Skyride £1000 prize attracts hundreds of riders
As an extra incentive to give electric cycling a go Ebike Centres took part in this year’s Leicester Skyride, offering free test rides all day on their test track in front of the Leicester Mercury office. Anyone taking a test ride was entered into a prize draw to win a brand new electric bike worth £1000. There were hundreds of entries and the winner was announced at the end of Skyride by City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby on Sunday, August 24th.
Sir Peter, who officially opened Ebike Centres last year, said: “The first time I tried an electric bike was when I opened the showroom. I was impressed by how easy it was to ride around the city, and especially when climbing up a long hill such as London Road. I have never felt safer on any bike than when I was on an electric bike. These bikes are quick and nippy enough to be able to get out of trouble and keep up with traffic,”
City Mayor Peter Soulsby tries out an electric bike
He added: “I am so pleased with the work Ebike Centres is doing as they are bringing cycling to Leicester for people who wouldn’t usually cycle. They are showing both vision and confidence in the future role of electric bikes for commuting and travel in the city. Combined with Leicester’s new cycle lanes, hopefully more people will use bikes instead of cars for their daily commute.”
Liam Dunphy, the owner of Ebike Centres said: “With the new cycle lanes in Leicester, cycling around the city has never been easier. Electric bikes have many added benefits including health benefits, being environmentally friendly and being very cheap to run.”
David Simons was the winner of the electric bike competition and he said: “The best thing about electric bikes is their speed and power. I’ve always liked cycling but I am usually quite fearful of cycling on the roads as normal bikes are just too slow. Electric bikes are just so much faster. These bikes don’t take up as much room as a car and they don’t pollute the city.
“When I was younger I owned two electric scooters and these electric bikes remind me of being young as they are very similar.”
Now retired, the Fleckney resident will be using his newly acquired electric bike for long cycle rides around Leicestershire’s countryside.
