“Quicker by bicycle than car” says 94-year-old

When I reach 94, I want to be like Ernest Slade. Not only is he blessed with a large and loving family, which extends to a great-great-grandson, but he leads such an active lifestyle that he regularly cycles four miles to a local lake where he sails a dinghy.

We are proud to say that Ernest is our oldest cycle insurance customer. He came to my own attention when he recently made a claim for accidental damage to his trusty electric bicycle. I wrote to him and he was kind enough to invite me to his home for a cup of tea and a natter about the bike makes from a bygone era like BSA, Rudge and Hercules.

When Ernest retired 28 years ago, he wanted to save the money he was spending on his car so he traded it in for a bicycle, which he now uses every day. When he isn’t off to the local lake for a sail, he is using it for local errands – he even travels the one-and-a-half miles to his doctor.

People often overlook the benefits of a bicycle as a mobility aid, but as Ernest explains to me, whilst he may not be able to walk too far, his electric-assist bicycle allows him to travel for miles. And as he points out, “It’s quicker by bike than it is by car”.

It was a privilege to meet Ernest. He is an amazing example to us all.  Listen to our chat in full below.

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For over 27 years we have been providing straightforward, affordable bicycle insurance and in 2016 we were voted Britain’s most ethical insurer.

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