Machka 

I didn't entirely read the OP's post as "throwing in the towel" and I didn't say anything about the idea that buying an e-bike is somehow being a quitter, I was actually reading your post as "throwing in the towel". And your post reminded me of others I've encountered who have hit 50 and figure that they're ready for the walker and rocking chair life.

ironwood

I used to think 70 was old, but as I'm about to turn 77 in a few months, I'll move "old" up to eighty five.

Someone suggested that the word "old" should be banned from this forum. So should the word "elderly".

I don't care if the OP gets an E-bike, but I would encourage him not to worry about turning sixty. During my sixties, I hiked in the Alps and Pyrennies, biked, skiied and snowshoed etc. I don't know if you can turn back the aging process, but you can accept it and make some adjustments, and enjoy that time.

Gerryattrick

Getting an e-bike is not throwing in the towel and it is unfair for a fit and healthy person to say so without knowing the individual circumstances. One can still get good exercise using an e-bike, in fact if it encourages someone to take up cycling who would otherwise not have the confidence in their fitness to start riding, it is to be encouraged.

If someone needs a walking stick to keep them mobile is that throwing in the towel?

texaspandj

When I get to the point (due to age or health) where I need assistance, I will Refuse to purchase an ebike!
Instead, I'll get my Ironman retrofitted to a internal seat tube/bottom bracket motor "Like The Pros".

jon c. 

But if you're going to hug your e-bike, it would be cleaner to get one with a belt drive.

Machka 

And I didn't say that, did I. Please quote the person you're actually referring to.


I agree!!

It's funny ... when I was in my 20s and even into my early 30s, I looked at 50 as "old". Now that I am 50, and feel as good as I did when I was in my late 20s and early 30s, 50 isn't anywhere near old. In fact, I'm "embracing change" by attending university to get another degree because I'll probably be working for another 20 years.

So yes, to the OP, so what if you are in your late 50s. You can still be as strong and durable. Why not??

And I'm still puzzled by this statement: "Haven't owned a truck in over 35 years, but I bought one today."

Maelochs

She's Right! I didn't even have my first heart surgery until I was after 50!



I deeply respect you and Rowan, Machka, and what you do is pretty amazing. Glad you have found your paths. Me, if I could do 100 miles a week I would feel like a superhero.

And I live in Flatahoma, where a two percent hill is A Hill ....

And as far as hills go ... pushing a bike up a hill is Not fun. No shame involved ... just reality, but no Fun involved, either. If I needed e-assist to get up a hill .... I'd rather have e-assist than walk. Getting that pedal in the calf a couple times ....

Here, I compensate by avoiding all the roads which might make me walk. I am saving them for later, when I hope to be in better shape .... I can get there by hoping, right?

BikeArkansas

Due to injuries, more than one, I switched to a trike instead of an E-bike. Yes, at 68, I am getting older, but I believe exercise is so important it has moved into my top echelon of priorities. With the trike I enjoy great exercise and slip past the injuries. I have a little Miata if I want to zip around under power. I ride the trike for exercise.

big john

It's a divisive topic. Recently our club president quit over the possible inclusion of e-bikes on our rides, (they have been banned), and another prominent rider has also quit coming out.

The funny thing is, there are only 3 or 4 e-bikes that show up and it's rare that they do (club has over 400 members).

The main issue I see is you could have a rider who doesn't know how to ride in a group suddenly able to keep up with a fast group. On the other hand, I have a friend who now rides an e-bike after many years of group rides, so he is safe and never a problem.

As for me, I'm 63 and a little overweight and not in the shape I was even 5 years ago, but I still prefer to do all the climbs under my own power. I'm not ready for a motor yet. I won't say never, but I hope never.

ironwood

In a previous post I wrote that "old" might be 85 yrs. I've decided to bump it up to ninety.

Maelochs

ironwood and Carbonfiberbiy are either outliers here to disrupt all our statistics or are the same 22-year-old troll living in mom's basement guzzling Mountain Dew.

I knew a guy like them when I did spinning ... said he didn't slow down until about age 77 ... he didn't slow down, it just started taking longer to recover. He was 82 and still going strong.

Bunch of freaks.

Me, at the rate i am going I will need to live to 90 to meet my weight-loss goals.

I am more with @BikeArkansas on e-bikes ... I can get a trike with a 22-65 low gear or something ... I might need to pack a lunch and dinner to get to the store to buy lunch and dinner, but I will get there.

ironwood

Only in America....

OldsCOOL

Thanx for the grin as I get ready for a little snowride.

Classtime 

There is an ELECTRIC MOTOR POWERED BIKE sub forum. Sharing motor-bike experiences here in an attempt to collect approvals for your decision to stop pedaling and thereby allowing you to maintain a positive self image as a cyclist should be discouraged. Get back on your bike or take it to the motor-bike sub forum.

"Hello. I'm Jeff and I hate e-bikes"

B. Carfree

Apparently e-bikes are now about 1.4% of all bikes sold in the US and growing by as much as 70% per year. Since the majority of bikes sold in the US are Wally-world bike-shaped objects, ebikes are now a very noticeable portion of the market for bicycles that cost over $1000 (just estimating from the numbers, perhaps 5%). I think it's a bit of an overstatement at this point to describe e-bikes as sweeping the industry, but considering the trend might be bigger in Europe and is definitely bigger in Japan and China, it's either going to be a fiery crash and burn fad or e-bikes are coming to a hill near you.

