How to ride 300 miles on an electric bike
Martin bids farewell to the Zero SR/F with a full day in the saddle
WHY DO I leave everything to the last minute? The week before our Zero SR/F is due to go back, I finally decide to see how far it’ll go in a day. In the past three months, I’ve done a handful of three-figure days, with a best of 200 miles. But for its final month with us, this SR/F has been upgraded with Zero’s accessory 12kw rapid charger (see box-out), promising one-hour refills. Time to see what difference it makes.
9.14am 0 miles
Later than I wanted (everything at the last minute) but at least the bike’s ready. One joy of electric bikes is that you always leave home with a full tank. It’s like having a petrol tap in your garage.
10.38am 62 miles
A speed-limit cruise through the Lincolnshire Wolds leaves me in Caistor with 22% charge left. Tucked away down a backstreet is the Holy Grail of charge points: totally free, with no access card, phone app or special keyfob required. I plug in and the Zero sucks 11.5kw of electrons out the wall. Wander to a pub round the corner, order a coffee, have a pee, clean my visor and send some emails. By 11.30am, I’m back on the road.
12.54pm 125 miles
Crossing the Humber Bridge into Yorkshire, I reach Malton with 28% left and find a charger in a public car park. Rather than stare at a charging bike for 50 minutes, I walk around town and find a nice little bakery to buy lunch.
2.20pm 142 miles
Paused in a lay-by up on the North York Moors, I’m soaking in the serenity and solitude. Two minutes later a car pulls over and a couple jump out. “You came past us a few miles back and we couldn’t understand why it was so quiet! Where’s the exhaust? What is it?” They’re both bikers and, after a chat about the Zero, they leave still curious but seemingly unconvinced. Then I take a work phone call that lasts half an hour. When I finally get a chance to enjoy my favourite roads in the country, it starts raining. Shoulda left earlier…
3.44pm 170 miles
After climbing Rosedale Chimney Bank (Britain’s joint-steepest road) I’m heading south for home. I pass a holiday resort whose name I recognise from an online map of charge points and spontaneously stop for a tactical top-up. The Zero’s doing fine on 49% but 18 minutes later, it’s up to 80%. I have a cunning plan…
5.37pm 234 miles
Back over the Humber, back into Lincolnshire, and back at Caistor’s freebie charge point with