Bike for fairly fit 75 year old woman wanting assistance on hills

My mother is interested in an e-bike, and since I started looking online for her, I've been surprised at the range of stuff available, and would appreciate some advice from experienced users, please. She's not near any of the big dealers, or even local bike shops that stock many e-bikes, so has limited opportunity to try anything first hand, so it is likely to be an online purchase.

 

She's pretty fit and active, but hasn't cycled for a few years, and is looking for something that would help her to keep up with my father on occasional rural rides of 20-30 miles (Dumfries and Galloway, so a few hills, but no mountains) and also allow her to go riding with the grandchildren. Most of her riding will be tarmac or gentle off-road trails, but only hybrid territory, so suspension forks or a fully off-road mountainbike design are not necessities. She has no mobility problems, so the bike doesn't have to be a step through. She definitely wants something that would assist, rather than do the bulk of the work, so she can get the exercise benefit from her cycling. In terms of budget, she's probably looking at the sub £1000 market, but might step up to the next tier of bikes if there is a compelling reason to buy something that will be more suitable for her needs.

 

From my research so far, I've spotted a few possibles:

• Kudos Tourer: I like the simplicity of hub gearing and rigid forks
  
• D-Cycles Discovery (or Delight). These seem good value at £550 - any disadvantages, or are they just cheap because they are on clearance?
  
• Woosh Sport TS: interested in the torque sensing, which they claim is suited to someone who wants to keep cycling with a natural feel
  

I would appreciate any guidance or other suggestions. I'm particularly interested in selecting the right type of drive system and sensing for the sort of cycling my mother wants to do. Are the hub drives on the cheaper bikes really only suitable for very flat terrain, and would the simple rotation sensor types be OK?

Thanks

I'd stretch the budget and buy one of these if the sizes available fit. The Bosch system is IMO much more in keeping with the requirement of a natural feel.

 

https://www.electricbikesales.co.uk/KTM-MACINA-CROSS-9-ELECTRIC-BIKE

I'd stretch the budget and buy one of these if the sizes available fit. The Bosch system is IMO much more in keeping with the requirement of a natural feel.

 

https://www.electricbikesales.co.uk/KTM-MACINA-CROSS-9-ELECTRIC-BIKE

Did you read any of the OP before recommending this bike to a 75 year old lady?

My mother is interested in an e-bike, and since I started looking online for her, I've been surprised at the range of stuff available, and would appreciate some advice from experienced users, please. She's not near any of the big dealers, or even local bike shops that stock many e-bikes, so has limited opportunity to try anything first hand, so it is likely to be an online purchase.

 

She's pretty fit and active, but hasn't cycled for a few years, and is looking for something that would help her to keep up with my father on occasional rural rides of 20-30 miles (Dumfries and Galloway, so a few hills, but no mountains) and also allow her to go riding with the grandchildren. Most of her riding will be tarmac or gentle off-road trails, but only hybrid territory, so suspension forks or a fully off-road mountainbike design are not necessities. She has no mobility problems, so the bike doesn't have to be a step through. She definitely wants something that would assist, rather than do the bulk of the work, so she can get the exercise benefit from her cycling. In terms of budget, she's probably looking at the sub £1000 market, but might step up to the next tier of bikes if there is a compelling reason to buy something that will be more suitable for her needs.

 

From my research so far, I've spotted a few possibles:

• Kudos Tourer: I like the simplicity of hub gearing and rigid forks
  
• D-Cycles Discovery (or Delight). These seem good value at £550 - any disadvantages, or are they just cheap because they are on clearance?
  
• Woosh Sport TS: interested in the torque sensing, which they claim is suited to someone who wants to keep cycling with a natural feel
  

I would appreciate any guidance or other suggestions. I'm particularly interested in selecting the right type of drive system and sensing for the sort of cycling my mother wants to do. Are the hub drives on the cheaper bikes really only suitable for very flat terrain, and would the simple rotation sensor types be OK?

Thanks

 

I've got a Kudos Tourer, albeit the one with dérailleur gears. It's a full size bike so it would depend on your mothers height

Both my Kudos bikes and my wife's Woosh bike have simple pedal sensors. I've never found it to be a problem, it's a Godsend when you're tiring and needing a wee rest. You can still whizz along flat roads with little effort.

Did you read any of the OP before recommending this bike to a 75 year old lady?

 

Yes ?

If she wants a natural feel and is fit and active then a torque sensor will give her that. Speed or rotational sensors will give the power programmed on the handlebar control just by turning the pedals, and at higher settings she will be putting very little effort in. But TS multiplies the rider’s power and she will only get the maximum power out if she puts a good bit of effort in.

