Unfit, overweight, bad knees, no hair but own teeth!

[Alan Quay]

There is a difference between turning the pedals and pushing on the pedals. I have rugby knees myself but am fortunate in that they only go bad when the weather turns to freezing (hence my migration further and further south...).

Last week I went to Hendaye to a RDV with my girlfriend and as the weather wasn't too hot (21 C ish) and the battery was fully charged as a test I went dressed for a town outing not in my usual riding gear. An 11 km ride with a 4.8 km climb I just turned the pedals at a regular cadence in 3rd or 4th gear, assist 5 most of the climb and didn't even break a sweat. My PAS works great and the motor was giving a steady 400 Watts all the way up according to the LCD. Instead of my usual maxed out 25-26 kph the climb was at between 19 and 21 kph dropping to 16 kph at the steepest point.

Are you saying that you climbed 4800m in 11000m? That's 44%.

 

[anotherkiwi]

Nope, I said that there is a climb 4.8 km long in my usual 11 km ride to Hendaye. The slope is 4% average on the way there and there are bits which are 5% average on the way back. The road profile for that ride is in my kit review thread.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Kudoscycles, have you anything which would fit the bill as already described plus decent range (15 to 20 miles perhaps on max power)

Remember I need it to go up some steep hills without pedalling.

All my MTB style bikes require you to turn the pedals to get power,that is the concept of a pedelec.

KudosDave

 

[rippedupno1]

The Mosso that d8veh linked to doesn't require any peddling at all when using the throttle ( I have one ) and will do any hill you like on throttle only without peddling if you so wish.

 

[rsyme]

Hi,
I have had 6 knee operations over the years - all cartiledges, crutiates and a severed quads tendon, so not great knees!!!! I too was well overweight and on blood pressure pills - I was 60 yo. Any damp cold day, I took a half hour or so for my knees to get going.
My surgeon recommended I get an e-bike. I originally got a Kalkhoff impulse which I changed for a Haibike sDuro cross subsequently and can truthfully say that my health is changed beyond all my hopes. Where I live is hilly, very hilly! I live 5 miles from nearest town. 2 years later I have shed almost 3 stone, have got rid of the pills and my knees are transformed - no morning stiffness/pain and I can go up and down long flights of stairs or hills easily.

So don't get a bike to sit on and not pedal, get a pedelec and start with just a short distance on high power and build up. There is little need to put your knees under pressure at all with a good quality pedelec. Do check out which you can actually cycle NOW - you can then begin the process of changing your situation and staving off the replacement scenario !!!!!

Best of luck

Robbie Syme

 

[cogburn]

That's the sort of scenario I find myself in. I want to shed some weight by very mild exercise. It's not that I don't want not to pedal but not pedal under strain & have the option not to pedal when I simply can't.

 

[anotherkiwi]

I have lost 4 kg in the two months / 875 kilometres that my bike has been on the road. With riding style between putting in lots of effort (because I can) to very little effort because need to go somewhere and be fresh as a daisy when I get there.

Pedelec = best thing since the baguette (don't get me started on sliced bread...)