and it’s been my main form of transport to and from railway stations on my commute. However, the issue with Bath is the hills, and a seemingly endless uphill climb home at the end of the day. I often used to ask my husband to pick me up in the car instead of riding home.  So, when I saw that Brompton were making an electric bike, I put my name down.

I’ve had this bike for a couple of months, and it has been quite the topic of conversation on the train in the mornings. I’m happy to say that I can now make it up the hill! It’s not that the bike does all the work for you – you still have to pedal quite hard, so you do get a fitness benefit – but it does feel like the hill is only half as steep. That’s enough to make it achievable for a cyclist like me.

As with all things Brompton, it’s very well designed.  It still folds the same way and fits in the train luggage rack.  It is a bit heavier, but the payback is it’s speedy, less tiring and so you make fewer car journeys.

The main thing is to not think about an ebike as just a bicycle, but rather as an additional vehicle, or a replacement vehicle. Just remember to make sure you’re very visible at all times. I recommend a bright yellow poncho over your normal workwear for rainy days!

Louise McCabe

Director of Corporate Responsibility, ASOS

 

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