Andrew Silk reviews The Gtech eBike Sport
Summer is now very firmly with us with long spells of dry weather making it ideal for those of us that love spending time outdoors. My passion is walking, I just love being out in the fresh air and in the open countryside – just walking the world go by and enjoying the fresh air and the peace and quiet.
I live in a beautiful part of the Country, not far from the centre of Bristol – often called the gateway to the South West. For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, Bristol is best known amongst other things for the engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, for its famous Bristol Blue Glass, for being the birthplace of Holywood legend, Cary Grant and rather strangely for having the oldest Methodist church in the world.
But Bristol is also famous as a city that likes its cycling – in fact it designates itself as the UK’s first cycling city and is also home to Sustrans, the national charity that looks after the UK’s designated cycling routes.
It therefore seems totally appropriate that I should be asked to trial one of the new types of electric bikes – made by Gtech and called the eBike Sport. This is a bike with a difference, it’s a bike with an electric motor powered by a lithium battery and is designed to help you when the going starts to get a bit tough. Quite simply you ride the bike just like any other, but when you get to those hills that can often catch out inexperienced or unfit cyclists, this is where the motor literally kicks in and propels you up those inclines with ease. The first time you experience the bike taking over feels a little strange – but you soon get used to it – especially when you arrive at the top of that steep hill just as fresh as you were at the bottom – and with no loss of breath!
The whole thing is controlled by a computer that constantly measures your pedal power, and kicks in to give you a boost when you need it. There are two different power settings and interestingly no gears to worry about. You simply set your controls and pedal away under your own steam. It is when your pace slackens or when you are trying to get up those hills that the bike’s own mechanism kicks in to give you the boost you need and the extra surge to get to the top with minimal effort.
Well, that’s cheating you might say – well maybe, if you are a purist – but if you cycle for leisure or for pleasure its exactly the opposite and if you are starting to feel your age or your mobility a little bit then this bike could be just the thing you need. Ideal for going to the shops, for travelling to and from work, or for just taking a pleasant few hours exercise on a Sunday afternoon the Gtech eBike is well worth considering. It’s simple to set up, easy to ride, easy to charge and a pleasure to ride – if you thought your cycling days were over – think again – give it a go. Most of all it’s fun too! You even get a 14 day free trial to see if it really is for you.
For more information visit www.gtech.co.uk
