Originally Posted by
CAT7RDR
At 55 y/o I am not ready for an assist with an electric motor. I have done my research and my next modification after wearing out my 6800 50/34, 11-28 gearing is to have a more climbing friendly 11-34 cassette.
IMHO, the argument is an e-bike will allow one to climb hills one would not be able to do under human power alone. Good, I get it. My observation is I only see e-bikes around the beach coastal trails and river trails in SoCal. I do not see e-bikes in the canyons and mountain roads I frequent. Still recreational, but lets be honest, not much effort is required on the flats.
I'm 65 and I don't see one in my immediate future, either, but a friend who was a good road rider now rides an e-bike with mods and extra batteries. To go on a 60 mile hilly ride he needs at least 2 batteries. He also pushed me up a few hills when I was tired.
I have another friend who rides an e-trike. This guy has raced road and velodrome and did club rides for decades. He goes in the hills and canyons on it.
Mostly I have seen assisted mtb riders on the trails, even saw a group of around a dozen young men on trails near Rocky Peak. I even saw one on the road today on the way up to Mount Baldy.