We need to be aware that the world’s population is getting older. The fact that people are living longer is great news. But as we age, we still need to stay active and independent. Electric bikes are great for older people, as they offer them a whole host of benefits.

Electric bikes give older riders and those with mobility issues the opportunity to stay mobile and independent. The assistance from the motor allows more people to ride bikes much later in life.

To ride an electric bike, you don’t need to learn any new skills, as it rides just like a regular bike. The difference is, as you pedal, the motor seamlessly amplifies your pedalling efforts. You can even select how much motor assistance you want with the touch of a button.

The motor assistance makes pedalling much easier, making electric bikes ideal for helping older people to stay active.

Electric Bikes Improve Your Health

We should all have an active lifestyle. By staying active as we get older, the ageing process is slowed down. It also improves our health and reduces the likelihood of becoming ill.

Cycling is a superb form of low impact exercise, as it is not very strenuous on your joints as other activities. Cycling is also great for improving your cardiovascular health while pumping more blood to the brain.

When you ride an electric bike, you still need to put some effort into your pedalling. But, choosing a higher assistance level makes riding it less intense than riding a traditional bike, but still good exercise.

Older people who are active stand less chance of getting illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s than people that lead a more sedentary life. But people who already suffer from these illnesses can improve their symptoms by cycling. 

Thanks to the less strenuous nature of riding an electric bike, older people can ride longer than they would ride a regular bike. The motor assistance makes rides more enjoyable and less painful. For this reason, they will often ride their electric bike more.

If you are looking to kickstart a healthy and active lifestyle or have existing health problems, an electric bike is an ideal solution.

Riding any kind of bike goes a long way to improve your mental health. Along with the mood-boosting properties of the health benefits, electric bikes also enhance your social life.

Electric Bikes Allow You To Keep Up

Often friends and family won’t ride together due to different fitness levels. But, electric bikes have changed all this. With motor assistance, older riders can now keep up with younger family members. 

Older riders do not have to be left behind when riding up hills or over long distances. Their electric bike bridges the fitness level gap, allowing families to ride together.

Electric Bikes Enhance Independence

Older people who ride electric bikes find cycling more accessible than on regular bikes. They also enjoy more independence than if they stuck to traditional cycling.

Getting around on an electric bike means you can reach your destination without getting hot and sweaty. The electric motor also makes carrying stuff much easier. For example, shopping becomes effortless, as you get assistance while carrying groceries home. This is especially helpful if you live in a hilly area.

Many older people use electric bikes to replace their cars or reduce how much they use them. People who ride electric bikes like that they are much cheaper than driving cars and easier to park. In addition to this, they are happy that they are being more environmentally friendly.

In many cases, journey times are also much quicker on an electric bike than in a car too. You can take shortcuts, ride on cycle paths and beat the traffic. Therefore, running errands and paying visits can be much easier than driving.

However, if you need to use your car, you can still take your electric bike with you. There are some fantastic foldable electric bikes on the market that are very compact, allowing you to fit them in the boot. Many people park their cars on the outskirts of the city and use their electric bikes to finish their journey, avoiding traffic.

Electric Bikes Are Great For Rehabilitation

Electric bikes are popular with people who are recovering from injuries, operations or illnesses. The different assistance levels allow you to keep moving without putting too much effort into the pedals. You can select the exact amount of assistance to suit your level of rehabilitation. Therefore, older people can stay active without the fear of overdoing it.

Some electric bikes allow you to ride using the motor power alone, without pedalling. This feature is great if your ride becomes too difficult or painful, as you can use the throttle to get home quickly.

Electric Bikes Are Fun

Getting older should not mean that you stop having fun. The good news is that even the most basic electric bike is entertaining to ride.

When you first start to pedal an electric bike, you will notice how the motor seamlessly amplifies your pedalling. As you experiment with the different assistance levels, you will be impressed by how the motor delivers its power.

Depending on which bike you choose, you can reach up to 28mph while you are pedalling. Some electric bikes reach their top speed quicker than others, but they are all fun to ride.

One of the significant advantages of riding an electric bike is that you can ride longer distances before getting tired. This means you can explore new areas without worrying about how fit you are. You will have no problem with taking a 20-mile bike ride on an electric bike.

Features Of The Best Electric Bikes For Older Riders

If you are thinking about buying an electric bike, here are some features that will benefit the older rider.

The Frame

An electric bike with a step-through frame is an excellent feature to look out for. These make mounting and dismounting the bike much easier, as you don’t need to swing your leg over a high top tube.

To ensure your rides are as comfortable as possible, look for an electric bike that allows you to get into the perfect riding position. They do this by fitting their bikes with adjustable handlebars and seat posts. 

You will also come across electric bikes with suspension, while some have suspension built into the seat post. These components reduce vibrations and shock, so your ride is as smooth as can be.

Often vibration damping is also taken care of with large volume tyres. These big squishy tyres enhance ride quality and grip.

The Motor

Before you buy an electric bike, you need to know what your local laws allow. But, your motor choice will be determined by what you want to use your electric bike for.

You don’t necessarily need a big powerful motor, especially if you are not very heavy. For example, a 250-watt motor will still allow you to reach 15mph, while a 500W motor, with the throttle, fully down will get you to roughly about 20mph. If you want something more powerful, you can get to 28mph with a 500W motor.

Therefore a 250W motor is sufficient for most people. But, if you live in a hilly area, a more powerful electric bike will be beneficial.

Older electric bike riders may benefit from an electric bike that can be ridden using a throttle. These bikes allow you to give your legs a rest and let the bike’s motor do all the work.

Wheels And Tyres

Electric bikes with larger wheels and tyres will give you a smoother ride and more efficient pedalling. However, smaller wheels and tyres make the bike more agile. However, you need to look at the whole package, as features such as suspension and intelligent battery systems will make a difference to how the bike rides.

But if you ride on rough surfaces, larger wheels and tyres are often the best option.

Brakes

You will notice that there are a few options for brakes fitted on electric bikes. They will come with rim brakes or disc brakes. Rim brakes are not as powerful as disc brakes, but they can be sufficient for some people’s rides.

Electric bike disc brakes are either mechanical or hydraulic. Mechanical disc brakes give you lots of braking power, but their added advantage is that they are easy to maintain. 

Hydraulic disc brakes are the ones you want if you want the ultimate in stopping power and control. However, they are a little more complicated to maintain.

Final thoughts

As you can see, electric bikes are fantastic for active older people. They make leading a healthy and sociable lifestyle easy. These are important for a good quality of life. Check out some great electric bikes for older people in our online store.