The E-bike has Landed!

This is a saga that started last October, when I participated in my annual cycle commute on 'Ride to Work' day.

The place where I work has quite a healthy (in spirit as well as body) community of keen cyclists who commute to work on a semi-regular basis.

All well and good, and I have even done it myself... every 'ride to work' day... just to prove to myself that I *could* do it.

Now, for the record, it's about a 12km trip each way on good bike paths and back streets. This doesn't take into account the various hilly bits along the way. Nevertheless it is quite doable, if you have a reasonable level of fitness, and if you've the time. (It takes me about 50 minutes each way. Throw in time to shower my sweaty and malodorous hide and it's about an hour from door to desk)

Unfortunately, I don't have the time to do it every day, and said as much shortly after the last 'ride to work' day, when the 'Mulga Bills' were evangelising.

Then someone pointed out that, with an electric motor attached, they were able to:

• ride to work in a reasonable timeframe
• arrive without getting too sweaty
• still got a reasonable level of exercise
• were therefore motivated to ride to work regularly (ie daily)

So, with that message for inspiration, I went shopping. The result was a down payment on an Elation E-bike kit.

... this was last March. I was told that delivery would be delayed due to a design rehash (something to do with the power plug being placed in an exposed position.

Since then, I have waited, and waited... and (along with a blameless but increasingly defensive retailer) ... waited.

Until today!

So, I'm intending to pick it up tomorrow, and shall be documenting the setup experience in due course.

Stay tuned.

Update (July 18: I have fixed it to my bike, but there are a few teething problems which I want to sort out before I say anything more.)