Well, I’ve been pedalling MTB’s for 30 years, am 65 this year & my riding mate is 10 years younger than me (& skinny). Last time we were out together over at Swaledale, which was last August thanks to lockdowns he left me for dead on every climb & I was knackered trying to keep up!
I’ve been doing a reasonable amount of local stuff on the gravel/hybrid but It’s not the same as the Dales round here, & now he’s on about heading out on the MTB’s again as soon as we can. I aint looking forward to it (cos I’ll die) but am missing being on some proper offroad. He says he’s not arsed about hanging round waiting for me but I’ll just feel like a total burden.
So, at 65 shall I accept that my age has crept up on me & grabbed me round the throat & keep riding what I’m riding or seriously think about going E?

Sounds like it’s a decision you can make on what you want to do, if you want to do Dales stuff, then yes, if you want to continue doing gravel, then no, it’s just a tool to get you doing something that you might not be able, or enjoy doing.

Personally, i went ebike due to numerous injuries, including awaiting hip replacement, it helps not just the range and climbing, but also recovery, which is a massive part of it when you get older, still enjoy my normal bikes, but they don’t get the same distance or play, the ebike also stops me feeling guilty about reducing ranges on the normal ones and just enjoying them for what i can do on them at present.

Similar decision to mine, only a bit younger. Dodgy knees and more working hours was my reason. Tried FF levo and Levo SL, went with the SL as you’ve still got to put the effort in but it feels like your legs are 30 years younger. Can keep up up with all fit analogue mates and loads of range, but there’s no free rides to the top like the bigger bikes.

Mountain biking is supposed to be fun. An ebike makes every part of the ride fun.

I’m almost half your age and have no excuses. I still want an e-bike because they’re a blast to ride. They save your legs on the crap bits so you can go guns blazing on the fun stuff.

Just get one then come back and tell us how it feels.

They do make riding a lot more fun when you’ve done unpleasant things to your legs in the gym! You can also push harder knowing that if your legs give out you can turn the motor up. I like my normal hardtail a lot too though, not sure I could choose between them!

Yes, they are faster than a normal bike at trail centres and faster means more fun 🤣

I’m almost 63 and most of the guys I ride with are in their Forties. I’m sure I’m “holding them back” at times but they’re mates and if we’re going out to ride together then that’s what we do. No one is roaring off into the distance or hanging around.

If it came to having to have a Ebike to go riding with folks I’d just ride solo. Regardless of anything else I couldn’t justify that sort of expense on a bicycle (even if I could afford it).

Like Scotroutes above, my riding buddies are much younger than me. I’m 66 in a couple of weeks, which will hopefully coincide with the delivery of my Focus Jam2! Any one want to buy an Intense Primer ….?

I ride with an 18 year old, who gets to the top of hills and says (5 minutes later, when I arrive, of course) : “Dad, you need an ebike!”
I ain’t getting one though. Cos they are unreliable, butt ugly and stupidly expensive. No other reasons, but thems good enough for me 😛
What I tell him though, is I can still get to the top of the hills, I may be slow, but I don’t need help from a motor, yet.

Oh yeah, should esselgruntfuttok get one? I dunno, if you’re loaded with cash, extremely patient and partially blind… fill yer boots. 😆

Surely if he was a decent mate, he would ride at the slowest speed (yours) or not make you flog yourself to death to keep up. If he wants you to keep up, he should be buying you the ebike 🙂

Your mate says he’s not fussed about waiting for you, so I wouldn’t bother changing the bike in your shoes.

It’s the same with a mate I ride with. He’s quicker than me uphills and waits for me, as he’s a mate. Equally I’m much quicker uphill and my brother, I wait for him. It’s just the way it works with riding with mates isn’t it?

Surely if he was a decent mate, he would ride at the slowest speed (yours)

He likes to keep his fitness up so loves to attack the climbs, being a mate I don’t expect him to go like a snail at my pace.

Theyr’e a bloody fortune though aren’t they!

