dukeloo
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What type of ebike is the best for Senior Citizens? What are your thoughts?
Best ebike for Seniors
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procreator
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I suggest a step-thru with a throttle. Step-thru for easier access. Throttle for when you run into hills or headwind.
You also need to consider if weight is an issue.
You also need to consider if weight is an issue.
Catseye
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yup. Especially on the throttle option. Starting from a standstill at intersections and starting on inclines is much easier and safer with the throttle.
SDGuitarMan
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This. If you've never ridden a motorized two-wheel vehicle it might take a couple of rides to get used to the throttle but most commercially available ebikes have a pretty gentle throttle response.
"A"
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I think something like these electric trikes, not so low to the ground (as the tadpole recumbent trikes) so rider can get on/off easily.
My in-laws (in their mid 80's) have been riding 2-wheel fat tire ebikes before COVID,
now have stability issues, difficult to balance 2-wheel ebikes for extended amount of time.
Trike would negate that balance issue.
Less flexible these days, to low to the ground seating presents difficulty.
I've been looking to get one for them to try out, just need to find one with very short ride height and short crankarms. (4' 8" rider, with short legs).
Alibaba can ship, but currently the cost for shipping is still insane, and minimum quantity for order is 4 or 5 units.
My in-laws (in their mid 80's) have been riding 2-wheel fat tire ebikes before COVID,
now have stability issues, difficult to balance 2-wheel ebikes for extended amount of time.
Trike would negate that balance issue.
Less flexible these days, to low to the ground seating presents difficulty.
I've been looking to get one for them to try out, just need to find one with very short ride height and short crankarms. (4' 8" rider, with short legs).
Alibaba can ship, but currently the cost for shipping is still insane, and minimum quantity for order is 4 or 5 units.
procreator
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There are other options available, for example: https://www.libertytrike.com/products/liberty-trike
A local bike store may have etrikes available, at least I've seen them around here.
A local bike store may have etrikes available, at least I've seen them around here.
JerryB
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Age...health.....terrain.....money.....purpose for riding.....all play a factor......I love my step thru folding ebike......great exercise.....I take it camping......the help on hills is great.......everybody is different.
1dash1
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For ease of access, I suggest that you consider a step thru or open frame design. Makes mounting and dismounting much easier. And stay away from the mid-step thru models ... they really don't work very well for stepping through. Invariably, owners end up lifting their leg over the side like they do on a regular bike.
As far as sizing recommendations, don't believe the manufacturer's recommendations. They may say that their bike is suitable for riders 5'2" to 6'5" tall, but don't expect to feel comfortable if you're at either the low end or the at the high end of that range.
Mid drive or hub motor ... I'd suggest that you base this decision on your budget. There are a lot of quality hub driven e-bikes on the market for under $2K. You'd have to spend around $3K to get a similar build quality mid-drive.
Motor size, battery capacity. Bigger is better, right? You don't know what you're getting until you've got it. That's true of whether we're talking about battery life, top speed, rideability, or any of the other factors that you base your purchase decision on. Most of the time you're lucky to get a set of full specs from the manufacturer plus a few anecdotal bike reviews. Hardly enough information to base your decision upon. Moreover, I suggest that what you're looking for in a bike CHANGES over time. What you think is important now, may change drastically after you've ridden your bike for a while.
For example, one of the things that I noticed is my concept of speed. When I first received my e-bike I was enamored by how fast it could go ... so I rode it as fast as conditions allowed me. After a while, it dawned on me that there was no reason for me to bike so fast (and plenty of good reasons for biking more slowly, like getting more exercise in). I now ride my bike 8-10 mph slower than I used to and I'm a lot more comfortable doing so. While there is no way for you to know now how riding the bike will change you, I'd suggest that you WILL change. So, getting back to the "bigger is better" question, while getting the biggest motor and the largest battery gives you the most flexibility to operate your bike ... power, speed, and range may turn out to be not that important for running your day-to-day errands.
A related issue is aging. How you ride your bike will change as you age. I figure that the lifespan of my ebike is around 5 years. If I get 5 years out of it without any significant breakdowns, I'll be happy. Moreover, with the rate of technological innovation, I expect that I will want to buy another bike about that time. I hope that the aging process is slow enough at my age (68) for me to maintain my riding style for at least that long a time period, but you never know.
Security. I think most people buy their bikes without thinking about how they are going to secure their bikes. Where and how will they secure the bikes at home, at work, at the park, at the grocery store? A $5K e-bike is a prime target. If you're going to spend that much on a bike, be sure to spend a good amount of time and effort securing it. My bike is secured with a 10mm hardened steel security chain anchored to a foundational wall of my carport and the bike is parked recessed within the carport (away from prying eyes). Someone is home nearly all of the time and my neighborhood consists of mostly retirees, so I think the risk of theft is reasonably low. I'm not out to stop a professional bike thief. I'm only trying to discourage vagrants or druggies that might happen to be looking for easy pickings. I also installed an Apple Airtag for GPS tracking, if the bike should ever be stolen.
As far as specific bike recommendations, I can only share my experience of owning a Magicycle Ocelot Pro. It's a capable bike, ready to handle anything from dirt trails to city roads. By adding a Suntour NCX suspension seatpost, it feels like a bike with full suspension. I like it because it allows me to sit with an erect posture, instead of being haunched over the handlebar. It's nimble. It's fun to ride. If you're interested in more information, check out Magicycle's Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4346764052074707/
As far as sizing recommendations, don't believe the manufacturer's recommendations. They may say that their bike is suitable for riders 5'2" to 6'5" tall, but don't expect to feel comfortable if you're at either the low end or the at the high end of that range.
