Time to trade in my push bike as I reach 60 this year and I’m struggling with my knees on hills. I’m interested in getting an electric hybrid bike. Needs to be a 63 or 64cm frame. Choice is huge. I’ve looked on line at the likes of Cube Kalkhoff Haibike Trek Specialised and so on but struggling to narrow my selection down to say three that I can test ride. Anyone had experience of a hybrid e bike? Would you recommend it? Looking for something of decent quality without going totally ott

Mate, e bikes is cheating. You need to be sticking with the push bike, bud. There's a many many men older than yourself still out there in their lycra vests tearing up the tarmac. Dont go for the easy option, can those uphill be tough? Yes. No one ever said they'd be easy. But they keep your waistline and that ticker in check.
Hopefully I've said enough to convince you.

Age doesn't matter if your knees are giving you trouble then your wise to get some help when needed, better then having replacement knees I would have thought.

Also with a hybrid you still get to cycle in the usual way...a win win.

Millertime v1.7 wrote:Mate, e bikes is cheating. You need to be sticking with the push bike, bud. There's a many many men older than yourself still out there in their lycra vests tearing up the tarmac. Dont go for the easy option, can those uphill be tough? Yes. No one ever said they'd be easy. But they keep your waistline and that ticker in check.
Hopefully I've said enough to convince you.

Maybe I’m wrong but it sounds like you’re not a cyclist. E bikes aren’t cheating in my book. You still have to turn the pedals and if they’re the difference between enjoying that form of exercise, really struggling to complete ten miles and feeling crap afterwards or even not getting out all, then I think it’s worth looking at. I’d love to be able to still do what I’ve done over the years - the end to end on a tandem, solo Oslo to Bergen through the Telemark mountains, solo to Sarlat in the Dordogne for example so I’ve had my fair share of uphill cycling I’ve over the years but I’m not up to it now. So no you’ve not convinced me sorry.

What's the longest distance you have cycled? I've done a 40 mile round trip in 30 plus heat in France.. Not bad for a weighty bloke!

Carport, check out the Haibike range - if you are local to Burnley, Onyerbike cycles are stockists and have bikes you can try out

Carport bud, admittedly I'm not totally up to speed on the e-bike revolution. But I did get overtaken by an 98 year old on a battery packed Carrera on a particularly strenuous uphill stretch today.

Japebe43 wrote:What's the longest distance you have cycled? I've done a 40 mile round trip in 30 plus heat in France.. Not bad for a weighty bloke!

Great effort Japebe. My furthest daily distance was 120 miles which many will have surpassed! It’s not a competition though is it; just enjoy it regardless of the mileage.

dushanbe wrote:Carport, check out the Haibike range - if you are local to Burnley, Onyerbike cycles are stockists and have bikes you can try out

Thanks helpful

A mate at work bought an ebike on the cycle to work scheme from Evans. He’s in his 60’s and he loves it. He cycles to work everyday now, whereas before he couldn’t.

I’m in my 40’s and have bad knees. I had an arthroscopy 4 weeks ago and I’m cycling 20 miles at the moment. I’ve got the Norfolk Sportive to do on the 5th August so I need to get the miles in. You have to do whatever it takes to get back on the road. Good luck Carport!

Can't help with the bike recommendations Carport but I knock around with a couple of East Lancs based road cycling groups....Bus Stop Bikers and Blackburn based Friendly Cyclists (you can find both of them via the Lets Ride website) and both of those groups have older E cyclists appearing on their rides. They are typically in their 60;s, they pedal downhill and allow the motor to kick in on the trickier up hill sections. It's a great way to get out and extend your experience in the saddle.

Dont accept any of the 'bikes is cheating' ******** especially from people who don't (can't) cycle. I got one after cardiac bypass surgery last year and absolutely love it. On the flat you won't notice much difference on the lowest setting, the assistance just compensates for the weight of the bike (23Kg due to motor, battery etc). Going up hill you can have a bit or a lot of help - as I live at the top of a steep hill its great to be able to get home after a ride without having to lie down for 2 hours. As a result I hadn't cycled for about 20 years.

I looked around for several months before buying a Volt bike and don't regret it. I have hub gears which are automatic (!), crank motor and disk brakes. Battery lasts about 50Km.

Craven Cycles in Skipton have bikes and sometimes rent them out if you want to give one a try. There is a decent range from Raleigh but if you want one with loads of features its about £1500, though you can get it without the VAT through the Cycle to Work scheme.

https://voltbikes.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Same as Keighley, I love mine and using it has got me back out on my regular bike too as my fitness has improved. I’ve been testing it on various routes, from super hilly to relatively flat and the range is between 55 and 70 miles.

