It is worth saying that I am not office-based in Central London every day so this fortnight doesn't represent 200 miles of e-biking - in fact it's barely half that total distance. The 10ah battery is perfectly adequate for my 10 and a bit mile each way commute even on the highest power setting and I've stopped packing the charger in a pannier "just in case"
The first clear lesson is that an old man on an e-bike is not quicker over 10 miles than a fit "normal" person. Overall I am consistently 5-10 minutes minutes faster than I used to be but I am still passed like I'm going backwards by the "Regents Park Rouleurs" on the Outer Circle- and just about every other fit commuter everywhere else.
There is a "big win" (obviously) on hills. The available power let's you just keep going without your speed tailing off the further you ride uphill. This assistance means that you keep going against headwinds and also those long slight inclines that tax the less fit.The Panda's controller is excellent. There is a clear assistance from a standing start and the way it tails off at the legal maximum of 15.5 mph (25kmh) is unobtrusive. It also comes back in again neatly if you lose a bit of momentum on the flat.
I have managed to get used to riding in a lower gear - and changing down early to ensure that turning the pedals as I change down through the gears doesn't cause me to surge forwards as I'm trying to slow down.This surge of power as you turn the pedals does mean that you have to be careful when picking your way between cars in very heavy traffic but like most things you get used to it.
Most importantly, I don't arrive at the office sweaty and wheezing and that's the key. Electric power doesn't make the journey quicker, it makes it significantly easier.
The second lesson is that as electric power doesn't suddenly turn you into car! You still need to think - and ride - like an urban cyclist. Nothing new here but my key pointers for commuting in London are:
- Visibility - take every opportunity to be seen by other road users (more on that in the next post - a couple of "product reviews")
- "Own" your piece of the road
- Positioning is key - remember that in some circumstances it is better to be on the "offside" of the traffic in the centre of the road than it is to be "hidden" on the nearside
- If you are riding nearer the kerb, DO NOT ride in the gutter - you have no manoevring room to the left and all the "mung" on the road collects there leaving you even more vulnerable to punctures
- Your biggest hazard is the road surface itself - the level of potholes (especially on Kilburn High Road) is such that being thrown of your bike is a far bigger risk than the other traffic
- Wear appropriate clothing - including a helmet
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