The wife and I were riding 26" up rite style bicycles (not an ebike) and at age 74 and 71 I personally felt uncomfortable on riding my bike, she was just so so. When we decided to go to and ebike we had no problem on deciding which model we wanted, she test rode a 20" model and said that was what she wanted and me coming for the dirt bike world I personally felt that size would work well for me to. We purchased two Rad Mini Step Thur's and have never been happier with our purchase. The 20" fat tire folding ebike works well for us, both paved and hard packed dirt trails no problem with stability and handling of the ebike. We don't think these ebikes are heavy at 68 lbs., I guess for some who push their bikes to the limit I could see where they might not work for them.
Mini vs Full Size Bike for Seniors?
- Thread starter phoenixtoohot
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vincent
Well-Known Member
trainman you must be stronger than me, although I am fine riding 68lb bikes do not like lifting them in any scenario
curious how many people with 20x4 ebikes would be happier or willing to spend more if the weight was closer to 50lbs? I would spend a lot more for that
what do you guys think?
curious how many people with 20x4 ebikes would be happier or willing to spend more if the weight was closer to 50lbs? I would spend a lot more for that
what do you guys think?
Don't know about the weight being too heavy, I do remove the battery which puts the Rad Mini at 60 lbs. We fold the bike and I lift the the bike on the rear wheel side and the wife 5'7" 125 lbs. lifts the other side, which I do most of the lifting, we set it on the tailgate of our Ram pickup, not sure of the height, but standard pickup bed height. I do have a motorcycle ramp that I planned on using, but to date have not needed it yet, maybe by the time I'm 75 I will use it. Just be safe and only lift what you feel comfortable doing.
M-Class Urban Electric Bike
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I don't have any first hand knowledge but it is listed as total wt including battery and maybe front rack. The listed torque is impressive. Not a folder.
tomjasz
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- USA
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- Minnesnowta
I've built a fair number of "flat foot" frame bikes. IDEAL for older adults with some physical limitations. AKA Crank Forward. https://www.electricbike.com/12-crank-forward-bikes/
I saw a review on this bike on a camper website, good review, I personally want the 20" Fat Tires and a folder, which this bike is not.
harryS
Well-Known Member
Put Schwalbe Big Apple 20x2" tires on that Ariel, and I think it will do better than your fat tire folder on pavement and well enough on gravel. I say that being an old coot owning a fat tire Ecotric and several 20" (electrified) folders. We rarely ever fold them.
You put suspension on the a typical fat tire folder and the cross bar gets pretty high for a short person. The wider tires take up space. A lot of us love our fat tire bikes, but when you own a few others, it's more of special use bike. I use mine to pull my grand kid.
I argue that I should put the snow tires back on the Ecotric, but then I realize I got my limits as far as falling down.
You put suspension on the a typical fat tire folder and the cross bar gets pretty high for a short person. The wider tires take up space. A lot of us love our fat tire bikes, but when you own a few others, it's more of special use bike. I use mine to pull my grand kid.
I argue that I should put the snow tires back on the Ecotric, but then I realize I got my limits as far as falling down.
I'm 74 and the wife 71, we have the Rad Mini Step Thru's and there great. We take them camping and also ride the city trails in Ft. Worth, Texas. They also work well on the hard dirt packed trails which we often ride when camping. The easy of use is what it's all about and these step thru models are the way to go, plus folding was also what we wanted for easy transporting.
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GypsyTreker
Well-Known Member
My wife and I, like HarryS, have a 20" fattie step through (folder) and a 26 Fattie. I have ridden her 20 and it's great for Paths and even reasonable speed single track if your out for the laid back ride in the woods. I have the 26 large frame (mistake) and it pretty much works like the 20, but a bit faster. I rode MTB in the mid-eighties and my 26 fattie now, way more comfy. I'm 68, in good shape (excluding some service related issues) and very aware of my limitations but not intimidated riding at all. I would not hesitate to replace my 26" with a 20" fattie when throwing my leg over what even now seems like a very tall top tube becomes too much of a nusience.
tomjasz
Well-Known Member
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- USA
- City
- Minnesnowta
I bought a folder and kitted it. With a Mid Drive, but I don't like the riding position. My first build 6 years ago was on a crank forward aka townie or pure frame. I find I have older kit customers preferring the positioning of "flat foot" bikes. I also did a scratch build from a bare frame of a Marin stepthrough but find my wife's KHS smoothies much more comfortable.
For myself the lightweight folder would not be to my liking, I personally like the looks and feel of the 20" fat tire folders for our riding needs. Now I can see where these fat tire folders would not work for may, they are not easily carried because of there weight and are on the bulky side, thus as a day to day work to home ride would not be very user friendly. We ride our ebikes on camping trips and on local city rides on the public trails where riding conditions change all the time and I prefer the heavier style of ebike for our riding needs.
thanks for this post. I ordered a Electra Townie for my wife who has had recent knee surgery. If she likes it I might add a ebike kit
Hi,
I realize this is an old thread but I couldn't help but jump in. I am a senior and was looking for a small folding bicycle that would be light and yet ride like a full size bike and be easily collapsible to put in the trunk. (I have a Honda Civic and they have really small trunks!).
I did months of research, went to all the lbs and tried their available folding bicycles including the Dahon, Brompton, a few offbrands. What I found was that they were unstable - not like riding a regular sized bicycle. And I would imagine coming down a hill on one of them would be nightmarish due to such instability. The turning and handling did not make me feel comfortable. Another thing I didn't like was having to bend over to hold the handlebars. I prefer a relaxed upright cruiser type position.
Then, I came across the Worksman cycles. They advertised as making small folding bicycles that rode and felt like a full sized bicycle and I have to say they were right. The handlebars remove as does the seat making it even lighter and definitely downsized enough to fit into the smallest of trunks. I added a scwhinn seat and taller handlebars so that I would be in an even more upright position with my seat set so that I could get full leg extension.
I am very happy with the bicycle and thinking of adding on a small friction motor weighing in at 4 pounds total battery and motor just to provide insurance for those hills I sometimes like to tackle.
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