Russ, I have a Lectric XPremium and have put about 30 miles on it so far...and I have already "fallen" 3 times. Each time has been at slow speed with no injuries or damage to the bike. I think your counsel is exactly correct, especially for seniors. I got my bike for the purpose of improving my health in an enjoyable way. I love riding my bike. It is the perfect tool for what I want to accomplish in regard to my health. But at age 76, I am no longer the strong, agile, and coordinated athlete I once was. Thank you for injecting a degree of objectivity into the world of biking, whether the "e" variety or not. mdv
i am 66 yrs old…ride a Lectric Xpremium which is a heavy bike. i’ve had a double knee replacement and prior to my e-bike…hadn’t been on a bike in 30 years. i am only 5’4 and the problem wasn’t riding but stopping securely. i could never get the saddle just right but then i found a simple miracle fix….elevated sneakers on Amazon for $35.00. they have a 3” heel and i am noe completely confident now. no more falls and riding a lot more now
I am 75 and have been building e-bikes and e-trikes for over 10 years. You were correct. Anyone will periodically fall. I don't think it has much to do with having a motor, or how careful you are. The falls usually go OK. My last one kept me off riding for 2 months. The risk is worth it!
I fell on my 1st bike. Miss hit a large hole on a bike path. Landed pretty good. Bike on the bottom, me on top. However I was sinking in a marsh, lol. If it wasn't sinking I could've gotten up on my own. My brother came back to get me. I don't know what I was sinking in, but it wasn't good! I also have a damaged left leg, good thing that I landed on my right.
Remember that falling is not reserved only for e-bikes you can also fall on regular bikes 🚲 I have many times when I was much much younger I am now in my 70’s and am loving my first e-bike have yet to fall but it will eventually happen but I am not going to worry about it and ruin my fun.
Well said. I have thought, if I wind up in a long term care facility, I'm not going unless I can keep my ebike in the room with me, and I can come and go during the day. But yeah, falling is a risk I'm willing to take. At that point, I'll no doubt trade my fat tire cruiser for something smaller and lighter.
Great to see many comments of ebikers who've fallen but have gotten right back up and continue riding. I've been fortunate to have NOT fallen but take precautionary measures to lower the risk. I always where the Xnito helmet, gloves, watch for cars with my bar end mirrors, ride on smooth surfaces when possible, and slow down when there's debris on the road. Stay safe everybody👍
Fell off my bike 6 months ago and broke 2 ribs.... Helmet and gloves folks! - also when maneuvering at slow speed, don't use your front brake. Grabbing a fist full of front brake will take you to the ground if the handlebars are turned. Still riding!
Hey Russ, like you I had ridden over a 1000 miles on my Magicycle Cruiser with no issues. Fantastic bike by the way. I turned 67 last year and am in pretty good athletic shape. Well, as winter approached here in Teton Valley, Idaho, I was determined to not let winter get in the way. So i installed some massive, studded, Avalanche Snow Storm tires and continued having a great time. They worked great on packed snow roads and even roads with a mixture snow, chunky ice, and gravel. I rode perhaps 75 miles all over the place. It was great! Until, one day I was riding on a day where things were melting. I was riding very conservatively in town. As I approached a stop sign, I was going less that 10mph and hit some deep slush. Without any warning that bike slid out from under me sideways so fast that I was slammed on my left shoulder. I had on my helmet, but I hit so hard I was seeing stars. When I gathered my wits and started to get up, I knew something was wrong. My left shoulder was in extreme pain and my arm strength was gone. Well as you can guess I suffered an AC shoulder joint separation. As I have found out, very common especially for mountain bikers and snow boarders. So long story short I am in week 6 of recovery/ rehab. Do not need surgery, but that clavicle will always be a bump on the left shoulder. So, yes a further note of caution especially for senior riders. One thing I learned from others was to set your seat height as low as possible if doing winter riding, so you can get your feet down quick. Your center of gravity is lower. Yes, these bikes are heavy, kind of a combination of motorcycle and bicycle. I would recommend most seniors to look towards lighter weight step thru bikes when possible. Like you I prefer the larger heavier cruiser because I am 6' 225 lbs. So thanks for posting and I hope my story helps others to deeply about E-biking and what kind of bike to start with.
Will be 78 this year and falling off a big, heavy bike is a fact of life!! Had my 3 falls already, all at a stop! But all were learning situations! Might fall again, but that can happen anytime, even without the bike! Don't be fearful of living your life, just be careful!!!
Russ, I bought my Magicycle Cruiser after watching your channel and absolutely love it, and have enjoyed many, many rides. I am lucky, and haven't fallen yet, but have come close a few times. Fat tire bikes like the Magicycle (and many others) are way too tall. The tires are 28" in diameter thread to thread, and for a person like me at 5" 8" with a 30" inseam it is impossible to sit on the seat and stop the bike, even with the seat all the way down. Moving forward off the seat puts me hard on the crossbar. Getting on and off the bike is truly something I don't want to do with anyone watching! LOL! Yes, I could buy the same bike like you have without the crossbar, but that only solves part of the problem. Manufacturers need to address this. They also need to give us a button that temporarily kills the pedal assist for times when we are making U-Turns or just maneuvering slowly in tight spaces. The pedal assist kicking in at level 5 at the wrong time has almost caused my demise on several occasions......
Your ebike considerations for seniors was probably the first videos I watched of yours. I have fallen twice. Both times I was trying to throttle around a turn from a dead stop and gave it to much throttle and bumped the curb and down I went. Ebikes are faster and heavier than regular bikes and the consequences of a fall can be greater. Thus, a good reason to always wear protective gear when riding. Despite the scrapes and bruises from my falls, I learned how to control my bike better and until I'm too old or weak to handle my ebike, I'll happily keep riding.
