E-bike trial is starting a chain reaction

Rise, a North East charity, is still looking for volunteers from Northumberland and Tyne & Wear to try out electric bicycles from local company Ride Electric for six months.

Seventeen residents who currently commute for work within Northumberland or Tyne & Wear were last year invited to swap cars and public transport for an electric bike in a bid to provide a healthier and more environmentally friendly alternative.

Rebecca Bennett, active workplace manager at Rise said, “We’ve been working with Ride Electric because we would like people to seriously consider the many benefits of using an electric bike. As well as providing a healthy and active way to get to work, e-bikes offer a safer way of travelling - avoiding the need to mix with others on public transport at a time when people are concerned about the on-going pandemic.”

Electric bikes are designed to travel at up to 15.5 mph and to take away the effort of cycling uphill or into the wind. They can be charged using a standard plug socket and reach full charge within six hours.

The e-bike trial. which is being run in partnership between Rise and Ride Electric, has also been backed by local authorities.

Rebecca continued, “Although there is a cost to trying the bikes for six months, it will be heavily subsidised by us and we hope that people will soon see the benefits of using bikes for their daily commute.”

There is space for four more e-bikes to be loaned and a test ride can be organised to see if the rider is comfortable in the saddle before committing.

To sign up or find out more contact rebecca.bennett@wearerise.co.uk