Due to where I live I have commuted the 15 miles to work and back by car on my own for over 5 years. My work as a case officer means that I have a number of meetings and interviews I need to attend during my work day and normally because of distance need my car to drive to these.
I was pleased that I had been selected for the electric bike trial as I would normally not have the finances to buy such a bike. This would give me the opportunity to try it out and see if it suited me. Apart from the health benefits, I was keen to minimize my carbon footprint and switching to an electric bike from a car would help me achieve this.
The electric bike trial has gone really well, I am really surprised how much I use the bike as opposed to the car. It took a little bit of getting used to for the first couple of rides in terms understanding average miles per full charge and how you cycle affected this, but after it was pretty easy and have found it a great way to get about and commute to work.
I now travel by bike whenever its possible, for work or for local run around and it felt good knowing I was saving the environment in my own small way. For work I have found the convenience of cycling to meetings so much easier without the problems of parking. I can plan my travel time so much more accurately and because of the electric assist I am not hot and sweaty when I arrive at them.
I really hope Curo can support future projects like this, I am definitely considering buying an electric bike as I have saved about £100 a month on fuels costs, while getting healthier and reducing my carbon footprint for both myself and Curo.
Zak
| Before and after trial Key metrics % change | |
| Physical Health | +14% |
| Mental Health | +6% |
| Stress level | -55% |
| Concentration | +2% |
| Stamina | +8% |