I actually was inspired by the over 60 video. I had just bought my Rad Ebike. It gave me a good insight as what to expect. Yes...I have fallen. I also crashed twice and was pretty badly injured! I am the same age as you. I have learned the hard way that I can not ride a bike like I am in my 20s or 30s! I love your attitude and way you handle comments! You are very pragmatic about the way to ride bikes safely! Keep up the good work! Ebike riding for me in my 60s has opened up riding for distances and over hills like I never have ridden in my whole life! It is awesome and I will be riding for as long as possible!
I'm 61 with both knee replacement surgeries done. I have several e-bikes and now a very powerful 2wd scooter. I live in an area where rough terrain is everywhere, even to my usual .7 mile trip to my rural mailbox from my cabin. After watching this, I just bought a new helmet on Ebay.
So far I have fallen 7 times! 😂 It is because I am about 2” too short for my bike but I love it. As long as I am on a level surface and stop slowly, I am okay. The last was basically because I was getting scared about riding on some gravel and I started to stop not realizing the ground was a little lower on the right, so down I go and hit my head on something laying on the side of the driveway. If I hadn’t tried to stop I would have probably been fine. And even though I think it was you that said to put on your helmet no matter how short the ride, I didn’t have it on when I fell, because I was just moving it to the front of our house. From now on though even if a few feet I will have on my helmet! 😅😅 BTW love your videos! The one about when going around a curve to look where you want your bike to go, and not off to the side has saved me from going down more than once now. Thanks for the tips!
Greetings Russ. Yes, I do remember the original fall video. I could not stop laughing. But, on a serious note, I have not fallen since I have been riding. On one occasion, when I made a sudden turn, the sand in the road made me slip. Thankfully, I regained control and moved on. After the incident, I remembered the fall video, and I chuckled. Your experiences about falling plant subconscious seeds, reminding us about safety. Thanks, buddy.
I repair a lot of E-Bikes and most of the owners are 50 years old and up. Some don’t wear helmets. I believe when some of them fall it will be a wake up call and you will see the E-Bike for sale online.
Maybe yet another advantage of the lower step thru bike like my Magicycle Ocelot Pro. Instead of falling you can pretty hopefully easily step right off. I went with the expensive Hollywood rack as it comes with a ramp which makes it pretty easy to get the bikes on/off the rack. But you are correct, anything can happen while riding. Fear of falling definitely won't stop me from riding. I prefer to be active even if I am considered to be a senior.
I fell once on the rad rover. As i left my slightly sloped driveway onto the roadway the rad over slid out beneath me on black ice. Luckily there was no oncoming cars as it was 5:15am.
In my youth, I raced off-road motorcycles at a relatively high-level. Then as a young adult, I started to cowboy for a living. And did so for a long time. Most of that time I was starting horses under saddle. So I’ve hit the ground a lot. I know I do not get back up from the ground at my age now like I did in my youth. But just yesterday, I slipped on a step and bruised up my knee pretty badly. I don’t think the chance of getting hurt on an E bike is much different than the chance of getting hurt doing anything else. You’ll be as careful as you can, but sometimes accidents happen. That’s why they call them accidents. Let’s all be careful, but let’s still live life. As I always say, stay safe, God bless, and keep the wheels rolling.
I'm 70 ond over weight I have fallen 3 times on my E-Bike but I feel so much better now that I feel it was worth it. My son told one more fall and I have to get a trike
Agreed on wearing gloves! 🧤 🧤 i fell down once without gloves, my palms got scraped up bad. I had never considered scrapes on your palms can be quite debilitating and interfere with daily life. It can also make it very hard to ride and hold the handlebars. I’ll only make that mistake once. When i see people riding without gloves, its often a fairly accurate indicator they’ve never fallen before. Even the fingerless gloves are a bajillion times better than nothing. Its the palm scraping terror I’m concerned about.
I am 72 and own a Heybike Explore. The first time I went to ride it on the old towpath bike path, I fell backwards from using the brakes wrong. I was wearing a helmet, and since I wasn't moving very fast, I had just got started, I really didn't get much of an injury, more just had the wind knocked out of me and was surprised I did such a stupid move. Anyway, Thanks Russ for bringing this subject to light and adding your advice and experience to the mix.
I purchased my ebike (Bee Cool Explorer) in 2022 at age 75. Over the past two years I've fallen two times and both were due to my stupidity by losing forward momentum at slow turns. Now, I recognize that I need to be cognizant of slow turns with a 78 pound bike. That being said, I really enjoy the ebike with long rides and enjoying the outdoors.
Falling in general is a major risk for seniors. Seniors need to weigh whether it's worth it. I've seen seniors fall just getting on or off a bike. E-bikes just make it possible for someone who is already too weak to ride to get on a bike. That might be a teachable moment that maybe you shouldn't own one.
Russ, I have fallen off my regular 24 inch bake dozens of times. This was in the late 1940's. My cousins and I had a game where we would chase each other on our bikes and try to hit their rear wheel with our front wheel with the express purpose of making them wreck. Some minor injuries, but no broken bones, ever. We didn't have TV to watch back then so we invented things to do outside from morning to dark. This way of living is very different from the children of today.
Like you I fell 3 times when I first got my ebike. The bike wasn’t moving. 2 out of 3 times I was trying to catch a falling bike. Let it fall. Had to get used to the weight of the bike. It harder to hold on to than my mountain bike. My concern on the bike trail is all the new ebike owner without helmets. I’ve asked several about it, they always complain about helmets being hot. I then show them a picture of my face after a regular bike crash ,with a helmet. Not pretty.
I did actually fall (67yrs old) while on my Dost Drop Chain. Luckily, I was on the grass, trying to get started again, and I fell onto a small hill. It was basically a slow motion lay down. Now that's the way to fall! 😂😂
I T-boned a van that cut me off while on my e-bike! 10/10 would not recommend. The crash caused my shoulder to depart but the fall afterward did not cause me any substantial harm! Thank goodness for that!
