Welcome friend! Electric bikes are the perfect way to get around for many seniors. In this post, you will find information on the best electric bikes for seniors.
What Are Electric Bikes?
Electric bikes are bicycles with an additional electric motor that assists you in propelling the bike forward. Typically the motor only assists you when the pedals are being turned but some models allow driving with the electric motor by itself.
Basic electric bikes simply consist of a battery, an electric motor on either of the wheel hubs, and a simple mechanism for recognizing pedal force and controlling the amount of power to the motor.
More sophisticated electric bikes have very efficient control electronics that assist you only in the amount you have set on the control unit. They can also have additional features like regenerative braking, which means that the energy of braking is used to charge the battery.
The battery is typically a lithium polymer one that is situated either on the back carrier or the frame. The typical battery capacity will allow a range from anything between 5 and 50 miles depending on the amount of assistance, the capacity of the battery, the efficiency of the electric system, and the number of inclines in the terrain.
While the typical power of an electric bike is only around 250 W to 1000 W, you will be surprised how much easier this makes cycling. Especially in a hilly environment.
Why Electric Bikes Are Perfect For Seniors
Because of the assistance of the electric motor, eBikes are the perfect option for seniors looking to get around by bike but are put off by the difficulty of pedaling steep inclines or extended distances.
The motor makes pedaling an eBike a breeze while you are still getting plenty of exercise. It also makes it easy to travel several miles relatively fast so it can allow you more freedom in your day-to-day life.
For many people living in the city, an e-bike can be a good option for a car or an electric mobility scooter. You can get additional carrying equipment for your e-bike to help you haul stuff like groceries and luggage as well.
One of the greatest factors for overall health in seniors is an active lifestyle. As you get older and lose strength, mobility and get all sorts of ailments, it becomes harder and harder to keep active. Choosing the couch or the bed becomes easier.
Electric bikes can make it easier to decide to go out and enjoy the world instead of staying inside or going by car. Cycling with an eBike is easier than cycling with a regular bike or walking. It’s also fun!
In some places with poor public transportation, an e-bike can actually make it possible to get to town and run your errands if you don’t own a car or can’t drive anymore due to health reasons.
This way e-bikes help you maintain freedom and independence longer as you are not dependent on other people’s help for getting around.
Besides that cycling is a great form of exercises for seniors. It doesn’t stress the joints as much as walking or jogging and helps you maintain your balance skills. I wrote more about this in Indoor Cycling For Seniors.
What To Look For In An Electric Bike For Seniors
The market is full of different types of e-bikes so it can be hard to decide what is a good model for you. The good news is that e-bikes are more forgiving than regular bikes due to the simple fact that as you need less force, the riding position doesn’t have to be as perfect to avoid discomfort.
For seniors, the most important factors are ease of use and safety. Also, the size and weight of the bike can be important factors, especially if you need to occasionally lift the bike for storage or transportation.
For ease of use, it’s important that the electric system, including the battery, are as maintenance-free as possible. The battery should be easy to remove for charging as some models can require a lot of force to get the battery off.
The most important thing for safety is high-quality brake parts and tires. Cheap bikes often have simple mechanical wheel brakes while higher quality models can have hydraulic ABS disc brakes, just like your car.
When you combine hydraulic ABS brakes with high-quality tires it goes without saying that the bike will stop a lot faster than with simple mechanical brakes. The ABS system means that the tires won’t lock when your brake forcibly. This allows you to maintain steering during the braking.
All this is much more important with an electric bike than a regular bike because e-bikes accelerate faster, have higher average speeds, and weigh more. This means that you need all the braking power and control you can have in a tight spot.
Another important factor for seniors is the shape of the frame. So-called step-through frames allow you to mount the bike without lifting your other leg over the frame or the back wheel like in a regular bike.
This is recommended for most seniors as if you have or develop any hip mobility issues this will make getting on and off the bike difficult if not impossible while you might still be fully capable of actually cycling.
The final consideration is size. Generally the longer distances you plan to cycle the larger frame you should get.
On the other hand, if you are looking for something to take with you for vacations and trips to cruise around your destination, some compact models allow you to fold the frame to fit in the trunk of your car.
These compact models usually have smaller batteries and thus reduced ranges but they can be useful if you need a transportable model or just something to get around your neighborhood.
But generally, I would recommend full-size step-through models.
Electric Bikes And Safety
The most important safety factor when using an e-bike is to get a high-quality bike with good tires and effective breaks.
Besides having a good bike you can improve your safety with a few precautions. The first is to never use an e-bike when you are not feeling well. This includes things like when you are sick, intoxicated, or using new medications that affect your cognition.
