eBikes - is there a way back?
Re: eBikes - is there a way back?
This time of year is when my ebike gets a bit of use to get me back into cycling after quite few weeks of not cycling. Was out on it today. The weather has been so horrific for such a long time. Last time I was out was a quick jaunt out in the snow. I've most of the damage done by the big storm in January repaired now so been very busy with that and work. Time for some "swannin aboot on bikes" as my brother puts it.
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Re: eBikes - is there a way back?
Weather lovely here the last couple of days so got out on the mtb yesterday for a good long run. Maybe a bit too long and felt tired and a little sore today so took the ebike this morning. Still out in the park enjoying the nice weather and listening to the birds in full song -- spring has sprung -- maybe ?
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Re: eBikes - is there a way back?
I'm rather late to this topic but I have gone from being fit as a fiddle, having a stroke which rendered me extremely unfit that I very nearly gave up cycling, fitting a mid drive motor to my bike and recovering better, getting unfit again due to the ebike, back to non powered cycling which i failed miserably at, back to epower, further unfitness, back to non power again and getting a little fitter but suffering constant diabetic hypos and fatigue and now I'm using a different brand mid drive motor which helps but also makes me work for that help. Phew!
So, after the stroke and almost giving up cycling, my Dad convinced me to try his ebike. I loved it and soon got my own Bafang motor for my own bike. As a cadence based motor, the faster you pedal the harder it works...more or less. The Bafang made it easy for me to just do the motions of pedalling while the motor did all the work. This worked great for a while, but I soon noticed I was walking more slowly and getting worn out easily. All play and no work was making Bill a lazy boy. Back to non powered cycling then. But I couldn't do it. I didn't have the muscle to climb the endless hills here and any form of training lead to my diabetes grounding me before I was even breathing hard.
Things continued like this for a while with no improvement.
A few weeks ago after trying to go non powered again for the billionth time, I invested in a new motor. The Tongshen one. This works on torque. The harder I pedal, the harder it works. It's possible to cheat in that I could just set it to its highest setting and cruise along with almost no effort but I'm finding that I like to push myself just enough that it's benefitting me but without putting me in hospital either. It.s only been 2 or 3 weeks but I am starting to feel a bit fitter.
So yes, I think that as long as you're putting in enough effort and not letting the ebike/motor do all the work, then going back to normal cycling is very much possible.
So, after the stroke and almost giving up cycling, my Dad convinced me to try his ebike. I loved it and soon got my own Bafang motor for my own bike. As a cadence based motor, the faster you pedal the harder it works...more or less. The Bafang made it easy for me to just do the motions of pedalling while the motor did all the work. This worked great for a while, but I soon noticed I was walking more slowly and getting worn out easily. All play and no work was making Bill a lazy boy. Back to non powered cycling then. But I couldn't do it. I didn't have the muscle to climb the endless hills here and any form of training lead to my diabetes grounding me before I was even breathing hard.
Things continued like this for a while with no improvement.
A few weeks ago after trying to go non powered again for the billionth time, I invested in a new motor. The Tongshen one. This works on torque. The harder I pedal, the harder it works. It's possible to cheat in that I could just set it to its highest setting and cruise along with almost no effort but I'm finding that I like to push myself just enough that it's benefitting me but without putting me in hospital either. It.s only been 2 or 3 weeks but I am starting to feel a bit fitter.
So yes, I think that as long as you're putting in enough effort and not letting the ebike/motor do all the work, then going back to normal cycling is very much possible.
Bill
“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
Re: eBikes - is there a way back?
Sorry to hear about the stroke Bill -- were you relatively young when that happened?
I used the ebike on my last commute cos my legs were tired from the first few commutes this year after the atrocious weather we've had so far. I only used the power on the hills and turned it off on the flat but better on bike than caged.
I am here. Where are you?
Re: eBikes - is there a way back?
Young for a stroke victim. I was 41.
I'm ok ish on the flats, but gimmie a headwind or the slightest on inclines and my legs are useless.
I'm ok ish on the flats, but gimmie a headwind or the slightest on inclines and my legs are useless.
Bill
“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
Re: eBikes - is there a way back?