I knew I should not drive when I stepped on the gas instead of the brake as I intended, ramming into the side of a building. Nothing was injured except my pride, and I didn't want to pay dearly for my brain's quirkiness.
If you think about it, most ebike reviewers are either young or older but athletic. Even then, I bet some of them fall but never mention it on their videos (particularly review videos). I suspect the recent rise in new trike releases from major ebike brands is an acknowledgment that these things have hidden risks that are a consequence of their design but to date have not been shared with customers (greater weight and operating speed, managing torque, taking PAS into turns, riding a road bike on MTB trails because you have the extra power, and so on). Any transportation medium requires the rider to be prepared for an undesirable event. You did your viewers a great service by putting that falling video out there, Russ, and I’m glad you continue to remind folks that stuff can happen on these things and to be vigilant.
Russ. You are such a down to earth guy. Everything you said is correct. I chuckle just a little when you get tongue tied. That`s just like me. That`s just all part of being a nice guy.
I appreciate you being honest. If someone has weak bones they shouldn't buy a bike of anytime because everyone will fall. I just got my e-bike and most of the snow is gone but I hit a pile of snow which had some ice under it and I fell and hurt my shoulder. I will walk over any snow in the future. Really like your channel.
The weight of the fat tire bike was an argument the local bike shop used to discourage me from getting that bike. I am very happy with my Aventon Pace 500NG; the weight and handling are good for me.
Soon to be 57, I have fallen. I was turning into my driveway and the leaves were slippery which caused my front wheel to slide. Since I had just entered the driveway I wasn’t going fast, so it was more of a case of getting away from the bike as it leaned over. The fall I had as a teenager was by far worse.I try and minimize the risk by wrapping my wrists, wearing a helmet, and zippered shoes. As I age I might consider a trike .
Yes it can happen. Especially when it is a new to you bike. Stopping on wet pavement is crazy dangerous until you know the bike. People pop out, cars, DOGS.. and you are sliding/skidding and terrified. Getting to KNOW your bike is essential for your safety. I had a tiny electric Jetson at first. Learned the hard way. Thankfully I didn't hit them.😎
I have fallen 3 times on my ebike. It weighs about 90lbs. By the time the weight of the bike comes into play, you have already passed the tipping point, you're going down. (edit) Something to maybe consider. On a daily riding basis, and especially at speeds >20mph, a heavier bike feels safer. On the other hand, in traffic, the more nimble nature of a lighter bike may win the day.
But you can also buy Protective clothing like knee pads elbow pads chest pads and so on jackets with padding I've fallen a couple of times because I got more daring and tried different things but it's all good I never wanted to stop riding my bike and I'm in my 50s
Yes you can fall...on any bike; not just EBikes. When I was a kid, I rode my bike everywhere without a helmet. No one did. Now I wear a helmet. Most are designed to save your head and brain and the one I wear doesn't look that bad. I'm older and like you said, you will fall off your bike eventually so I wear one. John
I fell over on my GoldWing once, On my Suzuki once and on my nice new Lectric XP 3.0 last week. Each time it was due to gravel, either my foot slipping on it or in the case of the ebike, the gravel was soft and I did a very slow speed high-sider. Even though I'm 70, I reacted by tucking my shoulder and rolling a couple times. They taught us how to fall way back when. Now, normally I have a heck of a time standing back up as I have a bad knee. Kind of the, "Help I've fallen and can't get back up!", but the adrenalin must have done the job for me. I was fine. The brand new ebike was fine, and I continued riding, disgusted with myself but still riding!
Russ, you're welcome to use my front lawn to fall on! Falls are a possibility for anyone on any type of bike. I've got 7,000 miles on my RadMini, but I also ride in high risk situations like on mountain bike trails, deep sand, snow, ice, and doing jumps, and riding in traffic. My earliest crashes were flying airborne into a wooden fence, flipping on my back and skidding 50 feet in gravel on bare skin because my shirt rolled up, and t-boning a car while *I* was going 30mph. Guess what? None of those were on e-bikes. Getting back to the RadMini, my first fall was from black ice in a parking lot. It just looked wet and I was going slow, but I went down hard! I had a camera on the headtube of the bike and the video was pretty hilarious... laying motionless for a minute with church bells ringing in the background, then me getting up and hopping to get my shoe that had flipped across the parking lot. My kickstand broke off, so I put it on my rack and rode home, and my hip was sore for a couple days but that was it. My only serious injury crash was intentional... someone at work released my front wheel, and when it came loose, the fork jammed in the spokes and catapulted me into the cement at 16mph. Fractured collarbone and brain trauma injury, but the doctors said if I was not wearing my DOT approved motorcycle helmet, the impact would have been fatal. Yes, I'm a fan of motorcycle helmets, though I use a bicycle helmet in parks and in other situations where I need to "fit in". That being said, none of the falls or accidents were related to the bike being an e-bike or a pedal bike. If anything, there have been several occasions where the Radmini has prevented me from having an accident due to better brakes than most pedal bikes, and being able to get out of the way of drunks and other errant drivers. There is no requirement for you to go faster on your e-bike than your pedal bike, but if you decide to do so, that's your choice. My highest top speed of 51mph was done on a pedal bike, and my highest speed crash was also on a pedal bike. If there is a e-factor involved, it's that e-bike riders ride more.
That video in question was the first I found of your channel. I did order an E-bike that week and have enjoyed it since. I always wear a a helmet and gloves. In my 67 years I've only had one bad bike fall when I was 17. My front brake licked up for dinner resignand I went over the handlebars. I scraped my lips and chin and couldn't play my trombone too well for a couple I'd weeks. Crap hapowns. Back to now...I can feel my leg strength improving and my docs thinks it's a good thing.
