Waiau Theatre, ECan, 53 Kilmore Street
Announcement from Meg Christie, Canterbury DHB:
Guim Valls is touring the world on an electric bike in order to promote their value as a sustainable, healthy, economic and enjoyable way to travel. Electric bikes also open the world of cycling to people with mobility difficulties or are otherwise physically unable to cope with the rigours of regular cycling. Thus they are an egalitarian, affordable and carbon free form of travel that complement other active modes.
You are invited to hear Guim present on his journey so far, be entertained, and learn more about this simple but revolutionary mode of travel.
Guim is a Spaniard who, prior to embarking on this journey, had been working in Beijing for 3 years. Electric bikes are becoming extremely common in Beijing where they are more relevant than ever in this otherwise grid locked city. For the past 6 weeks that Guim has been in Christchurch he has been working with the Electric Bicycle Company http://theelectricbicycle.co.nz/ to fine tune the technology for his solar panel from which he can recharge his bike's battery. He rides north on February 9th to take part in the Wellington to Auckland Bike race.
You can follow Guim's blog:
Please feel free to disseminate this invitation to your contacts.
There will be morning tea from 10am and electric bikes for you to try out at the conclusion of the presentation.
Comments from John Lieswyn:
The presentation sounds like it will be great.
Mr. Valls is said to be working with the electric bicycle company here in NZ. This company has gone out on a limb and marketing to a very small market at present. It's the old chicken or the egg situation. Their website first displays a number of relatively inexpensive models with inferior parts on frames unsuited to comfortable, practical cycling. They do have a better model called the 705SE for roughly $2500, but you have to hunt around on their website a bit to find it.
A serious alternative to the car is the Gazelle Orange Innergy, priced at $4,450 AU. It is highly engineered and developed by a major European brand. Gazelle is imported by these folks: They are promoted and sold in Australia here: (lots of pictures and technical stats).