Cycle to work E bike work horse
Discussion
I changed employer’s about 18 months ago and my commute went down to less than 10 miles, after a few experimental test rides on my EMTB I found a nice mostly tow path and bridle way route to work.
Not wanting to wear out my fancy EMTB I looked at cycle to work and ended up getting a Specalized turbo Vado 4.0
It’s currently on about 2k miles and apart from replacing cheap stock inner tubes and tyres with more off road specific ones and ditching the stock suspension seat post and saddle for more plush items it’s had minimal maintenance.
My ride in involves about 1/2 a mile of steep hill so the E part of the E bike was essential as I’m a whisker away from 50 with a b
ksed knee and I need to arrive at work in a non sweaty mess.
I use it whenever weather isn’t awful and due to the times and limited roads on the route I use hardly ever encounter traffic, I have noticed that the few cars that do pass me almost everyone that passes me in does it well and I even end up pulling over and waving some folks past me as they seem almost afraid to pass me.
The cycle to work fee comes out of my wage pre tax and it’s 0% apr.
I’d say if you haven’t tried an e bike yet give one a go.
For reference my one is a built one and not a eBay kit, it’s restricted or max assist at 15.5 mph and requires no insurance or license etc etc.
These bikes can be chipped or modified so the pedal assist goes past the 15.5 mph but any warranty will go away, the bike will go faster that 15.5 but on human or gravity power alone ( the 1/2 mile down hill on the way home will give me almost 30 mph that’s how steep it is).
My one is not modded and whilst in its warranty won’t be either, I may consider it once out of warranty but only if the law or regulations are changed.
Not wanting to wear out my fancy EMTB I looked at cycle to work and ended up getting a Specalized turbo Vado 4.0
It’s currently on about 2k miles and apart from replacing cheap stock inner tubes and tyres with more off road specific ones and ditching the stock suspension seat post and saddle for more plush items it’s had minimal maintenance.
My ride in involves about 1/2 a mile of steep hill so the E part of the E bike was essential as I’m a whisker away from 50 with a b
ksed knee and I need to arrive at work in a non sweaty mess.I use it whenever weather isn’t awful and due to the times and limited roads on the route I use hardly ever encounter traffic, I have noticed that the few cars that do pass me almost everyone that passes me in does it well and I even end up pulling over and waving some folks past me as they seem almost afraid to pass me.
The cycle to work fee comes out of my wage pre tax and it’s 0% apr.
I’d say if you haven’t tried an e bike yet give one a go.
For reference my one is a built one and not a eBay kit, it’s restricted or max assist at 15.5 mph and requires no insurance or license etc etc.
These bikes can be chipped or modified so the pedal assist goes past the 15.5 mph but any warranty will go away, the bike will go faster that 15.5 but on human or gravity power alone ( the 1/2 mile down hill on the way home will give me almost 30 mph that’s how steep it is).
My one is not modded and whilst in its warranty won’t be either, I may consider it once out of warranty but only if the law or regulations are changed.
Also as it’s dark on ride in and out now I have a super duper Ali express led light which lasts about 2 hours on a full charge (ride is 40 mins or less each way) it’s like having a motorcycle headlight even has high and low beam.
What I am after is something to make the bike more visible from the side, has anyone used any kind of luminous tape or something attached to the spokes to achieve this.
?
What I am after is something to make the bike more visible from the side, has anyone used any kind of luminous tape or something attached to the spokes to achieve this.
?
mobile chicane22 said:
Also as it s dark on ride in and out now I have a super duper Ali express led light which lasts about 2 hours on a full charge (ride is 40 mins or less each way) it s like having a motorcycle headlight even has high and low beam.
What I am after is something to make the bike more visible from the side, has anyone used any kind of luminous tape or something attached to the spokes to achieve this.
?
Amazon is your friend..What I am after is something to make the bike more visible from the side, has anyone used any kind of luminous tape or something attached to the spokes to achieve this.
?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=bicycle+spoke+leds&am...
Well done for getting of your arse and doing it, for me working full time form home has scuppered the bike to work thing.
Mammasaid said:
Amazon is your friend..
