Vailen
Member
Hello everyone. I was an avid mountain biker for about 15 years, from 1995-2010, and did more casual road riding for another 5 years. I was never a competitive cyclist; I just enjoyed the ride. Once I reached my mid-40s, I drifted away from riding the trails because they were becoming more and more difficult for me even though the trails were the same. Feeling restricted to road riding was not very satisfying and, consequently, I slowly ceased riding altogether.
Now I am in my mid-50s, have gained considerable weight, and am not nearly as physically fit as I was a decade ago. Although I have tried other exercise routines none of them could replace being on a bike and enjoying the outdoors.
Earlier this month I visited a bike shop and noticed something I had seen only on occasion: e-bikes. I decided to test ride a few e-bikes…and all of a sudden, my ability to ride, with a little help from a motor, improved dramatically. I felt like I was in my 20s again, and then I had an epiphany: I could go trail-riding again!
I test rode a fat e-bike and absolutely loved the ride. Whether it be the additional cushioning, better grip, or purely psychological, I knew I wanted an e-fat-bike. So, before I spend considerable money on a high-end bike, I wanted to “get my feet wet” first and purchased an entry-level Okai Ranger that was on sale. I have been riding on the roads daily…and that joyous feeling I have while riding has returned. My wife and I ordered a bike rack that can handle the weight of these heavy bikes and installed a new class IV hitch on our Subaru Outback. My wife will also be purchasing her own e-bike next month. When the rack arrives in early November, I will finally be able to ride on the trails for the first time in over 10 years. If my trail-riding days have returned, I will most likely be building my own fat e-bike and be riding the trails weekly.
Now I am in my mid-50s, have gained considerable weight, and am not nearly as physically fit as I was a decade ago. Although I have tried other exercise routines none of them could replace being on a bike and enjoying the outdoors.
Earlier this month I visited a bike shop and noticed something I had seen only on occasion: e-bikes. I decided to test ride a few e-bikes…and all of a sudden, my ability to ride, with a little help from a motor, improved dramatically. I felt like I was in my 20s again, and then I had an epiphany: I could go trail-riding again!
I test rode a fat e-bike and absolutely loved the ride. Whether it be the additional cushioning, better grip, or purely psychological, I knew I wanted an e-fat-bike. So, before I spend considerable money on a high-end bike, I wanted to “get my feet wet” first and purchased an entry-level Okai Ranger that was on sale. I have been riding on the roads daily…and that joyous feeling I have while riding has returned. My wife and I ordered a bike rack that can handle the weight of these heavy bikes and installed a new class IV hitch on our Subaru Outback. My wife will also be purchasing her own e-bike next month. When the rack arrives in early November, I will finally be able to ride on the trails for the first time in over 10 years. If my trail-riding days have returned, I will most likely be building my own fat e-bike and be riding the trails weekly.
