The discussion on electric cars has provided some useful information and raised some interesting points. Does anybody ride an e-bike now that they have become affordable and the technology used is fit for purpose? I do and it has proved to be a great buy.
Anyone else?
Any thoughts about them?
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Affordable? Hmmm your budget must be bigger than oursā¦
Have hired them on holiday and enjoyed the experience, so would be keen to swap but the cost is out of reach.
Must admit I prefer at least 500cc to be able to keep away from nutty car drivers 
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No need to go on busy roads around here. Mind you, with the 80kmh limit even 1300cc doesnāt allow you to escape the idiots.
Are you referring to the price of the BMW e-bikein the attachment, a top of the range example, or the sort of price you would have to pay in Leclerc or Decathalon? Mine saves me money on a day to day basis because I use it for so many local journeys when I would otherwise have driven the car.
I would feel even less secure on very minor roads, if I was feeling threatand, the limit would be out the winder 
I really donāt understand Bill, the lanes around here are not only quiet but open, no more danger than walking or cycling on a conventional bike. Perhaps you find it safer to stay in your back garden.
Oh no Dave, but if you feel safe fine, I personally, think anyone cycling must have a death wish, unless itās got, min 500cc worth of motor.
Thank God I donāt share your views. In fact thank God I donāt live near the roads that you use, to me your words are impossible to believe. I did 10 kilometres this morning and I saw exactly one other vehicle on the roads I used.
500cc thatās a bit small.
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Idid say min 500 Dave
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Even there the bottom of the range is 1,000ā¬ā¦ so 2,000ā¬ for the two of us. A shame as some places now inaccessible to me that would be possible with an electric bike.
You can get a usable e-bike for ā¬500 these days. I started this topic because the prices have tumbled over the years something that I hope will happen with electric cars once they become mainstream.
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I have been pondering getting one - however unlike cars you donāt get a test drive. Weāre 4-5km from the bakers etc - thatās fine to cycle until you hit the hill into town or on the return the 2km hill back to ours. The town is steep - not far but 500m on a 1 in 3 is far enough - the 2km drag is just endless with a nice steep bit to stop you right at the bottom. On a bike - I ended up pushing which rather defeated the point. If itāll get me up the hill without killing me it would be useful. I was thinking they were still a year or two away from being really useful - or at least at the 400-500 price point. I struggle given a second hand scooter is the same money - but I think another few years of battery development and wider adoption means price and usability should be better
Not sure that over Ā£3k for a bike is āaffordableā.
I know that many enthusiasts will be happy to spend Ā£5k or more on a bike but the article suggests that these are aimed at average users.
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Get a nice ābikeā for that Paul, my last, 600 Yam XT was a lot less than that 
Thatās a bit more sensible but the article you linked to did review a Ā£3k bike.
Plus - I looked online quickly and, while thereās one model at just over Ā£1100 most of the bikes here are well over Ā£2k
I canāt see anything Iād be prepared to buy for less than 1,000ā¬ (well actually less than 1,500ā¬). The cheap ones seems to have poorer quality, heavier batteries with potentially more limited lifespan. Plus the bikes themselves seem heavy with low quality parts. So actually not nice to ride when not using the electric assist. Not sure where youāve seen a useable 500ā¬ bike thatās worth the investment.
I cycle on a regular basis Bill and I can assure you that I donāt have a death wish 
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Good Ann, pleased to hear it 
Bill, I have to agree. I am attracted to riding anything motorized with two wheels, not sure why. But the safety thing with having 500cc (or preferably over 1000cc, personally) to help avoid accidents, along with a clear head and good knowledge of the road and all that, is probably going to make me buy a motorcycle rather than electric bike. I think there are no licenses required, right, when one rides an electric bike? Thatās kind of scary to me; like two points converging helplessly, via rationalization and invention without enough regulation, perhaps, onto the same āplaneā. Collisions waiting to happen.
Not that I donāt like a little danger or risk in my life. Butā¦
The hoops one has to go through to obtain a license to ride a motorcycle, actually suggest that ultimately itās the better thing to do unless one has garden paths and places to ride an electric bike that arenāt taking one into the same traffic and same rationale in āgetting where one wants to goā. The psychology of being surrounded on all sides when on four wheels, by the metal and glass (and plastic and so forth) and being larger and fasterā¦ Canāt compete with that, on an electric bike. I do like trying to compete, oddly enough, on a motorcycle. What does that say about meā¦
What we can do, I think, is make it all the more important to provide bike paths for electric bikes, and ideally as equally important asā¦car/truck/motorcycle roadways. No? So interesting, to think about how roadways and highways are ādrivenā (sorry for the pun) by commercial interest. So, equivalent bike paths wonāt ever happen, will theyā¦
The winding streets around a small town, the narrow onesā¦ What if all of those could become electric bike traffic? Are there any towns like that? Sancerre puts up barriers in the streets, during tourist season to block carsā¦ Bikes and pedestrians can still traverse. Maybe a bike lane and a pedestrian lane would be develop-able, in small towns with narrow streetsā¦ And also a lane for dog-walkers (hah!).
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