I stopped by the Icebox our cycling and skiing store here in Fraser, CO to talk with Brian about lower gears on my Merlin. (Fraser is one of the coldest places in the US hence the name Icebox.) The bike is my favorite: in my 40s, I rode it to win the Furnace Creek 500 qualifier for the Race Across AMerica (RAAM) and to finish solo RAAM. In my 50s, I led my John Hughes and Friends bike tours through the mountains in Colorado, California, Oregon and Washington. To handle the climbing I fitted the Merlin with a long arm rear derailleur and big cassette. In my 60s, aware of my aging knees, I changed to a triple chain ring. Now in my 70s, the Merlin is a good ride on flat and slightly rolling roads. But I live in Colorado and love riding in the mountains. Currently I’m climbing on my MTB. I’ll have the Merlin set up with gears comparable to my MTB.
My friend Andy only rode classic Italian racing bikes. He’s my age but can’t handle the narrow range of gears so he quit riding. My friend Don, also my age, bought an e-bike and rides most days. He lives in Boulder and rides to a coffee shop in a nearby town, to a county park and once to Denver and back.
I have a few more good years on my trusty titanium Merlin and then I’ll get an e-bike. And eventually a trike.
You decide how hard or easy to ride
An e-bike is just a progression from putting lower gears on the Merlin. E-bikes have a battery and a motor and adjustable pedaling assist. They aren’t motor scooters. When I get an e-bike, I’m just changing technology. Just like shifting gears on the Merlin or the MTB, on the e-bike I can shift the amount of power assist.
A tool for fun
Each of my bikes is a tool for a different kind of riding: The Ti Merlin for road riding, the steel Novara for credit card touring and the aluminum Trek for mountain biking. My cycling self-image is of a big grin on my face — it doesn’t matter which bike or where I’m riding. The different bikes increase the types of riding I can do and as I age the variety becomes more important. An e-bike will be another tool to keep that smile on my face.
A tool for fitness
For cardiorespiratory exercise the American College of Sports Medicine recommends:
- Frequency: For moderate-intensity activities, accumulate at least 30 or up to 60 (for greater benefit) minutes per day in bouts of at least 10 minutes each. Exercise most days of the week to total 150 to 300 minutes per week. For vigorous-intensity exercise, accumulate at least 20 to 30 minutes of continuous activity or more per day of activities to total 75 to 150 minutes per week. Or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous activity.
- Intensity: On a scale of 0 to 10 for level of perceived exertion, an RPE of 3 to 4 for moderate-intensity and an RPE of 7 to 8 for vigorous intensity.
Researchers studied 101 healthy adult men and women in Hamburg, Germany, who agreed to alternate riding either a standard bicycle or an e-bike over two separate two-week periods. The results were published in July in The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The New York Times reported:
“The volunteers chose his or her preferred e-bike model, with most picking road bikes having top assisted speeds of about 20 miles per hour. The researchers also provided their volunteers with activity monitors, heart rate monitors and a specialized phone app where the riders could record their trips, distance and how physically draining each ride had felt.
“The scientists did not offer their volunteers any suggestions, however, about where, when or how often to ride, says Hedwig Stenner, a research associate at the Institute of Sports Medicine at Hannover Medical School, who led the new study. The researchers wanted to see how people, on their own initiative, would use the different bikes and whether their riding would change with the e-bikes.
“Electric assistance did change their habits, the researchers found. In general, the men and women rode more often during the two weeks with e-bikes, averaging about five rides a week then, versus three a week with the standard cycles. Interestingly, the distances of most people’s rides did not budge, whichever type of bike they rode; their rides were not lengthier on the e-bikes, but they were more frequent.
“Their heart rates also differed. In general, people’s heart rates were about 8 percent lower when they pedaled e-bikes, but still consistently hovered within the range considered moderate exercise. As a result, during the two weeks when the volunteers rode e-bikes, they accumulated sufficient minutes of moderate physical activity to meet the standard exercise recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate activity. When they rode the standard bikes, they did not.
“Most also reported liking the pedal assist, Ms. Stenner says. More than two-thirds of the participants told the researchers they enjoyed the e-bikes and could imagine using them “for many years,” according to a final study questionnaire.”
There are two key points:
- Using e-bikes the volunteers met the ACSM recommendations; using standard bikes they did not.
- Participants could imagine using e-bikes for many years.
In other words e-bikes are a very effective tool for maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness for many years.
Endurance fitness
Endurance is the result of volume of riding at a conversational pace, hours in the saddle. In the above study on e-bikes the volunteers didn’t increase how long each ride was; however, they averaged five days a week instead of three. You could improve your endurance simply by riding more frequently.
