Fingrid’s Senior Project Manager Risto Ryynänen volunteered for our electric bicycle test and got to try out a Finnish Wheelström electric bike. The classic Kaveri model is a sturdy bike with a black frame, a 250 W front motor and five assistance levels. The maximum speed is set at 25 km/hour.
Now it’s time to find a comfortable, forward leaning riding position and get moving.
“It’s easy to go full speed on a gentle uphill slope. The thick tyres provide a smooth ride on cobblestones and tram tracks are no problem either,” comments Risto.
He’s an experienced cyclist who makes the 12-kilometer journey to work on his bike from spring to late autumn. His route runs along a gravel road and a light traffic route. The electric bike seems a bit heavy to Risto, who’s used to a lighter road bike. The rainy weather may also have an effect.
“The bike feels heavier and more difficult to handle, at least on this first ride in the city. It looks and feels like a classic bike. On the other hand, the assistance makes riding nice and easy. You have to anticipate the need to brake, because the bike doesn’t stop as quickly,” he says in comparison.
Wheelström wants to make low-emission transport an easy option for everyone. The company has focused on riding comfort and also believes that electric bikes lower the threshold for people to start cycling.
“This gives me a kind of Copenhagen feeling, just riding gently around the city without breaking a sweat. At the very least, this is a great way to get around in the city,” says Risto.
Fingrid is a pioneer that initiates discussion on topics related to its industry. In this series, we participate in the discussion by highlighting electric novelties and current phenomena. You can suggest a topic for this page via e-mail: viestinta@fingrid.fi.
