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 There are very few times
when we test a vehicle and have an intense desire to buy it. Well, the
Tidalforce M-750 is that type of ride. It is nearly flawless, opens your life
to new experiences, and is affordable. This is the mother of all
electric bikes, and truth be told, it is sorely needed in a world so dependent
on petroleum, besmirched in pollution, and burdened by obesity. And the price,
for the mountain bike M-750 is $2500, and for the equally potent, but more
relaxed fit I0 model its $500 less.
Let us give
you some examples of how the WaveCrest bike changed our lives. It was a
six-mile trip to Mt. Baldy at 8000 elevation and I had not been on a bike in
years. An hour and a half later I was at the top. My car was at the garage ten
miles away and I had no way to get a ride there to pick it up.
The bike got
me there in under a half hour. We dread going to the beach because of the
parking and the steep climb back afterwards. No problem with this bike.
Commuting to work, pacing family members as they run or walk, bringing back
the enjoyment of mobility to those with bad legs, and the fun of challenging
yourself without worrying makes this a must test drive bike. Best of all its
truly earth friendly, people friendly, and user friendly.
Now don't get
me wrong, I have nothing against cyclists who enjoys the challenge of a long
bike ride, but for those of us who have bad legs, don't have the time to get
in shape for long hauls, or just enjoy effortless travel, this tough bike is
ideal. I especially like the idea that it can be used by a spouse to join the
more athletic member of the family on biking excursions. You can even pace a
family member as he or she runs. You actually find excuses to use the
TidalForce.
Okay, forget
all you know about battery-powered bikes of the past. They had a short range,
were top heavy, and had no ability to climb. This 750, which is named for its
adaptive750 watt motor, has none of there shortcomings. The Wavecrest creation
can go about 20 miles on one charge and you can add another battery for longer
travel. While traveling you have your choice of putting the bike on cruise
control or in turbo mode for more thrust, but a shorter range. A small
accelerator lever activated by your right thumb controls everything. The
learning curve is sharp as everything is intuitive.
The frame
folds in half to fit into a trunk more easily, and the bike comes in two main
forms, a mountain version and a beach cruiser. The former rides a bit stiffer
and has a more athletic seat, if you get my drift. The real joy of this bike
is the fact it also has 21 speeds so you can pedal as much as you want. The
gear changes are in the handle bar grips, the turbo boost lever is close-by,
and so is the electronic read out that gives you your remaining battery life.
A nice tidy package, but here is another plus. If you are going downhill the
motor cuts in to recharge itself with a flick of the brakes. This is a
well-engineered, user-friendly vehicle that deserves a test drive. And, not
just by commuters. The local police could use these and so could beach guards.
We were impressed, no doubt, but what sold us was how easy this Wavecrest bike
was able to alter out habits. Instead of thinking car first, we thought bike
first.
Got
Milk? If not, hop on and pedal or not to the local store. Parking a problem at
the beach? This bike folds into the trunk. Three negatives, which is probably
a bad choice of words when describing an electronic featured bike. First, it
weighs nearly 70 pounds so you need to know this when sliding it in and out of
the trunk. Secondly, we strongly recommend the second battery as we noticed
that when you were climbing and the energy left rating gauge was under half
the power would cut in and out. A second battery would eliminate this worry.
Finally, the derailer for the 21 speed bike could be more accurate.
Family
conference: Why not. For more information and dealer locations go to
www.wavecrestlabs.com
Written by
The Car Family |
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Australia-Wide products/services |
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