Today we're bringing you a first look with a difference – for this is the Elephant bike, and it’s one of 5,000 near identical ex-Royal Mail bicycles that will be refurbished and sold on by Staffordshire based charity the Krizevac Project. Currently on sale for just £250, it not only represents excellent value for money but it’ll actually make a difference to the lives of less bike-fortunate people.
You can read more about the Elephant bike and its heart-warming story in our original article here, but right now we wanted to give those who are thinking of investing in one a better idea of exactly what to expect – and what better way to do so than by getting hold of one and taking it for a quick spin?
First, here’s a little background. Once a familiar sight in the UK, these bikes were produced by England’s longest established bicycle manufacturer Pashley, and their dependable performance plus the pedal power of the posties ensured the people of the UK got their post on time… at times. Originally known as the Mailstar, the model ran from 2001, with a similar version of the bike still being sold by Pashley under the Pronto model name.
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One person's trash is another's treasure
Back in 2010, Royal Mail announced its sad decision to scrap bicycles for safety reasons, and now, for Royal Mail at least, the two-wheeled postie has gone the way of the dodo. Every cloud has a silver lining though, and thanks to the people behind Elephant bike many of these bikes will continue their good work on another continent. That’s because for every person who stumps up for an Elephant bike, the people at the charity will ship one to Malawi, Africa, where it’ll make a real difference to the lives of locals – with proceeds also being diverted to a children's charity in the African nation.
An original Royal Mail 'Mailstar' bike as produced by Pashley
So, what’s it like to ride?
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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