BOLSTERED by the heady summer of 2012, which was dominated by Olympic success, our love affair with cycling has grown.

This year millions turned out to watch the Tour de France pass through Yorkshire, Cambridge and London, while Sussex is gearing up for its own moment of glory as top riders prepare to take on Haywards Heath, Eastbourne and Brighton in the Tour of Britain last this year.

The wild success of professional cycling may have encouraged some on to the saddle.

But pulling on the Lycra and conquering Ditchling Beacon is not for everyone.

For those looking for a more sedate brand of exercise, electric bikes are an increasingly attractive prospect.

Battery powered bikes are gaining popularity with disabled or elderly people without the heart or legs for vigorous exercise.

One model even comes with a heart monitor, which automatically changes gear when the beat rate becomes too fast, to help those with cardiac problems to keep going without concern.

A dealer that has recently opened a showroom is pioneering electric bikes in Sussex. Specialist 50 Cycles aims to capitalise on the growing cycle network, including the award-winning Adur Ferry Bridge.

It is the only retailer that sells bikes by high-end German market leader Kalkhoff.

Charles Martin, store manager, said: “We’re seeing more and more people with hip problems or knee problems who might have done a lot of cycling in the past but need something a bit more gentle.

“Around Worthing and Shoreham you can get a particularly strong headwind so it can really help.

“Then you’ve got ladies who want to go around town with shopping, guys who want to do the South Downs link.”

As well as proving popular for exercise, electric bikes are unsurprisingly a green choice.

Meanwhile the implications for reducing congestion could be revolutionary.

Charles said: “If 1% of people got on an electric bike for their commute we could cure congestion in many places.

“But we need better cycling infrastructure.”

One obstacle that people frequently say stops them getting on a bike is fear for their safety. Would-be cyclists feel understandably vulnerable amid heavy, fast-moving traffic.

The electric bike proposes a solution by giving riders a sturdy sense of stability and acceleration.

Charles said: “What’s nice is when you set off you get that immediate push and you feel much more secure, rather than wobbling around.

“When you signal and do roundabouts you can be more clear which drivers take notice of.”

50 Cycles sells a range of electric bikes available for test rides and hire.

 

BUSINESS REVIEW

FOR cycling purists, electric bikes are just plain wrong. The unfair advantage is comparable with Lance Armstrong levels of doping. It takes away all the romance, beauty and pain synonymous with two wheels. You can glide up hills without breaking a sweat and leaving a strong sense of guilt in your wake.


But then this bike is not aimed at these kinds of cyclists.
 

For the majority who do not enjoy pushing through the pain barrier and dragging their bodies over mountains the electric bike could be a great way to enjoy sensible exercise.
With eco, sport and power modes, the Kalkhoff Pro Connect has 70 Newton metres of torque – the energy needed to power up hills.

But it is important to recognise that riding one is not without effort. The motor merely boosts your pedalling so riders will feel exertion – just not an intense cardio-vascular work-out associated with hill-climbing.

For commuters the bike could be a revelation – a nifty way of beating traffic while keeping armpits sweat-free. It has one of the largest battery capacities on the market and can last 100 miles on eco mode. 

Everything is built in – with front-lights, back-lights and even brake lights. The sturdy German engineering and disk brakes are renowned for low-maintenance. There are nice touches such when changing gear the motor cuts out to save the chain.
 

All this quality comes at a price and at around £2,000 the Kalkhoff model does not come cheap. But the investment would surely be a long-lasting one – and possibly a life-changing one too.