It has begun. You're in the hands of destiny.

Purchases today:

• one Wisper 705 eco e-bike, from Scooter é Motion, Eden Terrace, Auckland: $1699
• a serious business front light: $45
• a serious business lock: $20

And then we were ready for action.

Classy features of the 705 eco:

• Intelligent electrics. Basically, when you switch the motor on, you can control it via a handlebar throttle, like a motorbike. But that burns a lot of power. What's far more efficient is the Pedal Assist mode. Simply put: when you pedal harder, the motor switches on. Or, in other words, the motor switches on automatically when you go uphill, or otherwise make an effort. It basically flattens the landscape.
• Classy old-school accessories, like kickstand, bag carrier and little bell.
• The battery (about the size and weight of a 2.25 litre bottle of Coke) can be lifted out and taken inside for charging.
• Step-through frame, rendering it eminently practical for riding in a dress, as I was today.

First ride: from showroom up New North Road, through Symonds Street, down Wakefield / Mayoral Drive to Queen Street. Parked on Queen Street and hung out for about an hour. Virtually everyone who passed did a double take and asked what was up with the shiny wheels. I suppose I'll get bored with explaining the workings of it to everyone after a while, but still I'm kind of excited.

Getting home was of course the real test. Up Mayoral Drive, Greys Ave and Pitt St to K'Road - got to the top in 3rd gear (out of 7), with Pedal Assist on. A little bit of effort on the pedals, perhaps getting a bit warm and breathing deeply, but no real issues at all. At my level of fitness, doing that on a manual bike would have me puffing like steam engine and barely able to move by the top. A triumph.

Things to get used to:

• Make sure my bag is securely fasted to the carrier. It fell off a ways along K'Road and dragged for a few metres, embarrassingly. Eventually I'll want proper pannier bags.
• Locking bike and taking the keys out of the battery when going inside places.

But other than that... the test drive was a success.

Now, the serious business. Certain friendly folk on the Better Transport forums express scepticism that bike commuting (even e-bike commuting) is feasible for professional women who want to look good once they get to the office. Certainly I think the "lyrca brigades" are responsible for an idea that only serious-business fitness nuts take bicycling seriously. But through the month of September, I will bicycle (from Mt Albert to Grey Lynn, about 5 kms) every working day, wearing vaguely professional clothing, and let you know what happens.

Photos of today to come, insha'allah.