This just in: Nihola Trekking eBike

Been a while, eh?

In fact, I see from the log that I last talked about something to do with cycling in June 2017, so it’s been over two years. Welcome back. You look great.

On the subject of looking great, I’ve just taken (temporary) ownership of a Nihola Trekking eBike, on loan from Laid Back Bikes in Edinburgh. It’s a really rather handsome machine:

The Nihola Trekking eBike, which could do with a better name.

Over the next month I’ll be using this instead of my faithful tourer for the daily commute (which you can see in the background of the photo at the top). Couple of reasons:

  • To see how much difference an electric motor makes to the commute of someone who already cycles regularly, given under UK law e-assist has to cut out at 25km/h.
  • To see what a “standard” eBike is like to ride on a daily basis is like (my Urban Arrow was electric too, but that was a big front-loading cargo-bike). Will I forget to charge it all the time, I wonder?
  • To review the Nihola, which for some reason isn’t selling as well in the UK as its specs suggest it should. I want to try and find out why.

I’ll be keeping the bike almost stock, with just a change to the pedals (fitting clipless SPDs) and the saddle (personal preference). I’ll also be fitting an extra front and rear light alongside the Nihola’s wired lights, because you can never have too many lights.

The test route is my commute (plus associated bimbling over the month), which is 21km-each-way two days a week and covers rural lanes, suburban high streets, and the middle of Glasgow. It’s also relatively hilly:

Elevation profile of the homeward commute

This is the homeward journey, and that ~8% slog between 14-16km and the 11% spike just before 18km gets a little tedious when you just want to get home.

Stay tuned…

(PS I’m also now on Instagram if that’s your thing – www.instagram.com/darkersideuk, or follow the link on the left.)

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