Since I live in a community where cycling is dying, I support whatever shows promise for getting people on saddles. Riding back into town a while back, there was someone on a bike half a kilometer ahead of me. I fully expected to catch him on the next small rise and was surprised that he stayed a hundred meters in front. Then I noticed his rear hub and laughed at myself. To be honest, that was the only person on a bike I saw on that entire 100 km ride. If I was living where cycling was growing, I might feel less enthusiastic about e-bikes, but since they appear to be keeping some aging/injured riders going and also attracting new riders, I embrace the concept, even if I hope to not need one for decades.

https://cyclingindustry.news/u-s-ele...cycleelectric/

https://www.statista.com/statistics/...s-of-bicycles/

Maelochs

Definitely one side of the issue.

This thread should have been titled "E-bike controversy thread, Round whatever"

Some cyclists irrationally hate e-bikes, as if someone on an electric moped somehow tarnishes their glorious achievements of puffing up a hill in the granny gear while dreaming of wearing yellow, or whatever.

Some see e-bikes as an affront to riders who "do the work," as if their sweating and panting while out playing is somehow ennobling.

Little kids run around and play because it is natural. Adults who run around and play think they are superior beings. Go figure.

Some think e-bikes are for lazy people who don't want to exercise, despite the fact that they are "E-ASSIST" bikes which still need to be pedaled, and despite the many stories about people who would not or could not ride if they didn't have the e-assist---like the elderly couple who circles my neighborhood in the evening---I can barely restrain myself from rushing out and knocking them over, shouting "Now push those things home, and if you die in the attempt, the world would be better off!"

Because I am clearly superior, burning exactly the same amount of energy riding my unassisted bike.

It all comes down to the Us vs. Them dynamic, and the basic insecurity of most people—“If you aren’t just like me, Ii don’t feel reinforced and supported. I might be doing something Wrong if everyone else isn’t doing it ... so I will attack everyone who isn’t like me.”

Funny how cyclists complain about not getting any respect from drivers or pedestrians, and can’t be bothered to respect other cyclists if they don’t ride the right type of bike,.

And yeah, there might be an E-Bike forum, for in-depeth discussion on that topic. So?

There is a pro racing for fans forum, but no body here freaks if I mention that I went out riding after watching a professional bike race on TV.

There is a dedicated road bike forum, but most people here discuss road bikes, and no one freaks out.

Basically what we have here are weak, small-minded, insecure, and ungenerous people using any available excuse to kick someone they perceive as being weak, while flexing their muscles and bragging how strong they are.

Wow ... suddenly we don’t sound so superior .....

Retro Grouch 

That's what I think too.

bruce19

I don't see myself being an e-bike guy. But, I have a friend who has an e-bike. Without it I doubt he'd ever get any exercise. So, that's a good thing.

Gerryattrick

Great post. Sums up what I want to say but much more eloquently.

BikeArkansas

At this time there are signs on our most popular bike/hike trail that says "No Motorized Vehicles". At a meeting I attended the mayor was asked about electric bicycles. He referred to the sign "No Motorized Vehicles".

Classtime 

This is exercise. The electric moped buyer is usually someone who wants to go faster but doesn't want to work harder. I get that. If old, feeble, or disabled persons can't pedal a bike around their neighborhood, because it is not downhill all the way, and their doctor gives them one of those blue passes to park in front of the Starbucks, then they should have access to a peddle assist bike. But bikes for disabled persons should be limited to 12 mph. And all other motor bikes should be out on the road with the cars and licenses and insurance. Why? Because there is currently no infrastructure for motor bikes whirring along at 28mph pretending to be bicycles.

350htrr

But that's the whole idea of the E-Bike "laws", under those "laws" an E-Bike under a certain limit in power and a certain limit in speed is "considered a bicycle", allowed to be on trails or anywhere a bicycle is allowed... But I agree that most E-Bikes sold today are way over powered and speed limit is way too high, and should not be considered a bicycle. Unfortunately there will be a huge push back against the E-Bike when their numbers get bigger, just like what is happening here... and ALL E-Bikes will go the way of mopeds, even the "real assist" E-bikes that you actually must pedal to get anywhere. IMO

Gerryattrick

This will change over time as they grow in popularity

If you are pedalling is it a motorised vehicle at that moment?

MidSouthBiker

I guess the difference is riding with electric motor power assist, or walking and biking without it.

gregf83 

It's not clear why you get worked up over e-bikes but I suspect you're a weaker rider and just don't like people passing you. Groups have no problem sustaining 28mph. Do you want them to be licensed and have insurance as well?

I commute 40 miles round trip about 225 days a years. Sometimes when I'm tired or the weather is not co-operating I use 'assist'. Sometimes the assist is in the form of a car, sometimes it's a Copenhagen (electric) wheel. When I take the Copenhagen wheel my power output is the same as when I'm riding my non-assisted bike I just pedal for a shorter time. I see more and more commuters using e-bikes and I think it's a good option compared to driving.