On your bike... with a little surge of help

THERE you are, trundling along on your three-gear, 10-year-old bike, facing a powerful head wind and an uphill challenge when, out of the blue, a fellow cyclist comes whizzing past, breezing up the incline like it didn’t exist.

Was it a bird, was it a plane? No. It was your granny, riding the newest two-wheelers to hit our streets.

Welcome to the wonderful world of electric cycling, the real alternative to gas-guzzling four-wheeled transport.

If you want to get fit, and help the environment at the same time, cycling is the ideal solution. It seems like even more of a no-brainer after the Government’s recent tax breaks to help you buy a bike worth up to €1,000 if you use it to get to work.

But while pleasure and sports cyclists have no problem donning day-glo lycra to take to the hills, the daily office commuter might not like the notion of arriving to work all hot and bothered and sweaty in a suit.

“Electric bikes are the solution,” says Howard Pearson, a cycling enthusiast who turned his hobby into a business.

He used to sell regular bikes, but no more. “Since the year 2000, I have been selling nothing but electric bikes. I bought two nine years ago at a trade show in England, more out of curiosity than anything else but there was huge interest in them and I sold them both in less than a week.”

He even uses one himself on a daily basis. “I live in the Glen of Aherlow which is hilly and can be a bit of a nuisance for riding an ordinary bike but with the electric it isn’t a problem.”

The technology involved in electric bikes is simple and elegant. A hub motor, usually in the rear wheel, is driven by a rechargeable battery tucked under the saddle.

“The idea is to keep the bike as light as possible. A battery will, of course, add a certain amount of weight but modern lithium batteries are far lighter than the old acid ones and provide plenty of power to assist you if you are facing a strong wind or going uphill.”

The electric bike combines the rider’s pedalling with the electric battery, which can be plugged into and charged from any standard household socket. This is in contrast to mopeds or other types of electric bikes and scooters that run entirely on electricity.

“In order to avoid tax, insurance and two-yearly NCT tests the bike must require some effort from the rider. The electric motor cannot be more than 250 watt and the maximum speed is 15 miles an hour,” explains Pearson.

Dozens of cycling events are being held around the country as part of Ireland’s first National Bike Week, which takes place until Sunday, organised by cycling groups state agencies and local authorities.

Events will be held in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Waterford.

Earlier this month, the Government published Ireland’s first national cycle policy. Mr Dempsey said he aims to fund travel schemes this year to encourage more people to cycle, walk or take public transport.

“We are going to invest over the coming years to make cycling a safer and more attractive alternative mode of transport,” he added.

* To check out events go to www.bikeweek.ie and for an electric bike, go to www.bbikes.com