 

They still have power settings but at the higher ones the effect is like having bionic legs and at no time does it feel that the motor is carrying you away since you are in control of it through the pedals. The Woosh one is one of the very few on cheaper Chinese bikes, but if you push the budget to £1500 £1600 then many more Kalkhoff Impulse, and Bosch, and Yamaha motored bikes with TS become available.

it depends on her height and weight

 

as far as woosh go, Sant-Ana CDL or Sant-Ana CD depending on her height or the Big Bear LS if shes... heavy..

 

and for Kudos, Sonata sounds a fit, although little bit pricey

The KTM looks interesting (and I see they are also selling a Nexus hub gear version) but the smallest size appears to be 51cm (I need to check sizing, but I suspect that frame size and geometry would probably suit someone a wee bit taller than my mother).

 

Thanks for the useful explanation of how TS works. It sounds like that would suit my mother best; I don't think she really wants to be sitting on an electric scooter and just twiddling her legs round, if I can put it that way.

it depends on her height and weight

 

as far as woosh go, Sant-Ana CDL or Sant-Ana CD depending on her height or the Big Bear LS if shes... heavy..

 

To quote: She definitely wants something which will assist rather than doing the bulk of the work. The TS system was made for cyclists who want help as they get older.

The KTM looks interesting (and I see they are also selling a Nexus hub gear version) but the smallest size appears to be 51cm (I need to check sizing, but I suspect that frame size and geometry would probably suit someone a wee bit taller than my mother).

 

Thanks for the useful explanation of how TS works. It sounds like that would suit my mother best; I don't think she really wants to be sitting on an electric scooter and just twiddling her legs round, if I can put it that way.

 

Check out 50 Cycles site for Kalkhoff too. They go down to 46cm and have hub gear options on some models. Two year warranty too which is unusual, and Kalkhoff make tough long lasting bikes with powerful smooth quiet motors.

Thanks for the useful explanation of how TS works. It sounds like that would suit my mother best; I don't think she really wants to be sitting on an electric scooter and just twiddling her legs round, if I can put it that way.

 

Yes, that's a view shared by many of we older cyclists. If we stop working our bodies to the best of our abilities, we may find ourselves condemned to motorised chairs rather earlier than we would wish.

 

Having experience of the different types of sensor-driven propulsion, I prefer the TS method as it provides me with the satisfaction of cycling a regular push-bike but helping my effort, making it compatible with my reduced energy level and various other physical problems.

 

As with all these things, it is really worthwhile to take a day or two out just to visit dealers where test-rides can help determine the right bike for individual needs. A great many of us don't have an EAPC dealer close to us therefore to avoid buying 'blind', we take a train, bus or make a car journey or two to enable us to make the right choice.

 

Many EAPC owners have been ill-advised and bought a machine eminently unsuited to their needs. They then do what they should have done in the first place before going out and buying another!

 

Tom

To quote: She definitely wants something which will assist rather than doing the bulk of the work. The TS system was made for cyclists who want help as they get older.

 

assist levels 1 and 2 do that job too

Krc...describing the terrain that you intend the Kudos Tourer would do the job but I am concerned it may be too big,with a 51cm seat tube length.

With no ulterior motive I would suggest a speed sensor rather than a torque sensor

The torque sensor is ok provided that you know that you will always have enough leg power to gain the benefit of the motor,to get power from the motor you have to put effort into the pedals.

The speed sensor is effectively a rotary switch,if you turn the pedals you get power,but you can control the amount of that power using the push button PAS display. If you have tired legs one day you can turn the PAS up to max and do the minimum leg effort,alternatively you can turn the PAS down to minimum and chose to put in more leg effort.

I have never found the speed sensor removes feel provided that you change the PAS to suit the terrain.

I have customers who buy torque sensor bikes but not usually 75 years old.

I know that you didnt want a step through but my Kudos Sonata is really a sweet bike to ride,it has a 46cm seat tube length,the BPM motor is a good hillclimber,the hydraulic brakes cut the braking effort on tired fingers,most people think it is a very attractive bike,it does make mounting very easy.

But maybe a bit over budget at £1395.00.

Hope I have helped.

Good luck with your search.

KudosDave

assist levels 1 and 2 do that job too

 

After a fashion. But won’t give the feel and control though the pedals of a TS bike, which exactly replicates an unpowered bicycle except as I said gives you the feeling of having bionic legs. I don’t know if you’ve ever ridden one but if not you should try. They are completely different. They make you work a lot harder too.

