To The Original Poster -
I read the first coupla pages before skipping to the end. I'm approaching 62. Same thing here - body (and mind) not performing as expected.

I grew up on bicycles, but have since gone through long dry spells. My wife and I talked about it for months, and finally bought two pedelecs a coupla weeks ago. Knowing full well this was a big gamble on how much they'd even get used.

There's an old logging road on our property. 30 years ago I tried and failed to pedal up to the top with a mtn. bike. Too steep and long.

This time of the year, the road is covered with slimy leaves and half-rotten branches blown out of the trees, making it vastly more tricky than summer. I pedeleced up to the top while talking with a high school buddy on my phone. He asked what was wrong as I got close to the top cause I was starting to huff & puff. Lived here 40 years, never pedaled a bike to the top before.

Yes, yes, there are places that are legally closed to e-bikes, but for the older person who can't ride like a teenager anymore e-bikes open up more possibilities than they shut down. I mean, really, I'd like to think that I'm gonna go tear up the singletrack but it's probably not gonna happen...

Don't let people with their own agendas dissuade you. Life is too short. If you can afford to, treat yourself.

BTW, I bought a Haibike SDURO Hard Nine 1.0. Medium frame. I would have been curious to try the Large frame but they didn't have one. The SDURO is the cheapest line of Haibike pedelecs. The XDURO's come with Bosch motors, better components, etc.