When we are 75 years old, if we haven’t retired to Tahiti and are still living on the Côte d’Azur, we would like to hope we can continue to ride to the summit of the Col du Turini on a regular basis. The truth is that sometimes we struggle enough already to make it to the top so realistically by the time we hit 75, the 1607m of elevation might be out of reach. Unless of course, we have some assistance.
Whether you are coming back from a long break from the sport, recovering from injury or have just seen too many birthdays, the eBike can open up a world of possibilities. Alternatively, if your local roads or trials are becoming over-familiar and you want to escape to the next valley, mountain range or province, with motor assistance you can go further and higher with the same effort required on a traditional bike. And once you realise this, then any possible stigma you attach to a bike with electric motor assistance quickly fades away - it doesn’t just have to be a way of getting around town without sweating in your suit!
Put simply by our friends at Moustache Bikes, “An e-bike is a bicycle with additional functions that make riding simpler and more enjoyable”. Moustache are one of the innovators of the eBike industry and their name epitomises their inspiration - French heritage of design and function, personified in the classic handlebar ‘moustache’ shape that made city bikes so comfortable. For them the cycling industry has lost sight of the utilitarian aspect of the bicycle and it’s time to refocus.
Their range of urban, touring, mountain and road bikes take their names from the days of the week when you might need them most so, for example, their mountain bike is called Samedi (for weekend fun) and the practical urban bike is called Lundi 26 (Monday 26 speed). Perhaps the most significant bike in Moustache's history, the Lundi's main purpose was to 'keep the car at home' - the original and main objective in the company's early days. But they are always seeking to push the envelope and as part of their continual development, they decided to take on the best of rest of the eBike industry at Rad am Ring.
The eBike race was run over a parcours of 25kms which required 500m of climbing each lap, through legendary corners such as Fuchsröhre ('Fox Hole'); Bergwerk ('Mine'); and Caracciola Karussell ('Carousel'). A perfect test of machinery, just as motor giants such as BMW and Ferrari have done before them.
Six months after the initial planning began, Moustache’s Dimanche 28 was sprinting into the lead of Rad Am Ring within the first 500m after waiting for a delayed start due to biblical weather conditions that threatened the entire running of the race.
In a cycling endurance race such as this, consistent pace is the key. Moustache’s lap record exemplifies this with 40-42 minute laps for the entire race proving that once the rider perfects the balance between human effort and motor assistance, speed and distance can be maximised.
In the end the Moustache Bikes team came away with second place. Extremely admirable for their first attempt on the race but knowing them, they will not be satisfied with anything less than the top step of the podium and will be back for more next year. Here at Café du Cycliste we will be keeping the Moustache activities firmly on our radar in the constant search for all things new and different in the cycling world.
Café du Cycliste provided Moustache with classic Josephine bib shorts, silk and merino Louise jerseys and lightweight Madeline windproof gilets for their Rad am Ring endurance adventure.