Ebikes and the Unfit Very Heavy Rider - A Cautionary Tale for Newcomers

[FatBob]

I want to preface this post by stressing this is simply one individual's experience and is not meant to reflect that of all other unfit very heavy riders. That said, hopefully it will also help prospective newcomers, particularly those who are unsure if ebikes will meet their need and who may have been influenced by videos on YouTube or accounts from not-so-heavy/more active relatives, friends or colleagues.

The short version of this is absolutely make sure you try out a bike first or take a potential bike for a test drive.

If you are a very heavy rider (which for sake of argument translates here as a good proportion (e.g. 30 kg/ 65 lbs) in excess of the 120 kg / 265 lbs testing limit most bikes seem to be manufactured to) then the question to ask is how cycle-fit are you? If you haven't regularly cycled or regularly engaged in genuine out-of-breath exercise for a while, or have strong cycling legs then it likely you will be surprised by just how much hard work is needed even with PAS (pedal assist).

The reality is that cycling an ebike feels very much like riding an ordinary bike with small differences. On the 'flat' you may vary between assist levels 1 & 2 (on a typical 5-level PAS). However, remember that unless you're very used to cycling or have strong leg muscles and decent cardiovascular system, it will feel very much like riding an ordinary bike and that you're having to put in a lot of pedal work. Forget any ideas or videos you may have seen of you pedalling relatively easily while you glide over the flat terrain. Also, forget rides longer than more than a couple miles (over flat), you simply won't make it.

When you come to very short (e.g. 20 yard) sections of gentle incline you may feel the need to use PAS level 3. For longer sections of gentle inclines (e.g. 50 yards @ 3%) you will notice your speed drop sharply and you have to pedal even harder not to come to a standstill, making you more out of breath. It's at this point you have to engage PAS 4 & 5 whilst pedalling hard just to get you to the crest of the 50-yard gentle incline as if you were on Mt Ventoux. As before, put out your mind any any ideas of using PAS level 5 to tackle mile-long 8% gradient hills.

The fact is, even a 'flat' ride of couple miles will make you feel like you've had a very hard workout and possibly sick.

For bikes with 250 W motors, it is extremely unlikely that minor differences between set ups (cadence vs torque, mid vs hub, CX motor etc etc) will make any significant difference to the journey.

If you are an unfit very heavy rider ebikes will only be useful to you if you intend to use them to aid improve your fitness and strength levels over a very long period. You will have to put in a lot of physical effort for even very short flat journeys. They are most certainly not mopeds with pedalling!

If you still want to try an ebike make sure you try it out first / book a test ride.

I hope this account will help inform very heavy riders looking into getting an ebike.

 

[Tony1951]

Regular massage helps along with Steroid injections. However, for me a good pair of compression socks and an insole with a strengthened, raised arch significantly helps. Had mine way before I was cycling.

I had Plantar Fasciitis for several months and it made my quite long daily walks a literal pain in the foot. At the time, I was walking 5 to 8 miles a day and nothing I did made any difference. My partner advised me to stretch the strong ligament that goes along the base of the foot, and showed me some exercises which made the toe tilt up towards the knee. They were not that comfortable and difficult to do, so I adapted them by standing on a stair on my affected foot, with only the ball of the foot on the stair and most of my foot hanging off the stair. Then I started gently bouncing my weight on the ball of my foot and letting my foot bend up towards the knee. This I did more and more until I gradually stretched that ligament under the sole of the foot. I was doing it about five times a day for a minute or so each time. Within a week, the plantar fasciitis was just about gone and within a fortnight, I had more or less forgotten I ever had it. It has never come back since.

I passed this tip on to a mate who walked a lot and had the problem and it worked for him as well.

Try it if you suffer this.


EDIT:

On Type 2 Diabetes:

One of my neighbours is a pretty huge bloke. He is called 'Tank' by everyone around here. He had diabetes (Type 2) and he was pretty much in hiding from the world during the early covid epidemic. He decided to lose weight and he significantly limited his calorie intake. He has lost four stones and he is no nolonger diabetic. He reckons he wants to lose another stone or so, but he looks so much fitter and is out and about all the time rather than lurking indoors. He did it like someone else here by eating only once a day - which sounds pretty hard to me, but he prefers it that way. Another way he might have tried would be to strictly limit carbohydrate intake, and focus of vegetables and protein.

 

[sjpt]

so I adapted them by standing on a stair on my affected foot, with only the ball of the foot on the stair and most of my foot hanging off the stair. Then I started gently bouncing my weight on the ball of my foot and letting my foot bend up towards the knee. This I did more and more until I gradually stretched that ligament under the sole of the foot.

I had a similar problem and solution. Just one difference: the lady who suggested it stressed that I should not actually bounce, just to leave the weight to do the stretching. I guess very gentle bouncing might be OK.

 

[Tony1951]

I had a similar problem and solution. Just one difference: the lady who suggested it stressed that I should not actually bounce, just to leave the weight to do the stretching. I guess very gentle bouncing might be OK.

Yes - the bounce was my idea/ I was advised to stretch the sole and the stair trick was the most convenient way to do it for me. You can hold the banister with one hand to steady yourself and stretch the ligament without effort.