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=bicycle+spoke+leds&am...
Well done for getting of your arse and doing it, for me working full time form home has scuppered the bike to work thing.
Good link thank you, the nature of my work is not home working friendly unfortunately, the remote spanner and screwdriver are still far awayhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=bicycle+spoke+leds&am...
Well done for getting of your arse and doing it, for me working full time form home has scuppered the bike to work thing.
I got one back in June through the company scheme and it's been great. If you are within range and have a safe route, they're probably the perfect commuter vehicle.
What finally convinced me was when I realised I had, once again, been waiting at the bus stop for longer than it would have taken me to ride home (and tbf, my bus service is pretty good). I hate standing still, so this gives me full control and at least an hour back each day.
With the bonus of prolonged good weather this year, I've been really enjoying the rides and my experience of city-centre riding isn't quite as bad as I feared, so far. It's saving me money too. After a few years the savings will cover the cost of the bike quite comfortably.
What finally convinced me was when I realised I had, once again, been waiting at the bus stop for longer than it would have taken me to ride home (and tbf, my bus service is pretty good). I hate standing still, so this gives me full control and at least an hour back each day.
With the bonus of prolonged good weather this year, I've been really enjoying the rides and my experience of city-centre riding isn't quite as bad as I feared, so far. It's saving me money too. After a few years the savings will cover the cost of the bike quite comfortably.
Been e-biking to work 4 days a week since 2016 - have now coverered nearly 13K miles and am on the 4th bike (2 of which have been on the cycle to work scheme).
I work 5 miles away from home - but most of that is up hill, and I did try it on a normal bike but it took a bit too long and I was getting to work a bit hot and sticky
I work 5 miles away from home - but most of that is up hill, and I did try it on a normal bike but it took a bit too long and I was getting to work a bit hot and sticky
JamesW said:
Been e-biking to work 4 days a week since 2016 - have now coverered nearly 13K miles and am on the 4th bike (2 of which have been on the cycle to work scheme).
I work 5 miles away from home - but most of that is up hill,
Uphill both ways!? I work 5 miles away from home - but most of that is up hill,
Are you on a 4th bike because they all wore out or was it another reason? I am wondering how long mine's going to last, especially because parts of my commute are on unpaved tracks.
The scheme assumes it'll be worthless in six years I think, but obviously that's going to be massively dependent on usage.
Janluke said:
What's your EMTB?
If you look for something that uses the same battery you'll have a spare for the emtb for any long days/trips you have
I have 2 Trek/Bosch bikes and find that option quite useful now and again
Two completely different bikes, work hack is a £2300 specialized turbo Vado 4.0 with the brose unit 70nm and 750wh battery EMTB is a whyte e160rs mullet with Bosch kit.If you look for something that uses the same battery you'll have a spare for the emtb for any long days/trips you have
I have 2 Trek/Bosch bikes and find that option quite useful now and again
Even on 40+ mile rides I’ve never got close to running out of juice on either.
One of my co workers cycles further on a bike with a smaller battery and does top his up at work as a precaution.
I've only missed 2 days on the commute this year where the weather was clearly awful and I took the car.
Love mine. Got some Schwalbe Marathons and changed the cassette for a Shimano one but other than that it's still standard.
Apart from the chip, it transforms it for riding on the road, where 15mph is too slow, slower than my average on the road bike. I actually got a recall email from eBay recently so I guess they're making an effort to clamp down on them.
Love mine. Got some Schwalbe Marathons and changed the cassette for a Shimano one but other than that it's still standard.
Apart from the chip, it transforms it for riding on the road, where 15mph is too slow, slower than my average on the road bike. I actually got a recall email from eBay recently so I guess they're making an effort to clamp down on them.
I started on an emtb, then switched to a lower powered fazua powered bike. My commute is 17.5 miles each way and I'm now doing almost all of it on a regular bike, no motor. I can honestly say k would never have managed it if I hadn't been able to build up on the e bikes.
Anyone not sure, if you can get one on a cycle scheme go for it. You will get fitter and I can almost guarantee you will feel better physically and mentally compared to being angry and wound up by a commute in a car.
