Join the e-bike revolution and ride The Nello

Did you know you can ride The Nello on an e-bike?

That’s right! We’re all about encouraging participation and if that means getting a bit of battery powered assistance to be part of this super special day, then we’re all for it.

Trevor Day, 76, bought his first e-bike three years ago. He has taken part in the last two Nello events and will be on the start line again on Sunday June 29 as up to 1,500 people tackle 60 or 100 miles for FORCE Cancer Charity’s flagship fundraiser.

“The E is for enabling,” said Trevor. “You are certainly not cheating. It still a challenge and that’s the motivation.

“Don’t feel ashamed. Use it as an opportunity to get out for a wonderful ride.

“Be part of it. Get out and do it. E-bikes are transformative – they let you continue your cycling life.”

Support

Trevor, from Topsham, retired 18 years ago and within the first week he had a heart attack.

He’d been planning a long bike ride through France and Spain but when he recovered, he was just about up to cycling to the shops.

With support from his GP, who told him not to give up on his goal, a year later he cycled the 550 miles from Roscoff to Santander at touring pace and really enjoyed it.

A year later he cycled Land’s End to John O’Groats over 16 days and apart from a break for the pandemic, he has done a big ride every year since.

“In order to do that, down to my age and health, I have to be careful. I ride every week unless the weather is really bad. I keep myself fit through cycling, yoga and walking. I firmly believe in the value of exercise,” said Trevor.

Fun

He has ridden The Nello for around 22 years and several times over the past decade he has done the 60 and 100 mile routes – one on the day and the other as a midweek ride the week before or the week after.

It’s a family affair too – wife Deborah Booth and daughter Susannah also take part and grandchildren Lily and Hazel help out at the start line.

“I have to do it on the day because it’s such an occasion. It’s like Easter and Christmas – it’s on the calendar every year. We do it to support FORCE, we do it for the occasion because it’s just great fun and we do it for the route because it’s a beautiful ride,” said Trevor.

He first did it on an old mountain bike, now his allotment bike, and then various road bikes.

“As I got older I became more breathless. Two and a half years ago I had a pacemaker fitted. I couldn’t cycle up hills. Three years ago I bought an e-bike and I’ve done two Nellos on it.

Enabling

“It’s not cheating, it’s enabling. I feel quite passionate about that. It has enabled me to carry on doing what I love. It has helped me keep going and has reinvigorated my cycling. I do 500-600 mile rides across Europe. It also means I can wait at the top of hills for my friends whereas they used to wait for me!

“It’s enabled me to keep cycling. It also enables people who are more cautious and think I could never do that when they certainly could. If you could cycle to Exmouth on the Exe Estuary trail, you could manage the Nello 60-mile route. It would represent a fantastic challenge.

“People in retirement can consider cycling again when they might not have. Age is a state of mind. It’s important to remember that.”

Trevor reckons the number one worry for people considering an e-bike is range – how far will the battery take you.

The choice of bikes available is huge and it is important that you get the right one for you so we recommend talking to our Nello partners at Bike Shed for advice.

Positive

“Most batteries will have a range of 50-60 miles,” explains Trevor. “So I would say doing the Nello 60 mile would be no problem whatsoever. I do the 100 miles either with a big battery or a top-up spare, that you can share with others. Going from a light road bike weighing 12-13 kilos to an e-bike with padlocks and racks that take it up to 30 kilos is like going from driving a sports car to an old fashioned Land Rover. But they will both get you there. It’s a huge change but a positive one.

“A lot depends on how you ride your e-bike. If you’re on the flat or going downhill, you don’t need the battery on. Switch it off. It helps with range anxiety and you know you can get up the steepest hills.

“And don’t forget, e-bikes still work when the battery runs out!”

To find out more about The Nello and get signed up for 2025, go to https://forcecancercharity.co.uk/nello/