What’s a good title without a pun? This one requires a little context.

Yet Another E-bike Journey

After being burned by VanMoof with a few lovely e-bikes that ended up as minor horror stories, my approach changed. If I was going to wade in again, it was going to be with a company that used as few proprietary parts as possible and had a strong dealership and servicing network. I haven’t given up on our VanMoof S3 and X3 bikes, but they are quite a lot of work when they’re playing up.

Doing the school run in the car frustrates me. Traffic is unpredictable, and a 10 minute journey can take almost an hour on a bad day, with the addition of a few A38 crashes. The road network is nearing maximum capacity on a good day, so any delays can bring the whole thing to a standstill. I really missed cycle commuting, but when I was dropping off at nursery they had a dedicated shed for car seats and prams where I stowed the folded down trailer. It wasn’t great, but at least there was space for it. There is no such space at work, and it’s a bit of a faff. I was looking for an alternative solution.

Enter the Tern HSD.

Tern’s unique selling point is making cargo bikes that don’t take up much more space than a regular bike while still being able to haul an immense load. In this case 180kg gross vehicle weight, with a rear rack capable of holding 80kg. It’s impressive given the unassuming appearance. It’s by no means a light bike at a hefty 28kg; almost 10kg more than my VanMoof S3. It isn’t one you want to lift in and out a car much (from personal experience), but it doesn’t need to be. This thing is a car replacement for journeys around town. Having said that it was awkward to get in and out of the car, with the handle bars folded down, seat post out, and front rack off, it is reasonably manageable.

The HSD gen 2 comes with a Bosch Performance Line motor which generates plenty of torque, and lots of cool features including an anti-theft alarm and tracking system. I opted for the captain’s chair which is more versatile than a regular child seat, and I also got the airplane style seat belt for good measure. We’ve only had the one journey so far, but the feedback was positive. How does it ride though? Not any different to a standard bike, if I’m honest. The motor makes hills reasonably effortless (unless you are pushing for as much speed as possible) but the bike doesn’t handle any differently than my others. The big brother of the HSD, the GSD, can hold more cargo but it is said to behave a bit differently on the road. I only had a brief test ride on the GSD but I found it easy to manage as well. These aren’t Urban Arrow bikes by any stretch of the imagination.

This is my first bike with a carbon belt drive in place of a chain, and an Enviolo internal gear hub with it. The gearing system allows down shifting when stationary which makes starting on a hill much easier. The belt drive should mean less maintenance in theory, and lower running costs provided things don’t go wrong. All round it’s a cool piece of kit and I’m looking forward to putting in the miles.

The Food

We had our second visit to Kyowa with friends last weekend, and it did not disappoint. I had the unagi (eel) bento which was beautifully rich and lived up to expectations. It was a long time since I’d had it but brought back happy memories of travelling in Japan in 2015 (including miso katsu). The sushi was also fantastic. If you are looking for a great Japanese restaurant in and around Plymouth, Kyowa is the place to go. It’s worth booking in advance though as it is popular and seating is limited (like all the best Japanese places).

I made more soda bread today although due to a plain flour shortage (laziness-related) I used self raising flour which was a little too exuberant for the purpose. I also used the universal buttermilk substitute (milk and a tablespoon of vinegar) which worked well. The heat was a tad too aggressive, but I am gradually getting the hang of Irish bread after a long period of abstinence. My cast iron pan works well for the job, and it feels a tad more authentic.

My go-to way of using up leftover meat (duck, in this case) is to make it into a rice bowl. Relatively little protein goes farther in this format. Add some quick pickled carrots and cucumber, top with spring onions and sesame seeds, and the whole thing comes together nicely. This time it was duck warmed with plum sauce and a little sweet chilli. I would not object to a fried egg on top, though.

The food is primarily to fortify me against the continued mental assault that is Resident Evil 9: Requiem. This game is terrifying, and every time I think I’ve made progress I end up emptying all my bullets into a nearly unkillable zombie which impales me with an I.V. stand. Occasionally I manage to pull of something spectacular though. The game isn’t gore shy, and even has the protagonist collect infected blood with a doo-hickey so that it can be crafted into bullets and other items. Because blood + scrap metal = bullets. Yep, just go with it. It’s about the most Resident Evil you can get.

If you’re squeamish, it’s probably best to skip the video.

We are making glacial progress (interrupted by Animal Crossing New Horizons) but enjoying the gameplay and puzzles. This is the scariest I have found a Resident Evil game in some time. Resident Evil 4 had its moments, but for the most part it tended towards action elements. This feels closer to the claustrophobic vibe of Resident Evil 2, but with the sillness turned up. It’s a great game all round.