Taking My E-Bike to the Kent Coast | Trains, Whitstable & 18 Miles

The ankle biters are back at school from 1st September, so I’ve now booked my senior train tickets for a little adventure on Wednesday, 2nd September. At the moment, the weather forecast is looking pretty good, with overcast skies and very little chance of rain, so fingers crossed it stays that way. This one should be interesting for some, a good laugh for others, and probably bloody painful for me!

The plan is to take my 26.5-plus-kilo e-bike, along with all my cameras and assorted filming gear, from my local railway station all the way to Whitstable on the Kent coast.

And of course, the fun starts before I even get on the train.

First, there’s a half-mile hill ride to the station. Then I have to get off, pick up 26.5-plus kilos of electric bicycle, and carry the bloody thing over a railway footbridge to Platform 2.

I’ll then get on the train and change at Gillingham, where I’m expecting a bit more carrying, more stairs, and probably a few choice words that YouTube’s automatic subtitles will struggle to translate!

Once I finally reach Whitstable, assuming there’s anything left of my ageing body, the real adventure begins.

I’ll get back on the bike and head along the coast towards Herne Bay, possibly as far as Reculver, before turning around and riding back past Herne Bay to Whitstable.

That should give me roughly an 18-mile coastal bike ride, with plenty of sightseeing, filming, and hopefully a bit of sunshine thrown in for good measure.

And then, after all that, there’s only the small matter of getting myself, the bike, and all the gear back home again.

So there we have it.

Four trains in total, at least one railway footbridge, 26.5-plus kilos of e-bike, a load of cameras and filming gear, an 18-mile coastal ride, and one ageing bloke who really should know better!

What could possibly go wrong?

Isinwheel U4 E Bike Tested! Speed, Hills, Brakes & Comfort

 

In this video, I take my iSinwheel U4 16" folding e-bike out on the road for a proper real-world test. Rather than simply running through the specifications, I wanted to find out how the U4 actually performs when ridden in everyday conditions. I put it through its paces, testing the different pedal assist levels and their speeds, tackling some hills to see how it copes with inclines, and putting the brakes through their paces.

I also look at one of the most important things for me: the overall comfort of the ride. How does the U4 feel over different road surfaces, and is the seat actually comfortable after spending some time in the saddle?

So, if you're considering the iSinwheel U4, hopefully this road test will give you a better idea of what it's like to ride rather than just what it looks like on paper.

As always, these are my own experiences, views, and opinions based on riding the bike myself. Do your own research before making any purchase.

Thanks for watching, and don't forget to like, subscribe, and join me for more adventures from David Wilson Out & About.

 @baconbuttties   EBIKE Review HUB

Thanks to this gentleman, I got £40 off of the advertised price.

Link to video with a £40 discount code

There are a couple of things I didn’t test in this video: the bike unlocked, and the optional throttle.

Now, just to be clear, unlocking an e-bike on public roads so that it can travel faster than 15.5 miles per hour, or 25 kilometres per hour, is illegal here in the UK.

The same applies to the optional throttle. If the throttle can propel the bike at more than 3.7 miles per hour (6 kilometres per hour), that’s also illegal on public roads.

And simply saying that the throttle was fitted to see if it worked, or to test it, isn’t a valid excuse in the eyes of the law.

So, for this video, I’ve kept things completely legal and tested the bike as it would be used within the UK regulations.

isinwheel U4 Features Specifications & My Accessories

 Hello everyone, and welcome back to David Wilson Out and About.

In today's video, I'm taking a first look at my new iSinwheel U4 16-inch folding e-bike. I'll be talking you through the bike's specifications and features, as well as the accessories I've added to make it work better for me.

This is very much a first impressions video, so I'll be sharing what stood out to me after getting the bike set up and spending some time with it.

Then, in the follow-up video, I'll take the U4 out on the road for a proper test ride to see how it performs in the real world. So, let's take a closer look at the iSinwheel U4.

 

So, let’s have a look at the main features of the iSinwheel U4.

First of all, it’s a 16-inch folding electric bike, so it’s nice and compact compared to many full-size e-bikes. That makes it particularly handy if you’ve got limited storage space, or you want something that’s easier to take with you.

It’s a step-through design, which for me is a big advantage. Getting on and off is much easier, particularly if you don’t want to be swinging your leg over a high crossbar.

You’ve got pedal assist, with different levels to choose from, so you can decide how much help you want from the motor. There’s also a throttle, giving you that extra bit of assistance when you need it.

The U4 has a rear hub motor, a removable battery, and a simple display on the handlebars showing you the important information while you’re riding.

As a folding bike, the folding mechanism is another major feature. Fold it down, and it becomes considerably more compact, which is useful for storage or transporting it.

It also comes with front and rear lights, mudguards and a rear carrier, so it’s reasonably well equipped straight out of the box.

And I think that’s one of the appealing things about the U4. For the money, you get a lot of bike in a relatively small package.

Of course, it isn’t perfect, and there are a few things I’ve changed and added to mine to make it more suitable for the way I ride.

Disclaimer: My Experience, My Opinions & Your Responsibility ...

This video is based entirely on my own personal experience with the iSinwheel U4. I purchased this bike myself with my own money, and I am not sponsored, paid, or otherwise compensated by iSinwheel to make this video. I have no commercial relationship with iSinwheel. Everything I say in this video represents my own personal views, opinions, experiences, and observations. Your experience with the product may be different.

This video is intended for information and entertainment purposes only. Before purchasing the iSinwheel U4, or making any decisions based on what I say in this video, please do your own research, check the latest specifications and information, and make sure the product is suitable for your individual needs and circumstances.

I accept no responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, or other consequences resulting from reliance on the information, opinions, or recommendations expressed in this video.

In short, this is my experience and my opinion. Do your own research and make your own informed decision.

Transporting My iSinwheel U4 16" Folding E-Bike on Public Transport

After my iSinwheel U4 road test video, I got to thinking about the bike’s total weight and the problems I might face if I wanted to transport it on public transport.

The main issues are its 26.5 kg weight, my osteoarthritis and chronic lower back injury, and, of course, having to carry the folded bike up and down stairs and over railway footbridges.

Without going into too much detail just yet, I’m looking at using a ratchet strap to secure the bike when it’s folded, combined with a homemade carrying sling using Creel Hooks and a 3-metre, 25mm ratchet tie-down strap.

Obviously, I’m not going to build this thing and then immediately head off to the railway station! I’ll be testing my homemade bike sling at home for a while first, making sure it’s safe, secure and, most importantly, manageable for me to use.

Once I’m happy with it, I’ll give it a proper real-world test on a train journey to Whitstable.

That journey will involve carrying the folded bike over a footbridge at my local railway station, as well as making two train changes along the way.

Once I arrive in Whitstable, I’m planning to cycle along the Oyster Bay Trail to Reculver, travelling via Herne Bay, before heading back to Herne Bay to catch the train home.

I’m not going to attempt the journey until the schools are back, when hopefully the trains and stations will be a little quieter.

And yes, I’ll be filming the whole thing!

So you’ll get to see whether my homemade bike sling actually works in the real world, or whether it turns out to be one of those ideas that looks absolutely brilliant on paper but becomes a complete nightmare in practice! 😁

Either way, it should make for an interesting experiment.