Granted, they’re not cheap.. But will more than make up for it when you’re flagging.
I’ve done over 2k miles on my e8000 powered jam2 with no issues so far. I’d wholeheartedly encourage you to pull the trigger and not look back

your 65 you have earned a mobility bike if your heads still in it but your legs are not go for it!

I rode with a friend the other day who I hadn’t ridden with for 5 years, partly because she hated feeling like she was being waited on (I don’t mind) or knackered all the time. She rode an ebike and I chased her without e-assist as she giggled manically at the joy of being out and of actually getting to enjoy it. I’ve another friend who has lost 10kg since she bought her ebike because she can now ride every day instead of needing days to recover. She can ride with people more because she doesn’t have to worry about keeping up.

It doesn’t have to be the only bike you ride, but if it’s something you can afford and it will bring happiness and more riding, why not? What else are you going to spend that kind of money on that would give such a cash:smiles ratio?

A motorbike

I’m 65 also, with a load of health issues mainly from throat cancer/Radiotherapy/Chemo 16 years ago. As the years have progressed, I noticed that I was dropping massively off the pace. Upshot is: sold all normal bikes; bought a few e-bikes, and I’m absolutely loving it. Totally knackered after every ride, and able to keep up and even have the banter I used to have. Go for it👍

He likes to keep his fitness up so loves to attack the climbs, being a mate I don’t expect him to go like a snail at my pace.

Conversely, he might be using you as a rest day?

The main reason folk I know say the reason they get them is so they can do more in a short time period. Presumably you, like me (I’m mid 50’s), can be out all day if you want.

Then just accept you’ll ride slower.

And TBH because I can ride more, I’m fitter than most of the folk I ride with – even those almost half my age.

So, at 65 shall I accept that my age has crept up on me & grabbed me round the throat?

Why should you if there’s an alternative? If you can afford an e-bike and it lets you keep doing the kind of riding you enjoy then go for it. I reckon you’ll enjoy it even more when you hand your young riding buddy his ar$e up the first climb

I’m sure you’re not a burden to your mate. Really.

But get an eeb if you fancy one for your own benefit. Especially if it’s that or nothing.

Another option is to wait a few years to see if they get better or more reliable. But not if it means not riding in the meantime.

You sound like just the rider who’d really enjoy the benefits of an e-MTB. It reinvigorated MTBing for me, & sounds like it would do the same for you. There’s no requirement to hoon about in turbo all the time (or ever), or even buy the most powerful system. Demoing one is the simple first step to really answering your question, though I don’t know what the possibility to do that is like currently.
One of my riding partners is a very much fitter cyclist, who always waited for me, now we ride further in the same time, with no waiting. Shirley we both won?

I’m basically just getting fit again after a lazy year and an injury and tbh, I think it’ll be the last time I do it. By the time this get fit get lazy cycle is complete- about 3 years- ebikes’ll be sorted and I’ll get one of those instead.

I’m 55 and ride with a teenager who lags behind on every climb (roadie legs) so just now, no need.

But , my missus has a Levo turbo and it is amazing. An amazing tool. Loads of guys younger than me are using them to cover more riding and I can see why.

No shame in using one of that’s what gets the most out of riding for you. Worth every penny.

If you do go for an ebike you sound pretty fit so might like one of these lite versions that doesn’t give you turbo speed but just a little extra

I got one because after an injury and knee opp I just wasn’t getting the same biking joy I’d had before. I got an Orbea Keram because it had the same standards as on my other bikes and pimped it up for off road duties. Can fit a Chronicle in the front! It’s more than enough for the South Downs and has definitely aided my recovery. For all that I still prefer riding my previous bikes unless it’s windy, muddy or I feel like shit! Oh and I kept the pannier rack on so can I can haul a weeks worth of shopping up the hill.

Why cant he blast up the hills , ride down to you , turn round and ride up with you?
he could give you a gentle push on the back if you are rding up double track
Or he could just ride along giving some positive encouragement

Can I just make a point regarding eMTBs and fitness, especially as you get older:

If you like to really Ride your bike, so trying to go round corners fast, getting airborne in places, generally pumping and pushing and pulling and moving your bike about, then the extra weight of an eMTB demands more exert more force.

