Rootman

I'm pushing 60, I just had a 2 year hiatus due to other projects and an injury (or two). I went out Monday and put on 8 miles and thought I was going to have a heart attack tackling the couple of hills coming back from an otherwise pleasant ride. I was kicking around the idea of an ebike, just to assist on the hills. I LIKE pedaling, but putting both derailleurs in 1st and furiously spinning is wearing me out. I have NEVER done hills well. It just doesn't seem to be in me. Even at my best in 2015 I always had issues with hills.

So, what's your story? Time? Distance? Hills? Body issues? Did it make the difference for you so you could keep riding? I'd like to know.

slomoshun

Motivation: Hills everywhere, age, and I prefer to arrive on time and not needing a shower.

eBike.... Way Mo Betta

Doc_Wui

Always been a motorhead. Motors good on bikes,

It was my nice new conventional bike that introduced us to ebikes. We saw them at the shop when I bought my conventional bike in 2015. My wife wanted an ebike and now she has three of them (only rides one). Otherwise, I doubt I would even know about them today. I've only noticed two on the road in Illinois.

Meanwhile, I still ride that conventional bike once in a while. It's the best bike I ever owned (not saying much).

2old

Another arrow(s) in the quiver for me. Still enjoy MTB even after many years, but riding an eMTB is a nice change of pace. I built my wife an eMTB, but usually we ride "non-electrified"). Probably we'll try bikepacking this summer; the "e's" should be along for those rides.

Robert C

For me it was the wind. I found myself working in a town where 30-40mph wind is the norm. I was really starting to consider driving to work. Instead I installed a small (350W) assist motor. It made all the difference in the world for me.

Nightcap

We're still awaiting the arrival of our first e-bike. The Unindicted Co-Conspirator and I would love to ride together, but she hasn't got the stamina. If it gets her out on the bike path, the electric assist will be well worth it.

At this point, I don't see one for me, despite the bike shop owner's assurance that he always sells these in pairs, one at a time.

jasnooks

I don't have an e bike, and probably won't any time soon, but I've often wished I had one during those windy commutes.

rcsting

I bought my E bike to get back into work commuting. My E bike gives me the flexibility to use more assist when needed or lower the assist for more of a workout. My commutes are more enjoyable then ever plus I've dropped 6 pounds in the last 3 weeks by combining cycling and better food choices

Some people consider E bikes " cheating " but its made a huge improvement for me already.

brdeleo49

I bought my ebike about 5 years ago, after dual hip replacement. I didn't ride it much and it probably has less than 500 miles. I was still riding my Ducati Monster more, until recently. I sold the Ducati, and now 15-20 mph is more my "cruising" speed. The ebike has a 6 speed Shimano with a 500w 36amp rear hub motor. I don't have the required 10 posts yet or I would post a pic. I also have an Electra 7 speed that is fun to ride just cruising around the community where I live. Two cruisers that satisfy my different moods when the urge to ride prompts me. Enjoy whatever ebike you decide....

BiciMan

I'm your senior -barely remember 60. I never switched; I just added the e-bike a few years ago. The ebike is great, but it's still the bike I ride the least. It seems to me that your two-year hiatus explains most of your current struggles. Even seasonal breaks affect me more than they did in my younger years, although I try to stay in shape with my AirDyne. That is, it takes me longer to recover my conditioning, flexibility, and muscle strength each spring -and that's without an injury. Then again, the ebike IS, undoubtedly, a great option when the weather sucks -wind or cold, AND yes to ease hill-climbing, especially off the road. The main advantage is that I can save time and energy when I need/want to arrive somewhere quickly, AND not get there spent and SWEATY. Good luck getting in shape, which you will.

InTheRain

I haven't switched. It's just another bike for a different purpose. It's great bad weather commuter. Now with the nicer weather, I'll be on my road bike more often, even for commutes. It's great to have the ebike when other people want to go on a ride with me. They don't have to be in great shape to enjoy the ride and it pushes me enough to make it great exercise. Sometimes you want a sedan, sometimes an SUV, sometimes a truck.

linberl

I hadn't been on a bike in 20 years but wanted to ride once again, so I bought an e-bike. Primarily for the confidence in knowing I would not get stranded somewhere unable to drag myself home. That was 6 years ago; I was 62 and had just retired. FF to today: been riding standard bikes for 5 years and sold the e-bike to another retiree. Love it, have been car-lite 3 years, and going car-free this year. The car free thing depends upon having the OPTION of adding a motor to my e-bike for a very few situations (dragging home 40 lbs of dog food on my trailer, and riding two specific routes with typical Bay Area hills). So I've got a super light easy-to-detach ebike kit coming. I don't want added weight on my super light bike so I wanted a kit I can take off and put on very easily. The kit is a Shareroller friction drive, total weight including battery is 4.5 lbs, range with pedaling around 12-15 miles. I ride for exercise so I don't want to use the motor any more than I need to, but want the ability to say "yes" to whatever ride comes my way. At 68, this should be enough. In ten years I plan to still be riding, and maybe more frequent need for motorization will be required - if so, I'll do it. Whatever keeps me in the saddle is all good. They can bury me with my bike!

