Dottie Gandy, 79, wanted to try an electric tricycle last fall because she thought it sounded cool.
“It was easy,” says the Fairview resident, who hadn't sat on a bicycle in about 15 years. "You didn’t have the wobbly, ‘I’m losing my balance’ thing. It’s a very, very safe feeling.”
As electric bicycles become more common, they’re opening new doors for many older adults who can’t ride a conventional bicycle because of injury and health conditions or who feel unsafe trying it. E-bikes are giving seniors new access to the outdoors and physical activities. Help from the electric motor requires less exertion, enabling riders to tackle hills and tough terrain and travel farther in less time.
Research that proves e-bikes provide as much aerobic and cardiovascular fitness as conventional bikes has put critics to rest. Not only do e-bikes help older adults remain mobile, but they also improve mental health. For the 50-plus crowd, one study found, e-biking outside may boost cognitive health and overall well-being more than conventional bikes.
Styles and details
You might have seen an e-bike zip by without realizing it. E-bikes look like conventional bicycles but have small, rechargeable electric motors and batteries attached to the frame or wheel hub. They typically have a digital display showing information, such as your speed (they can reach up to 20 miles per hour), distance and remaining battery power.
Two main options are available: a pedal-assist e-bike (also known as pedelecs) that offers help from the motor but you still must pedal, or a power-on-demand-only e-bike with a throttle that will do all of the work for you if you wish.
E-bikes travel 15 to 60 miles per battery charge, depending on the type of battery, how much you pedal, speed and other factors. A bonus: E-bikes require little service. They were invented in 1890, but their popularity only recently spiked in the United States as they’ve become more efficient, lighter and somewhat less expensive. Still, expect to spend $1,000 to $5,000.
Appeal for seniors
BK Snyder has seen a steady increase in sales and rentals since opening a Pedego Electric Bikes store in Dallas 18 months ago. Most buyers are 60 and older, and they like the $3,295 cruiser-bike because it’s easy to get on and off, she says.
“They have the time and the money”" says Snyder, 53, who often commutes by e-bike from her Dallas home to the Deep Ellum store with her labradoodle, Alley, in a trailer. “They can’t go as far as they used to but still want to be outside.”
One complaint about e-bikes is that the motor makes them heavy, around 40 pounds or more. Getting one onto a bike rack can be a two-person job.
Steve Lavine of Plano bought his Sondors foldable e-bike online for about $1,000. He didn't get to see or test it beforehand, but the price was right and he can fit it into the trunk of his car.
“I kind of fell into the idea that I would get out and cycle more if I didn’t have to struggle on some of the inclines,” says Lavine, 65, who replaced a 20-year-old road bike he wasn’t riding much. “It’s turned out to be true. I’m more confident riding in traffic and on hills with the assist.”
If you’re age 50 or older and live in Allen, you can test an e-trike at the Allen Senior Recreation Center. You just have to be a member (a $5 annual fee for Allen residents; $24 for others).
Last fall, the center spent about $18,000 on six e-trikes with help from an AARP grant to increase mobility and fitness options for local seniors on area trails, says recreation specialist Renee Frizzell. Before checking out an e-trike, which includes a helmet, lock and bag, you must take an e-bike 101 class.
“They’re very popular,” Frizzell says. “It’s really a simple process to get on and ride, which allows seniors to feel comfortable. Three wheels make it a very stable bike and take the balance problem away."
Road trips
As e-bikes level the playing field among riders of varying abilities, they’ve changed how some people travel.
California-based Backroads, one of the nation’s largest adventure travel companies, sees more people choosing e-bikes over conventional bikes on cycle tours. Its e-bike ridership has gone from 354 people to over 6,000 in five years, says program manager Melissa Schmidt.
“We see a lot of folks who are older using e-bikes because it allows them to physically do the trip,” she says. Backroads’ e-bikers range in age from 17 to 80-something, with nearly half over 60.
Last year, Martha Prioleau of Fort Worth opted for an e-bike on a Backroads cycle tour of France and Spain so she could keep up with her husband and friends.
“It wasn't a super strenuous bike trip, but there were sections that were quite vertical, and I was glad I had the e-bike,” says Prioleau, 58. “You can click the e-bike in and still look around at where you are and enjoy it instead of having your head down and grinding away.”
Sheryl Jean is a California-based freelance writer and a former staff writer for The Dallas Morning News.