The most important safety equipment when using an e-bike or a regular bicycle is a helmet. Most serious bike accidents are due to head trauma and it’s been estimated that most of the serious injuries and deaths while biking could be avoided by simply wearing a helmet.
You can learn more about the importance of fall prevention in the article Fall Prevention Exercises For seniors.
Since e-bikes usually allow faster speed than regular bicycles, especially for seniors, it’s important to invest in a high-quality helmet and always wear it.
The purpose of the helmet is to take the brunt of the impact if you fall and hit your head. While it might seem a simple layer of hard plastic and styrofoam couldn’t possibly save your life it really can.
Your head is surprisingly tough but it can’t handle instant deceleration very well. If you hit your head on the pavement or to the side of a car at full speed, the deceleration forces are more than enough to crack your skull and injure your brain.
Just an inch of styrofoam and a hard shell will provide the precious milliseconds to slow down the deceleration and g forces enough to save your noggin. So please wear a helmet.
If you plan on using your e-bike when it’s dark it’s important to get a high-quality bike light for two reasons. So that other people and especially cars can see you and so that you can see in front of you.
I recommend getting a set that contains a forward-pointing spotlight and a rear-mounted attention light so you are visible from both directions.
Best Step through electric bikes for seniors:
NAKTO 26″ 6-Speed Electric Bike
Pros:
- Step-through design for easy mounting
- 22-28 mile range
- Comes equipped with safety equipment (light, helmet)
- Good warranty
- Very affordable
Cons
- Mechanical brakes
- Is equipped with a derailleur gear system (high maintenance)
The NAKTO 26″ 6-speed model is a step-through design. The great things about the bike are a relatively high effective range of 28 miles, a step-through design that makes it very easy to get on and off the bike, and of course a very affordable price.
The bike even comes equipped with a helmet (I would probably invest in a higher quality one), a lock and lights, and a luggage carrier.
The disappointing bits to my eyes are the mechanical wheel brakes and the 6-speed derailleur transmission.
I would prefer either mechanical or hydraulic disc brakes in an e-bike and while the 6-speed transmission will come in handy if you run out of battery, it is prone to malfunction without proper maintenance.
I think one of the great things about e-bikes is that they can work well with simpler transmissions, which means less maintenance and less risk of malfunction.
The NAKTO bikes are made affordable by selling straight from the factory to the customer. This way they eliminate all the middlemen in the distribution chain and can offer a very competitive price for the consumer.
That said I did not find much (as in any) information on the company or where the bikes are actually made. The positive Amazon reviews still show that the product delivers what it promises: An affordable and well-equipped step-through e-bike.
CIVI BIKES Runabout Cargo Bike
Pros:
- Step-through design for easy mounting
- Up to 50 miles range and a top speed of 25 MPH
- Can load up to 60 lbs of cargo
- Disc brakes
Cons
- Equipped with a derailleur gear system (high maintenance)
The CIVI Bikes Runabout is another step-through design with a bit more compact frame. Even though the frame is smaller and lightweight the bike offers high performance and carry capacity.
The frame can support up to 310 lbs body weight as well as 60 lbs of additional cargo in the front basket and on the rear carrier.
This bike is designed for carrying cargo like groceries and other items, so it’s perfect for seniors looking for a vehicle to aid in going to the store or shopping.
This is definitely a higher quality bike compared to the Nakto so the price is a bit higher. What you get in exchange is premium quality and performance.
The bike features a 500W brushless motor (no maintenance) and a high-capacity Samsung battery that offers up to 50 miles of range, which is great.
The bike also features disc brakes and quality tires, just like you want to see in your e-bike. The drive train features a derailleur-based 7-gear transmission. While it’s done with quality Shimano parts, I would like to see a simpler transmission on an e-bike.
All and all this is a great relatively affordable step-through electric bike that’s definitely a good option for seniors.
Compact Electric Bikes For Seniors:
SwagCycle EB-5 Pro Folding EBike
Pros:
- Very compact foldable design
- Comes pre-assembled
- Good range relative to the size
Cons
- Mechanical wheel brakes
The SwagCycle EB-5 is the perfect option for seniors looking for an electric bike to take on day trips or vacations in the trunk of the car for example.
This tiny bike only can support users up to 264 lbs and it offers a reasonable range of 15.5 miles. While this might not seem that high, you have to take into consideration the tiny size of the bike.15 miles is plenty for strolling around a city or a park for example.
The bike folds into half from the middle and is light enough to easily be lifted into a trunk of a car. The bike features mechanical wheel brakes so they are not optimal but considering the small size and slightly smaller top speed they are fine.