Vigorous exercise
The ACSM recommends 1:15 – 2:30 hours of vigorous exercise as an alternative to 2:30 – 5:00 hours of endurance exercise a week. Through vigorous exercise you can slow the loss of power that otherwise comes with aging. With the control on an e-bike you could cut out the pedal assist, ride hard to a landmark and then dial in the pedal assist to recover. You could hammer hills you couldn’t climb on your regular bike. You could even do structured intervals.
Motivation
As we age it becomes harder to ride because “I should.” Riding with others is a great motivator. With an e-bike, you can ride with younger friends on their conventional bikes (as long as they accept an e-bike). An e-bike extends your riding range. You can ride longer and/or hillier routes.
Relieve boredom
Because an e-bike significantly extends your riding range it frees you from the same old roads around home.
This column in the New York Times explains e-bike choices.
It’s your choice
Dr. Gabe Mirkin wrote a column on Why You Should Consider an E-bike. For some of us as we age, an e-bike is a useful tool and toy. My view is that if you’re on a bike and pedaling then you’re cycling whether it’s a racing bike, cruiser, dual-suspension mountain bike, commuter, recumbent, or e-bike. Some riders think differently and won’t ride an e-bike. That’s okay, too.
Like other types of bikes there are pros to e-bikes, some of which are described above. And cons.
- They’re heavy
- Battery life is limited
- Maintenance may be tricky
- They may attract thieves because they’re popular
- They may be dangerous if ridden incorrectly
Safety
Basically e-bikes are like other bikes and the same tips apply:
There are also major differences. The bike can accelerate more quickly and go faster than you are used to going (unless you’re a racer). The bike is heavier. The bike handles differently. You might go into corners faster. You need more stopping distance because of the weight and the speed. Start by practicing controlled acceleration, skillful cornering and safe braking in an empty parking lot.
My eBook Anti-Aging: 12 Ways You Can Slow the Aging Process includes interviews with Elizabeth Wicks, Gabe Mirkin, Jim Langley, Andy Pruitt and eight other male and female roadies ages 55 to 83. They describe their exercise programs in terms of the American College of Sports Medicine’s recommendations. They describe many ways to adapt positively to the aging process. Anti-Aging provides programs to meet all of the ACSM recommendations on cardio, intensity, muscle strength, strong bones, balance and flexibility.Anti-Aging: 12 Ways You Can Slow the Aging Process incorporates the latest research and most of it is new material not published in my previous eArticles on cycling past 50, 60 and beyond. It’s your comprehensive guide to continuing to ride well into your 80s and even your 90s. The 106-page eBook Anti-Aging: 12 Ways You Can Slow the Aging Process is available for $14.99.
Coach John Hughes earned coaching certifications from USA Cycling and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. John’s cycling career includes course records in the Boston-Montreal-Boston 1200-km randonnée and the Furnace Creek 508, a Race Across AMerica (RAAM) qualifier. He has ridden solo RAAM twice and is a 5-time finisher of the 1200-km Paris-Brest-Paris. He has written over 40 eBooks and eArticles on cycling training and nutrition, available in RBR’s eBookstore at Coach John Hughes. Click to read John’s full bio.
I just purchased an E Bike. At age 78 cycling became no fun anymore. I don’t live in the Colorado Rockies, The Sierra Nevada Foothills in Ca. There is very little flat land here. I stopped riding completely last winter and concentrated on taking my Labrador Retriever for one hour walks. In April I started riding again. It was extremely hard and no fun. Sometimes I rode only two days a week. I was on the verge of stopping entirely but in my heart I missed it dearly. My LBS had an ad on their website for a Colnago E64. I called the owner to inquire and to my surprise he highly recommended a 2020 Trek Domane + LT. He said the Colnago rode like a ” hot rod” and the Domane would be a better bike for me. I pulled the plug after reading a bunch of reviews and watching videos on You Tube. I bought a Project One + LT 7 the shop had purchased (Ultegra Di2, Aeolus Pro 3V TlR carbon wheels , Bontrager carbon bars, FSA carbon crank). With the battery the bike weights 37 pounds (!). I love the bike. The battery needs to be removed for recharging and you need to be careful not to drop it (replacement is around $500.00). I’ve only ridden it three times. There are three levels of assist. Green (100 watts, Blue (200 watts) and Red (250 watts). It’s like riding with a strong tailwind. I played around with the three different levels. Blue seems to be the middle ground. Red is like a rocket ship, it can get you up any percentage of grade. Battery life is not that long. On a 25-30 ride I get down to two bars (5 is totally charged). So I need to recharge it after each ride. I turned it off a few time while descending and it did not seem to help that much, probably because at 20 MPH the power shuts off anyway. On a group ride with fast guys that average 25-28 MPH they would leave you in the dust. On climbs you will be leading them. My main complaint is the weight, but with the battery turned off it’s not that noticeable, unless you are climbing. You can take the battery out completely, then it’s just a regular Domane. You can buy a cover to conceal the space where the battery is located in the downtube for around $90.00. But I doubt I will buy one as I have a sub 15 pound Madone I can ride. The bike is extremely fun. I’m still playing with it. The Di2 takes a few rides to master. Perfect shift each time and no chain noise. I highly recommend an E Bike if you are an old dude and need more spice in your life. Cycling is fun again as it should be……also they can reset the amount of power you are using on each level. I’m supposed to bring the bike back in around 300 miles and they can put if on a computer and see if it needs tweaking. Technology will change and I suppose these bikes will get lighter and with more battery life. For me it’s a life changer.