I know a lot of people only want to hear the good things as they'll get turned off the moment they hear it's not all rainbows and sunshine. However, I'm the kind of guy that likes to hear both the pros and the cons as I want to know what I need to be prepared for. I really appreciate your videos and how you take your time to explain your adventures, observations, and analysis with your ebikes. It's after you talked about some info that I really did more research into it. (i.e. I didn't really think about the gearing situation with ebikes until you talked about it.) Turns out for hub motor ebikes the motor doesn't even use the gears and it essentially replaces it's function with pedal assist for up hills, unless you run out of battery. The only reason you'd still use the gears is if you want or have to pedal. Thank you for putting these videos out as it gives me a lot more insights than I would be able to discover alone.
Totally correct. You will fall, misjudge and mistime how you place your feet, brake and throttle miscue, and who knows what else. As a 68 year old I lusted for a method to be on my own to run errands and just to be moving freely. I had an early version currier scooter that i had to leave behind in a forced move. So i had some experience but each ride has differing characteristics. So when i got my engwe t14 (small, folding, good torque with decent speed and great disc brakes) stuff the plodding scooter from before Lacked. there was learning
So i fell, but 30 years of playing disc golf trained me to fall gracefully, more or less. Upshot, i guess ill have to start a training scenario of "Pitfalls and pratfalls" or How to minimize your risk, using some of the ideas you gave. Btw you can fall on a trike too. Be prepared, pad your rear.
I"m 60 years old, I bought an Ebike and after 2 weeks I fall and I lost the air from my lungs and I stayed on the ground for 20 minutes cuz I couldn't breathe until I got air on my lungs again, I was sleeping on a chair for 2 weeks cuz my ribs were killing me and I was walking too slow cuz too much pain but I never missed a day on my job. After that I been taking too much care when I ride my Ebike
Wow! I read every comment! You certainly made the right decision to make a video on falling!! I've ridden my new ebike 3 times and I fell on the 3rd trip. Because I feel the most awkward when coming to a stop, at the end of my ride, I always drive to the back yard, so no one will see me fall. Sure enough.....I did exactly what I've been telling my self not do. When you stop to get off your bike, put the PAS into #0. Well, I forgot. Started to get off, accidentally touch the throttle and the bike took off throwing me to the ground! It happens so fast! I also feel really unstable when making a turn. I wonder if people are buying the Lectrics because they are lighter and they also are a lot cheaper in price? I never gave the weight of the bike a thought, but it's the weight of the bike that is causing my uncertainties. I'm looking for an indoor riding wheel, so during the winter, I can practice using PAS, shifting gears and getting in shape without worries of falling. Anyone know if any company is making one for 20" wheels? I have one for my 26" bike, but it won't fit my 20". I'm going to look into training wheels. I think that's a great idea while learning.
Russ, I've ridden on my Rad Rover 6+ about 1,500 miles over the last 6 months or so and have fallen once because I didn't see some mud just before getting onto a forested park trail. It was like you said, my e-bike seemed like it was going down in "slow motion" to my right side side. No way to balance myself or take corrective action once the e-bike started sliding. Fortunately I landed on grass and had my helmet and bike riding gloves on. Now I also ride with a Sedici winter jacket that has armor in the elbows and shoulders in case I take a fall and it isn't on grass!
I don't worry about the fall it's more important how your going to land 1 don't stick out you're hands 2 go limp with your chin tucked in and roll back when I was 6 or 7 years old the pe teacher got us kids to practice doing forward rolls and backward rolls on the lawn
Hi Russ, you were absolutely right to tell people that they may fall. I'm in the UK, and my bike was a hybrid and I had it converted to an ebike. I had never had an accident before, until 7th October last year! I was cycling along a typical Cornish narrow lane. I'm not into speeding so I was taking it steady. I went round a sharp right hand bend, then in about 50 yards there was a sharp left hand bend. I was ok with the right hand bend, but I saw a car coming from the left hand bend, so I lightly touched the brake, so I could slowly pull over to the side, but...as I touched the brake, I didn't realise that my front wheel was on gravel, and bang, I went over the handlebars, landed on my head! I had a head injury, broken nose, black eyes and face, broken arm, and my lower legs were covered in bruises, bumps and hematomas. I still have the hematomas now. I'm 61 years old, but there is no way I'm giving up my cycling. The people in the car just sat there and watched as my friend administered some first aid to me. I always carry a first aid kit. Anyway, I couldn't cycle for 2 months. 😥. I have been out a couple of times since, but now I have a frozen shoulder! But my aim is to get back onto my bike!
@Russ Is Right Thanks Russ. I love cycling so much, even if an accident killed me, I would have died really happy! I often find I'm cycling along with a big smile on my face.
Boyscout motto...be prepared! thats all. Better to fall when stopped or stopping rather than moving. I think if your an older rider its a reality...most likely at a stop or coming to a stop from all I see. Occasionally its at speed, I fortunately have not experienced that.
I actually fell from braking in a straight road, i wasn't even going fast, ppl really need to be careful with braking, specially if they are on mechanical disk brakes, I almost fractured my rib(had a terrible pain for two weeks) and slightly dislocated my right knee, always keep your weight center in the rear side of your bike, so you dont fall forward when you need to brake suddenly, lean behind and straight your arms, that helps a lot even if you are going down really steep hill
Thanks for the video. I have fallen already this year. I was on the street on my ebike with 700c road tires and thought I would go on the sidewalk, its off a busy street and is rarely used. I came up to a point where the sidewalk made a quick swerve around fire hydrant. I got cute, and cut the angle. My rear tire went off the sidewalk, which was elevated several inches and took me down. I am happy I was ok, but my ego was a little sore. Also riding on this sidewalk months earlier, there were low hanging branches that I saw at the last moment and they knocked my glasses off and I ran them over with my rear tire. It was pretty funny but my vision was really impaired. If you dont know the sidewalk, it can be more dangerous than the busy road.
I really don't think there were people watching your "senior" video who suddenly became aware they might fall. And if they did they are already on borrowed time.
