Why I’m back in the saddle at 50

A nervous SARAH VINE gave up cycling 15 years ago. Then she tested the new breed of electric bikes . . .

Back when cycling was simply a cheap way of getting from a to B — as opposed to the Olympic virtue - signalling sport it seems to have become — I used to hurtle around on a perfectly ordinary push-bike.

cycle lanes were a novelty, no one wore a helmet or Lycra and crossing London involved an invigorating obstacle course of angry van drivers, furious pedestrians and near-fatal encounters with buses.

I gave up after I had children — too dangerous, too much paraphernalia — but now there is a new type of bicycle that may finally tempt me back: the electric bike.

Sales of ordinary bicycles have struggled to rise above 3.5 million a year in the Uk, but e-bikes have become more popular: 1.5 million were sold in Europe in 2015, a 40 per cent increase over seven years, and that trend is expected to be mirrored here.

The main reason for this is investment, driven by enthusiasm for cycling in general and a desire to widen the market to include older users, who really could use that extra bit of juice.

E-bikes used to be something of a gimmick. Now, however, several manufacturers and retailers, from folding-bike specialist Brompton to mainstream superstore Halfords, are stocking them, so not only are they becoming more affordable, but the technology in them is improving.

I first warmed to the idea after a friend’s husband bought one for commuting. Like all men, he was very enthusiastic about his new gadget at first, then slightly lost interest once the novelty had worn off. So she decided to commandeer it.

THE experience was a bit of a revelation. as a busy working mother to two young children, she liked the idea of keeping fit by cycling, but lived too far from work for a bike to be really practical.

So this offered the best of both worlds — a bit of exercise to begin with, then a leisurely, e-assisted sail to the office, which ensured that instead of arriving redfaced and sweaty, she was pretty much ready to go.

For me, the attraction was not only avoiding sweat and Lycra, but also not getting sore knees.

Having been overweight more or less for the past decade, I’ve given my poor knees a tougher ride than most. When I cycle they tend to complain afterwards, and an e-boost could be the difference between a bike being a genuine option, or simply too much hassle.

There is also huge satisfaction to be gained from beating the Lycra louts at the traffic lights, not to mention getting ahead of traffic.

all those revving engines are one of the scariest aspects of cycling, especially in town. Being able to pull away at speed instead of scrambling for the pedals is a great bonus.

So with all that in mind, I set out to explore the options . . .

THE STYLE CROWD’S FAVOURITE FOLD-UP Brompton Electric, from £2,595 to £2,755, available to pre-order at brompton.com

BROMPTON has just launched this e-version of its iconic small-wheeled folding bike. Delivery of the first models won’t be until the summer, but a £300 deposit can secure one now.

at getting on for £3,000 it’s pricey, but for that you get the most cutting-edge engineering.

The motor, which is fully detachable at the click of a button, is a marvel ( as it should be for that price). It works like a dream, kicking in intuitively according to how hard you pedal — you can also set it to different strengths depending on how much assistance you want.

It takes roughly four hours to charge the battery and it will last for between 40 km and 60 km (25 to 37 miles) depending on your weight, riding mode and the tyre pressure.

The other great joy of this bike is that it’s so light — the twospeed is 16.6 kg ( 36.6 lb), including the battery.

By contrast, some e-bikes are so heavy that, even if technically they are foldable, practically it’s too much faff — real nail-breaking territory.

The Brompton battery just whips off, and it comes in a handy bag so you can pop it on your shoulder and away you go.

Even without its battery the bike is a pleasure to ride. 5/5

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME Gocycle G3, pictured, from £3,499, gocycle.com

BRITISH- designed and built, this is a very space-agey bike, but the wheels are still nice and large, making it a good bet for bumpy roads and hard surfaces (unlike the previous bike, which was quite bumpy).

as with the Brompton, the motor responds keenly to my pedal pressure, sensing when I’m moving away from traffic lights or climbing a hill.

For its size, it is also remarkably easy to manoeuvre and feels very solid. It rides nicely, too, as a straightforward bike without the engine ( the G3 model weighs 16.3 kg, or 36 lb, all in), so you’ll get plenty of use out of it for leisure cycling.

The motor on this doesn’t detach, which is not necessarily a disadvantage, especially if you’re not one for fiddling around with switches and buttons — although it does mean you have to bring it indoors to charge it.

It is pricey, but you don’t have to pay it all off in one go: Gocycle offers 0 per cent finance with a £500 deposit. 4/5

THE RETRO-LOVER’S BARGAIN BIKE Pendleton somerby, £750, halfords.com

THIS is a great-looking bike with lovely retro styling, and it’s great value for money.

It’s a little bit girly so it may not suit everyone, but the real disadvantage over more expensive models is the overall quality — which is reflected in the price — and the fact it has a bottom-numbingly uncomfortable saddle, which tips you forward the whole time. and it is heavy: 22 kg (48.5 lb).

But as far as the power-assist is concerned, it does the job perfectly well. 2/5

THE NORMAL ONE WITH VA-VA-VOOM VOLT Metro ls, £1,299, voltbikes.co.uk

ALSO British- designed and built, this is the bicycle my friend rides, which first attracted me to the idea of getting an e-bike.

The only drawback I can find is that it’s very heavy — 18.5 kg (40 lb) without batteries, 21.7 kg (48 lb) with. I ran out of juice halfway through a ride and had to work up a real sweat to get home.

That said, the top- of- the range model can go 80 miles on a full charge and there are four power-assist levels to choose from, so emptying the tank should be a rare occurrence.

It also looks like a ‘normal’ bike, which some people may prefer, and there are several models on offer.

Like Gocycle, Volt offers 0 per cent finance options on all its models, which is great if you’re looking to spread the cost of your bike. Oh, and it subscribes to the ‘cycle-to-work’ scheme, which allows employers to spend up to £1,000 tax-free on a bike you can pay off monthly if you ride it to work. 3/5