Gadget Show Electric Bike Test
Most of the major players in the electric bike industry were invited to gather at Herne Hill Velodrome in June to put their machines forward for the Gadget Show's Urban Challenge, to be broadcast on Channel 5 at 8pm on 24 August, 2009.
Presenters Suzi Perry and Jason Bradbury selected one electric bike each from the field of around two dozen contenders to compete in a section of the show's Urban Challenge. Power-assisted bicycles from Kalkhoff, Wisper, Cytronex, Urban Mover, eZee, Ultramotor, Powacycle and Powabyke were among those represented.
We took along a Kalkhoff Pro Connect (pictured with Suzi Perry riding, above) and a Pro Connect S, which was deemed a little too fast to enter the main test!
After a fair bit of deliberation, the presenters settled on the A2B Metro and, curiously, an eZee Forza. This was a model bike we launched back in 2007 but no longer sell. What these two bikes had in common was their undoubted TV-friendly performance - they whizz along under their own power without pedalling and have good suspension. They're both interesting machines in their own ways, it'll be interesting to see which of them fares best in the test.
At the end of the selection day, Jason Bradbury offered fulsome praise of the other models and conceded that he might have chosen a different bike.
We're sure the Pro Connect would have raced away to victory had it been selected, but here's a side-by-side comparison, just for fun.
One thing we're very pleased about is that Suzi Perry will be wearing the Casco E.Motion electric cycling helmet we donated on the day of the challenge itself. "This is the best cycling helmet I have ever worn and I'll wear it from now on. Can I keep it please?", Suzy said after the shoot!
Check back for more information once the show has aired, 8pm Channel 5 this evening...