When I was in my 40's I had a bad fall bicycling home from work. I went down so fast that my hands got scraped up and my head (helmet) slid for about a foot on the pavement. Without the helmet, I would have needed facial surgery. The split-second reality of that fall impressed me: helmet and gloves, always. By the way, if it helps, you are one of the reasons I got an ebike (maybe Prioity bikes owes you some money). The Prioriy has a belt drive and inner hub gears. I would love to see you review one.
@@RussIsRight Consider it done. Here's a copy of what I wrote: "No problems: that's why I use Priority bikes. I bought an L-Train 4 1/2 years ago when you guys were Brilliant. Besides an easy screw shifter adjustment and putting air in the tires, I haven't touched the bike except to ride. I started watching Russ is Right on UA-cam and he talks about ebikes for older folks (like me), so my first thought was does Priority/Brilliant make a belt drive ebike? Long story short, I now own a Current ebike. What an upgrade. Hydraulic brakes and a motor are game changers. So, check out Russ is Right, I think he would love to review the Current--old folks have money. And thanks for making trouble-free fun bikes.
Russ, I really enjoyed the over 60 video, which I watched right after I bought my ebike. I will confess that I hadn't thought about falling. I have a right hip replacement and the thought did scare me. Especially when you said "You are going to fall." Gulp! Well I bit the bullet and kept riding. And I fell! (Coming to a stop) with minor scrapes. I learned some things from that, and feel I'm less vulnerable to falling, but not immune. It did break the ice about falling. Regarding the other beefs, there is a culture of self-righteous complainers who love to jump on anything people do (like HOA's). Let them gripe; if it's not about stop signs it will be something else. And damaging the ebike industry? Ha. Look at the statistics! I don't think they will go hungry. Thanks for doing the rsponsible thing.
Two 'incidents'. One on first ride, came to a stop and didn't get off the seat properly and the bike fell over. It weighs > 70 lbs and was embarrassing more than anything else though no one saw me. Second one was different. I had come to a stop and had both feet on ground, it is a step thru frame. When I released the brake the motor engaged and I tried to control the bike by hanging on to the handlebars. It did a wheelie and slammed me and the bike to the pavement. Got some nasty road rash on one leg and thanks to good riding gloves my hand was OK. NO, I did not accidentally have my thumb on the throttle, I'm positive! Found out that some others who owned the model bike I had similar problems that required replacing some parts. First the company supplied a new throttle which did not solve the issue, then they sent a new controller which successfully resolved the problem.
7 things I learned about ebikes, 1 heavier than regular bike when you go down momentum is greater(wear a helmet&gloves), 2 no fun pushing a heavy ebike with a flat tar/tire (need no flat tire), 3 no fun pushing a heavy ebike with a dead battery (need a battery reserve, the battery gauge near empty just droops/not linear), 4 the 2 different rear motor ebikes I had both exhibited overheating on long uphill and cutoff until cooled down(your mileage may vary), 5 bright color wear is your friend on the street 6 pack disposable gloves to use when your chain jumps the sprocket 7 bring a phone for maps/sos ps an extra bright light is your friend at night just in case of an unfamiliar bike path, happy riding... pps go for torque sensor over cadence and thank me later ppps it helps to have a truck or friend who will haul your sick ebike to a service point ie find a local ebike store who can be your friend, replacing a flat tire is not fun, replacing a BMS after the ebike store runs diagnostics that you don"t have pppps go for it, life is short ebikes are fun!!!
Russ I fell off my and the first thing I thought about was you and that video. It was so funny because I never thought I would fall. I ride a Himiway Cruiser and crossed over from grass to concrete and the concrete was higher then the grass and that fat back tire side on the concrete and did not roller over on the concrete concrete. But I learned from that, now I know to stay straight until I’m on the concrete and not turn before the back tire clear the grass.
I've fallen twice on my ride videos, the first time is from taking a corner too fast with a worn out tire, the second time was with my new tires on slimy rock. The trick to not getting hurt when you lose the front wheel is to NOT reach out and TRY to hang onto the handlebars and tuck and roll. You wont break any bones that way. This is a hold over skill as a ski instructor where I teach my students to tumble and not face plant. In order to do this, you have to think about "tuck and roll" or "kiss your ass" on the way down. BTW my logo is a still frame of me falling gracefully from my Wipe Out video on my UA-cam channel.
As a matter of fact, I fell last Monday. The ride was going good until I encountered a big divet on the sidewalk, the front tire slipped underneath me and there I went. Luckily is winter in the Midwest, so I was dressed appropriately. My boot got caught underneath the bike, so it was a tad difficult for me to get up without help. I was riding with a friend. No injuries, except my pride. I have over 1300 miles on my ebike and I had some get outs before but nothing like this doozie. It is not if, it is when and like you said Russ, what are you going to do when it happens. I ride motorcycles and I am a ATGATT person, but on a bike we think it would be less injurious if we fall, but when you combine the different speed and weight of the ebike, the equation changes. Thank you for touching this matter. By the way I'm 62 fit female 😊
It’s kind of odd that people forget about crashes. Car companies market their cars as being safe in crashes, and if you ride a motorcycle, you’ll hear from people that it’s dangerous from time to time. You can get hurt doing anything, for me it’s not a reason to not do things. I do think it’s worth mentioning lighter ebikes, that might help some people get over their fears if you mention the bike doesn’t have to weigh 70 pounds if you’re willing to give up some battery and motor power, which someone in that camp likely is (if you’re afraid of falling to the extent you won’t bike, you don’t care about not being able to go 28).
Got the bike on Friday of memorial day weekend - following hip replacement in March. First ride on Saturday- fell, hurt my knee couldn’t weight bear. One month later, got back on - fell again! Since then, I have learned the safest way for me to stop without falling!! 😂
We are new to e-bikes. They are sitting in our garage ready to be unboxed today so I can say I haven’t fallen off an e-bike. BUT I have fallen off my 10 speed . Last fall I remember the front tire caught in the area between a sidewalk and a parkway where the grass had been trimmed. The tire wedged into that and I could not turn the front tire to get it out so I fell. I was probably in my late 50’s at that time. Skinned my hand and got a really big bruise on my thigh. My response-whatever. My agreement to riding a bike is yes I am going to fall at some point. I love riding bikes-it is a price I will pay.
