Bournemouth rider's electric bike tops 20mph (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Bournemouth rider's electric bike tops 20mph
2:00pm Friday 27th April 2012 in News By Jim Durkin
INSPIRED: Nigel Bryant built an electric bicycle
THERE are a number of ways to combat today’s spiralling petrol prices, but building your own electric chopper from scratch is certainly one of the more unusual.
Motorcycle enthusiast Nigel Bryant knows all about surviving economic uncertainty.
The former technical officer at Bournemouth University’s School of Conservation Sciences was made redundant two years ago, aged 53.
“But I wanted to turn this setback into something positive,” he explained.
“Hence the idea of building an electric bicycle from scratch.”
Now the eco-friendly chopper takes pride of place next to Nigel’s Harley Davidson, but it is considerably cheaper to run.
“Despite its radical appearance, the bike turned out to be very comfortable and surprisingly easy to ride,” said Nigel.
The chopper, with a top speed of 20mph and a range of 20 miles, is powered by a lithium-ion battery, hidden away in one of the panniers.
It only takes a couple of hours to fully charge the battery from the mains.
Nigel said: “With petrol becoming ever more expensive, an eco-friendly means of transport made perfect sense.”
The 55-year-old, from Haymoor Road, Poole, even learned how to weld for the project.
He designed and built the frame himself and, although some specialist components were needed, the entire bike, costing £1,000, progressed from an idea to a reality in just one year.
Nigel said: “My initial test rides around Poole have prompted very enthusiastic reactions from onlookers of all ages.
“Ranging from the simplest cries of ‘cool bike’ to lengthy conversations about small details of the build, these great interactions with complete strangers enhance every ride.
“I now look forward to spending my newly-enforced retirement riding around the beautiful Dorset countryside in the sunshine, rather than just wasting my life away behind a desk.”
Visit Nigel's website here
Comments(15)
Chriswood
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2:53pm Fri 27 Apr 12
funkyferret
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3:03pm Fri 27 Apr 12
Phixer
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3:17pm Fri 27 Apr 12
funkyferret wrote:Time to move on. Electric cycles and motor bikes are widely used in China, and for obvious reasons, not least of which is not being dependent on oil.
Don't want to be a damp squib, but it cannot be electrically propelled above 14 mph - great idea though!
So why is this country so negative about electric bikes?
hammer
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4:09pm Fri 27 Apr 12
SwashDiver
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4:28pm Fri 27 Apr 12
Vince Ward
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4:29pm Fri 27 Apr 12
funkyferret wrote:Crazy law though when a pushbike could easily exceed this speed on a steep downhill - as my mate Dave demonstrated only too well on one occasion!
Don't want to be a damp squib, but it cannot be electrically propelled above 14 mph - great idea though!
ShuttleX
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4:56pm Fri 27 Apr 12
retry69
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5:01pm Fri 27 Apr 12
SwashDiver wrote:Fully agree as stated in the article turned a setback into a positive when cosiderable amount of fellow commenters turn anything into a negative.WELL DONE great job very jealous
This is my bike, and I'm perfectly aware of the speed restrictions on electric bikes, however ridiculous those laws are; ordinary racing bicycles obviously operate legally at far higher speeds. The speed quoted was attained on private land; I ride responsibly and appropriately according to the conditions. (But hey, the nit-pickers will always find it easier to criticise, than to actually do something....!)
no vested interest
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6:01pm Fri 27 Apr 12
Terwil
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7:24pm Fri 27 Apr 12
Terwil
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7:25pm Fri 27 Apr 12
Lord Spring
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7:39am Sat 28 Apr 12
I bet the green brigade will be moaning about that, best to convert it to Solar Power.
retry69
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8:01am Sat 28 Apr 12
no vested interest wrote:I dont think the majority are my first post in answer to you was removed so i obviously upset someone, i only blamed the media for prefering a death and destruction topic rather than a positive one so i assume one of the Echo staff to the hump as usual.
Why is The UK so negative, period....
stereomc
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3:51pm Wed 2 May 12
Nigel really hit the nail on the head with this bike, cool, comfortable, easy to ride and lots of fun, an amazing creation and Nigel should rightly feel very proud of all his hard work and dedication, my thanks to him for letting me enjoy this electric chopper, i fell in love with it!
Tony7 says...
2:28pm Fri 27 Apr 12