Running late so jumped on the E Bike - Carlton Victoria

TUESDAY JUN 16 / 2015 / by Andrew Talati
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Running late so jumped on the E Bike

Running late to meet up with friends, Luke decided to jump on the E Bike instead of walking from the Mantra on the Park as first planned. He was in town for the Melbourne season of Les Miserables in which he plays a number of minor parts as well as lots of chorus work. In fact the electric bike was bought with touring and particularly the Perth season in mind. When the show hits Perth it’s a 3.6-4km trip from the hotel they are staying in to the theatre so it’s a perfect mode of transport for him and for touring.

The Leitner folds up, compacts down and goes anywhere. The arrangement is that the truck that moves the props and sets, moves the bikes too. There is extra space set aside especially for the cast, crew and musicians’ bikes – pop the bike in a box and off it goes – to Brisbane, to Perth, to Singapore, to Taipei – wherever the show goes.

And it’s not just Luke that finds a perfect fit between riding and the touring life – he estimates about 80% of the cast of around 40 take advantage of the opportunity to have their bikes with them on tour. The figure would be higher if you took into consideration the entire cast, crew and musicians (about 90-100 people) – Luke sees a lot of the crew and musicians riding, often with a violin or other instrument strapped to them. Bikes are ideal for short trips, like from hotel to theatre and back again. They help to keep them fit as an added bonus. If Luke wants an extra workout, he turns off the battery and off he goes.

Among the cast of Les Miserables there’s a combination of road bikes and a few mountain bikes but so far Luke is the only one with an electric folding bike. But that might soon change with many mentioning they may be about to make the investment.

After 15 years’ of touring in many different shows throughout Australia, Asia and New Zealand and with Les Miserables set to tour until 2016-2017 (which is quite a long stint), Luke has the task of folding and packing his E Bike down pat.

Advice to anyone considering an electric bike?

‘Just do it. You won’t regret it. For getting from A to B, it’s the best thing I’ve ever bought. Actually it’s just the best thing I’ve ever bought. The only day I had to zip down to St Kilda for a meeting – I was there in 20 mins and wasn’t all sweaty when I got there.’

Leitner E Bike Front headlightLeitner E BikeLeitner E Bike Battery Level IndicatorLeitner E Bike Battery


Some features of the Leitner Folding Electric Bike:
 

  • Folds to fit most car boots – 72cm x 91cm x 49cm
  • No license is required to operate
  • A 50km range with pedal assist (and 80km range with an upgraded battery)
  • Maximum speed of 25km/h
  • A 6km/h throttle which can be unlocked to reach 25km/h without pedalling but only for off-road use
  • Front disc brakes, comfortable seat, front suspension, security key
  • Includes mudguards, front and rear lights, rear rack, bell, tool kit, stand and a chain guard

Learn more about Leitner electric bikes at www.leitner.com.au

Learn more about Les Miserables in Australia at http://www.lesmis.com.au/