 Electric Bike fits the Bill - London's Royal Parks Police take delivery of state-of-the-art electric mountainbike - courtesy EVUK and Ecolux UK. (Feb 2002)
One bright metropolitan afternoon, about a year ago, EVUK's Moira Govan strode purposefully past Buckingham Palace, jogged over to St.James Park, and in broad daylight brazenly accosted a policeman out and about plodding the beat (Note: 'accosting' is not - yet - an arrestable offence...).
What was she thinking of? 
Well, we'd all read about the Royal Parks police's nationally reported claim-to-fame in being the first UK force to 'get their skates on' - a popular if predictable headline at the time - by taking to rollerblades ...but we were - and still are - keen to see UK police shift up a gear or 10 and follow in the footsteps / cycletracks of America's trailblazing e-bike cops.....
Anyway, back to the scene of our little London crime-initiative ...after cornering said unsuspecting Police Constable, Moira G. proceeded - Your Honour - to make a very decent proposal indeed: "Have you ever thought of switching to e-bikes like so many US police departments have?"
Whereupon PC Nigel K.(we'll preserve his right to anonymity here..) confessed to having long entertained secret designs on some kind of energy-saving electric wheels : he'd read about America's 'Zapped-up' cycle cops and really fancied the idea of zipping round on a speedy, stealthy steed of his own.
Nuff said - we were on the case like a police-dog on a fresh scent-trail.
The rest could be set to make royal bicycling history and will hopefully set a very useful 'legal' precedent in the fight against ever-burgeoning street(and park!) -crime.
After spending several months searching for the very best value, best-technology, longest-range e-bike and after many thwarted attempts to locate pro-innovation sponsors....we finally got a result and the mighty Ecolux Hurricane full-suspension ATB-style mountainbike literally swept everyone off their feet. After putting the bike 'on trial' for a few weeks the verdict was unanimous - this was the kind of police 'endorsement ' we did want.
PC Nigel K. reports that despite some initial teasing(sic) problems - ie. giggles from colleagues - the Hurricane is proving very popular indeed. Acting Superintendant Derek Pollock adds: "A journey across the park that would normally take an officer half an hour on a traditional bicycle will now only take 10 minutes".
At present just one e-bike is in use but the signs are good that more will follow if sponsors can be found.
So..roll up! If there are any companies out there who'd like to see their company name and logo displayed on the battery-box and mudguards of one or several of these eye-catching, head-turning machines as they whizz around many of London's world-famous tourist hotspots - please contact EVUK at editor@EVUK.co.uk or Ecolux UK Click here for photo of PC Nigel K. putting the Hurricane through its paces.
- Click here for 'Realcycles' photo-report - shorts-and-all - on Royal Parks e-bike initiative.
Click here for Royal Parks Police / Ecolux ebike group-photo. Hot News! Ecolux Police "Enforcer" ebike just arrived - police, cycle paramedics can't keep their hands off it! See stunning full detail, high-definition photo of Enforcer. More Hot News! "Tornado" - latest Ecolux ebike just arrived in UK. You'll be the torque of the town with this sparkling Harley D. of an ebike...and turn more heads than Tom Cruise.
We trialled it for two weeks: the power of this machine is simply breathtaking and will leave a smile on your face long after you've whizzed from A to B to A laughing all the way at all those fuming, gridlocked drivers.(Oh - and just to rub it in - you will always be the first away at the lights...now that's what we call Freedom of the Road / Easy Rider ebike-style.)  See also: BBC Radio Gloucestershire "in the saddle" ebike (Tornado) interview with EVUK's Moira Govan.
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