In November 2014, Helen bought one of the very first Bosch-powered electric bikes we imported into Australia — a Riese & Müller Culture Rohloff she affectionately named "Big Red." Twelve years later, she's now excitedly waiting on Riese & Muller number 3: a Riese & Müller Homage Rohloff. Her much-loved e-bikes haven’t missed a beat for more than a decade — and is a story about why so many riders now see an electric bike as one of the best ways to stay active heading into retirement.
Big Red, Ice Baby, and Now the Homage
Helen came to us in our very first weeks of business, when electric bikes were still a new idea in Australia and Bosch mid-drive systems barely existed here at all. In her words:
"My first ebike was purchased from EBB in their first weeks of business. Even though they were just starting out in a new field of cycling — well, new to Australia — Sam and Nick were professional from the go. So I didn't muck around and got a quality, top-of-the-line bike straight out of the gate. And never looked back."
Big Red, her first Riese & Müller Culture Rohloff, was powered by a Bosch Classic motor with 60Nm of torque — modest by today's standards, but it carried her everywhere for over two years. It was the kind of bike that "rode up, over and through everything," in her words, whether she was commuting to work or heading off on riding holidays. In April 2017, after Big Red had an unfortunate incident with a truck, Helen replaced it with another Culture Rohloff she named "Ice Baby," this time carrying a Bosch Performance Line CX motor with 75Nm of torque — the next generation Bosch and a stronger drive system than Big Red's. As she puts it: "I've been buying the same model over and over in its evolving forms and it just goes." Now, as the Culture has given way to the Homage in Riese & Müller's range, Helen has decided she wants a bit more off-road capability and range for the trails ahead. She is excitedly waiting on her new Riese & Müller Homage Rohloff, built around the latest Gen5 Bosch Performance Line CX Smart System motor (85–120Nm) which is coming with an 800Wh battery plus 250Wh range extender for her new adventures.
Looking at the three bikes side by side, Helen has effectively ridden through Bosch's entire drive system evolution — from the original Classic motor, to the Performance Line CX, to today's Gen5 Smart System — alongside Riese & Müller's own model evolution from Culture to Homage. Few customers anywhere have that kind of first-hand comparison across twelve years on the same brand.
Staying Active Into Retirement
An e-bike is perfect for Queensland's ageing population – for exercise, mental health and a great way to get out and explore. And if you are a long way from retirement an electric bike is a great way to keep you active and fit while life is so busy it isn’t on your radar yet. Helen's own reflection captures why:
"As I head into my 60s and impending retirement, I want to keep enjoying the wind on my face and the ability to head out on a bush track with confidence… And my newest R&M will carry me there."
An e-bike doesn't replace the exercise of cycling — it adjusts how much of the hill or headwind you take on. Helen makes exactly this point about her old commute: "The e-bike takes the pain out of hills and headwinds to whatever level of help you want." It's cycling, just more fun. Helen is pictured above with Murray - who is in his 70's and has his own version of Helen's new bike - and who rides more on a weekly basis than many road cyclists half his age! We also like to put Helen's story alongside two of our octogenarian customer features: Michael Brooke, who at 87 is still riding a Riese & Müller Charger Mixte through Northern NSW's Kyogle Country, and Rob Fletcher, who at 83 completed a 15,000-kilometre loop around Australia on an EBB-supplied Focus e-bike to raise funds for Médecins Sans Frontières and proves, as he puts it, that "you can start something new at 60, 70, 80." Between the four of them, Helen, Murray, Michael, and Rob show that with an ebike you can keep riding long after people might otherwise think.
A Daily Rider, Not a Weekend Fling
What stands out in Helen's story isn't just longevity — it's how hard she's used these bikes. She still rides to work daily, and has crisscrossed the country on solo and group adventures, taking Big Red and Ice Baby "up, over and through everything," joking that "the German Engineers may have gasped and covered their mouths in shock at some of my jollies." Big Red was eventually replaced after being hit by a truck in 2017 — an unlucky moment, but a great testimony to how good Riese & Muller’s frame engineering quality, since the frame came away without a crack. Helen draws a comparison to Germany's own posties, who ride Bosch-powered bikes "through rain, hail and snow" as everyday work transport — proof, in her mind, that a well-built e-bike is meant to be used hard.
That everyday reliability is also a practical, financial argument. Helen makes the comparison: her e-bike is "cheaper than a second hand car; much cheaper than city parking," and she gets to enjoy her "riverside bikeway views" on the commute instead of sitting in traffic or on public transport she'd rather avoid. For a lot of Brisbane commuters — not just retirees — that combination of lower cost and a nicer ride is a big part of why the switch sticks.
Regular Servicing: Happy Bike, Happy Rider
We are a Bosch Accredited Service Centre, and Helen diligently looked after her bikes with our workshop servicing them regularly and helping her keep everything in good running order. Helen's twelve years of riding her Riese & Muller bikes is a great example of what that ongoing relationship looks like in practice.
Electric Bikes Brisbane has stocked and serviced Riese & Müller since importing our first Riese & Müller bike in 2014 — the same month and year Helen bought Big Red from us. Her upcoming Homage Rohloff reflects how both the range and the Bosch drive systems inside it have moved on since: from a 60Nm Classic motor, to a 75Nm Performance Line CX, to today's Gen5 Smart System offering up to 120Nm. If you're curious about the full current range, from cargo and touring models to off-road-capable bikes like Helen's new Homage, our Riese & Müller collection covers the current line-up in detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an electric bike a good option for staying active in retirement?
Yes. An e-bike still requires you to pedal — the motor adjusts how much of a hill or headwind you take on, rather than removing the exercise altogether. This makes it possible to keep riding daily distances, tackle hills with confidence, and stay active well past the point where an unassisted bike might have become too demanding. Helen, one of our longest-standing customers, is heading into her 60s and retirement on her incoming Riese & Müller Homage Rohloff — her third Riese & Müller in twelve years — and describes wanting to keep "the wind on my face" on bush tracks.
How long do Riese & Müller e-bikes actually last with regular use?
With regular servicing, Riese & Müller e-bikes are built for years of daily use rather than occasional weekend rides. Helen has ridden two Riese & Müller bikes over twelve years — Big Red and Ice Baby (both Culture Rohloff models) and soon a Homage Rohloff — as her daily commuter and touring bike, with regular servicing throughout. That kind of long-term ownership record — a customer returning for a third purchase from the same brand over more than a decade — is a good practical indicator of durability.
Is an e-bike cheaper than driving or public transport for commuting?
For many riders it is, once you account for parking, fuel, and vehicle costs. Helen describes her e-bike as "cheaper than a second hand car; much cheaper than city parking," and uses it as her primary way to get to work faster than public transport while avoiding crowded trains and buses. The upfront cost of a premium e-bike is higher than a standard bicycle, but for a daily commuter replacing car trips or public transport, the ongoing savings and time benefits can add up quickly.
Meet the Bikes That Have Carried Helen for Twelve Years
If Helen's story sounds like where you're headed — whether that's easing into retirement, replacing a car commute, or simply wanting a bike built to be ridden hard for many years — come and talk to us at our Milton store. We'll help you find the Riese & Müller model that fits how you actually want to ride. Browse our current Riese & Müller range, read how Michael Brooke and Rob Fletcher are still riding well into their 80s, or contact us to book a test ride.
