Getting around is not as easy as it once was. It seems ordering a taxi on your phone is more expensive and less reliable than ever, and it’s hard to keep up with changing transport timetables. Inevitably you’ll be caught out when you really can’t be late.
Cycling avoids all that trouble and with protected bike lanes springing up all over the place to help people choose an environmentally-sound way to travel, getting to where you’re going is faster and safer than ever.
The only downside is that it can be hard to avoid working up a sweat, which is less than ideal if you’re on the way to meet someone. Electric bikes, on the other hand, get you around with a minimum of effort so you arrive fresh, and in all likelihood, early.
The latest electric bikes are a far cry from the heavy, tank-like models you can rent from bike share schemes in cities across the UK. While they do the job and are a lot of fun, the push from the motor is clunky and those things weigh a ton. The new Raleigh Trace is completely different. It’s the lightest e-bike Raleigh has ever made and the help from the motor is smooth and feels natural – like you’re just really good at cycling.
It’s also light enough to manoeuvre into an apartment or up a few stairs, or roll it into a lift on its back wheel. That’s helpful because you wouldn’t catch us leaving an e-bike outside on the street.
There’s a lot more to like about the Trace, too. It doesn’t have a clunking-great battery strapped to the downtube, or an LCD screen on the handlebars. Instead, there’s a discreet button on the crossbar and a very handy Bluetooth-connected app providing you with all the info you need to understand your bike and plan your journey. Turn it on and you’re off. The vivid blue or rich copper colourways, with accent front forks, add to the attractive package.
The Raleigh Trace is also the smart way to get to work and with a range of payment options, it matches up to most monthly travel cards. It’s also well worth seeing if your employer offers a Cycle To Work scheme which can knock between a third and two fifths off the price of the bike. The bike itself is great value too, with integrated lights, mudguards and pannier racks, unlike many e-bikes.
It’s not just a way to be smart with your money, either. Believe us when we say we look forward to getting to work on an e-bike, cruising past stationary traffic (hot tip, if you’re not in a bike lane, pass traffic on the outside – it’s safer), swooping up hills, and not having to carry and get changed into fresh clothes when we get there. In fact, it’s worth wrapping up warmer than you think you need to because you don’t work up a sweat and there’s a bit more wind chill when you’re travelling at speed.
Cycling to work is also a welcome enforced break from doom scrolling on your phone, giving you the headspace to mentally prepare yourself for work then clear your head afterwards.
And once the weekend comes, the battery’s 50-mile range means you can embark on epic food trips, cycling for destination doughnuts, dumplings or anything else that’s all over your feed.
The Raleigh Trace costs £2,199 and is available to buy from Raleigh now.
