Testimonial: I Tried an Electric Bike for a Week

Since the arrival of Covid-19, many people have abandoned public transportation for individual means. Antoine made this choice by taking the handlebars of a Specialized Turbo Vado 4.0 electric bike, and he shares his daily experience with us.

Article published in Mobiwisy magazine, November 2022

Having arrived in the capital a few months ago, I naturally use public transportation to get to my workplace. Door to door, my trip lasts about forty minutes. As a reading enthusiast, I always try to find a seat so I can immerse myself in my book. No guarantee of finding one every morning! The main issue: crowded trains. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that this is one of the woes of the metro. Not to mention the particularly irritating nature of being regularly subjected to various delays. That’s why I decided to test the bike for a week!

Profile of Antoine:

• Budget: €75.20/month (Navigo Pass)
• Mileage: about 500 km/month
• Daily commute: 22 km round trip
• Type of trip: urban

Monday: Exploration in the great outdoors

Late afternoon, I have a Specialized Turbo Vado 4.0 in my hands. A sleek look, without unnecessary embellishments. Since this is my first bike trip in Paris, I feel a bit anxious. And for good reason: I don’t know the route well, as I usually travel underground!

So I set off at 7 p.m. toward the first stop, the Champs-Elysées. Following the bike lane, I find myself speeding down the most beautiful avenue in the world as night falls. Cobblestones, it’s bumpy! But the bike absorbs the vibrations well. When I stop pedaling, the derailleur makes a lot of noise, but on the other hand, it signals my presence. Once I reach Place de la Concorde, things get trickier. In the flow of traffic, I sometimes have to carve my way between cars. Phew! Now I’m on the other side of the Seine riverbank. With all these lights, Paris is so beautiful! I turn south to reach my apartment.

Once at the foot of the building, first disappointment: I thought I could park it in the courtyard, but there’s no space available. So the bike will spend the night in my living room. It clearly shows how important it is to ensure you have a safe place to leave your bike.

Tuesday: Despite bike lanes, many obstacles for the bike

Before taking my bike out, some questions come to mind. Am I well equipped for these trips? The helmet is okay. But what about the rest? When I turn on the bike, I realize one thing: I forgot to plug it in the night before. No problem, since the battery still has over 80% charge. Thanks to the large capacity of 710 Wh. I check the route on a GPS again, this time in the opposite direction. I admit a smartphone holder would be ideal.

I mount my bike and head again through the Parisian streets. How pleasant it is to feel the cool air on my face. Of course, I need to dress warmly for very cold days, but pedaling increases my body temperature. During the ride, I witness the risks that always exist on a bike, observing an event that could have ended badly: a cyclist nearly got hit by a trash bin pushed by a garbage collector crossing the bike lane. It’s a warning to me!

Wednesday: I enjoy the quick accelerations!

Now that I know the route well, my only concern is to watch out for myself! On the road, another situation reminds me of the day before: someone on a scooter ignoring a red light on the bike lane. Its rider and another cyclist narrowly avoided a collision. Okay, besides unruly children at pedestrian crossings, I need to be vigilant about other road users’ behaviors. Apart from that, I realize that the bike is very enjoyable. Simple, efficient. The gear shifts work perfectly, and the weight isn’t felt thanks to the generous torque of the motor. Starts at traffic lights are quick! It even surprised a driver the next day.

Thursday: New danger

It was during a stop at a red light that I nearly had a “collision” with a car. It was exiting a building driveway and thought it could pass before me. But we ended up almost face to face, as it didn’t anticipate my speed. A quick honk from me (yes, I’m on a bike!), and I’m off again. During my ride, I think about my books. I miss them, but of course, it’s impossible to read on a bike…

Friday: With the cold, dress warmly!

No matter what, I wouldn’t have found space in the bike rack of my building all week. Fortunately for me, I live on the ground floor, but it’s still starting to be inconvenient to have a bike in my living room. I consider myself lucky not to have had bad weather: no water streaks on my apartment floor from the tires. This morning upon waking, I have a slight cold and sore throat due to the temperature changes. Again, I realize that my gear isn’t quite ready. At the end of October, while gloves against the cold aren’t essential (although, in case of a fall, they’d be handy), a scarf or a hat under the helmet would have been useful. Dress warmly!

Weekend: the joy of riding

I really wanted some green spaces. Paris is great, but feeling grass underfoot now and then is so refreshing. Heading to the Bois de Vincennes! I reach it after about fifteen minutes of pedaling thanks to the electric assist. I didn’t even need to use the Turbo mode (maximum power), the Tour mode (medium power) was enough. I loved it! Being among trees, what a breath of fresh air. I even rode around the woods in all directions. A total of 27 km covered without hardly noticing. Perfect for clearing my mind!

Summary of the electric bike test

In a week, considering my weekend outing and my commute to work, I traveled 137 km. I didn’t expect that! A good point since I don’t do sports. Plus, you can admire the city, and it doesn’t take more time than public transit. But am I ready to permanently replace the metro with a bike? Not necessarily. I like reading and being sheltered from the rain in the metro, even with good gear, I miss that. On the other hand, I am convinced that owning a bicycle remains a very good investment, just for commuting sometimes and weekend rides. I’m thinking of saving to buy one!

The price of the tested bike: €4,100 for the Specialized Turbo Vado, minus €600 with the regional Île-de-France purchase aid.

Also read: Guide: how to choose your bike?