There's a particular kind of courage in trying something new at 78. Not reckless courage — the thoughtful, deliberate kind that comes from a lifetime of knowing your own limits and choosing, occasionally, to test them anyway. That's exactly what Jim brought to the parking lot of a San Clemente eBike shop on a clear California afternoon, when he agreed to climb onto an electric bicycle for the very first time.
Jim hadn't ridden any bicycle in nine years. He was 78 years old. And over the course of one afternoon, he test-rode five different electric bikes, found one he genuinely loved, and walked away with a far clearer sense of what older riders actually need — and what the eBike industry still gets wrong.
This is that story. But it's also a practical guide: for seniors considering their first electric bike, for family members trying to help an older loved one find safe transportation, and for anyone who's ever wondered whether the eBike revolution has anything to offer people who didn't grow up with a smartphone in their hand.
Before we get into the bikes themselves, it's worth understanding why a 78-year-old testing eBikes for the first time is more than just a feel-good story.
The United States is aging rapidly. By 2030, all baby boomers will be over the age of 65. Millions of seniors live in communities — like the nonprofit senior independent-living building where Jim resides in West Hollywood — where car ownership is declining and mobility is increasingly tied to services like Dial-A-Ride. For many older adults, the window between \"fully mobile\" and \"fully dependent\" is frustratingly narrow, and the transportation options available to fill it are limited.
eBikes represent a genuine opportunity to widen that window. Unlike traditional bicycles, they offer motorized assist that can compensate for reduced cardiovascular fitness, joint pain, or simple age-related fatigue. Unlike cars, they're affordable, don't require a license renewal, and fit neatly into small apartments or communal parking garages. Unlike mobility scooters or power wheelchairs, they preserve the feeling — and the health benefits — of active movement.
But here's the catch: most eBikes are designed, marketed, and tested by people who are not 78 years old. The industry's default customer is an athletic 35-year-old commuter or a weekend trail-rider. The question of what works for a senior who hasn't touched a bicycle in nearly a decade is one the industry rarely takes seriously. Jim's afternoon in that parking lot offered some genuine answers.
Jim had done one thing before arriving to test the two-wheeled eBikes: he'd already tried electric tricycles. That session had familiarized him with the basic controls — throttle, pedal assist levels, brakes — so he wasn't walking in completely cold. But trikes and bikes are fundamentally different machines. A trike sits flat, stable, forgiving. A bike demands balance, body lean, and an active relationship with the laws of physics that a trike simply doesn't require.
Nine years off a bicycle is a long time. Muscle memory fades. The automatic balance corrections that experienced cyclists make without thinking — the tiny handlebar adjustments, the hip shifts, the instinctive lean into a corner — all of that had to be rebuilt from scratch. Jim knew it going in. That self-awareness turned out to be one of his greatest assets throughout the day.
"},{"id":"a4fc5d3b-47f6-4b0d-ae40-51179182cc54","layoutId":"bike-bulk-content","variants":{},"sectiontitle":"The EvryJourney — A Promising Start","features":"","body":"The first eBike Jim rode was the EvryJourney, a model built around what's sometimes called a \"forward pedaling\" or \"comfort geometry\" design. The defining feature is that the pedals sit somewhat out in front of the rider rather than directly below the hips. This allows the seat to sit lower to the ground while still providing full leg extension during pedaling — a combination that's harder to achieve on a conventional bike frame.
The EvryJourney is powered by a 500-watt rear hub motor, and its drivetrain is a 10-speed setup with a twist shifter on the handlebars. For someone returning to cycling after nearly a decade, the twist shifter added an element of unfamiliarity — it's a different mechanism than the trigger shifters or grip shifts some older riders might remember from bikes of decades past. The display unit on this particular model was compact and mounted low, which would prove to be a point of comparison as Jim worked through the other bikes.
