Best ebike for Seniors Citizens

[tomjasz]

interesting.......... What all is in the conversion ?
I have 2 Giant LaFree E+1 (very similar ). They are rather sturdy well made bikes with belt, nexus gears, but only 250w motor and 60nm. I guess I would have to give up the Nexus & Belt to do what you did ?

Very nice bikes! I've have had 1500W powerhouse motors but find my 250W and 350W bikes do AllIneed and are fast enough to hurt in a fall/crash. 20MPH is enough for me these days. Man, again, those are sweet bikes that you're riding!

 

[PedalUma]

Thanks Tom. You are right in my opinion. There is a fun curve. Each Mph is more fun than the one before until about 20. Then it becomes level until about 22. Then it drops off fast as speed increases and it is then just dumb and scary. If you get doored or floored at those higher speeds it is hospital time. Who wants to go to an ER this week with broken bones? People with strokes and heart attacks have to wait 8 hours to be seen right now in LA. They are all coughing their guts out and packed into every available space and lying on the floors.
Fun

Dumb
Speed

 

[CSH]

Thanks Tom. You are right in my opinion. There is a fun curve. Each Mph is more fun than the one before until about 20. Then it becomes level until about 22. Then it drops off fast as speed increases and it is then just dumb and scary. If you get doored or floored at those higher speeds it is hospital time. Who wants to go to an ER this week with broken bones? People with strokes and heart attacks have to wait 8 hours to be seen right now in LA. They are all coughing their guts out and packed into every available space and lying on the floors.
Fun
View attachment 142668Dumb
Speed

Blurp ! ....... Oh My

 

[retiredNH]

Thanks Tom. You are right in my opinion. There is a fun curve. Each Mph is more fun than the one before until about 20. Then it becomes level until about 22. Then it drops off fast as speed increases and it is then just dumb and scary. If you get doored or floored at those higher speeds it is hospital time. Who wants to go to an ER this week with broken bones? People with strokes and heart attacks have to wait 8 hours to be seen right now in LA. They are all coughing their guts out and packed into every available space and lying on the floors.
Fun
Dumb
Speed

Then there's the helmet factor.
Interesting fact: A recent study found that organ donations rose in locations of major motorcycle rallies not long after the rally! Let's not have ebike rallies be the same way...

 

[Jhorrick]

I'm curious to hear what you think. What Ebike is the best for Seniors?

Im 67 and ride a Specialized Turbo Como 4.0 Class 3 bike and love it, upright sitting and long range battery and a step thru frame.

 

[PedalUma]

Then there's the helmet factor.
Interesting fact: A recent study found that organ donations rose in locations of major motorcycle rallies not long after the rally! Let's not have ebike rallies be the same way...

That is how Steve Jobs and Dick Cheney got spare parts the same day, massive head trauma from a motorcycle. They registered in some place like rural Tennessee where the waiting list for parts list is low and risky behaviors among healthy young men is high. Then they took private jets to collect fresh. Maybe that is why older men promote bikes like SurRons. Those Comos are sweet.

 

[tomjasz]

A recent study found

that helmeted riders took more risks…

 

[Doggyman1202]

I'm curious to hear what you think. What Ebike is the best for Seniors?

I know you've taken a few jabs on this thread, Alloo, for even posing the question, but as an aging boomer, I know there are certain commonalities amongst us geezers. In other words, it's an excellent topic in my opinion. Moreover, there is an e-bike brand specifically targeted for seniors called "Anywhere Bikes". Their bikes, at least on paper, hold no interest for me, but admittedly their advertising campaign is a clever slice of niche marketing.

While I'm relatively physically fit for a kid my age, I know that climbing over a top tube has become a pain-in-the-ass. In fact, I wonder why the top tube is necessary on any e-bike. Do you really need a top tube on a bike that likely weighs over 40 pounds, and is at least partially self-powered? I can understand the stability argument on a lightweight racing bike, but much less so for an e-bike. Are there benefits of a top tube that I'm missing?

 

[retiredNH]

I know you've taken a few jabs on this thread, Alloo, for even posing the question, but as an aging boomer, I know there are certain commonalities amongst us geezers. In other words, it's an excellent topic in my opinion. Moreover, there is an e-bike brand specifically targeted for seniors called "Anywhere Bikes". Their bikes, at least on paper, hold no interest for me, but admittedly their advertising campaign is a clever slice of niche marketing.

While I'm relatively physically fit for a kid my age, I know that climbing over a top tube has become a pain-in-the-ass. In fact, I wonder why the top tube is necessary on any e-bike. Do you really need a top tube on a bike that likely weighs over 40 pounds, and is at least partially self-powered? I can understand the stability argument on a lightweight racing bike, but much less so for an e-bike. Are there benefits of a top tube that I'm missing?

The top tube advantage you already recognize. Its importance is a function of how lightweight the frame is, and how stiff you want the frame to be. A top tube obviously allows one to make a triangle, the sturdiest geometric figure, and a shape widely used in reinforcing from bridge girders to housing frames. That said, for decades, some bikes haven't used a top tube for some models. I'm thinking of what were marketed as "girls" bikes back in my youth (50s and 60s).
Modern manufacturing and engineering (including better welding?), as well as different cycling styles, has changed the need for a top tube too. For instance, an upright riding style, such as found in many ebikes, changes the stresses on the frame. Think, for a moment, how riding in drops makes for different frame stresses.
From my POV, what used to be called the "mixte" frame is a good compromise. My ebike uses that frame style, which Trek calls "stagger". True step through frames tend to be a bit beefier and heavier, more suitable for city bikes than a bike for rural hilly road trips, IMHO. Others may disagree.
One non-structural benefit of top tubes (since you asked ) is that some accessories mount well on top tubes - bags, pumps, cell phone holders and such.