Anyone not sure, if you can get one on a cycle scheme go for it. You will get fitter and I can almost guarantee you will feel better physically and mentally compared to being angry and wound up by a commute in a car.
JamesW said:
Been e-biking to work 4 days a week since 2016 - have now coverered nearly 13K miles and am on the 4th bike (2 of which have been on the cycle to work scheme).
I work 5 miles away from home - but most of that is up hill, and I did try it on a normal bike but it took a bit too long and I was getting to work a bit hot and sticky
My Boardman eBike is still going strong and will be 6 years come next Feb. It only done about 5-6k as I only commute on bike into one of the work sites. Have a much nice Creo SL which rides like a slightly heavy road bike, but I'm itching to try/get the new Canyon Sub 10, which has a bigger battery than the Boardman but comes in some 40% lighter!!! Sadly the Canyon isn't on our organisation SS scheme, there is a nice looking Scott Ride 10, but Canyon really have moved the game on with a sub 10kg eBike. I suspect everyone else is going to have to react, so this probably isn't the best/right time to drop £££££ on a top end road focused eBike.I work 5 miles away from home - but most of that is up hill, and I did try it on a normal bike but it took a bit too long and I was getting to work a bit hot and sticky
ChocolateFrog said:
Love mine. Got some Schwalbe Marathons and changed the cassette for a Shimano one but other than that it's still standard.
Life changing tires, mine have done 5k and still some tread left, I think they will see out this winter.gangzoom said:
Life changing tires, mine have done 5k and still some tread left, I think they will see out this winter.
I agree that Marathons are incredibly durable tyres, and have great puncture resistance. Just take care in the cold and wet, when they have less grip than regular road tyres. Our company scheme is limited to certain times in the year and I'm waiting for it to reopen at Christmas. I'll be buying an e gravel bike.
Currently using a normal road bike, managing one day a week usually, 20 miles each way. On the way in I'm about the same speed on electric or normal having tried one a few times to confirm it's worth buying one.
However the ride home, or in windy weather or the odd occasion I cycle in the following day as well and I'm tired I really think the ebike is worth it.
Currently using a normal road bike, managing one day a week usually, 20 miles each way. On the way in I'm about the same speed on electric or normal having tried one a few times to confirm it's worth buying one.
However the ride home, or in windy weather or the odd occasion I cycle in the following day as well and I'm tired I really think the ebike is worth it.
mobile chicane22 said:
Also as it s dark on ride in and out now I have a super duper Ali express led light which lasts about 2 hours on a full charge (ride is 40 mins or less each way) it s like having a motorcycle headlight even has high and low beam.
What I am after is something to make the bike more visible from the side, has anyone used any kind of luminous tape or something attached to the spokes to achieve this.
?
When I used to ride to work along dark b-roads, I had one of these that could be seen from all angles strapped to my seatstay in addition to a garmin radar light, and it worked really well - What I am after is something to make the bike more visible from the side, has anyone used any kind of luminous tape or something attached to the spokes to achieve this.
?
https://www.fibreflare.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopWzlhODy...
Also put some reflective 3M tape strips (white on the forks, red on the seat stays).
I also went more for reflective stuff than high viz as it's way more visible in the dark from a distance. Reflective overshoes are good as apparently things that move make you visible as a cyclist rather than just a red light.
durbster said:
Uphill both ways!?
Are you on a 4th bike because they all wore out or was it another reason? I am wondering how long mine's going to last, especially because parts of my commute are on unpaved tracks.
The scheme assumes it'll be worthless in six years I think, but obviously that's going to be massively dependent on usage.
Technically yes - as getting home I'm halfway down the other side, so have a climb to start.Are you on a 4th bike because they all wore out or was it another reason? I am wondering how long mine's going to last, especially because parts of my commute are on unpaved tracks.
The scheme assumes it'll be worthless in six years I think, but obviously that's going to be massively dependent on usage.
The scheme assumes it'll be worthless in six years I think, but obviously that's going to be massively dependent on usage.
