E-Bikes Are Just For Old People!

You would be surprised by the number of people who have said that exact line to me whenever I start talking about e-bikes or I’m out and about filming on my own. The truth is e-bikes are good for old people and quite a few old people do indeed buy them and most probably enjoy riding them. But looking back a number of people who have talked to us about buying an e-bike are younger than 50, with most of them being in their 30s! So why it is more likely that younger people buy an e-bike than younger people? Let me explain by pointing out a few of the main reasons…

E-bikes Are Fun and Fast!

With assisted speeds up to 15.5mph and just as many higher gears as most other bikes you can get a good amount of speed from an e-bike and because they are so heavy you will pick up speed going downhill rather rapidly. This is not to say old people don’t like riding fast, or downhill because I have seen many different shapes and ages on downhill bike trials, but it does mean they can be fun and exhilarating meaning more younger people are likely to buy them than old people.

They Are Environmentally Friendly

while it goes without saying that older people do of course care about the environment, it is mostly younger people who do so. A 2018 Gallup analysis found that 70% of adults aged 18 to 34 say they worry about global warming compared to 56% of those aged 55 or older. And yes, that number gets smaller, the older people get. And being eco-friendly is one of the main reasons people will swap an e-bike for their daily commute car.

E-Bikes Require No Licence

And the final reason most younger people will choose e-bikes is that it requires no licence or insurance to ride one. All you need to do is to learn to ride a bicycle and away you go! In fact, the number of young people learning to drive is falling year on year with cost of diving to work being the main issue.

E-bikes are not just for old people, nor are they just for younger people, I have seen every age range riding e-bikes, men, women, kids and serious road riders and they all seem to be having a blast on them. So next time you talk to someone about potentially buying an e-bike and they reply with “Electric bikes are for old people aren’t they?” just smile at them and remind yourself just how much fun you will have and all that money you might save when you do get one. Being older just means you can appreciate your e-bike in ways younger people might not.