Why Your Diagnosis Doesn’t Mean Giving Up Cycling
You’ve had some news from the doctor. It’s okay right now, but it will get worse over time. You start to think of all the things you might have to give up. You wonder if your Sunday rides are done now that you won’t be able to push yourself as hard. Then someone tells you about e-bikes: maybe you can keep riding.
Many veteran cyclists look at e-bikes and roll their eyes. To them, e-bikes or converted electric bikes are “cheating” or only suitable for older people. This is a short-sighted view. These people are lucky enough that they can just hop on a bike and start riding without a second thought. Electric bikes, trikes and e-scooters allow older riders the ability to ride a bike without too much physical strain, but it doesn’t stop there. People with heart conditions, partial paralysis, muscular issues, mental illness, amputees and many more can significantly benefit from electric vehicles.
E-bikes for Muscular Dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy causes ongoing weakness and loss of muscle mass over time. This usually begins in childhood, although some adults show symptoms in later life. E-bikes have given people with muscular dystrophy a new way to get around and explore life which regular bikes would not afford them.
A person suffering from one of these diseases may be okay riding a bicycle on a flat surface but be unable to continue up a hill. Any ebike rider in Canada knows how hard it is to avoid hills. On an e-bike, they can adjust their level of pedal assist to keep riding while the motor takes some of the strain. If the hill’s too steep, some electric bikes allow you to continue riding without pedalling at all. Our most recent builds have 25% more battery power, so even if you have to rely on the motor to do a lot of the work, your e-bike will still have a solid range per charge.
E-bikes for People with Respiratory and Heart Conditions
Cycling is a huge part of life for many. If you were a bike fanatic who found you could no longer ride so far, in the heat, or really push yourself to a high speed without risking your health, it could be devastating. Thanks to e-bikes, people with COPD, cardiovascular issues and other taxing illnesses can maintain their standard of living and keep riding. Despite the weight of the battery, our ENVO e-bikes are designed to be lighter and therefore easier to manoeuvre, without undue strain on the rider.
E-bikes for People with Some or No Lower Body Function
In the past, riding independently wouldn’t be an option if you did not have the use of your legs. There are now tricycles which can be both steered and powered with just the arms, using cranks in a similar way to a bicycle. However, these bikes are physically taxing to power using just the arms.
EBikeBC supported a gentleman in Vancouver using a conversion kit to turn a hand trike into an e-trike for a disabled friend. The electric bike battery fit easily under the seat and the motor enabled longer journeys in more varied terrain. This shows how electric vehicles are an innovation with a lot more applications than at first glance. Some naysayers may consider the electric motor a luxury, but for others it’s the difference between enjoying riding like everyone else and being excluded.
E-bikes for Mental Health
All exercise is good for mental health. Getting physical releases all sorts of chemicals in the body which are vital for balancing your mood. Now, we hear you say, this is not exclusive to e-bikes — most cyclists will attest that riding brings them joy. However, for some, riding a bicycle is a challenge, but the augmented ability to ride afforded by e-bikes can help raise confidence and allow people to do more and go further.
Our flagship ENVO electric bike has Tektro hydraulic disc brakes as standard for incredibly responsive stopping power. Being certain that your bike will respond immediately when you want to stop can be a major confidence booster for cyclists who feel anxious on the roads.
One mother of an autistic child noted how her son’s e-bike had a tremendous positive impact on his life. She started a forum called Welcome to Disability and Ebiking. The thread is full of inspiring stories about people whose lives have been enriched by e-bikes.
E-bikes for Amputees
This one may raise some eyebrows but allow us to explain. One EBikeBC customer from Gibbons, British Columbia kindly got in touch to say that following video tutorials on our site, he was able to install a conversion kit with one hand, as he is an amputee. Having converted his bike to an e-bike, the gentleman said, “It’s a whole new world, hills are no longer an issue and with one hand hills can be a big issue. I’ve got to go into granny gear and use pure leg muscle, well, not anymore!”
This was wonderful feedback to receive and a situation that could easily be overlooked in the cycling world. As e-bikes increase in popularity, more and more inspiring stories like this one come to light of people leading better lives thanks to innovation. We’re proud that the industry we are in brings joy, mobility and inclusion to so many people.
Thanks for reading. If you’re someone who’s received a tough diagnosis and can’t ride the way you used to, you may not have to give up cycling. With a conversion kit, you can even keep your existing bicycle and add an electric motor to help you ride. We don’t just sell you a product and send you on your way. If you need help with installation or post-sale support, we’re always here to advise by phone, email, or in person. Our bike mechanics will gladly attempt a custom build or help with maintenance and upkeep as needed.
If you’re looking for any kind of electric bike, conversion kit, tricycle, scooter or other adaptable vehicle in Vancouver, get in touch. We’ve done custom builds for all sorts of different needs and love a new challenge. If you live elsewhere in Canada, find an electric bike dealer near you on our map here.