What happened on the road: Jim's first few minutes were humbling in the best possible way. He rolled out without having activated the pedal assist — an easy oversight on any new eBike, where the system defaults to level zero and provides no power until manually engaged. Once he figured out the assist levels and got the motor working, things changed dramatically. The bike's handling tightened up, the power came in smoothly, and Jim found himself banking into corners the way he hadn't been able to on the tricycles.
\"Once I got that, the power is really good,\" he said after returning from his first loop. \"When I came up here, I just felt very, very natural.\"
He was candid about the wobble at the start. Nine years is nine years, and the first stretch of parking lot exposed how much recalibration his balance systems needed. But the key insight from his first ride was how quickly that recalibration happened. By the time he completed his loop, something had clicked.
Jim's verdict: The EvryJourney made it to his final top-two list. He liked the wider handlebar feel, the sense of confidence the frame geometry gave him, and the power delivery of the motor. His one critique was the smaller display — he preferred having readouts front and center.
","image":{"assetId":"4ljktQ8S6Ajr12iMGvSPVN","options":{"backgroundSize":"cover"},"mobileAssetId":"","mobileOptions":{"backgroundSize":"cover"}},"bikes":[{"id":"631e0ebd-688d-4fac-a08d-74606fb78fb4","value":{"entry":{"entryId":"61Z4eRksLVa3XCtZ6JVCKc"}}}]},{"id":"5628ff46-2475-4d14-b1b4-9cba00a5c060","layoutId":"bike-bulk-content","variants":{},"sectiontitle":"The Relaxbody Ebike — When Geometry Gets Complicated","features":"","body":"The second bike, called the Relaxbody ebike, takes the forward pedaling concept even further than the EvryJourney. It's a more extreme recumbent-influenced design with an even lower step-over height and a seat positioned lower to the ground. The trade-off for this accessibility is a longer overall frame, which changes how the bike handles in corners and at low speeds.
Jim noted immediately that he liked something about this bike's setup: the display was positioned up front, within easy sightline. \"I like to have it up front rather than somewhere else,\" he said, drawing an analogy to using GPS on his phone while driving. For older riders especially, having to look down or sideways to check speed or battery level introduces a moment of distraction that, at slow speeds on unfamiliar equipment, can matter.
The throttle, pedal assist controls, and brake setup were consistent with the EvryJourney — a deliberate choice on the part of the manufacturer to reduce the learning curve between models.
What happened on the road: Jim rode confidently once the assist was engaged, reporting good power and a comfortable ability to lean into turns. The cornering dynamics of two wheels — that ability to bank rather than slow down before a bend — remained a clear advantage over the tricycles he'd ridden previously, and he appreciated it again here.
But something about the Relaxbody didn't fully click for him. After the ride, he identified it: the handlebars felt too close. \"I think I'm more used to bicycles that have handlebars that are farther out,\" he explained. The longer frame of the Relaxbody, combined with the more aggressive forward seating position, produced a cockpit that felt slightly cramped compared to the EvryJourney's more open stance.
Jim's verdict: He liked the front display, but the handlebar reach and seat position left him preferring the EvryJourney. The Relaxbody became the model he used to identify what he didn't want, which clarified his preferences considerably.
","image":{"assetId":"2hUdX0wdxtQjhzPfF9mXzk","options":{"backgroundSize":"cover"},"mobileAssetId":"","mobileOptions":{"backgroundSize":"cover"}},"bikes":[{"id":"dc4c97c1-3207-4c56-8a6e-9b0dba294c36","value":{"entry":{"entryId":"5W6fsDqyEsa7jeWu9ugNFd"}}}]},{"id":"2a443aa9-0912-4bbe-9011-8eb4f54d3658","layoutId":"bike-bulk-content","variants":{},"sectiontitle":"The Simple Step-Through 500W E-Bike— Open Frame, Familiar Feel","features":"","body":"The third eBike brought something new: an open, step-through frame with a dramatically low crossbar. For older riders, or for anyone with limited hip flexibility or joint mobility, the step-through design is often the difference between a bike that feels accessible and one that feels like an obstacle course before you even get moving.