I tend to plan a route online beforehand to check hill profiles and distance but I’ve got confidence that it’ll get me home now. I’m planning on doing a ride over to Blackpool (and back if I can find somewhere to plug in for half an hour over there) failing that I’ll get to Preston and train it home.

Great fun and you’ll know you’ve been for a bike ride when you get home

I like my road bike and my hybrid. My wife and I go out on the hybrids, she would now like an E-bike but I have concerns that she'll leave me behind, the experts tell me she will for sure. Is the answer to get one each, I don't know. There are so many makes about, we've tried a few, at the moment the Whyte coniston looks to fit the bill. Will look at others but people we know who have them love them. I'm 64 and the wife is nearly 66. Sorry not much help but would be interested to know what make and model you finally decide on.

To be honest, on the flat it doesn't make that much difference and its only on the hills that you really get the benefit.

I'd go for one each! You can usually select the amount of assistance, mine has 3 modes - Eco, Normal and High; assistance varies from 8% to 240%. You will still feel like you have had a decent ride especially if you limit the assistance going up hill.

Strongly recommend having a go before you buy, most cycle shops will let you try one and some hire them out by the hour / day.

Have a look at this.
https://voltbikes.co.uk/pulse-hybrid-electric-bike.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm working up to doing Liverpool to Leeds on the canal, though I would need to have at least one stop to recharge the battery. I reckon its doable in 2 days. The data says the battery will do 70 miles though I've never gone that far as yet. Should be doable on the flat.

In the Black Forest at the moment where I cycle with friends on the Kinzigtal cycle track between Freudenstadt and Offenburg, 95 km long. Great cycle track ! No cars just cycle tracks ! Three of my German friends aged 60-70 already have E-bikes, the rest of us are still persevering with normal bikes.

Cheating?
No it's not cheating it's just different. I ride a motorbikes, is that cheating conpaired to a push bike.....no it's not cheating it's just different.
I do a manual job, I don't need any extra exercise thank you!
I have a normal pushbike and a Hiabike Ebike. I swap between the two depending were I am and how fast I want to go.
You can put as much effort into peddling an Ebike as you would put into peddling a "normal" bike, but with the Ebike you'll go faster than a normal pushbike.
I regularly do a trip from Great Harwood to South of Knutsford, it's mostly off road, cycle tracks, canals and small country roads. It's about 60 miles, When I do the trip on my Ebike I carry a spare battery in my pannier, that gives me a near 100 mile range.
As mentioned earlier in this thread, they have different modes, you can choose the assistance level, if you want a work-out the lowest level just about compensates for the increased weight, so it's like riding a standard pushbike.
Get one Carport!

Many thanks for all the supportive advice. Will test ride a few then choose.

I couldn't bring myself to buy an electric bike I always like the challenge of climbing the hills tbh that said I could never manage that hairpin on stoney bank earby and three different bikes trying I have to dismount!!and walk a few paces before carrying on.im 65 with an old fractured patella injury. I'll keep on trying!

All that matters is that you get out there and ride a bike. If electric assistance helps you enjoy it then so be it. At least you're still riding a bike!

Just a heads up for anyone considering a purchase or anyone who has had dealings with Evans Bike shops see the link below:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45595144" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

South West Claret. Thanks for the info. We're still looking at the options (so much choice) although Evans always appear a little cheaper. Just out of interest where are you based, were on holiday here in Cornwall at the moment just outside Hayle.

I work for an electric bike company if you are interested in checking them out. Oxygen Electric Bikes. (Obviously I am biased but we have great reviews)

I would recommend going onto the pedelec forum, loads of people on there who can give you unbiased reviews.

As for the whole "cheating" debate. The amount of research out there that proves e-bikes have great health benefits is unreal, and I have seen first hand experience of people who have transformed their lives due to pedal assist, you can use as much or as little assist as you want, you basically are unlocking the freedom to explore

South West Claret. wrote:Just a heads up for anyone considering a purchase or anyone who has had dealings with Evans Bike shops see the link below:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45595144" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's a turbulent time in retail for sure. I'd avoid any idea of gift vouchers, and insist on cash on delivery or pick it up in person. Trusting retailers to deliver once they have the money is now a fools errand in many cases

I ordered a Scott E bike from Evans last Thursday. I haven’t paid for it yet. Was going to pay on interest free credit. Maybe that offer won’t now be available. I’m still waiting for it to be delivered.

Hello beddie we are just south of Exeter in Topsham, don’t know Cornwall well furthest I’ve been is Falmouth.

Trust your having good time down there?