Mid drive or hub motor ... I'd suggest that you base this decision on your budget. There are a lot of quality hub driven e-bikes on the market for under $2K. You'd have to spend around $3K to get a similar build quality mid-drive.
Motor size, battery capacity. Bigger is better, right? You don't know what you're getting until you've got it. That's true of whether we're talking about battery life, top speed, rideability, or any of the other factors that you base your purchase decision on. Most of the time you're lucky to get a set of full specs from the manufacturer plus a few anecdotal bike reviews. Hardly enough information to base your decision upon. Moreover, I suggest that what you're looking for in a bike CHANGES over time. What you think is important now, may change drastically after you've ridden your bike for a while.
For example, one of the things that I noticed is my concept of speed. When I first received my e-bike I was enamored by how fast it could go ... so I rode it as fast as conditions allowed me. After a while, it dawned on me that there was no reason for me to bike so fast (and plenty of good reasons for biking more slowly, like getting more exercise in). I now ride my bike 8-10 mph slower than I used to and I'm a lot more comfortable doing so. While there is no way for you to know now how riding the bike will change you, I'd suggest that you WILL change. So, getting back to the "bigger is better" question, while getting the biggest motor and the largest battery gives you the most flexibility to operate your bike ... power, speed, and range may turn out to be not that important for running your day-to-day errands.
A related issue is aging. How you ride your bike will change as you age. I figure that the lifespan of my ebike is around 5 years. If I get 5 years out of it without any significant breakdowns, I'll be happy. Moreover, with the rate of technological innovation, I expect that I will want to buy another bike about that time. I hope that the aging process is slow enough at my age (68) for me to maintain my riding style for at least that long a time period, but you never know.
Security. I think most people buy their bikes without thinking about how they are going to secure their bikes. Where and how will they secure the bikes at home, at work, at the park, at the grocery store? A $5K e-bike is a prime target. If you're going to spend that much on a bike, be sure to spend a good amount of time and effort securing it. My bike is secured with a 10mm hardened steel security chain anchored to a foundational wall of my carport and the bike is parked recessed within the carport (away from prying eyes). Someone is home nearly all of the time and my neighborhood consists of mostly retirees, so I think the risk of theft is reasonably low. I'm not out to stop a professional bike thief. I'm only trying to discourage vagrants or druggies that might happen to be looking for easy pickings. I also installed an Apple Airtag for GPS tracking, if the bike should ever be stolen.
As far as specific bike recommendations, I can only share my experience of owning a Magicycle Ocelot Pro. It's a capable bike, ready to handle anything from dirt trails to city roads. By adding a Suntour NCX suspension seatpost, it feels like a bike with full suspension. I like it because it allows me to sit with an erect posture, instead of being haunched over the handlebar. It's nimble. It's fun to ride. If you're interested in more information, check out Magicycle's Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4346764052074707/
"A"
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One of the lessons that I learned as I get older is that I often forget how much physical strength & stamina I have left after a good ride.
Coming to a stop, putting my foot down and trying to catch myself balancing a 400-600 lb. motorcycle is something that I have done for decades; but there are times when I have logged hours in the saddle and come to stop, forgetting how much strength I need and nearly dump my bike.
Similarly with the elderly, they may be fine while riding 2-wheel, but when coming to a stop; have less strength to steady themselves & the ebike.
Hence the idea that trikes may be better option than 2-wheel ebikes for the elderly; all it takes is one fall when you're older.
Coming to a stop, putting my foot down and trying to catch myself balancing a 400-600 lb. motorcycle is something that I have done for decades; but there are times when I have logged hours in the saddle and come to stop, forgetting how much strength I need and nearly dump my bike.
Similarly with the elderly, they may be fine while riding 2-wheel, but when coming to a stop; have less strength to steady themselves & the ebike.
Hence the idea that trikes may be better option than 2-wheel ebikes for the elderly; all it takes is one fall when you're older.
Snoop
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My thoughts are similar to “A”s. I think it depend on age, ability and fall risks.
If you think that you are at significant risk of injury from a fall, consider a trike. I’ve seen several folks riding them around my parts here, and they look pretty fun. Plus there is the extra storage capacity which they offer. It’s like having a bike with a trunk, which can be handy.
I came across a gentleman riding back from a local fair on his trike, and he told me his rear cargo was full of fried waffles to take home and eat later.
If you think that you are at significant risk of injury from a fall, consider a trike. I’ve seen several folks riding them around my parts here, and they look pretty fun. Plus there is the extra storage capacity which they offer. It’s like having a bike with a trunk, which can be handy.
I came across a gentleman riding back from a local fair on his trike, and he told me his rear cargo was full of fried waffles to take home and eat later.
Snoop
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I didn’t click on the poll, but if you want to go with 2 wheels, I would probably avoid the Class 3’s, get a Class 2 for the throttle option, and motor drive would depend more on your terrain (hub if mostly flat, mid-drive if hilly).
F
Freddy1
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I'm 70 years old have both a step through mid drive (no throttle) and a 750W 25Amp controller geared rear hub fat bike with throttle. Both have their strengths. The step through is light and simple, like a bicycle. The fat bike is more like a VERY lightweight 'motorcycle'.
Personally, I find the fat bike WAY more comfortable and less effort to ride.
Personally, I find the fat bike WAY more comfortable and less effort to ride.
For a senior who haven't been on a bike in years 3 wheel to avoid the learning curve of starting, stoping and low speed turns that require good balance.
