Not content with slashing the weight of his Brompton to a featherlight 7.1KG, retired engineer Derek Cranage once again beat the folder specialists at their own game by producing his own battery-powered version. And what a bike it is.
All but the main frame has been replaced with lightweight parts – many of which Derek fabricated himself from carbon fibre and aircraft-grade aluminium. Even the nuts and bolts are titanium.
The resulting e-bike tips the scales at just under 10KG with the battery, or 10.4KG with a long-range battery giving 36-mile+ range. For reference, the factory electric Brompton weighs in at 16.6KG.
Insurance for e-bikes
It’s little wonder so many e-bike owners opt for insurance cover. Electric-assist cycles are pricey – even their batteries can cost £500 to replace if they’re pinched.
However, while most cycle insurance providers now cover ebikes as standard, their policies all differ – not least in how they’ll calculate your settlement in the event of a claim.
For example, some insurance providers boast about replacing stolen bicycles on a new-for-old basis, but read the small print and you soon discover all is not as it seems; in some cases, once your bike is 3 years old it no longer qualifies for new-for-old replacement, while other providers exclude second-hand bikes.
Here at ETA cycle insurance, we don’t think that’s right. We never devalue bikes in that way – no matter their age.
ebike batteries can cost over £500 to replace – check whether or not your insurer will cover this
The ethical choice
The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.
The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK’s most ethical provider.
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