This model shared mechanical DNA with the EvryJourney — same motor class, same control setup, same general riding experience — but the open frame transformed the mounting and dismounting experience entirely. For someone who has spent years watching peers struggle with high-slung bike frames, that accessibility feature is not a minor convenience. It's a meaningful barrier removed.
Jim's instinctive response when he first climbed on was telling: \"That's easy to get on.\" Four words, but they carried real weight. Ease of mounting affects confidence. Confidence affects how relaxed a rider feels in the saddle. And relaxation, as any experienced cyclist knows, is the foundation of good handling.
The controls on this model's older version featured a smaller central display, but Jim was informed that the current production version came with a larger display mounted prominently in the center of the handlebars. That update addressed one of his chief concerns from the earlier bikes.
What happened on the road: Once Jim applied the throttle gradually — he'd now internalized the lesson about easing into the power rather than grabbing it abruptly — the ride was smooth and confident. He noted the wide handlebars specifically: \"I like that.\" The combination of an accessible frame, familiar handling, wide bars, and smooth power made this his new benchmark.
The gradual throttle point is worth dwelling on for a moment, because it comes up repeatedly throughout Jim's testing and it speaks to a real learning curve in eBike adoption. Electric motors deliver torque differently than human legs. A human pedaling up from a stop builds power gradually and naturally. An eBike motor, particularly a hub motor with a thumb throttle, can deliver a sharp jolt of torque if the rider isn't expecting it. Learning to modulate the throttle — to treat it as a rheostat rather than a switch — is one of the first and most important skills a new eBike rider develops.
Jim's verdict: This became his top choice of the day. Wide handlebars, step-through frame, good power, and the promise of an improved display on the current production model. \"I like it,\" he said, with the quiet certainty of someone who has found what they were looking for.
","image":{"assetId":"","options":{"backgroundSize":"cover"},"mobileAssetId":"","mobileOptions":{"backgroundSize":"cover"}},"bikes":[]},{"id":"35a97522-ff44-4aa3-ada8-f45839d60405","layoutId":"bike-bulk-content","variants":{},"sectiontitle":"The Compact 20inch Simple Step-Through — Fast, Light, and Slightly Too Eager","features":"","body":"The fourth bike introduced a different set of variables: a 20-inch wheel size, a more compact frame, and notably lighter overall weight. This is a category of eBike often marketed as \"urban\" or \"city\" focused — the kind of bike that fits in a small apartment, folds for transit, and zips through stop-and-go traffic.
The twist throttle on this model was different from the thumb throttle Jim had been using on the previous bikes, adding another variable for a rider still getting comfortable with the controls. The seat height needed a small adjustment downward before Jim was fully comfortable, but once that was handled, he settled in.
What happened on the road: This is where things got instructive in a different way. The lighter weight of the bike, combined with the motor's power delivery, made for a snappier throttle response than the previous models. Jim described it as \"jumpy\" — a word that captures exactly what can unsettle a less experienced rider. With a heavier bike, the inertia dampens the initial acceleration. With a lighter bike, every input is magnified.
Once underway at cruising speed, Jim found the handling fine. The cornering remained good. But the initial takeoff required more deliberate throttle management than the other bikes had, and for someone re-learning the feel of two-wheeled riding simultaneously, that extra cognitive demand was noticeable.
It's worth noting that \"jumpy\" is not inherently a flaw. For a younger, experienced rider who wants responsive handling and quick acceleration, this bike's characteristics would likely be considered advantages. But matching the bike's personality to the rider's experience level matters enormously, and for Jim — returning to cycling after nine years, building balance and confidence in real time — the extra reactivity was a step backward in comfort rather than forward.
Jim's verdict: He could manage it, but it wasn't his preference. The handling once moving was fine, but the initial takeoff dynamics and the twist throttle added complexity he didn't need. It dropped toward the bottom of his rankings.
