How do you fancy being super human for an hour and a half?
Happily this was my experience when I got the chance to go on a guided off-road Haibike tour arranged by Blackman electric bikes.
It wasn’t me who had suddenly grown Tour De France-type muscular thighs and the lungs to match, but the electric-motored marvel that is the Haibike – the bikes that Blackman provide to ride around beautiful parts of the Island.
Haibikes: a new concept
Haibikes are a relatively new concept in the cycling world – handsome, high-spec off-road bikes complete with ten electrically-assisted gears with their variable power directly driving the cranks and pedals.
They’re a leap forward that have got even the most dedicated of off-road cyclists talking about them being a whole new class of cycling.
A brilliant way to enjoy the countryside
For us slightly unfit mere mortals, they’re a brilliant way to enjoy all of the out-in-the-countryside joy of being as fit as a fiddle without collapsing.
For the already fit, there’s the option to dial-down the powered assistance and use as much of your lungs, hearts and legs as you feel comfortable with.
Either way, the Haibikes are capable to taking you to places that just weren’t possible before. Hills are no longer something to be dreaded, but flow up.
Smiles galore on the trail
The whole experience of going on the guided trail was great fun.
Having been introduced to the controls by Gareth and Phil, the two guides, we all had a little ride around to get used to the bikes.
The Haibikes are like ‘normal’ bikes, plus the single control for the assistance.
Simple control
It isn’t just on or off, but from its convenient finger-controlled simple up/down buttons, you can directly selected how much assistance it gives you. It’s very quick to understand and get used to.
It was immediately noticeable quite how powerful the electric assistance could be. Simply by turning the pedals, as you normally do when cycling, gently brought in the power from the Bosch electric motor.
Five levels of power
The strength of the pull was then controlled on the setting selected. You’ve got five settings – No assistance; Eco; Tour; Sport and Turbo being the highest.
Despite the amount of power available, slowing down or stopping was a cinch – simply stop pedalling and the power stops, and with front and rear disc brakes fitted, coming to a halt was easy.
Itching to get going, we then set off, turning on to a trail after a short section of road riding.
The performance of the Haibikes on loose ground is quite remarkable – inclines that you would have normally thought were beyond you, just get eaten up.
Exploring the Island
This leads you to be able to explore parts of the Island that under normal non-electric-assisted circumstances would be a struggle, if not completely out of reach.
Speaking to guides Phil and Gareth later I learnt that, calling on their extensive knowledge of routes around the Island, they keep an eye on how everyone in the group is doing, picking the routes that they feel match the capability of that particular group.
We all know that we live on a beautiful Island, but how often do we actually get out into it to make the most of it?
The views and scenery we saw on our hour and a half ride was simply stunning.
How you can do it too
If you fancy going out with a group of friends, or exploring with your family, the Haibikes are a great way to explore parts of the Island that it’s highly likely you’ve never been to before and get fit while you’re doing it.
The charge is £30 per person, including the guiding, for an hour and a half ride.
Just book, turn up and the helmets and gloves can be provided for you.
We think you’ll be smiling too … a lot.
Contact Blackman Power Bikes on 01983 407049
Photo gallery
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Our thanks to Blackman Power Bikes for sponsoring this feature. Please support them, as they and other businesses taking paid promotion enables you to continue reading OnTheWight for free.
Photos are a combinations of our own and those supplied by Blackman.