I knew an old boy who used to still put in over fifty miles in a day on an unpowered bike at eighty. I’m still a way short of that age but it was only because I live in very hilly country that I went for a pedelec. I was riding an unpowered bike up the hills around here a few years ago in my mid to late sixties without too many problems. But a series of operations meant I then lost too much bike fitness to start from scratch again and I wanted some help.

 

If she had been keeping up her cycling then I see no problem with using a TS at her age. But if she hasn’t ridden for a long time then she really should try the different type of control sensors because a TS bike can be too much like hard work if you’re unfit. You can get unfit for cycling very quickly too as you get older, and it isn’t until you get back on one that you realise just how far you have slipped back.

 

No point being like the woman who was making a big fuss here a couple of months back because she bought TS bike and found it too hard on the hills, and wanted her money back.

I am having to increase the power level just lately due to a dodgy leg preventing me from my usual riding style.

 

I can ride quite well on the hills without strain, much easier than walking.

 

Should your mother have a bad day I can't see it being a problem. Torque sensors are a more natural way of riding and give cyclists an enjoyable time.

The KTM looks interesting (and I see they are also selling a Nexus hub gear version) but the smallest size appears to be 51cm (I need to check sizing, but I suspect that frame size and geometry would probably suit someone a wee bit taller than my mother).

 

Thanks for the useful explanation of how TS works. It sounds like that would suit my mother best; I don't think she really wants to be sitting on an electric scooter and just twiddling her legs round, if I can put it that way.

 

krc...quote 'sitting on a scooter twiddling her legs round'....a speed sensor pedelec is a million miles away from an electric scooter with twist and go throttle,she will input all the effort she wants to,but remains in control.

Kudosdave

Hi KRC,

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

We have some excellent value Ansmann bikes sub £1000, German quality, good specification and the best warranty available.

 

You can see them on our website here http://cyclezee.com/ansmann-e-bikes--pedelecs.html

I know it might be tricky but if you can find somewhere to try a couple of bikes it really would be a good idea. I hired a Freego hawk recently and am hooked, so we are now looking into a decent electric bike. We thought we'd narrowed it down to a couple of bikes but I didn't particularly like any of the ones I tried!

Please Please arrange for your Mum to have a day out trying different E-bikes, in doing that She will see the difference in motive power and what basic bike She feels is right for her, hight of saddle, reach of handlebars and type, size of frame and wheels.

Make that all to gather with a cream tea would make a great day out.

Thanks for all the responses, which have given me a much better idea of how the different systems work. My mother has tried out a bike belonging to a friend (a basic Giant which is a couple of years old, I think) and has already identified some pros and cons from that. We're going to try and arrange some more test rides, but unfortunately it's a very long way to most of the dealers!

Hi KRC welcome to the forum. Wow what great advice from everybody. I'm sure you feel you've asked the right people for help. Are you starting to get an idea of what might be the right choice?

I would echo the recommendations to make a trip with your Mum to test ride a few because when she finds a bike she is comfortable on and the way the power responds to her feels right she will use it and it may just be the best gift since her iPad (assuming she has one - several older customers have told me this :-)...

Have you checked out the forum dealer locator: http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/buy/electric-bike-dealer-directory/

there are few in the region although I don't know how close to your mum.

One suggestion I can add to all the good advice above is to consider the next 5 or so years and whether a step through or at least low cross bar would be sensible.

No one replied regarding the D-cycle - they are probably one of the better quality options sub £1000 for the money but a bit heavy and not the best on hills.

Probably the best torque sensing ebike sub £1000 would be the newly priced Wisper models. check out AMPs link at the top of the page. These offer significant help on hills.

Hope that adds to help already offered.

Any questions regarding models just ask.

please note the sub £1000 Wisper bikes will not have a torque sensor (not trying to be pedantic but wanted to make this clear). This is what David from Amps told me. The more expensive Wisper bikes starting from £1499 do have a torque sensor.

 

The best advice as TETS say is to try some bikes out to see what will best suit.

 

All the best

David

Torque sensors seem to be the new thing "à la mode". Nobody ever read d8veh's posts about the new TS emulating controllers?

 

My bike feels like a bike. I have lost 4 kg since I put a motor on it, maybe because I ride it 20X more often and much farther. If I want a workout Assistance level 0 provides about 0W. ASSIST 1 about 60 W, I have light bulbs that use more than that. And so on - ASSIST 4 = 250 W or 100% of nominative power and 5... The whole kaboodle where you get to twiddle legs and the motor does all the work unless you are steaming up 5% hills at 25 kph.

 

I think that Bosch & co. bikes feel different because of their gearing.

IMHO your mother should not buy a TS bike. At her age, she may run out of steam without much of a warning. A throttle is also a desirable backup and will help her keeping to the same cadence.