Our first touring bikes have been delivered, just in time for summer. Though a keen mountain and road biker, I don’t have much experience of riding this more genteel kind of bike and I haven’t ridden a Raleigh since I was a schoolboy so was curious to see how I got on with the Raleigh Motus GT Lowstep.
This was just a short ride around the local area so I won’t claim to have done a really thorough tryout yet, but first impressions are of a really well-equipped and supremely comfortable machine that just makes things easy – and that is what we are all about at Southern eBike Rentals.
Even before getting on, what first impressed me was just how well equipped this bike is – disc brakes, suspension fork and saddle, stand, mudguards, integrated lock, luggage rack, integrated lights, integrated bike computer, and even reflective “whitewall” tyres to make you both visible and stylish. This lowstep model is easy to get on and off. Being used to unboxing bikes that don’t even come with pedals, this was a pleasant surprise – Raleigh really have thought of very nearly everything – read on to find out the only thing they forgot!
Setting, off, the electric motor is powerful, smooth and quiet, with 4 different power levels to choose from. Even on a rather hot and sticky 1 July, the electrical assistance kept my ride cool, calm and collected and I wasn’t hanging about! The swept back handlebars take some getting used to for those more accustomed to flat or drop bars, but they allow a sitting up position that is easy on the back and allows you to sit up take in the sights around you.
After 30 minutes the battery was still showing full so it’s going to take a tougher test to work out what the range is. Raleigh boast 128 miles which sounds incredibly impressive. My guess is that we may find we can do quite a bit less in the South Downs, but even half of that would be a decent ride.
Was there anything I would change. Well, off-road I wouldn’t fancy anything other than the smoothest gravel given the swept back handlebars and the cable routing could be a bit tidier. And the one thing Raleigh forgot – no bottle holder! This is due to the battery being where it would normally go, but we’ll be fitting holders to the handlebars to quench our clients’ thirst.
Overall this ebike may not do much for my street cred among the hardcore roadies and MTBers, but I couldn’t care less. For anyone wanting to eat up the miles and explore Sussex in comfort, this British eBike seems to me the ideal tool for the job.
The Raleigh Motus GT Lowstep electric bike is now available to book online from Southern eBike Rentals.
