Hi from CO, wife has e bike and I'm looking for one

[dickshe]

Bought my wife a marin sausalito e2 for x mas, we never have never riddne together much because she is a slower rider than I , so thinking the ebike is a solution. However she is 67, I am 72, I've been a cyclist for 50+ yrs, been riding a 20 yr old Fuji Absolute and was looking at a new bike.non e bike, however I have a lot of arthritic joints - back, knees, hips, neck, but shoulders never bothered me much until recently riding in colder weather and upper arms/shoulders are aching. So looking for advice from other arthritic riders as to how effective an upright riding position is for mitigating shoulder pain. This will help me in choosing an e bike, currently considering a yamaha crosscore rc as it checks many of the boxes for me and has a moderate upright position and it's not too heavy at 53 lbs. Thanks for any comments. Reside in the Grand Junction area which good biking.

 

[munirider]

Welcome, I'm close by here on the western slope in Ridgway.

I like an upright riding position due to an neck injury a long time ago, works for me. It also reduces pressure on my hands and wrists which give me some trouble. A couple of option besides finding a bike with a shorter top tube are. replacing the stem with a shorter one with rise, and or handlebars with rise, also moving the seat forward, . For the price of the Yamaha you mention I would think you could get something with full suspension, I don't know though as I haven't been looking but it would be a lot better for ridding comfort. If you do most or all of your ridding on pavement you would be fine with just a suspension seat post.

 

[dickshe]

Welcome, I'm close by here on the western slope in Ridgway.

I like an upright riding position due to an neck injury a long time ago, works for me. It also reduces pressure on my hands and wrists which give me some trouble. A couple of option besides finding a bike with a shorter top tube are. replacing the stem with a shorter one with rise, and or handlebars with rise, also moving the seat forward, . For the price of the Yamaha you mention I would think you could get something with full suspension, I don't know though as I haven't been looking but it would be a lot better for ridding comfort. If you do most or all of your ridding on pavement you would be fine with just a suspension seat post.

The yamaha crosscore RC checks a lot of boxes for me - weight (55lbs) mid motor, speed, range, decent components. My son who lives in Telluride bought me a used specialized stump rider a few yrs back but I've rarely used it, for the e bike will mainly ride paved or flat dirt roads. Found a sire where the yamaha is going for $2k so for what one gets seems reasonable. Not a whole lot of hybrid e bikes that are under 60 lbs in that price range. I like your area, have camped, hunted and fished around there - fished the reservoir and camped/hunted over at silverjack and owl creek pass. And also have attended several telluride music festivals. Recent to me this fall/winter is the aching shoulders from riding in cooler 45 degree weather on my 20 yr old fuji , don't know if it's the age of the frame or the worn tires but it transmits way too much feedback and yes my hands and wrists now get tired and achy from rides which are now shorter than yrs back. appreciate the feedback.

 

[munirider]

Looks like a good choice, I like the mid drive, I don't know anything about Yamaha e-bikes but I have always liked Yamaha, motorcycles and musical instruments. I have an older TW200 but I haven't ridden it since I got my e-bikes built. I have an older 26" full suspension Felt mountain bike with a Bafang BBSHD kit, it's nice that you can ride on most trails and it's so quiet!

 

[Edmund Shane]

At 80 and a daily gym enthusiast with some physical limitations the Lectric XP 3 (76 pounds,20 inch wheels, folds), has been a good fit.

 

[Smaug]

I'm younger and don't have any arthritis yet, but it is always a balance: with a more upright riding position, you'll have more weight on your butt, so a big comfortable seat is more important. Shocks in the road will go right up your back.

With a leaned-forward position, you'll have more weight on your wrists, elbows and shoulders, and you have to look up while riding. Shocks go into those joints instead.

You should make the decision based upon which joints can take the shocks better.

I looked at Yamaha eBikes for awhile, but they don't have much local support, unless your motorcycle dealer will support them? (worth looking into) Trek are about the same price and have bike shops everywhere that can help. Which shop is closer to your home? Which one has better customer service?

For what it's worth, I don't think you need to spend that much money to get a good eBike. I have an Aventon that is very good quality and costs a lot less (1/2?) than what a Yamaha does. Their Pace 500.3 [LINK] might fit the bill for you. I notice that Yamaha doesn't make any eBikes where the handlebar is higher than the seat.