HenryL

Not a switch at all, an alternative for commuting. 20 mph, no need for a shower. Pull the wheel and the road bike returns.

Cychologist

justin70

Two main reasons. First is for my dad or father in law to ride with me on the trail. With assist they can easily keep up and everyone has more fun. Second was so I could expand my range into the mountains. There is a park near where I live with 3500 ft elevation gain to the top and over 3000 acres to explore. Difficult to explore much on a regular bike. Just one trip to the top is an epic ride, 20 miles of dirt with 3500 ft of climbing, and that's sticking to the main trail, with an ebike I can get off the main trail to the dozens of little offshoots.

MikeyMK

Got smashed up in a car crash. Looked at options to get about. Could sit on my bike but not pull on the handlebars, so I bought an e-bike.

Having found the potential in it, I built a better one once I'd recovered enough to.

veganbikes

I am not switching just using the e-bike for commuting and utility cycling, all my other bikes will remain analog and I have no plans on buying another e-bike anytime soon at least not until the current one is beyond repair and then I might go Riese and Muller Supercharger or whatever they have in the future with dual intube batteries. Hopefully with Rolhoff E-14 (or whatever is better in that time span) with an even better Brose Motor and two lighter weight intube batteries with maybe a different crank spline or hopefully more crank options (or better spider/chainring options). One can dream.

cyber.snow

drowling23

My motivation for choosing an ebike were:

• Speed and acceleration. I will never be able to manoever as quickly and efficiently with my feet unless I become a pro bike person.
• Safety. If I see a crossing, I know I can make it 100% without any car coming close. With a mechanical bike you need to speed up, it's like a shift stick car - no acceleration.
• Reliability. Ebikes are stupidly expensive (I own a maxed-out R&M Delite Rohloff) but for that you get the most reliable stuff the industry has to offer.
• Distance. I cannot pedal for even 100km let alone 200. With an ebike and Bosch DualBattery, I can!

For me it was a no-brainer. I'm not even talking about knee joint stress and whatnot, ebikes are just so much more fun, you know!

sma11_footprint

I have a few years on you. I like cruising around on my bicycle, but my knees just don't like hills and wind. The e-bike allows me to keep my cadence no matter what the conditions.

NABRXX

I'm 55. I got into pedaling while recovering from a motorcycle accident 10 years ago. My commute to work is 35 miles round trip from Westchester into upper Manhattan. My usual commuter is a Surly long Haul trucker with bags front and back. I found that over the past 10 years my mileage per year has dropped from about 5000 a year to about 3500 a year. I usually only can manage the pedal commute 3 days a week, lately only two and it kicks my ass. I rented a Specialized Levo while vacationing in Vermont and realized that I haven't enjoyed a ride as much in years. I just bought a Raleigh Lore Ei last week and have shortened my commute time to one hour from one hour and forty minutes. I still get a workout, but now I'm smiling while I get it. I still plan to work in a couple of days a week on the Surely for bragging rights, but I love this Raleigh, I've done over 100 miles the last three days and had a blast to boot.

nfmisso

time; if I commute by regular bike, it is a bit over an hour each way; if I drive it is about 20-25 minutes in the morning and ~1 hour in the late afternoon. With my ebike, it is 30-35 minutes each way, and I still get some peddling in. An hour a day is worth a great deal to me, even 20-25 minutes is valuable, and very little day to day expense for the ebike compared to driving costs.

erileykc

Why does it have to be a matter of switching to an electric bike? I'm contemplating an e-assist bike now ( and cruising the e bike forums ) because I've been seduced by the Jump pedelec rental bikes available here now, no wait I mean I'm looking at an ebike as a way to extend my range and route options and finally sell my twenty year old Subaru. I don't see it as a reason to sell my other bikes or reduce how much I ride them. I've been riding between six and thirty miles a day for the last twenty years and driving the car perhaps once a month when there is no other way to accomplish a task. At nearly seventy bike riding is the only thing that stands between me and being an old man.

NoPhart

jhoblho

Fun. My non-motorized bike was okay, but an electric assist gives me incentive to bike rather than use the car.