Motorised bicycles.

[browner]

This is probably for Mikerob.

Due to the rising fuel costs, i've been considering getting back on the push bike, but arriving in work soaking and stinking of sweat is not an option when no shower is available.
I also have one considerable hill to negotiate, and at my age that's not too attractive.

So i've been looking at battery powered bikes, expensive for what they are but very economic, pass the "green" test, give that helping hand on hills and head winds and help maintain a level of fitness.

I haven't seen any here yet, but i'm sure some of the London boys, esp Mike have seen them.

Any thoughts and info would be appreciated.

[Rooster]

What about one of the old Co-Op milk floats Browner, keep you dry and you could give a few others a lift

[mikerob]

I don't think I've ever seen one browner, at least not one that I've recognised as an electric bike (I've been assuming that all those people zipping past me have just been a lot fitter than I am!)

I haven't seen any in conventional bike shops - however just looking through a magazine, I did see an ad for electric bikes from a dealer called http://www.50cycles.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and they seem to have a lot of info on their website

[BR]

What about one of the old Co-Op milk floats Browner, keep you dry and you could give a few others a lift

Maybe 2 years ago, Roost; but with the price of milk on world markets ....

Browner - get yourself a segway!

[mikerob]

ps... just looking at the website I mentioned, electric bikes are covered by the government cycle-to-work scheme (see http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, http://www.halfordsb2b.com/bikes4work-schemes.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) which provides way of getting bikes a lot cheaper as long as you use them to get to work (you can use them elsewhere as well)... however you need to have an employer that is a member of the scheme to benefit.

[pwrmoore]

This is probably for Mikerob.

Due to the rising fuel costs, i've been considering getting back on the push bike, but arriving in work soaking and stinking of sweat is not an option when no shower is available.
I also have one considerable hill to negotiate, and at my age that's not too attractive.

So i've been looking at battery powered bikes, expensive for what they are but very economic, pass the "green" test, give that helping hand on hills and head winds and help maintain a level of fitness.

I haven't seen any here yet, but i'm sure some of the London boys, esp Mike have seen them.

Any thoughts and info would be appreciated.

Just remember, if you really want to be green, when you charge youe bike up only use electricty that has been generated from renewable sources.

[Rooster]

This is probably for Mikerob.

Due to the rising fuel costs, i've been considering getting back on the push bike, but arriving in work soaking and stinking of sweat is not an option when no shower is available.
I also have one considerable hill to negotiate, and at my age that's not too attractive.

So i've been looking at battery powered bikes, expensive for what they are but very economic, pass the "green" test, give that helping hand on hills and head winds and help maintain a level of fitness.

I haven't seen any here yet, but i'm sure some of the London boys, esp Mike have seen them.

Any thoughts and info would be appreciated.

Just remember, if you really want to be green, when you charge youe bike up only use electricty that has been generated from renewable sources.

Connect large alternator to back wheel and generate as you pedal

[browner]

Connect large alternator to back wheel and generate as you pedal

Just back from a wee 10 miler...............beautiful morning for a spin and all done under my own steam.

Thanks for the links Mike..................had seen the cycle50 one but didn't know about the government scheme, will have to make some inquiries in work.
Had a quick look and there seems to be plenty of bike shops within my locality running this scheme, now i just have to find a local distributor for these machines as i'm not sure if those on the mainland ship to these parts.

Surprised you haven't seen one of these on the streets of London Mike..........you're too busy jumping red lights.

Anyway..............for all you doubters..............one day we will all travel like this.


What's a segway?

[Big Dog]

What's a segway?

Looks like fun

[pwrmoore]

SEGWAY

I'm not really a full doubter - all these schemes have their place in the future of personal transport. It is important to remember though that every time you convert energy from one form to another there is an efficiency factor comes into play and some is lost and of course most of our electricity still comes from burning fossil fuels so until we're using more renewable sources you're mostly changing the place that the polution is created rather than changing the total amount of polution involved

[browner]

From Wiki..................

In the UK it is unlawful to use a Segway anywhere other than on private property and only with the owners permission.

Surprised at you pwr...........

Anyway i'm not that fussed on the green thingy, more the economics and the fitness element, so it's no to the segway.

If my employer is a member of this cycle scheme, i will be seriously considering buying a wee electric bike.

[mikerob]

Surprised you haven't seen one of these on the streets of London Mike..........you're too busy jumping red lights.

it is entirely possible that I have seen some and just didn't realise they were electric.... at first glance they look just like a conventional bike (although I suppose being overtaken by someone who isn't pedalling may be a bit of a giveaway...). I assume they don't make that much noise, and when I'm going into work there is a lot of background noise from traffic anyway.

[BR]

Cycle to work scheme - IIRC works the same as home computer scheme, etc. Your company buys the equipment, leases it to you for n years and then sells it to you for a nominal amount. You basically pay the full price, but direct from your salary it is tax and NI free. (so you save on that and the company saves on NI too).

Can't comment on the Bike scheme (although I know Bike-Dock do it, and IIRC Halfords) but the computer scheme had the downside that the vendors were not as competitive as the other suppliers and so you were paying more in the first place.

Both these schemes are a bit like the childcare voucher scheme, except the company doesn't technically own your kids until they are paid off.

[BR]

Also if I cast my mind back to working with payroll:

If you cycle to work and your employer provides you with breakfast, then the breakfast is not considered a taxable benefit! I wonder how many people claim under that catagory nowdays?

[mikerob]

I didn't have a problem getting a competitive price for a bike under this scheme - the bike just needs to be new and can include sale bikes, and many bike shops have good deals for last year's models when the new ones come out.