The first couple were Chinese, few hundred quid bikes - and on both after about 1500 miles, things started to fail and go wrong (everything from the peddles snapping off, the saddle snapping off the post, the front forks seizing up, brakes becoming near useless). The second of these (https://expedition-bikes.co.uk/) I have kept as an emergency use bike, and this still works - albeit the range on the battery pack has gone down to about 15 miles (does still mean I can bike out with my son).
Got a Haibike Hardseven 6.0 in 2020 on cyclescheme over 3 years (they don't shout about it, but you can do it on more than 12 months), and put 3800 miles on it - and that was very good. I did have to change the rear cassette and chain twice on it though (at about 1500 miles) which was £150 or so.
I changed to a Haibike Alltrack 6 in 2023 when I'd got to the end of the scheme (sold it for £600) and I've just had to change the chain/cassette on that at about 2200 miles.
My commute is 50% roads, 50% farm tracks/woodland paths
FWIW the guy that bought the Hardseven is still using it now (but has needed to change the cassette again) as I saw him down the pub a month or so ago on it
I snapped up a new Vado 4 for £1200 as it was a low step (girls bike stigmata) but in a XL frame. With the spare cash I converted it to a drop bar with sram axs leccy gears, retro fitted the Vado guards and rack and put tubeless tyres on it. It’s great for running around on and carrying stuff.
I’ve had a full fat Bosch emtb and a fazua e-bike in the past and the specialised Vado is def my favourite of the bunch.
I’ve had a full fat Bosch emtb and a fazua e-bike in the past and the specialised Vado is def my favourite of the bunch.
mobile chicane22 said:
Also as it s dark on ride in and out now I have a super duper Ali express led light which lasts about 2 hours on a full charge (ride is 40 mins or less each way) it s like having a motorcycle headlight even has high and low beam.
What I am after is something to make the bike more visible from the side, has anyone used any kind of luminous tape or something attached to the spokes to achieve this.
?
Don't know about side visibility as I rarely ride mine in the dark but with regards to the lights, I have a headlight that is USB powered so plugs into the bike's battery - saves forgetting to charge it especially because I rarely need it, I know I would inevitably find it dead when needed otherwise.What I am after is something to make the bike more visible from the side, has anyone used any kind of luminous tape or something attached to the spokes to achieve this.
?
I have a first generation ebike - Trek Conduit with Shimano Step 6000 motor. Its perfect for commuting as it has decent rattle-free mudguards and built in tail lights and headlight.
Its been brilliant for my hilly 7 mile commute.
However it took bit of a learning curve, I've been bike commuting for years but previously with fast road or gravel bikes. When I first got my ebike I was disappointed with the 15.5mph cut off as my usual speeds were far higher. I 'chipped' it with some dodgy software and a borrowed Shimano dongle and changed the rear wheel size to ~20". This gave a top speed of ~22mph (the speedo and mileometer reading are incorrect).
It was better (for me) on road but I then realised that having an ebike opened up hillier routes away from traffic. I'd previously gone the flatter/busier routes where I needed to keep up with traffic flow. In hindsight I would have got used to the 15.5mph cut off.
As a method of transport they are great - the motor takes the effort out of hills and you can buy a more utilitarian bike than if it wasn't an ebike so you can have fatter comfier tyres, a more upright riding position and mudguards/racks.
Its been brilliant for my hilly 7 mile commute.
However it took bit of a learning curve, I've been bike commuting for years but previously with fast road or gravel bikes. When I first got my ebike I was disappointed with the 15.5mph cut off as my usual speeds were far higher. I 'chipped' it with some dodgy software and a borrowed Shimano dongle and changed the rear wheel size to ~20". This gave a top speed of ~22mph (the speedo and mileometer reading are incorrect).
It was better (for me) on road but I then realised that having an ebike opened up hillier routes away from traffic. I'd previously gone the flatter/busier routes where I needed to keep up with traffic flow. In hindsight I would have got used to the 15.5mph cut off.
As a method of transport they are great - the motor takes the effort out of hills and you can buy a more utilitarian bike than if it wasn't an ebike so you can have fatter comfier tyres, a more upright riding position and mudguards/racks.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff