e-bikes for people who have pain when walking?

[sim667]

So my partner is really struggling, she’s got all sorts of health issues that are causing her pain when she’s walking even short distances and of course the NHS referrals are taking a gazillion years to come through for investigation. She also doesn’t drive but has her test booked.

I’m wondering if she doesn’t pass her test whether she might benefit from an ebike, she has a bike she doesn’t really use because she gets out of breath, and this pain is basically stopping her doing other exercise (although I think she’s going to start swimming with me).

But I’m just wondering if anyone who has similar issues has an e-bike and has found that a benefit? She’s currently paying £7-12 for a taxi every morning to work. She has tried using the buses but they basically never turn up on time.

 

[Silas Loom]

So my partner is really struggling, she’s got all sorts of health issues that are causing her pain when she’s walking even short distances and of course the NHS referrals are taking a gazillion years to come through for investigation. She also doesn’t drive but has her test booked.

I’m wondering if she doesn’t pass her test whether she might benefit from an ebike, she has a bike she doesn’t really use because she gets out of breath, and this pain is basically stopping her doing other exercise (although I think she’s going to start swimming with me).

But I’m just wondering if anyone who has similar issues has an e-bike and has found that a benefit? She’s currently paying £7-12 for a taxi every morning to work. She has tried using the buses but they basically never turn up on time.

Never tried ebikes. Can talk about mobility scooters if needed. Can’t she work at home?

 

[Leafster]

I have read about e-bikes being helpful for people with some mobility issues but I guess that depends on what they are. If the only reason she doesn't ride her bike is because she gets out of breath then perhaps it sounds as though an e-bike might work for her.

E-bikes do tend to be heavier though so I would suggest looking at something as light as possible to make it easier if she needs to lift it up (or otherwise manoeuvre it) at the start and end of her journeys. Having said that, I have a heavy e-bike and it comes with 'walk-mode' which is helpful if you come to one of those ramps alongside sets of steps so you don't have to exert yourself too much getting it up steep slopes.

Perhaps she could find a bike shop where she could test ride a few.

 

[two sheds]

Would a trike be good? There are some really good ones out there.

weepiper is probably the person to ask more generally though.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

ebikes have to be ridden like any regular bike, they just take the sting out of it, especially in to wind or up a gradient, if riding a regular bike on the flat would be an issue then ebikes won't help. If she can ride one then they probably will help. A friendly bike shop should let her try one, you're not a gazillion miles from me, more than welcome should you want to.

 

[discokermit]

my bike has a throttle, which is only legal on private land but nobody ever checks. means i don't have to pedal at all if i don't want to. great for people with breathing issues or knee issues.

 

[braindancer]

My father in law is not in too good a way. He gets out of breath and suffers with a lot of pain in his knees and back meaning he finds it difficult to even walk to his local shop about 500 metres away on the flat. However, he has an e-bike and LOVES it, regularly using it for 25-30 mile rides in the countryside. Definitely worth considering I'd say.....

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

My partner's uncle has had all sorts of mobility issues over the last few years (multiple knee and hip operations) and he loves his e-bike. There's been times when he hasn't been able to use it so it's not going to be suitable for everyone but at other times it's really helped him get out when he otherwise wouldn't have been able to.

 

[Leafster]

ebikes have to be ridden like any regular bike, they just take the sting out of it, especially in to wind or up a gradient, if riding a regular bike on the flat would be an issue then ebikes won't help. If she can ride one then they probably will help. A friendly bike shop should let her try one, you're not a gazillion miles from me, more than welcome should you want to.

I wonder whether it makes much of a difference whether the bike has a torque or cadence sensor? Mine's got a cadence sensor and in full power assistance mode it's more or less possible just go through the motions of turning the pedals with the bike motor doing all the hard work. I think yours has got a torque sensor so it gives you more of a helping hand than doing the work for you.

I tend to keep mine in one of the low power setting otherwise I wouldn't get much of a work out. However, I do get lazy sometimes!

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I wonder whether it makes much of a difference whether the bike has a torque or cadence sensor? Mine's got a cadence sensor and in full power assistance mode it's more or less possible just go through the motions of turning the pedals with the bike motor doing all the hard work. I think yours has got a torque sensor so it gives you more of a helping hand than doing the work for you.

I tend to keep mine in one of the low power setting otherwise I wouldn't get much of a work out. However, I do get lazy sometimes!

Dunno, have eco, trail and boost. Boost does feel like someone's set a rocket off in it, but have hardly ever used it, go everywhere in eco, trail in thick mud or sand only. So maybe. Whatever is used it is massively more efficient if the cadence is kept up at a regular pace, so efficient use of the gears is vital. Clearly the type of bike the Deliveroo guys ride would be easiest, but they are just electric motorbikes, so if plod choose to can get you in to trouble...

 

[sim667]

She doesn’t have a mobility issue as such but walking is painful (she’s under investigation for adhesions which should be where they are internally)…… so she would be fine on a bike, and has cycled in the past.

Good shout about trying one though, I didn’t know you could. Thanks for the advice everyone