Tag: ebike

Book time to learn from a cycling pro

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The second in a series of BIG BIKE REVIVAL summer cycling events has been announced: LEARN HOW TO FIX & MAINTAIN YOUR BIKE. The Big Bike Revival is all about helping everyone and anyone to begin or return to cycling.

This is your chance to book one or more FREE sessions with an ace bicycle mechanic to learn the important fundamentals from the experts, and pick up useful skills. BOOK ON EVENTBRITE or drop in to Be Buckfastleigh at ‘The Living Room’, 55 Fore Street, Buckfastleigh, and ask them to book a place for you.

Be sure to book in advance to join any, or all, of these free, small group sessions being held at Victoria Park, Buckfastleigh from 10am-2pm. If you can, please bring a bike; preferably your own bike! : )

  • 10 am -10.45 am: Tyres & punctures: tyre sizing, replacement & removal, puncture repair.
  • 11 am-12.30 pm: Drive & gears: chain fixing & maintenance, how gears work & their maintenance.
  • 1 pm -1.45 pm: Brakes: adjustment & maintenance of your brakes.
  • 1.45 am -2 pm: Quick questions: session with two bicycle mechanics.

The Buckfastleigh event is for anyone living in TQ11 who would like to learn how to fix or maintain their bike, especially those who are not regular riders, or who might otherwise not be able to afford the cost of cycle repairs. The South Brent event is for anyone residing in TQ10 postcode area.

Come say hello and see what’s happening locally. Because part of the summer programme will be a series of group cycle rides every Saturday for the rest of July and throughout August – for people of all cycling abilities, and to join up the communities of Buckfastleigh and South Brent.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK FOR BUCKFASTLEIGH EVENT. CLICK HERE TO BOOK FOR SOUTH BRENT EVENT.

Cycle South Dartmoor is supporting the BIG BIKE REVIVAL because we as a project group want to make cycling accessible to everyone, to encourage people who don’t cycle to have a go and to encourage people to cycle more often. As our aim is to establish safe, accessible cycle paths for users of all ages and abilities, that connect Dartmoor and rural communities.

This FREE ‘Learn How to Fix & Maintain Your Bike’ workshop and other BIG BIKE REVIVAL events throughout the coming summer are possible through the funding and support from:

French ‘cash for clunkers’

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Under a newly proposed scheme, French citizens will be offered €2,500 (the equivalent of about £2,174) toward the purchase of a new electric bicycle. The goal is to replace old, inefficient gas-powered vehicles with zero-emission electric bicycles and help reduce transportation-based carbon emissions. French lawmakers have approved the measure in a preliminary vote. The thinking is that a better solution to address travel-based carbon emissions is not just to make cars greener, but to also reduce their number. Click HERE for the article.

e-BIKES have potential for greatest impact in Rural areas

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A recent study in May 2020 carried out by researchers at the University of Leeds has found that:

  • Electrically-assisted bicycles (e-BIKES), if used to replace car travel, have the capability to cut car carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in England by up to 50%. (about 30 million tonnes per year)
  • The greatest opportunities are in Rural and sub-urban settings. (City dwellers already have many low-carbon travel options, so the greatest impact would be on encouraging use outside urban areas.)
  • There is scope for e-BIKES to help people who are most affected by rising transport costs.

e-BIKE use has the potential to improve equity.

Rural areas have fewer public transport or alternative transport options to fit their travel needs. Due to distances between rural villages and towns and few safe cycle routes between them, and the often hilly landscapes in rural areas, walking and standard cycling are not always the best modes of transport to replace a high proportion of car travel.

However e-BIKES, compared with conventional cycles, have considerable range and enable cyclists of many different ages and abilities to tackle difficult hills and routes, thereby making e-BIKES a realistic alternative mode of transport for work, shopping, exercise, tourism, etc. to replace a large number of local car journeys in rural environments.

Policy makers need to move beyond the changes they think people would like and instead plan for a transport system which reduces its CO2 emissions as well as providing efficient, accessible mobility for all.

Diagram showing the hierarchy of different modes of travel according to environmental impact
HIERARCHY OF MODES OF TRANSPORT: HIGHEST (AIR TRAVEL) TO LOWEST (WALKING) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT BY CO2 EMISSIONS

Read the report here.

Here is a link to Cycling Week’s online review of the best electric bikes for 2020.