Perhaps it's because I like being in control, or because I don't really like other people, but I spend a lot of time working out how to avoid public transport.

It's silly because my commute along Scotland's most congested stretch of motorway runs parallel to a fast, frequent and reliable – though notably expensive – train line.

That hasn't stopped me trying to find commuting nirvana: cars, bicycles and even a moped have been tested to cover my 15-mile commute into the city centre. Cars have their obvious disadvantages in rush-hour traffic. The moped scythed through traffic, but my third crash in as many months ended that love affair.

Living near a cyclepath to Glasgow, a bicycle seems like the right answer – but cycling 15 miles every morning is just a little too much effort.

So it's from that perspective that I've been fascinated by electric bicycles – a bike that could get me to work under power then give me a workout on the return, saving time and gym fees.

In past years electric bikes have been a disappointment. Ugly frame designs, heavy, inefficient batteries and clunky motors made e-bikes something only a rabid environmentalist or a geeky engineer could love.

The latest e-bike from Scott bucks that trend. Based on the standard Scott Sportster bike, the E-Sportster adds a 250-watt Bosch motor and powerful lithium-ion battery to give an electrically assisted range of up to 110 miles. A choice of settings lets riders decide how much assistance they'd like, with each upward notch cutting a few miles off the range. Maximum assistance gives you effortless travel at up to 15mph for just short of 50 miles.

The E-Sportster is a handsome machine. Understated in medium grey and – with the battery pack hidden in the area normally reserved for a water bottle – there's little to distinguish the electric bike from its conventional sibling. The electric motor is squeezed between the pedals, while the electronic brain on the handlebars doubles as a conventional cycle speedometer.

Fans of cycling tech will appreciate the Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, Suntour front suspension and nine-speed Shimano gears. But at 22.4kg the E-Sportster is close to double the weight of the non-assisted version, a difference all too apparent when the juice runs out.

But perhaps the most notable difference is the price. Despite the bikes sharing most materials and components, the E-Sportster costs £1900 more than the conventional model. That's a huge premium for an upgrade that essentially ruins the bike's non-assisted lightweight, top-spec credentials.

Positives The best-quality, best-looking

e-bike on the market.

Negatives Still too heavy and expensive to be a viable option.

grant.gibson@heraldandtimes.co.uk

Twitter: @grant_gibson