Thanks to my D5 Zebra e-bike

[-]

zemboy01@reddit

Dam Bru how old are you. I've seen people in their 60s still ride bikes.

[-]

Virtual_Product_5595@reddit

As fast as they did in their 20's? The point was that an e-bike can let you keep riding as well as you did (or better) when you were younger... even as you get older and tire more easily.

[-]

But you are not riding "as well" as you did when you were younger, because you've moved the goal posts. And there's way more to "riding well" than distance and speed. I say this as a middle aged rider still doing a LOT of the analog thing, but riding an e-bike to work.

[-]

Virtual_Product_5595@reddit

And ability to climb in rough terrain (for me much better on an ebike), and the amount of fun I have - I prefer riding downhill to riding uphill (I know there are some that don't, but I do)... and riding an e-bike is like riding downhill pretty much all the time.

[-]

VincebusMaximus@reddit

You’re only riding as well as you did in your 20’s if you were riding an e-bike in your 20s. Point stands. I can climb rough terrain better today on an e-bike than I could on an analog bike 15 years ago, but I’m not fooling myself into thinking that I’m a “better” rider. They are two different things. I might enjoy it more today, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But I’m not going to compare present day speed, distance, elevation, and handling stills with my older self and think for one minute that I’ve improved or even maintained as a mountain biker because objectively I have not.

[-]

Virtual_Product_5595@reddit

IF you can make it up a hill that previously you couldn't, you are riding better. Maybe you are riding better because of the bike, and not because you are a better rider, but the actual ride is better (success is better than failure, at least for me).

As we seem to be debating semantics, I will concede that maybe "riding better" isn't the word I should have used - "riding more successfully" is what I meant.

Or, even more directly, as it relates to the illustration that I was replying to... for a given ride (set route in a given time), I will look less like the tired guy with his head hanging by his knees if I ride it now on an ebike than I would have looked after riding it when I was a lot younger on a non-assisted bike.

[-]

zemboy01@reddit

Yes. I live in California and I see old people bike on bad weather. It's mainly taking care of your body. For example if I don't do work out my body then when I go running or riding my bike I feel like I'm dying. I will admit having a bike that makes you fast is fun but you should try and bike normally so your legs don't turn soft. I'm never going to stop working out I work in a factory and most of these people look like they could barely walk let alone run 15f.

[-]

Virtual_Product_5595@reddit

An ebike is a great gateway to actual biking. If it comes down to driving the car vs. walking or riding a regular bike, most will take the car. If you have spent some cash on an ebike and it is sitting there charged and ready to go, at least you get a bit of exercise on the ebike (especially class 1 or 3).

[-]

Sk1rm1sh@reddit

Maybe not their 20's, but I saw a couple who were at least 60 the other day take down a bunch of people who are currently in their 20's.

[-]

BOBO9041@reddit (OP)

66

gif

[-]

Doc_Prof_Ott@reddit

I'm in my mid-40s, and although I have balls on my calves, I'm at exactly this stage, but thoughts like “what's the right age to ride an ebike” are also complete nonsense

I notice, for example, that I have less and less desire to ride uphill myself. A little help on the side is nice, so why not? What others say shouldn't matter anyway, it's all about you

[-]

JoeChagan@reddit

Im about to be 45 and I have a swytch kit installed on my road bike but I rarely use it. Its there for biking to work in the summer without being a gross mess. Other wise I still go au natural.

Ive had it for like 3 years now and during the first year I was just having a blast zipping around with minimal effort but then when I would actually have to pedal myself it felt like so much more work than it used to so I've gotten back to barely using it. To each their own but the bike is a primary source of exercise for me.

The older I get the less I want to take it easy as its only going to get harder to get that strength back over time.

[-]

jms74@reddit

For me it 50, just bought a ebike last week

[-]

Safe-Spot-4757@reddit

If you’re gonna come here and show your guns then I’ll tell you. I had a customer in my bikeshop come in last week and look at our e-bikes and just go “yeah I’ll buy one when I need one” he’s 86. All good and fun though e-bikes are fun as hell

[-]

Hortos@reddit

I’m going to let you guys in on a secret, they’re selling exoskeleton legs now that make you feel like the first time you road an e-bike. They’re cheap and they work i’ve got a pair. Good battery life, good power assist, cheap price. Their only problem is you look silly.

[-]

VDSRidesNRamble@reddit

I've had 3 operations on my back in 3 years, bought myself a ebike and its great to be able to get out and about again.

[-]

surfyogi777@reddit

Got to look after the knees over 55. It's great in my hood; we have large mountains here; and lots of hills, many grades with really difficult parts at the end, and many lookout points you can't help want to climb. We have 6 water towers overlooking a valley, and I've been to the site of every one; most have 360 degree views.

It's fun to have a road bike with a battery and keep up with 20 year olds; they never even noticed that little motor at the crank.

[-]

jms74@reddit

here locally it's all ups and downs, I wish I could tell transport myself to other places sometimes

[-]

Sakaprout@reddit

In my area the guys riding road bikes are all over 60+, my neighbor still rides his Colnago from the 90s at 78. The roads are brutal. I sometimes feel like an ass when I overtake them at 20 km/h on a climb. But then they smoke me downhill and we're good. And can't see their face but I guess they have a nice shit-eating grin and it makes me happy.

[-]

PNWBlues1561@reddit

Yes!!! That is my 64 yo self riding like I own the world. I have always ridden a bike and when arthritis made it difficult I quit. On my Class 1 pedal assist Cannondale I am back!

[-]

Exciting_Turn_9559@reddit

This is anti-ebike propaganda.
I use my ebike to replace car trips. It's an efficient, affordable, and environmentally friendly form of transportation. It has very little to do with exercise or recreation for me - those are just a bonus feature.

[-]

U_UnknownGhost@reddit

gif

[-]

U_UnknownGhost@reddit

Buy quality; stop supporting trash bike chinese garbage companies that are flooding the U.S. with toxic waste landfill that undermines the real ebikes. Support your LBS/IBD

[-]

NegotiationAntique42@reddit

Before I bought an ebike i was exhausted after a 27km mixed dirt with hills trail with a mountain bike. Now with a ebike I'm barely tired after 40km ride, ebikes are nice but you don't get nowhere near the same benefits.

[-]

bigvoicesmallbrain@reddit

I'm not the only one with a D5?! I love this thing! I'm at 1800 miles and counting

[-]

laeuft_bei_dir@reddit

This is a horrible picture for the message. Either bad ai, or a painter who hasn't seen a bike in ages.. Or it shows the aftermath of a crash due to bad assembly. Front wheel bent af. Handlebars are not only rotated like 45 degrees but the brakes are on backwards. The frame looks bent as well.

[-]