With my latest project complete, converting my Brompton C Line Urban 2-speed to single speed, I have another project idea in mind. I love the simplicity, smoothness and joy of riding a single speed Brompton and find myself intrigued about the idea of a single speed Brompton electric, asking myself if that’s a good idea or a silly idea? Would it be faster, would it save time or would it be totally pointless?
There are two other models in the Brompton range I’m interested in, the C Line Urban 4-speed and the P Line Urban 4-speed. I’m not including the G Line Electric here as that’s a different beast altogether. The main difference between the two models is price, with the P Line Urban 4-speed costing an additional £800.00 for a weight reduction of only 1.5 kg. So, for this exercise I’m going to look at the C Line Urban 4-speed which costs £2900.00
First of all, what does the addition of an electric motor and battery give me over my single speed C Line Urban? Well, the motor, battery and ancillary components, which also includes front and rear lights, adds around 5 Kg to the overall weight. Estimated range on a full charge is 20 to 45 miles or 30 to 60 km, if you prefer, and that very much depends on factors such as how hilly the terrain is, how heavy the rider is and their fitness, and so on. However, online reviews do seem to hold up those figures.
The next thing I looked into is speed. Legally in the UK electrically assisted bikes may only provide assistance up to 15.5 mph, after that they must cut out. Other legal requirements state that the motor should not exceed 250w. So, how does that 15.5 mph limit compare to my riding style. Well, I used a speedometer app the other day to give me an idea how fast I was actually riding on the Brompton single speed.
Turns out that my normal/average speed is between 10 and 12 mph and I tend to spin out when I reach 15 to 16 mph. So, this would suggest I would get assistance from the electric motor for most of my riding, other than those times when I spin out or are whizzing downhill faster than 15.5 mph. The next thing I looked at was just how much faster was electric than when using only muscle power. How much time would an electric bike save?
Online reviews of Brompton electric bikes and electric bikes in general, suggests a wide range of amounts but time savings in the region of between 20 to 25% seems realistic. Of course, a whole gamut of unknown and highly variable factors come into play when cycling and electric bikes are no different. As noted above, the type of terrain i.e. if flat or hilly and the ability of the rider. You also have age, fitness, wind conditions and how heavy the bike is, all come into effect.
One reason why I’m interested in an electric bike is how it might assist me in a game I play, called Turf. It involves cycling around urban areas to different locations called zones, where you collect points. As electric bikes are permitted under the rules, a 20 to 25% saving in time could make quite a difference in the number of points taken for a given time period. For instance, collecting 4000 points in an hour might become 5000 points. An addition that could make all the difference. You also have time-related activities where that same time saving could also be of benefit.
The biggest hurdle I need to overcome is actually making a decision. Should I buy an electric Brompton or not? Would it side line all my other bikes? Would I feel like I’m cheating somehow? Should I wait until I’m finding cycling difficult and actually need an electric bicycle? Decisions, decisions.
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