Moped Driving

[Mottie]

Know absolutely nothing about them! I think work do a scheme to buy them. I'll have to look into that as I know I'm a lot more confident on a bike like that, and in fact half of my journey home can be along the canal.

Sound like that might be a possibility or even a better option for you, especially with the canal route you can use. No need for a CBT, protective gear (would advise a cycle helmet though), tax, insurance, mot etc. I have one and they are great - they basically assist your pedalling power and you can chose the amount of assistance you require. I bought a kit for around £500 and converted an existing bike I already had.

They should all be able to do a 30 mile round trip between charges. The Bike2work scheme if you have it at your firm would be worth using.

 

[cwhaley]

I think you might have swayed it for me. I've just done a route calculation and on an e-bike. I could reduce the journey to an 18 mile round trip (down from 30), as over half of it would be along a canal with a full gravel track. It would cut out a lot of junctions and roundabouts.

I have access to a decent bike or two (my Dad has a few from when he used to cycle) so might have to look at the conversion kit first, as that's all I'd have to source. It would help on the 2 mile incline hill.

I did pack up driving for 18 months once and used to get the train, but there's not connection to my job now.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I would pick up a S/H e-bike assuming you have the cash, Marketplace has loads of them, they were such a draw during Covid that a lot of people are now selling them.

 

[cwhaley]

Two people at work spent £1000 each on their own bike (work gave you a voucher which was taken out of your pre-tax earnings) and neither of them have used them more than twice! I might have to ask them about whether they're using them.

My budget - if I'm honest - is only about £300-£400, maybe £500 at a stretch.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Know absolutely nothing about them! I think work do a scheme to buy them. I'll have to look into that as I know I'm a lot more confident on a bike like that, and in fact half of my journey home can be along the canal.

I think some sort of permit is needed to ride along the tow path of a canal.

 

[cwhaley]

I think some sort of permit is needed to ride along the tow path of a canal.

No permits required on this canal towpath (or any according to the Canal and River trust) I live near loads of them and they're all frequently used by peds and cyclists.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I think you might have swayed it for me. I've just done a route calculation and on an e-bike. I could reduce the journey to an 18 mile round trip (down from 30), as over half of it would be along a canal with a full gravel track. It would cut out a lot of junctions and roundabouts.

Eric is the forum expert on e-bikes.

 

[Mottie]

My budget - if I'm honest - is only about £300-£400, maybe £500 at a stretch.

I think you may have been a bit too optimistic about the 'ped then. Half of that budget would go on the CBT and protective gear, 40% on tax, insurance, mot and servicing/repairs/maintenance leaving you with about £25 to buy the 'ped!

You should be able to get a half-decent secondhand E bike within your budget - try Facebook marketplace. I’d certainly look at your firms bike2work scheme and get a cheaper end one, new, from somewhere like Halfords.

 

[cwhaley]

Bit optimistic about the 'ped then? Half of that would go on the CBT and protective gear, 40% on tax, insurance, mot and servicing/repairs/maintenance leaving you with about £25 to buy the 'ped!

I think I was being a tad naive with it.

Although I wasn't including running costs in the budget (I also do my own service/repairs on my cars), my presumption was that my driving license was sufficient. I wasn't aware of the CBT, probably because of the amount of 'youth' I presume just get one and go on L plates.

 

[hllns]

If you've passed enough years ago you got the category when passing a car test but I'd still second CBT even if you don't need it for licensing purposes, lifesaver checks is something I do even now on a normal bike even though I've not ridden a moped in years.

 

[cwhaley]

If you've passed enough years ago you got the category when passing a car test but I'd still second CBT even if you don't need it for licensing purposes, lifesaver checks is something I do even now on a normal bike even though I've not ridden a moped in years.

Yes my license has categories AM, A and fkpq which must what you mention.

I certainly had no intention of skipping the CBT, I just didn't know it existed.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

lifesaver checks is something I do even now on a normal bike even though I've not ridden a moped in years.

I still do them on four wheels.

 

[Mottie]

I certainly had no intention of skipping the CBT, I just didn't know it existed.

Long gone are the days when a 17 year old could get a provisional licence, legally jump on an RD250LC and kill themselves first time out!

 

[mattylad]

If your going to use the canal please also get a loud horn/bell and use it

I'd love an electric bike as I have some pretty hard to cycle up hills near me.

 

[Old Salt]

Biker on the M1 today on a Harley, very nice bike, blacked out headlight in stair rods rain couldnt see him at all, absolute dickhead although the bike was the bees knees. Rear light was great.