","image":{"assetId":"GxFsZeTEAKSxOQv3td4jW","options":{"backgroundSize":"cover"},"mobileAssetId":"","mobileOptions":{"backgroundSize":"cover"}},"bikes":[{"id":"51439c7b-63ef-4a68-8776-370b4deb7298","value":{"entry":{"entryId":"7P23MGHpVrdwBPtmDIqrv"}}}]},{"id":"8bbba887-c71b-4883-abbb-56da1cbefabf","layoutId":"bike-bulk-content","variants":{},"sectiontitle":"Relaxed Body 20inch, The Comfort Cruiser — Back to a Familiar Seat","features":"","body":"The fifth and final bike brought back a familiar element: the office-style or cruiser seat that Jim had experienced on the electric tricycles earlier. For riders coming from a trike background, or for anyone who finds traditional narrow bicycle saddles uncomfortable, this style of seat can be the deciding factor in whether a bike is rideable for more than fifteen minutes.
This model also featured a front-mounted display and a twist throttle, along with gearing controls built into the handlebar setup. Jim initially mistook the gear control for a horn — a small moment of confusion that illustrates how important clear, intuitive interface design is for new riders navigating unfamiliar equipment.
The riding position on this bike was notably different from the others: lower, more reclined, more car-like in its feel. Jim's initial impression sitting in the saddle was positive: \"This feels better for taking off.\"
What happened on the road: The wide parking lot that had been Jim's testing ground all afternoon was becoming familiar territory by this point, and it showed in his riding. His balance corrections were faster, his throttle management smoother. But the bike itself presented some handling challenges — likely a combination of the different geometry, the riding position, and the cumulative fatigue of an afternoon's worth of first-time eBiking.
He kept his ride conservative, prioritizing control over speed, and came back with honest feedback: it was fine, but it wasn't the revelation the third bike had been.
Jim's verdict: Comfortable seat, manageable ride, but not his favorite. The cruiser geometry suited some riders perfectly but didn't align with the wider-handlebar, more upright experience he'd found most natural.
","image":{"assetId":"fDuqcvAZvIdCpMUl65tEV","options":{"backgroundSize":"cover"},"mobileAssetId":"","mobileOptions":{"backgroundSize":"cover"}},"bikes":[{"id":"12fa6ead-a2e2-4774-8c3d-c85269f43765","value":{"entry":{"entryId":"7jRRwLlfK2oShgK5CcIVxD"}}}]},{"id":"6529e905-5a5e-4334-ab91-f996ab43665a","layoutId":"paragraph-section","variants":{},"heading":"","body":"After riding all five bikes, the conversation turned to the most fundamental question of the afternoon: given everything he'd experienced, would Jim choose a two-wheel eBike or return to the stability and confidence of an electric tricycle?
His answer was honest and nuanced — and worth quoting at length, because it reflects a kind of practical wisdom that applies to a lot of older adults thinking about their mobility options.
\"Right now I would say, for safety, start on a trike,\" he said. \"And then just get used to my regular bicycle two-wheeler, and then add the power to that.\"
It was the answer of someone who had just spent an afternoon rediscovering that riding a bicycle is a skill, and skills require practice. The excitement of the two-wheelers was real — he described them as \"more adventure,\" more \"sporty,\" more thrilling than the tricycles. But he was also clear-eyed about where he was in his rebuilding process.
\"I'm discovering that I have to pay attention to limitations and what I'm ready for and what I'm not ready for,\" he said. \"Just like going to the gym — don't do it all in one day.\"
That sentence deserves to be printed somewhere, because it applies to virtually every aspect of physical activity for older adults. The trike-to-bike progression he outlined is genuinely sensible: build confidence and rebuild muscle memory on a stable platform, then graduate to two wheels as ability and comfort develop.
Beyond the specific bike rankings, Jim's afternoon generated several practical lessons for anyone helping an older adult choose an eBike.