Russ. You look to be in good health for your age. Like many people I picked up riding a bike after years without one. You might fall and get hurt if you ride thinking you are. You should have an exercise practice that helps improve your balance. If you do fall your body will automatically react a d but tense up. I have fallen on ice and slippery surfaces without injury. A bike with a low center of gravity also makes it easier to balance. I remember as a kid I had a stingray bike I used to deliver newspapers and sometimes had 50 pounds of Sunday papers on the front bag and rear racks. Only time I went down was due to front tire flat and just scraped a knee
I've now had my ebike since mid-August 2022 and I've fallen two times. The first time which I fell was when I tried to go up a small hill on grass and the hill was steeper than I anticipated. I lost power and fell on my left side. Fortunately, I was not hurt. The second time that I fell was at a stop and I lost my balance and again fell on the left side. Again, I was fortunately not hurt, but the bike did land on my leg. I could have been worse. Last week at a stop and vehicle turned into me and bent the front wheel. I was not hurt but the entire side of the vehicle was scratched. The car driver did not stop and drove off. Technically it was a hit and run. I did not call the police because my only description of the car was that it was a red, small sedan. I've been warned by my riding partner that I should learn to think like I'm invisible to everyone and take precautions with that mindset. Oh, by the way - I'm 75 and intend to keep on riding as long as I can.
Knowing how to fall (crashing) is a must for any cyclist, and it's OK if it does happen. I've crashed 2 times in the last year, both times ended up hurting my right shoulder. Both times I go back on the bike and keep going. The first time was on my Rad Rover 6 Plus ebike and happen at high speed, went off the bike path to avoid other cyclist coming at me. When I tried to get back on the bike path, my front tire wouldn't go back on the path because of there being a large edge exposed of the cement. The other time was with my new carbon fiber fat tire bike, a Trek Farley 9.6. This time I was dumb, I was trying to take a selfie of myself riding the bike, and I was going too slow and had both hands off the handlebars and lost control! Crashing is a part of cycling, and the chances of going to happening to just about anybody is very good. When you ride make sure you got proper ID with you and any medical insurance cards just in case. And speaking of insurance, I also am a member of USA Cycling and they offer additional insurance if you get hurt while cycling. Looking back over my many many years of cycling, I think I've crash at least once on every bike I've owned. The funniest crash that comes to mind, was when I was cycling with my road bike and had clipless pedals and was very new to using them. And as I was approaching a stop sign, I was trying to clip out of the pedals and I fell over. But what's funny about this crash is my wife (at the time) and her daughter were in the car right next to me on their way home and saw it 😂 Great video Russ, always enjoying watching. Follow my rides (and crashes) on Strava www.strava.com/athletes/
Yea your right, I have fallen. and when the bike is to heavy or to big like myself. I am 4'11" and it is very hard to find a bike for me without breaking the bank. The Tern makes very good bikes for my size but too expensive with the Bosh motors and no throttle on them. I always where my helmet and my bike gloves because I have nerve neuropathy on my hands. But I get back on my horse because I love to ride but safety first.
If I remember correctly, that’s the first video I watched, even though I received my bike as a gift. I was still looking into different e-bikes just as research for myself along with different channels on them. The first time I took a spill, my cellphone auto dialed 911, which I turned off quickly. Even landing jumps the dang phone goes off on it’s own. I like the feature but only if I knock myself out, since I’m old school, I don’t wear a helmet but for a few times.
I have fallen many times and I’m 62 years old. U right if you ride a lot you will fall some time or another.. like I said if you’re scared don’t buy. Walk. In your yard and you still might fall 😂… I don’t do videos for this same reason.. because of what people will say… not what they might say… what they will say… I look at reviews to see if I got a good deal on my bike.. take care
Being a person that pretty much records all my rides and puts them up on UA-cam, my viewers know I have fallen twice. It is a little debatable if you would call the second fall a real fall since I fell in a very soft manicured lawn. However, the first fall, which was on a hill, was definitely a fall. My gloves took a major hit on that fall and I was so thankful that I was wearing them. If I had been wearing knee pads, they might have help since I got a few cuts just below the knees from the asphalt. So far I have not been really injured from my falls, but I have heard stories of people breaking bones from falls where they were at a full stop or just barely moving. Most Ebikes are heavy. Each person needs to make their own decision based on risk they are willing to take, but falling risk didn't play much of a role in my decision. Everything you do has risk and falling on an ebike is no where near the highest risk I take.
You can fall on a bike, ebike, trike, etrike, scooter, escooter, skateboard AND while walking. No one goes their entire life without falling. BUT you can minimize the risk by paying attention and for any wheeled device you ride to learn the best technique for that device. For example cornering a trike like a bike will likely cause you to fall...so you have to relearn cornering. Yet hitting small stones or loose gravel or wet leaves on a bike will more likely cause a fall than the same on a trike. So everything has its own risks and advantages. Most falls? Going down stairs and slipping in bathtubs. If you want perfect safety then I guess you would never get out of bed.
Finally. a comment on training wheels. Russ WHY didnt you mention this, make it your first video for senior riding. There are many training wheels on market, but after my 3d fall which this summer resulted in two broken wrists, I'm researching trraining wheels. There is a European company, I think its swinging wheels or something that Im trying to find that looks the best. all the american models look clunky and very heavy. Russ, again, please do a video on training wheels. (No interest in trike but may have to consider it at some point)
My Wife and I were out riding one day and I took 2 tumbles. 1 we came to a stop for a red light and my foot got caught under my kick stand as I was trying to flip it down and went for a tumble . The second time was I was to close to the curb and side swiped , making me go for one HELL of a drop and roll ending up on the grassy curb Laughing my head off and my Wife was very confused!! Laugh at it now still!!
