Remember When…
Remember when you were a kid and riding a bicycle was one of the great joys of life. The wind in your hair and sunshine on your face. It was pure heaven. Thanks to electric bicycles that feeling can be yours again
There was an old lady in the small town where I grew up in the sixties. She rode her bike every day, in a skirt and a proper hat. This was unusual because at that time and in that place adults didn’t ride bikes. I remember thinking I’m going to be like her, I’m never going to stop riding my bicycle.
Now I’m that old lady on a bicycle and I admire that lady from my home town even more because if you’re like me you know that just not as easy as it used to be. The hills get higher and the road gets longer and my body just doesn’t respond the way it used to. My knees scream going uphill!
Then Came the Electric BicyclesThen I discovered the electric bike or e-bike. It was amazing! I tried one out at the bike shop before buying and of course, I put the pedal-assist up to its highest gear. It was like being a kid again. I literally laughed out loud from the thrill.
Things You Need to Know BEFORE Buying an Electric Bike
- Electric bikes can be more expensive than a standard bike.
- Electric bikes are heavier than a standard bike
- Because they are heavier, you’re going to need a specialized carrier for your vehicle designed to handle the bigger load.
- Do you want to only ride on the street or do you want a bike for trails?
- Electric bikes can be throttle or pedal assist
- Step through or bar across the top
- Fenders
- What’s a hardtail?
Cost, Weight, and Carrier
It only makes sense that an electric bicycle would cost more. They have a high tech battery to store the charge you need but its size has to fit a bicycle. You pay for this. There is also the weight of the motor to consider and the style of bike, mountain, cruiser, etc. Finally, what is the frame bike you’re buying made from? There is a wide variety of prices for bikes and generally, you get what you pay for. A less expensive bike might be a good way to try out an electric bike. On the other hand, there is a difference in the quality of ride between an inexpensive bike and a higher-end bike.
You will also need to get a specialized ebike carrier for your vehicle. This is because the heavier bike needs a stronger frame. Additionally, you will need to make sure you can lift the ebike in and out of the carrier. Unfortunately, as we age we lose upper body strength, so this can be a problem. I guess the good news is that if you lift the ebike into and out of the carrier on a regular basis, it might help keep some of that upper body strength.
Where Are You Going?
Your choice of electric bicycle also geared to where you intend to ride. Are you going to be mostly on pavement or are you hitting the trails? Trails you, say? But I’m too old for trails. My older brother is 70y and goes trail riding all the time, along with many other seniors. https://emountainbikingforseniors.com Check it out!
To Have a Throttle Or To Not Have A Throttle
Electric bicycles can vary in many ways but one of the most important is whether or not they have a throttle. A throttle lets you turn your ebike into a kind of lower power motorcycle. Just like on a motorcycle, you have a twist throttle that you can turn and you don’t have to peddle. A nice feature if you get tired and don’t want to peddle home. On the other hand, there are pure peddle assist bikes. The energy provides various degrees of power to your peddles to give you a boost when you need it. It’s like a standard bike, you don’t peddle you don’t go. Some are a combination. The problem: Some parks and campgrounds ban bikes with throttles. Check the places you like to go to and choose wisely.
Bar or No Bar
Not having the top crossbar on the bike is also a choice with electric bikes. This means that if you can’t swing your leg up and over the bike seat, then you can just step through. Problem solved. Personally, I can get my leg over but it hurts. Since I don’t believe in unnecessary pain and thinking about the future, I got a step-through. As a girl and a young woman, I wouldn’t have been caught dead on a “girl’s bike”. You live, you learn. Again, think about what you need or can live with.
Speaking of unnecessary pain, get a bike seat that suits you and the way you ride. In my younger years, I had the tiny, unpadded, leather bike seat. Now my posterior is wider and my back doesn’t absorb the bumps it used to, so I have a nice padded seat. Very comfy. You can also get them with springs if you need more. Get what works for you. No need for pain.
The Suspension
The suspension on your electric bicycle is important. You can get suspension on the rear of your bike and/or the front. A hardtail is a bike with no rear suspension so it’s not very forgiving on the bumps, but it’s not as much of a problem as not having front suspension. I recommend that you spend the cash and at least get the front suspension, Why front? The back is where you’re going to feel the bumps the most, right? Right, except if you are going over washboard roads or roots or cobblestones, you will feel it all through your arms. One time I went for a ride on a lovely trail, not a technical trail, on a bike with no front or rear suspension. I didn’t count on the tree roots. The only thing that hurt after the ride was my arms and shoulders. Get front suspension.
Fenders
I highly recommend front and rear unless you’re doing some heavy-duty mountain biking. https://emountainbiking for seniors.com A rear fender will prevent mud and water from spraying up your back and a front fender keeps it out your face. They can vary in size from full fenders to fenders that are hardly there at all. Again, it depends on what you’re doing.
So I’m Ready to Buy an Electric Bicycle…Could be. I didn’t know much more than this when I bought mine a year and a half ago. However, even in such a short time, there is much more to choose from and a much broader price range. You can buy a bike now or you may want to research a little more. I hope I have got you at least a little interested in finding an electric bike. They are fabulous. In a future blog, I’ll show you some bikes and their prices.If you want to look a little more at electric bicycles. I recommend the following two links and anything you can find. I can’t say enough about the possibilities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rQmnj8IeBwhttps://theseniorsworld.com/best-electric-bike-for-seniors/
Get off the couch and go! Happy riding wherever you may go.
But Before You Go
*Check with your physician before beginning any new exercise or changing your existing exercise, especially if you have andy pre-existing health conditions