11 Merchants Wharf, Commercial Road 
Electric Bikes & Scooters  
11 Merchants Wharf 
Commercial Road, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 8AQ 
01326 379200 
 
 
OPENING TIMES 
9.00-5.00  
Monday to Saturday 
 
 

About Electric Bikes   

Electric Bikes have been popular in Europe over the last decade but it has only been in the last few years that they have really taken off in the UK. The convenience and freedom of owning a powered bicycle along with the financial and green benefits has made these an incredibly popular choice. The design of bikes has also changed greatly, they are now very stylish looking, unlike the ugly and heavy bikes of a few years ago. It is often difficult to distinguish between a conventional bike and the new generation of electric bikes. 
 
Some of the electric bikes we sell give you the option of pedal assist, where you pedal to keep the motor activated or twist and go where the power is activated by a throttle. With the new legislation which came into effect in January 2016, throttles only work up to 4mph. On some bikes though, if the pedals are slowly rotated, the throttle will work up to 15.5 mph. If you stop rotating the pedals, the speed drops back to 4mph.  
This second option obviously does not give you the same level of exercise, but there are instances where it is very useful and some riders find it gives them the opportunity to rest from cycling.  
 
Other models offer just pedal assist with no throttle option. This does just what it says, it makes pedaling easier and the rider chooses how much or how little assistance they require. On the hilly roads and trails around Cornwall, electric bikes come into their own. The rider has the option to choose the power level they need. Consequently very little assistance is needed on the flatter areas, so power can be set at a lower level, but it can quickly be turned up once you get to a hill. The rider has the choice of how much or little assistance they need at any time and the adjustment is made by simply pressing a button as you ride along to select the power level you require. 
 
Many fitter riders choose to have the power level set low most of the time as they enjoy the exercise from cycling and use the higher levels to not only get up hills easier but also much quicker. Others choose to use varying levels of assistance to suit their needs. 
Electric bikes enable riders of less strength or ability to keep up with others who may be faster or fitter, and allows families and friends to enjoy cycling together. UK Law for Electric Bikes only states that you need to be over 14 years old to ride on the road, and need no road tax, insurance or any kind of license or helmet. 
Rehabilitation** 
 
Not only are electric bikes great fun to ride, they can also help rehabilitation. It has been known for a long time that gentle exercise following an illness or surgery can accelerate the healing process. What better way than to do your exercise on an electric bike. 
 
On an electric bike the action is the same as a stationary exercise bike but much more enjoyable and in the fresh air. You can choose what level of assistance you require, from very easy to quite hard. You have the option to reduce the power level as your movement and strength improves. 
 
This makes an electric bike an ideal rehabilitation tool, helping you rebuild muscles and improving movement in joints without causing undue stress and strain. 
 
Most of our customers who have bought a bike for rehabilitation purposes carry on using them long after they have recuperated, as they have enjoyed the freedom and exercise an electric bike has given them. 
 
Many are recovering from knee and hip surgery, broken bones from an accident or fall, muscle injuries and a variety of other ailments. Sometimes it is just simply a case of wanting to build up general strength and fitness 
 
**Always take medical or appropriate professional advice before embarking on a fitness programme. 
 
Electric Bikes : Think Green 
 
In today's world we all have to consider the impact of our actions whether that is through household waste, the businesses we run, the food we buy and most importantly the way we travel. Electric and Hybrid technology is certainly one of the many ways you can help to protect the environment and an electric bike provides you with a practical solution to carrying out many localised journeys. 
 
Why use a car to run local errands? 
Why not travel to work or school on an electric bike? 
Why travel to the gym to keep fit? 
 
Clean and Green 
 
Electric bikes obviously consume energy, where a conventional bike does not. However the amount of energy used is very small compared to a moped, motorcycle or car. Besides fuel, the only consumables are the batteries, and these can normally be recycled when life-expired. As for the energy use, electric bikes typically consume fuel at an average rate of 100 to 150 watts of electrical energy, against 15,000 or so for a car. In terms of fuel consumption, an electric bike achieves about 800-2,000 mpg. No other commercially available vehicle can match figures of this kind. If it's hard to place these numbers in your own lifestyle, think of a 100 watt electric light bulb burning for an evening - that's enough energy to propel an electrically assisted bike for 20 to 40 miles.... 
 
Matt Baker enjoying his electric bike experience 
Genuinely Sustainable 
 
There's a lot of nonsense talked about sustainability in transport, but an electric bicycle can be made genuinely sustainable. Purchase electricity from a 'green' supplier, or generate your own with a roof-mounted windmill or solar panel array, and the vehicle's fossil fuel consumption will be zero. Surely a conventional bike does that already? Only if you grow the food you consume whilst riding it. Unfortunately most modern food production and distribution is so fuel-intensive that the consumption of a typical cyclist is not terribly good. 
 
John Sergeant trying out an E-Bike 
for the 'One Show'