I think Vantage's experiences fully answer the original question. I too require some help these days in order to keep on cycling, and like Vantage, have to work hard not to get lazy and let the motor do all the work. But so long as one remains disciplined, and sets the electric support as low as needed to keep going then eBikes are definitely a useful tool to stay cycling and / or build up stamina and muscles.Vantage wrote: ↑10 Mar 2025, 10:24pm I'm rather late to this topic but I have gone from being fit as a fiddle, having a stroke which rendered me extremely unfit that I very nearly gave up cycling, fitting a mid drive motor to my bike and recovering better, getting unfit again due to the ebike, back to non powered cycling which i failed miserably at, back to epower, further unfitness, back to non power again and getting a little fitter but suffering constant diabetic hypos and fatigue and now I'm using a different brand mid drive motor which helps but also makes me work for that help. Phew!
So, after the stroke and almost giving up cycling, my Dad convinced me to try his ebike. I loved it and soon got my own Bafang motor for my own bike. As a cadence based motor, the faster you pedal the harder it works...more or less. The Bafang made it easy for me to just do the motions of pedalling while the motor did all the work. This worked great for a while, but I soon noticed I was walking more slowly and getting worn out easily. All play and no work was making Bill a lazy boy. Back to non powered cycling then. But I couldn't do it. I didn't have the muscle to climb the endless hills here and any form of training lead to my diabetes grounding me before I was even breathing hard.
Things continued like this for a while with no improvement.
A few weeks ago after trying to go non powered again for the billionth time, I invested in a new motor. The Tongshen one. This works on torque. The harder I pedal, the harder it works. It's possible to cheat in that I could just set it to its highest setting and cruise along with almost no effort but I'm finding that I like to push myself just enough that it's benefitting me but without putting me in hospital either. It.s only been 2 or 3 weeks but I am starting to feel a bit fitter.
So yes, I think that as long as you're putting in enough effort and not letting the ebike/motor do all the work, then going back to normal cycling is very much possible.
Personally I have a cadence-sensor, and the support that offers is just what I need. To put it simply, each power level has a certain target speed, and as I get close to that target, the input from the motor tails off. So if I have it on step 1 or 2, the motor will kick in when I set off and peter out once I reach 4 or 6mph (or whatever I've programmed it to). I usually have it set to about 9mph, so the motor only really switches on when I'm flagging or going up a hill. Once I hit 9mph it'll stop giving me any support and I'm cycling normally.
On occasions I overreach and have trouble continuing, then I'll choose a higher setting and just pedal as much as I'm able to, safe in the knowledge the motor will get me home.
PS I too was once sceptical about ebikes, but then I had the choice of giving up cycling or using an assistance motor. I'm glad I overcame my prejudice since it helps me remain as fit as I can and the only other option would have been to buy a car.
Re: eBikes - is there a way back?
Must have been devastating at that age. I know two other people both female that had strokes around that age -- both fit as butcher's dogs and one a keen cyclist the other a runner. That was about 5 or 6 years ago so before covid etc no real explanation. I had my theories 1 was that the two girls were fairly sedentary for most of their youth and then went mad on the exercise as they approached their 40's. That all maybe rubbish cos I've since heard of lifetime athletes having strokes too.
Sorry for thread drift.
I am here. Where are you?
Re: eBikes - is there a way back?
Strokes affect different people in different ways and no one really knows what causes them. Certain lifestyles, bad habits etc can contribute to them but their root cause is usually a mystery.
Mine I'm sure was caused by smoking through my twenties, diabetes complications and a particularly stressful time getting custody of my children.
I knew one gentleman in the bike club who was nicked named 3 stroke Dave or something because he'd had 3 stokes and was still cycling competitively into his 70s.
The bloke beside me in the hospital ward was already a resident when I arrived and when I left 2 weeks later on my own two feet, he was still very much a vegetable.
Brucey of this parish has also I think, come out the other side smiling.
Coulda been worse. We're both still breathing
Mine I'm sure was caused by smoking through my twenties, diabetes complications and a particularly stressful time getting custody of my children.
I knew one gentleman in the bike club who was nicked named 3 stroke Dave or something because he'd had 3 stokes and was still cycling competitively into his 70s.
The bloke beside me in the hospital ward was already a resident when I arrived and when I left 2 weeks later on my own two feet, he was still very much a vegetable.
Brucey of this parish has also I think, come out the other side smiling.
Coulda been worse. We're both still breathing
Bill
“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.