Step-through frames are not optional for many seniors. The difference between a high-slung frame and a low step-through isn't just convenience — it's the difference between a bike that gets ridden and one that sits in the corner because mounting it requires an athletic maneuver. For riders with reduced flexibility, arthritis, or balance concerns, step-through geometry is a genuine accessibility feature.
Display placement matters more than it might seem. Jim mentioned the display position repeatedly across multiple bikes. The ideal for him was front-and-center, within easy sightline without requiring the rider to look down or to the side. This is especially true at lower speeds when balance is more active, and when a new rider is already managing multiple inputs simultaneously.
Wide handlebars provide psychological as well as physical confidence. Jim gravitated consistently toward the bikes with wider bar setups. This preference isn't unique to older riders — many cyclists find wider bars more stable-feeling at low speeds — but it's particularly relevant for riders rebuilding their two-wheeled confidence from scratch. The wider the bar, the more leverage the rider has for small balance corrections, and the more \"planted\" the bike feels.
Throttle sensitivity is a real variable across eBike models. Not all throttles are created equal, and the difference between a smooth, progressive power delivery and a snappy, abrupt one can be the difference between a comfortable ride and a white-knuckle one for a new rider. This is worth testing specifically during any eBike trial — ask the salesperson to demonstrate the throttle response before you ride, and pay attention to how the bike behaves in the first second after you apply power.
Gradual re-entry is the right strategy. Jim's instinct to start on a trike, get comfortable, then migrate to two wheels reflects the best practice for any physical skill re-entry. Riding a bicycle is a motor skill, and motor skills fade without practice. There's no shame in acknowledging that and choosing a progression path rather than throwing yourself in at the deep end.
One of the most interesting threads in Jim's afternoon was his vision for how eBikes and eTrikes could serve not just individual seniors but entire residential communities.
Jim lives in a 17-unit senior independent-living building managed by a nonprofit organization. Many of his neighbors don't own cars and rely on Dial-A-Ride for errands and appointments. He could see clearly how a shared eTrike or two — stored in the building's locked underground garage — could expand mobility options for residents dealing with joint pain, respiratory issues, or other limitations that make traditional cycling challenging.
It's a model that exists in various forms across the country: community-owned adaptive cycling equipment, shared eBike programs for senior living facilities, nonprofit-funded transportation alternatives for low-income older adults. The economics are compelling. A quality eTrike costs a fraction of what a year of ride-share service costs. The maintenance requirements are modest. The health benefits of even light outdoor activity are well-documented.
What Jim articulated in a parking lot in San Clemente is actually a policy idea with real traction: eBikes and eTrikes as community infrastructure for aging populations, not just individual consumer products.
"},{"id":"7b78b608-fc3e-41d5-8129-b4e46b9a749a","layoutId":"full-width-image-with-out-bleed","variants":{},"image":{"assetId":"1XmkKJmkFElUYLkt3Cpk3o","options":{"backgroundSize":"cover"},"mobileAssetId":"","mobileOptions":{"backgroundSize":"cover"}}},{"id":"d0b096c5-a347-40eb-accd-12af78d3e760","layoutId":"paragraph-section","variants":{},"heading":"","body":"After testing all five bikes, Jim's hierarchy was clear.
First choice: The Step-Through (Bike Three). Wide handlebars, accessible frame, smooth power delivery, front-facing display on current production models, and a riding position that felt natural and confident. This was the bike that most consistently combined accessibility with the \"adventure\" feel Jim had identified as his reason for preferring two wheels over three.
Second choice: The EvryJourney (Bike One). The forward-pedaling geometry, lower seat height without sacrificing leg extension, and wider handlebar feel put this in second place. Its main disadvantage was the smaller display — a flaw that Jim noted multiple times and that the manufacturer has since updated in newer versions.
The other three bikes — the Relaxbody, the compact step-through, and the comfort cruiser — each had individual merits but didn't combine them in the way Jim needed. The Relaxbody was too narrow in its handlebar reach. The compact step-through was too reactive at low speeds. The comfort cruiser's seat was familiar from his trike experience, but the overall package didn't come together.