 

[Doggyman1202]

I had not heard the "mixte" term before, but essentially my Priority Current likely fits that definition, although they refer to it as Mid-Step I believe. In any case, I'm very comfortable with the two foot clearance (give or take an inch).
On another note, while traveling last week I rented an e-bike with very wide "beach cruiser" style handlebars. While they are clearly designed for comfort, I didn't like them at all. The bike (Pedego Interceptor or Boomerang) felt disengaged from the road, as far as handling is concerned. Perhaps they just require some getting used to, but they reminded me of a big old fashioned sedan with numb power steering. I struggled not to over-steer on turns. In any case, comfort-shrumfort. I know now that beach cruiser style bikes are not for me.

 

[PedalUma]

One guy brought me a bike and wanted me to make it a step-thru by sawing off the top tube. It is like removing the internal columns in a department store because they are in the way. That actually happened in Korea.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

One guy brought me a bike and wanted me to make it a step-thru by sawing off the top tube. It is like removing the internal columns in a department store because they are in the way. That actually happened in Korea.

At bottom, we still live in a mechanical world. And now we live in age of mechanical illiteracy. What are the odds that a frame with top tube could've done without?

Would love to know how true step-through frames are engineered. As @retiredNH pointed out, modern construction methods could play a big role. Ditto for modern alloys and mechanical modeling software like Ansys.

 

[retiredNH]

At bottom, we still live in a mechanical world. And now we live in age of mechanical illiteracy. What are the odds that a frame with top tube could've done without?

Would love to know how true step-through frames are engineered. As @retiredNH pointed out, modern construction methods could play a big role. Ditto for modern alloys and mechanical modeling software like Ansys.

By and large, step through frames are heavier and beefier than top tube (triangle) frames. You might note for instance, that you won't find a step through frame with carbon! I'm sure modern design software and modern construction techniques play a role, but I think the biggest factor is just more metal at the joint. Tube size helps too, spreading the stress over a greater area - note the size of the tubes in most step through models, especially the less expensive ones.
Finally, electric motors can compensate for a lot of limitations, especially weight. I doubt we'd see many 50 pound analog bikes being sold, much less some of the 70 pound bikes like the RadRover 6!

 

[PedalUma]

At bottom, we still live in a mechanical world. And now we live in age of mechanical illiteracy. What are the odds that a frame with top tube could've done without?

Would love to know how true step-through frames are engineered. As @retiredNH pointed out, modern construction methods could play a big role. Ditto for modern alloys and mechanical modeling software like Ansys.

That is something I appreciate about the Giant Momentum Vidas in both the mid-step and step-through versions. They were developed with not only modeling but stress/fatigue testing that is fed back into design. They do have large tubes and beefy welds yet they are minimalist and lightweight. The video is long but the test equipment is interesting.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

That is something I appreciate about the Giant Momentum Vidas in both the mid-step and step-through versions. They were developed with not only modeling but stress/fatigue testing that is fed back into design. They do have large tubes and beefy welds yet they are minimalist and lightweight. The video is long but the test equipment is interesting.

The Vida's quite elegant. My step-through has a similar gusset just above the bottom bracket.

Question is, can a Vida smoke a Vado?

It'd be nice to know for sure how carefully a given frame's been designed and tested. Probably pretty rare.

 

[CSH]

That is something I appreciate about the Giant Momentum Vidas in both the mid-step and step-through versions. They were developed with not only modeling but stress/fatigue testing that is fed back into design. They do have large tubes and beefy welds yet they are minimalist and lightweight. The video is long but the test equipment is interesting.

I wonder how my Giant LaFree E+1 stacks up..............

 

[PedalUma]

The Vida I made most recently has a 750 watt duel clutch cargo motor with 90nm. It is fast and built. It is also very low maintenance. The next one I work on will be a white low-step as a prototype for a fleet.

 

[PedalUma]

I wonder how my Giant LaFree E+1 stacks up..............

Nice bike! Can we see a photo of it in its natural habitat? Those Gazelles are also nice but your down tube looks nicer than theirs. The Vida has mechanical brakes, not as powerful as LaFree hydro, but I think better for a fleet. They are easy to adjust, parts are not expensive, it will never need a messy bleed, and can't get vapor lock. I love the tan walls on your bike. The Vida has slightly smaller wheels, that means that they are inherently strong with a lower, more grounded center of gravity, 650B, not 700C for seniors. I like putting the battery low and centered best when I can, like the ballast in a boat.

 

[Dorkyman]

Wife and I love our little Lectrics. Step-through, fat tire, rugged, and now with adequate battery range.

Certainly a step-through design is inherently heavier than a triangular frame, but how much? maybe a pound? The Lectrics use a massive battery box supplanted by a short frame support and I can't detect any frame flex at all.

Finally, these ebikes are an amazing value at just under $1K, so seniors have extra cash left over for doting on the grandkids. Win-win.

EDIT: Now with passenger seat for Little Ones.