I still take my lab for a 40 min walk before my ride. Before I could not do that…in case you are interested in the price, my LBS gave me $700 off (subtract that from $9200.00 suggested retail) . You can buy a stock Domane + LT with Ulegra mechanical, alloy rims and alloy crank for $6200. A big thanks to my wife as she let me buy it.
I’ve been riding my Specialized Roubaix with my regular weekend group of 10 riding buddies for over ten years. They are 5 to 15 yr. younger than I am. Our weekend riding were usually 60 to 100 miles at a very challenging pace with 2,000 to 5,00 ft climbing. I was always able to hold my own with them until last year I started getting dropped and they slow up for me and started off this year even worse. I decided to try some e-bikes as I’ve been reading about them. I bought the Trek Damone+ HP7 at the of May and have ridden it now over 1,200 miles since on mostly fast group rides of up to 80 miles with 1800 to 2500 ft. climbing. Before the Damone I could barely hang with them but now with the Domane I can ride with them as hard and fast as they want to go. I can be at the front on the climbs now (first if I wanted to but just hang back in the group). I now can do these hard fast rides & not be totally exhausted. I usually have the assist turned off while riding in the pace line and turn it on when out front or while climbing. I love cycling and now it’s a lot more fun. I’ve gotten two 80 mile rides out of it and I’m hoping I can get a 100 if I can conserve my assist that much. I still ride my Roubaix during the week and still love riding it also, just not as hard. And yes I get comments from people who love and think it’s great to closed minded people who say I’m cheating. My response is “Who am I cheating., we’re not racing for anything.”. besides who cares what someone else thinks as long as it’s what you want. I am very happy with the Domane. Also, most all mid-drive e-bikes like the Domane in the U.S. assist up to 28 mph.
Even the pros have been known to use e-bikes to stay in the game. As I have more miles left in my bikes than in me, an e-bike may be in my future. Or maybe I’ll just go all the way and get an e-trike. Riding my bike is to much fun to let an aging body get in the way..
It is nice to know that you true cyclists will consider an e-bike. I loved to ride road in the Southern California mountains. Early in my eighties, that became too difficult on my Parlee even with a triple and a 36 on the back. At age 87 I bought a Specialized Creo SL. Now all those old routes can be done again although a few 12 and 16% spots are still not easy. It is lighter weight than many and at a slow pace, one can handle a 4 to perhaps 5% grade without assist. I learned the hard way on the early hills, do not to squander the power out climbing your young friends at 100% assist. It is better to work a bit more first in order to have help available on the return. Thanks for the article.
My husband used to kick ass on a mountain bike and road bike. And then, suddenly, at 75 years old, he slowed down. He couldn’t complete a relatively short, 30 mile flat ride at the beach. After that, he was so discouraged, it seemed he didn’t want to ride at all. We live in the hills of PA. We can’t leave the house without doing some hills. So we both bought ebikes. Now, he wants to go out and ride again! We try not to engage the battery unless there’s a climb we can’t do, or we’re exhausted and heading back to the barn. The best part of having ebikes is we both love to ride bikes together again!
At 65, I’m still young enough to ride normal bikes, but stubborn IT band knee pain after knee replacement motivated me to get an ebike. Now I have two. Rode 2k miles in #1’s first year. Hopefully I’ll get the knee sorted eventually as I still have a Ti travel bike that wants to see the world. We will see, but ebike #1, a Specialized Turbo Creo now has a partner in a Turbo Levo SL. My rotator cuff is healing from surgery, so I hope to be out there in a couple of months! Fortunately I live in a place where you can ride year round!