If Jim's experience resonates with your own situation — or with a parent's or grandparent's — here are the questions worth working through before committing to a purchase.
How long has it been since you rode a regular bicycle? If it's been more than a few years, consider whether an eTrike might be the better starting point, at least initially. The stability of three wheels removes balance from the equation entirely and lets you focus on the motor controls and the traffic environment before reintroducing the balance variable.
What's your primary use case? Short errands and neighborhood rides have different requirements than longer recreational rides. For grocery runs and nearby appointments, an eTrike with cargo space might actually be the better long-term choice. For longer recreational riding and the physical engagement of two-wheel balance, an eBike makes more sense.
What's your joint situation? Riders with significant knee or hip issues should pay close attention to frame geometry and pedaling position. Forward-pedaling geometries like the EvryJourney can be easier on joints than traditional upright frames, because the pedaling motion is less compressed.
How important is ease of mounting? If getting a leg over a traditional frame is difficult or uncomfortable, step-through geometry isn't a preference — it's a requirement. Don't let anyone convince you to compromise on this.
What does your riding environment look like? Flat terrain and quiet streets are very different from hilly neighborhoods and busy roads. Make sure the motor wattage and gearing of any bike you consider are appropriate for your local conditions.
Jim's afternoon ended with a clear favorite, a realistic assessment of where he was in his riding progression, and a plan for how to get where he wanted to go. That's actually a pretty good outcome for a 78-year-old's first time on an electric bicycle.
The eBike industry has a genuine opportunity to serve older adults well — but it requires paying attention to the specific things that matter to this demographic: accessible frames, intuitive controls, smooth power delivery, clear displays, and wide, confidence-inspiring handlebars. It requires test rides, not just spec sheets. It requires salespeople who ask the right questions before steering a customer toward any particular model.
Most importantly, it requires the same thing Jim brought to that parking lot: honest self-assessment, patience with the learning process, and the willingness to try something new.
At 78, he climbed onto an electric bicycle for the first time in nine years and found something he described, without hesitation, as a thrill.
That seems like a reasonable starting point.
For anyone who wants to skip to the summary, here's what Jim's testing session distilled into practical guidance:
Frame geometry: Look for step-through or low step-over designs. Forward-pedaling geometries offer low seat height with good leg extension — useful for shorter riders or those with flexibility limitations.
Handlebars: Wider is generally more stable and confidence-inspiring for new or returning riders. Don't underestimate this variable.
Display: Front-mounted, clearly visible displays reduce the distraction of checking speed or battery level mid-ride. Look for models where the display is integrated into the center of the handlebar setup.
Throttle type and sensitivity: Test the throttle before committing. Thumb throttles tend to be more controllable for new riders than twist throttles. Pay attention to whether the power comes on smoothly or abruptly.
Motor power: 500 watts is generally sufficient for flat and moderately hilly terrain for leisure and errand riding. Hillier environments may warrant looking at 750-watt options.
Lights: Current production eBikes increasingly come with integrated headlights and tail lights controlled from the display. This is a meaningful safety feature, especially for rides that might extend into lower-light conditions.
Trial period: Any reputable eBike retailer should offer some form of trial or test ride policy. A 30-day return window is a reasonable baseline — enough time to ride the bike in real conditions, not just in a parking lot.
Progression plan: If you haven't ridden in years, consider an eTrike first. Build confidence, rebuild motor memory, then transition to a two-wheeled eBike when you feel ready. There's no rush, and there's no prize for skipping steps.
The bikes tested in this review are available for in-person test rides in San Clemente, California. For readers who prefer to research before visiting a physical location, manufacturer websites and reputable eBike review outlets provide detailed specifications and video walkthroughs for each model. When possible, always test ride before purchasing — the difference between how a bike looks on a spec sheet and how it feels under a specific rider's weight and posture can be significant.
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