We all fall at one time or another. I’ve fallen 4-5 times in the last 40 years while riding. I use cleats, so my feet are locked onto the pedals. If you don’t twist your foot in time to get your foot down, you’ll fall. I haven’t fallen in the last 15 years and at 71 Y/O I don’t relish falling. Remember, you can’t control everything. I always wear a helmet and gloves. I’ve only fallen intentionally once to avoid a head-on collision with car on the bike path on Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive near Fullerton Ave. in the ‘80s. Got a bit of road rash (gravel and dirt imbedded into your skin) but was otherwise okay. Oh well, things happen. You can’t let fear rule your life! Get out and bike.
Hey, Russ! You're right about tuning into your channel because of the "Important EBike Considerations For Senior Riders" episode, that's what started me watching your videos. As to discouraging me from buying an e-bike ... you were preaching to the choir. I absolutely agree with what you were saying. Having taken a few falls on my motorcycle, I was keenly aware of the risks of falling on an e-bike. May I make a suggestion? For these winter vids, where you're talking over previously taped rides, can you briefly describe where the background ride was shot - say a short write up in the Description portion of the video?
It really depends on what kind of eBike you are riding that determines the risk of the impact of falling. With a cruiser, which tends to be a big heavy bike, a fall could have much more impact. Whereas, if you're riding a smaller lighter bike like an Lectric, you might make out much better. With the later, you might be closer to the ground, or the lighter weight may make managing the bike in a fall easier. So, both bike size and design could make a significant difference. IMHO. 😁
I've fallen one time and that was due to someone's car turning unexpectedly. Coming to a stop, I simply lean slightly with my toes holding my balance while STILL SEATED. I'm not buying this hop off at stops thing. My leg extension is near straight at bottom of pedal stroke. My top bar is 28". It's a Specialized mtn bike with street tires=26". I do plan however on raising my handle bars to ileviate my neck having to be in the full head up position. I do want to get ebike, much more research needed.
Your loaded bike is 70 pounds?! You should inform your audience about the MUCH lighter options out there! For example, check out any of Specialized SL ('Super Light') bikes. They're a bit more than 30 pounds. Easier to handle, less problematic if they fall on you and overall way more fun to ride!
@@RussIsRight Gotcha. Nonetheless, probably worth pointing out to your viewers that 70lbs isn't the only game in town. If viewers are apprehensive about falling and handling large bikes, there are lighter ebikes out there. :)
I had a stroke 1 1/2 years ago. As a result, I had left sided weakness , and balance issues. The problem with me is that my brain will tell my left side a command, but my left side is too slow to respond as it once did pre stroke. I fell 3 times on the street also, twice while making a sharp left turn,once while making a u-turn on my left side. As I made a turn, I remember telling my left leg to extend out to help balance my left side. As I turned, I looked down and my left leg didn’t follow the directions my brain gave it. This shocked me, which led to imbalance and a crash. I was lucky that the streets were empty and nobody saw me. I’ve since been going to the gym and working my legs to give me more strength but I’m not selling myself short … I know I will fall again one day. I wear a helmet, gloves and sometimes knee pads.
Russ, what brand is that mirror on your bike in this video? I want an on-the-handle mirror? You don't have it right up agains the grip and you can see with it pretty well, right? I know it's the length of the handle bars that determines if a mirror will work on the handle bars or not. I just don't want the ones on the ends of the bars. They always get in the way and don't look as nice as the ones on the bars. I own a Kommoda. Russ, I love your videos and appreciate your help!! I'm sorry you have to explain to people about why or why not you don't stop at every stop sign. People have lost their common sense. Every reviewer I watch has had someone complain about them not coming to a complete stop at every single stop sign. You handle those comments a lot better than I would!! You're a good guy, Russ!
That is the Hafny “teardrop shaped” mirror (my description of it). The link is in the description of the video. I do have to move my shoulder out of the way to see clearly though. I think most of these on-handlebar mirrors kind of require this. But I like this style of mirror best as it has better (larger teardrop shape allows me to see lower on the street as well as above the cars coming towards me).
Hey Russ love your videos. I have a question we have the Jaguarundi bike and I was wondering can the twist throttle be changed to a thumb throttle? I notice in your background video you have a thumb throttle on the bike.
You have a couple of options on the thumb throttle. Totally replace it with a dedicated thumb throttle (you can find them on Amazon) or just put a clamp-on thumb throttle (like what I do). Here's how I did mine: ua-cam.com/video/OPPBwhGP-Ns/v-deo.html
@Russ Is Right great thanks I'm watching your current video now about falling. It's good information. My wife fell twice once turning and the other she accidentally twisted the throttle going into the garage and crashed. That might be a good video for you to make about accidentally twisting the throttle.
A few Months ago I had a strange fall. On my usual daily ride, I have a spot where I stop to sip some water and have a quick snack(candy fruit-chew). I don't get off my bike for this cause it's a quick stop. I'm sitting there, opening my fruit-candy, and drop it. Leaning over to retrieve it, the bike(big fatty) starts leaning over to the left with me. I couldn't stop the bike. "Big Fatty" fell right on top of me in what seemed like slow-motion. I had to laugh at myself as I'm sure it looked hilarious. There were a few people that I'm sure saw that, but that's o.k. as I know it provided a good chuckle for them! moral of my story... leave the candy on the ground if you drop it!!
