What is it?
A stylish and nifty electric bike
How will it change my life?
The cycling boom seems destined to last with more people seeing the benefits of better health and the economic savings of ditching the car for the bike. One major stumbling block preventing many from commuting, however, is the initial outlay of effort to get fit enough to take on the task.
Electric bikes are perfect for beginners, allowing riders to cruise at speeds of 18mph with very little energy expenditure while enjoying the sublime feeling of being out and about in the fresh air.
One such product getting a well deserved foothold in the market is the Obree from A2B. Named after Scottish cycling legend Graeme Obree, it offers echoes of the standout design and innovation that the world beating machines the great man himself has long been renowned for.
Good points
The smaller wheels and chunkier tyres provide a more stable and comfortable ride than most on the market which is ideal for British roads. Pot-holes can seem more like sink-holes on regular road or hybrid bikes yet the Obree handles these like a tank would deal with a paper cup.
The front suspension made a normally very bumpy route seem like gliding seamlessly round the smooth Siberian boards of the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.
The lithium-ion battery holds enough juice to power the 250-watt motor for a range of more than 60 miles and speeds of up to 15.5mph although I regularly touched 18mph with little effort thanks to the Obree's pedal assist technology.
This same propulsion system can launch you from a standing start to 15mph in less than four seconds so twitchy drivers behind you at the traffics lights become less of an irritation as you pull away with ease.
The battery takes three hours to charge but is incredibly efficient and can actually be re-charged on the bike when riding in the lowest pedal assist mode. The Obree looks stunning and is also reminiscent of the old styled motorbikes of the 1930s. Clever extras include a kickstand and speedometer.
Bad points
The great technology which gives the Obree its power and smooth ride also provide some headaches, chiefly its weight. At upwards 21kg it's three times as heavy as most road bikes and makes it very difficult to negotiate stairs.
Best for
Anyone looking to start a regular cycling commute and looking for a little extra help on those pesky hills. It would also make a trusty steed for parents or grandparents to keep up the whippersnappers. The pedal assist can be lowered as you gain fitness and the nine-speed Shimano gears provide additional resistance when needed.
Avoid if
The thought of an electric bike seems like cheating or you live in a high flat without a lift.
Score 10/10, get fit and propelled to work at the same time.
A2B Obree, £2,369 (wearea2b.com)
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article