 

[Edmund Shane]

My wife bought the Lectric XP Light (46 pounds), loves it.

 

[Pinhead]

Bought my wife a marin sausalito e2 for x mas, we never have never riddne together much because she is a slower rider than I , so thinking the ebike is a solution. However she is 67, I am 72, I've been a cyclist for 50+ yrs, been riding a 20 yr old Fuji Absolute and was looking at a new bike.non e bike, however I have a lot of arthritic joints - back, knees, hips, neck, but shoulders never bothered me much until recently riding in colder weather and upper arms/shoulders are aching. So looking for advice from other arthritic riders as to how effective an upright riding position is for mitigating shoulder pain. This will help me in choosing an e bike, currently considering a yamaha crosscore rc as it checks many of the boxes for me and has a moderate upright position and it's not too heavy at 53 lbs. Thanks for any comments. Reside in the Grand Junction area which good biking.

I am lucky I have NO physical conditions at all but why would I not want an upright seating position, it is way more comfortable. Check handlebars on mine with risers

 

[hugh]

Look into a trike, there are some models that have a slightly higher seat height which makes it easy to get on and off and come with e assist. No back pain, no wrist pain and your head sits at an angle that makes it easy to look around. There is a company called Utah Trikes that has a good selection.

 

[Edmund Shane]

Pinhead: Yes, consider an eTrike. My Trailmate RS Stretch recumbent conversion eTrike suits my 80 year old body just fine—very relaxing for arms and shoulders. Unfortunately, Trailmate has discontinued this model. However, a quick online search will give you a plethora of eTrike options. I believe Radbike makes a recumbent trike model. The downside is cost—a little more than two wheelers.

 

[Edmund Shane]

Pinhead: Sorry, correct me. It is the Addmotor that makes a recumbent eTrik—$3,199. I have not spoken with any owners, but the brand is reputable. RadMotor makes an eTrike but it is not recumbent. For you wife’s physical issues I would definitely consider the recumbent. My wife is 73 with arthritic issues—likes my “recumbent”, will at some point want to switch from her two wheel Lectric Light. Plus the recumbent is great for balance and stability which is one of my 80 year old issues.

 

[Edmund Shane]

Pinhead: Sorry again—I just reread your post, “your arthritic issues“. Everything in my post re the benefits of “recumbent”, may aptly be applied to you.. Again, sorry, my bad.

 

[Larry T]

I'm younger and don't have any arthritis yet, but it is always a balance: with a more upright riding position, you'll have more weight on your butt, so a big comfortable seat is more important. Shocks in the road will go right up your back.

With a leaned-forward position, you'll have more weight on your wrists, elbows and shoulders, and you have to look up while riding. Shocks go into those joints instead.

You should make the decision based upon which joints can take the shocks better.

I looked at Yamaha eBikes for awhile, but they don't have much local support, unless your motorcycle dealer will support them? (worth looking into) Trek are about the same price and have bike shops everywhere that can help. Which shop is closer to your home? Which one has better customer service?

For what it's worth, I don't think you need to spend that much money to get a good eBike. I have an Aventon that is very good quality and costs a lot less (1/2?) than what a Yamaha does. Their Pace 500.3 [LINK] might fit the bill for you. I notice that Yamaha doesn't make any eBikes where the handlebar is higher than the seat.

Good points! More weight on your rear-end changes things. My e-gravel bike puts me more upright than my Italian steel beauties did and I'm changing saddles as a result. New-fangled t-shirt sized frames are great for the biz in reducing SKU's but not so great for those riding them :-(

 

[Annieolnie]

Hi, you are a cyclist so in my opinion, you may really want a bike with a torque sensor, which has a much more natural feel. My one thought now would be to buy an adjustable stem, there are a bunch on Amazon from 15 to 30 dollars. It will take you about 10 minutes to put on and you can move its hieght all over the place and see where your body feels more comfortable. As long as the front of your stem comes off, you can switch them around very easily. You may want to look at ebikes that have that ability. My favorite new bike that's out is the Velotric Discover 2. They've added a torque sensor and a lot of new features. I have their Go 1 cargo bike. It's a ton of fun but I wish it had the sensor and the controller options of the Discover 2. Watching YouTube videos will show you what each bike can do. Good luck.