Raleigh E-bikes: what are they like to ride for a novice?

I feel a bit unfaithful…

Every mile I’ve ever ridden, every flat cruise, hair-raising downhill or gear-grinding climb, has been driven by my own leg power.

But today - maybe - new romance beckons.

Tim Gregory of Smilebikes at Langley, near Loddon, has offered a trial on E-bikes for myself and my wife Claire, also a rider but not quite as afflicted with the road bug as I am.

Tim is an E-bike enthusiast - and for good reason.

The simple controls and trip counter. (Image: Photo: Tim Warner) Like me - actually his bike CV is way more distinguished - he loved all forms of traditional riding, but some years ago lung disease cruelly cut short his beloved hobby.

He struggled on, bravely tackling most of the major Tour de France mountains, before ill-health finally called a halt.

Tim felt defeated but then fate took a hand. Someone rode past him on an electric mountain bike and the rest, as the saying goes, is history.

Now he’s an evangelist, passionately advocating what he terms “a whole new mode of transport.”

Pedal and power unit. (Image: Photo: Tim Warner) Claire and I are trying out Raleighs, each powered by a small Bosch motor. They look fairly traditional but are heavier than we are used to. That’s mainly down to the battery which will offer us up to 100 miles of assistance per charge, but once on the road the extra weight and wider-than-we-are-used-to tyres, are really of no consequence.

Tim has taken care and time to explain how everything works and now it’s time for us to hit the road.

Tim and Claire's Raleigh E-bikes. (Image: Photo: Tim Warner) We can pedal and change gear just as we would with traditional bikes, but have a simple-to-use control panel that enables us to regulate varying degrees of 'help' from the motor.

Settings are Eco - the gentlest - through Touring, Sport and Turbo. As we head out through Loddon towards Reedham Ferry we each experiment, but pretty soon we both realise one thing - it’s absolutely brilliant.

Tim waiting to cross Reedham Ferry. (Image: Photo: Tim Warner) We are riding in high summer, a warm wind blowing off harvest-shorn cornfields. Ordinarily I’d be working hard and getting hot and Mrs W simply would not be here - she can't do heat. But at the ferry we are both enthusing. Effort has been gentle and we’ve covered plenty of ground.

We carry on. When the road goes up, we change down a gear or two and marvel at the surge of power that makes uphill just so easy.

Claire and E-bike on the ferry. (Image: Photo: Tim Warner) Tim used the word 'confidence' a lot in our pre-ride chat and also talked of turning 'can’t dos' into 'can dos'. Its easy to see - even after just a few miles - that E-bikes can bring the open road and the joys of cycling back to those who might have thought that world had closed for them. Or even to people who do not wish to contemplate the effort associated with traditional riding but love the idea of being out and about in fresh air, getting closer to nature and enjoying the discoveries long rides can bring.

I’m 63 and, while I plan to carry on traditional riding for as long as I can, when it gets too much I’ll be going to see Tim.

Claire at our lunch stop at Acle Bridge Inn. (Image: Photo: Tim Warner) It’ll keep a wonderful hobby going on for longer. How marvellous is that?

Claire too is positive. She uses her bike for shorter trips and sometimes feels she’s holding me back. Today not a bit of it. With our E-bikes we can ride together and tackle some big trips - even in hot weather.

But it’s not just for older riders needing a bit of help after years on the road. Tim’s customers also include those from much younger age ranges, keen to try something new.

We don’t do a massive ride today - about 30 miles - but at the end our legs are great and our eyes well and truly opened.

smilebikes.co.uk

Tim and Claire's Raleigh E-bikes. (Image: Photo: Tim Warner) GOOD TO KNOW

A few technical details: you are going to have to pay about £1,500-2,500 to get going, but E-bikes come in all types and sizes and you could spend a lot more than that if you wanted. Biggish expenditure but what price those glorious, comfortable hours on the open road?

Batteries give you about 100 miles of riding and can be charged safely at home. Eventually they’ll need replacing but, depending on usage, we are talking about three to five years. One final tip: talk to an expert before diving in. It’s an exciting new world and good advice will ensure you make the right choices.

Once you do that the fun begins….