Bold predictions for 2019

Beards and tattoos will be on the wane. Somewhere in the US a tornado will annihilate a trailer park. Politicians will be filmed at their desks highlighting passages in a document. There’ll be lime scooter incidents, 60% off everything at Briscoes, and Royal scandals. Service industries will be rendered even more frustrating by AI and automation. Kiwis will fall in love with electric-assisted Pashley bicycles. Whoa! What was that last one again?

You read it right, people. In 2019, our gift to the enlightened cycling public of New Zealand is a world first: the electric-assisted Pashley. We can now equip the most beautiful bicycles in the world with enough electric oomph to take you up hill and down dale without so much as a muffled grunt of exertion.

We can convert four of Pashley’s most popular and timeless models – the glorious Britannia, Briton, Roadster Sovereign and Princess Sovereign – into the best-looking e-bikes in the world.

It was a no-brainer really. Our customers tell us every day how much they love the style and reliability of their Pashley bicycles. But, they say, the terrain and climate of this perky little country of ours often make cycling more demanding than is ideal.

So, we did some research. And we quickly discovered Lekkie, New Zealand’s foremost electric conversion specialists with an unsurpassed track record of success. We described our requirement for a smooth, quiet, reliable, easy-to-operate and aesthetically pleasing conversion kit for our Pashley beauties, and Lekkie set to work.

The result is elegant in the extreme: a clip-on, clip-off 36 Volt lithium ion battery encased in a sleek pouch that sits unobtrusively on the seat stem, a high-torque 300 Watt mid-drive motor placed tidily under the pedal crank, and the most compact handlebar console you’ve ever seen. The system offers five pedal assist levels and a throttle for a burst of power when you need it. It senses when you change gear, and adjusts the motor output up or down accordingly. You can ride for 50 or 60km on a single battery charge, and even plug your phone into the integrated USB port.

Well, you’re bound to talk them up, we hear you say, with just a hint of pre-Christmas scorn in your voice. Fair point. So, come and give one a whirl for yourself. Visit us in our Greytown emporium this summer and take your choice of Pashley with electric assist for a tranquil test ride down West Street. The locals will give you a cheery wave and an admiring gaze.

We predict you’ll want one. Or two. Pashleys that is, not locals. Although…