This is the perfect option if you are looking for a compact foldable e-bike to take with you on trips. The performance is good enough for day-to-day use as well if you don’t have to travel a long distance and don’t have a place to store a full-size e-bike.
Fat Tire E-bike For Seniors:
ECOTRIC Fat Tire Electric Bike
Pros:
- Fat tire design
- Very powerful motor
- Large capacity battery
Cons
- Pricy
My final suggestion is for seniors looking for adventures on the outside. Fat tire bikes are wonderful because they let you cycle on soft terrains like sand on a beach or snow.
When you combine fat tires with a powerful electric motor you essentially get a lightweight all-terrain vehicle.
The bike features a 500W motor and a high capacity 36 V battery that gives it a top speed of 20 mph and a range of around 25 miles, which is great for a fat tire bike.
Unlike many mountain fat bikes, the Ecotric features ergonomic and comfortable seats and handles which makes it perfect for seniors.
So if you are looking for something to use while going to the mountains, biking in the snow, or the forest, this is your pick!
Conclusion
I hope you found my recommendations for an electric bike for seniors useful and found a model that suits your needs.
If you have any questions about e-bikes or equipment, don’t hesitate to contact me in the comments section below. I’ll do my best to answer your questions swiftly.
Electric bikes are a great option for seniors to get around and stay active. They allow you to travel long-distance without wearing yourself out.
If you are still in good shape and can use a regular bike, an electric bike can help you increase your motivation for choosing a bike over a car for longer distances.
The technology in electric bikes has evolved a lot in recent years and the technology is surprisingly sophisticated even in cheaper models.
You simply forget you are using an e-bike and enjoy effortless cycling while still getting plenty of exercise.
Thanks for reading and remember to subscribe to my newsletter, there’s a strength training program in it for you! Social shares are always appreciated as well.
See you next time!
I’m 66 and I picked my bike right away: the ECOTRIC Fat Tire Electric Bike. Because it looks so steady. I’ll be going over on amazon to check on it.
Yes, as seniors we no longer have the force to pedal like a 16-year old. We need a little urge from that motor. That video was a good addition, helping me to connect properly.
I loved the safety information. There’s nothing more important to we seniors than security. Injury is nothing good for us. Therefore we must take care. Thanks for all this.
Glad you liked it Akoli and found a good match for yourself! The assistance of the electric motor definitely makes cycling a whole different experience. If you are too weak or out of shape, regular cycling can feel down right exhausting. When you try an eBike you feel like superhuman because it’s so easy!
I think safety is always important when cycling but especially for seniors as injuries take much longer to heal and reaction time generally degrades as you age so you are more likely to get into an accident. Fortunately most older folks compensate by being more careful when cycling.
All the best to you and good luck with your new e-bike!
Great article! I’ll forward it to my parents too, they are looking into e-bikes at the moment.
Glad you liked in Angelique!
Thank you for this great and informative article.
To tell you the truth, I hadn’t given it much thought in the past. However, after reading your article, I realized that electric bikes are the perfect solution for seniors. It’s so obvious that they make it easy for an older person to mount and dismount. Besides, they are much more secure compared to high leading tube bikes. They offer the ability to exercise helping to recuperate from any injury or health problems.
I will definitely have a more thorough look at the suggested bikes, but from my first impression, I prefer the ECOTRIC Fat Tire Electric Bike.
Great to hear you found the article useful Alexis! Electric bikes can definitely make life simpler, especially for seniors. Just like you pointed out, they are great for injury recovery as well because of the reduced resistance.
Terrible article because it fails to mention just how much each ebike weighs. A 50 pound ebike can’t be lifted into a traincar or a parked car or carried up steps into a home by any senior or anyone with medical issues. Why don’t you get this?
Sorry to hear you didn’t like it Terria. You raise an important point about the weight of the bikes, I will update the information. I would like to point out that plenty of people who are considered seniors can lift a 50 lbs ebike for short distances relatively easily. Your physical fitness, age, medical issues and above all size affect what you can lift. A healthy 70-year-old 200 lbs man who does strength training can very likely easily lift a 50 lbs bike just fine. Also, there are a lot of accommodations that don’t require you to carry the bike for a flight of stairs. Where I live people mostly keep their bikes locked on their yards and in bicycle stands at elsewhere. I understand this is not possible in large cities but not everyone lives in large cities.
I think the points you raise apply to regular bicycles as well. Ebikes really aren’t that much heavier than regular bikes after all. Both can be found in super lightweight models, but they are costly. If you are not fit or healthy enough to push and lift a regular bicycle, the same applies to e-bikes of course. I really do get this, but you can’t expect me to account for every possible scenario. Thanks for the feedback!