In our latest blog, discover top tips to get started with an e-bike commute from Sarah James, Campus Services Marketing & Communications Manager.
Ask someone why they don’t cycle to the University campus and the word ‘hill’ often features quite prominently. This is certainly understandable!
Electric bikes are a great way to beat the Bath hills, but often come with a steep price tag (excuse the pun).
I’ve been an electric bike fan for some years now and have found some nifty tricks to save money when it comes to e-biking. I’m not saying these tips make it cheap, but they do help reduce costs here and there.
I was first introduced to e-bikes through the University’s trial scheme and instantly fell in love. Not just with the fact it halved my commuting time, but cycling to work really helped boost my mental and physical health. I decided I had to get one, but didn’t want to spend a huge amount in case the novelty wore off! (It didn’t.) This brings me onto my first tip…
1. Second hand– worth the money?
I purchased my first Greenedge e-bike from the good old University noticeboard in 2018. It was second-hand, but hadn’t been used much. It was £400 (I think brand new it retailed at just over double this) and I still use it to this day. It even got me up Bathwick Hill five days a week until I was 8 months pregnant!
Second-hand e-bikes do come up on the noticeboard from time to time, but it’s also a great way to pick up cycling kit and accessories, at a snip of a price.
2. Cycling with family
Whizzing around on my own was sorted and soon became my main method of transport. But after we welcomed my two little boys to the family, I didn’t want to always have to rely on the car. We purchased a second hand Burley double bike trailer and enjoyed two years of commuting to campus, using this for easy nursery and school drop off/collection.
When they outgrew the trailer, we looked into electric cargo bike options. We weren’t quite prepared for the cost! A brand new Tern e-bike with all the accessories needed to carry two children in came in at around £5-6,000. We test rode several other models and eventually were lucky enough to pick up a refurbished Moustache Lundi for £2,500 from Take Charge, including all the bits we needed. Like I said, still not cheap – but half the original price we’d been looking at.
3. Good old Dr Bike
The Dr Bike events on campus are brilliant, I use them a lot for my old e-bike. It’s a great way to get your bike quickly checked over whilst at work, all for free. It’s worth mentioning they aren’t able to help with cargo bikes though, due to the size. Keep an eye out on the Uni website for the next one in the calendar.
4. Do it yourself
I’ve spent a fair bit over the years getting our bikes serviced at a local shop. I’ve always wanted to learn how to do it myself and feel it’ll be useful if anything ever happens when I’m out and about. Bath Share and Repair run bicycle maintenance workshops for a donation of £10, a real bargain. I found their session really helpful and learnt how to change brake pads, maintain the gears, fix a puncture and more general maintenance.
5. Discounts ahoy
As well as the cycle to work scheme, the University offers staff 10-15% off bikes and accessories at three bicycle shops in Bath and Keynsham.
6. Looking the part
Despite cycling quite a lot, I don’t really consider myself a ‘proper’ cyclist… maybe because I don’t own any real cycling kit apart from my helmet. I haven’t spent a penny on clothing for cycling. My long waterproof coat from ASOS, some leggings, old trainers that I don’t mind getting muddy and some leather gloves work well in keeping me reasonably dry and warm. Plus a spare change of clothes in the office, just in case.
Sarah James
Campus Services, Marketing & Communications Manager
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