After yesterday's cheery post, I thought I would make a short initial report on my new bike, the Himo C20. Ordinarily, I would not have bought a bicycle with an electric motor, but given the state of my limbs, I had little choice. I needed help with the hills and climbs, of which there are many in the Blue Mountains.

Firstly, the bike is quite heavy compared with my alloy mountain bike. The electric motor in the rear hub and the battery in the cross-frame probably account for 6 kilos. The steel wheels don't help either.

After getting used to the bikes setup (digital readout, gears, power assist system) it was time for the road test. After a few days of short rides (5-7kms), it's clear that the C20 lives up to at least part of the advertising hype. With the exception of huge hills, the inclines really are a breeze. I avoid the former whilst joyfully indulging the latter. You can be as lazy or as fitness inclined as you wish by simply adjusting the power and gear settings. You can turn the power off altogether and just use human propulsion.

Here is a photo I took just a little while ago after a second outing. She is becoming more and more enjoyable to ride.