What does this mean? Quite simply that if you ride the exact same trails at the exact same speed as a normal MTB then you will get stronger. In reality, you will ride more because you can climb faster, so you will get stronger still.

And if you are a typical older cyclist, your health will benefit from increased strength, especially as you get even older.

Your age only really comes into it it riding with others who are younger and fitter but if that is the case then get an eBike if that will bring you continued enjoyment with friends.

I only ever ride solo as I like to ride at my own pace (good days, bad days etc,.) so not a question foe me whatever my age.

Why cant he blast up the hills , ride down to you , turn round and ride up with you?

HaHa, that would be even more demoralising for me! I’ve done it myself with less fit riders in the long distant past.

Some good points to ponder anyway, thanks chaps!

OP yes, if you can afford one get one.
It’s on my mind but like others have said, stupid money and I can’t justify the money…I don’t think…….but would I get out more if I did have one……
Would it make sense to get one on a bike to work sceme and pay the top up of £2k+?
Food for thought.

I bought one a few months back, basically just to see what the fuss was about. No test rides, I’d never even ridden one before but I knew what I wanted (and, more importantly, didn’t want) so just looked for a s/h one and got it.
I’m getting on for 70 and have been riding mtb’s since they first became a thing (mid to late ‘80s then).
The thing that I’m enjoying most about the e-bike (Altitude Powerplay) is the ludicrous technical climbing possibilities that it’s opened up – stuff that I’ve only ever considered on a m/cycle.
It descends as well as my 301 does but I haven’t mastered endo turns very well yet – the extra weight makes it almost too planted at times.
The downsides are that (for me) it limits who I ride with, because I won’t use it on a ride where there are people on normal bikes, I just don’t think that it works. Maybe that’s just me.
But mostly I ride on my own anyway, so I suppose that’s not a problem.

To be honest, I’d love to get it on grippy, steep limestone climbing, where I reckon it would come into its own – there’s not any of that around here, unfortunately. Steep, yes, but this time of year not exactly grippy.
I’d never be able to climb like Camille Servant does in the “Climbing ain’t Dead” video, because he’s young and, unfortunately, I’m not….

im seriously looking at one atm. However im holding off because of the perceived reliability of them. No way i would want to be waiting months for a new motor etc in the current climate.

That said the big hold up for me is the money. I just dont have the income to drop 6k+ on an ebike.

I also think that going out for a ride with friends is about suffering a little. That climb was horrible, that was tough etc. Its all about being together and sharing the experience. this is why i ride bikes. Not to be the fastest.

Having an ebike doesn’t mean you can’t suffer. What it can do is turn climbs that you used to just winch your way slowly up into full on sprints.

You generally have the option of lowering the power, using ECO more. If you want suffering they can deliver but they do give the ability to make it easier too.

In fact if you really want to suffer, turn the motor off. That’ll make your regular bike feel like IT’S got a motor in it in comparison.

“I also think that going out for a ride with friends is about suffering a little. That climb was horrible, that was tough etc.”

I’ve used my Levo on a lot of group rides – because I cycle to the start whilst most of the people drive to and from it. So I turbo there and back, which is fun, and then do 95% of the group ride with the motor off. Like riding a normal bike but with MORE suffering.

It’s an older model (geometry still looks ok to me), but frame only option here, probably the cheapest way to get an ebike with a warranty on the motor at the moment.
https://www.commencal-store.co.uk/PBSCCatalog.asp?ActionID=67174912&PBCATID=3717857

I thought I was the only cradle-snatcher on this forum! Maybe us oldies (66 here) should just sack off our younger mates and ride together? Cheaper than an ebike and we’ll be able to maintain our moral superiority

No need to spend 6k, This looks great value for £3500

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitus-e-sommet-297-vr-mountain-bike-2021/rp-prod195281?mx01=a&mx02=a

That ^^^^ looks pretty tidy, to be honest. Far less minging looking than plenty that cost more too.
If you’re XL, that is.