I think once you fall you've gotten over your fear of falling and you realize hey that wasn't so bad and that fear of falling is gone. Falling is gona happen everywhere in your life you can fall when walking when jogging when riding when skiing or snow boarding even when on quads or snowmobiles. Everyone falls the cure is prepared for the fall. Wear gloves when riding or knee pads when your a new bike rider that will for sure save your knees from getting cut up just happened to my wife yesterday on our brand new ebikes she went off concert path on to wet grass trying to get back on the concrete path and down she went. Lucky she was wearing gloves and knee pads. The knee pads got hammered all scuffed up. I told her imagine what your knee would have looked like if you weren't wearing them i mean they were so scraped up took the black paint on them right off. She was fine got up walked away with a broken finger nail and a busted cell phone holder. The bike was fine no damage at all other then the cell phone holder.
I was just released from the hospital, after a fall from my ebike, which broke my femur. What's worse, is that only a few weeks earlier, I had a hip replacement on the same leg! I've fallen a number of times from several types of bikes and ebikes, both step-through and full framed. And, these falls always happened as a result of having to perform a tight U-turn, or having come to a full stop and then attempting to hold myself up on the bike. The leg always gives out, and I always fall with the last time having resulted in serious injury. Now, I'm.left to think (before giving this hobby up and selling my only months-old ebike) if I still would've fallen, if I had at first jumped off the seat as if I was finishing my ride, instead of trying to balance myself with my full weight on the bike. Would I have still fallen? Honestly, I'd still have to answer, yes, and that gives me my answer, as to whether I need to find another hobby! I'm fine and safe, as long as I don't have to stop and hold myself up on a bike, but I've proven to myself over and over that my leg won't hold me up!!!!
@@RussIsRight Hi Russ:Good idea, but I don't think that they'd ship to Italy, which is where I live. Even so, I'm currently trying to source some training wheels for this 29 in her I have, which is only two months old. If I can't find training wheels, then (your suggestion) I'll try to sell this ebike, then buy an e-trike. But, either way I won't ride this bike anymore, because I'm still at risk of hurting myself even worse with this emtb!
Falling off a bike is something that happens, whether you be on a Bush bike electric bike or motor bike, if every body worried about what mite happen, no one would use a car or bike, I admit if your not good at riding a pushbike, then you should not get a E Bike, but you can't go through life worrying about what mite happen, anything in life has a risk 😉
Russ, I said this before, I'm old! In June, I will be 79 years old. I don't have knee or hip problems, but I have COPD. That is why I gave away my bike and bought an e-bike. Also, older people are subject to falling down. I can't remember when the nurse asked me if I had tripped and fallen in the last year or so! So, each day I stand before a chair or something to help me in the exercise and stand on one foot, lean on that foot for twenty seconds, and do the other for twenty seconds. They say to do it many times a day, which will help with balance. That might save you from a bike fall! I'm waiting for my first fall on the bike!
Maybe more worriesome than falling is getting hit by a car on your E-bike. You might consider making a video discussing how to stay safe on your E-Bike. My suggestion would be don't ride in traffic on your e-Bike like it's a motorcycle. Stick to bike paths as much as possible. Don't know how many times I have seen E-Bike and bike riders riding in the road when there is a perfectly good bike path right next to it.
I lost my leg in November 2019. I got my first e-bike in July 2020. Well I got it assembled and I really could not wait to ride it. It is pretty big it's the ecotric Hammer bike and I'm not really big. I wasn't going very fast I went to turn and I didn't have the handlebars tightened down. So I fell on my nub. People were watching me screaming in pain in the lady goes to her daughter don't help him! So eventually the pain subsided and I took my bike back to the garage and believe me when you got one leg that's not easy. I tightened it down and went for another ride. Stupid me I wanted to see how fast it can go on my street is not very long and it goes pretty fast. I could not stop fast enough and there was a van coming on this little side street so I kept going and I crashed in somebody's yard. That wasn't so bad. I want camping to Lake Ontario Lakeside Beach north of me in New York. And yes I rode 30 miles. Electric only two batteries. Well I decided I was going to wear my son's old lacrosse pads man did that help. But if I fell off up there people help me unlike here in the city of Batavia. I've fallen off my bike so many times it's ridiculous it's like a horse you get back on I'm 61 years old. I was sitting here thinking about getting a freaking electric wheelchair. Not like I'm really wealthy but I used the stimulus to buy my bike. For a person like me just getting on it and riding it makes me feel free. I don't need insurance and a license. I don't think people should not ride an e-bike because they're old. They should get an e-bike that fits them. I've been riding bikes since I was about three years old. The bike has 1300 miles now and it's still going strong. I don't ride it in the winter salt in New York I don't know what that might do to the electrical system. I know it's not good. Back then they were 1,000 watts and that's what I needed to go camping toy wagon and get up the hills. The bike is better than having a puppy for A Conversation Piece. If you're going to have an e-bike get the right size unlike me I lowered the seat but I had to buy a new seat Pole. Test it out in the parking lot or somewhere if you fall off get the hell back on it and ride! Just like if you fall off the freaking horse get back on and ride
Good work Russ. I want to hear your wife's opinion on being "Right" all the time. LOL. I have never fell on my ebike but in my younger days I fell many times on a standard bike. Most of the time I was doing something I shouldn't have been doing. I wear gloves my self for that reason as you wear them. I tell the brothers to be prepared for a fall at all times cause you never know when it may happen. Happy Saturday. Richard P.S. Cannon at 5:42. Was that some sort of battleground?
Russ, I have a Lectric XPremium and have put about 30 miles on it so far...and I have already "fallen" 3 times. Each time has been at slow speed with no injuries or damage to the bike. I think your counsel is exactly correct, especially for seniors. I got my bike for the purpose of improving my health in an enjoyable way. I love riding my bike. It is the perfect tool for what I want to accomplish in regard to my health. But at age 76, I am no longer the strong, agile, and coordinated athlete I once was. Thank you for injecting a degree of objectivity into the world of biking, whether the "e" variety or not. mdv
i am 66 yrs old…ride a Lectric Xpremium which is a heavy bike. i’ve had a double knee replacement and prior to my e-bike…hadn’t been on a bike in 30 years. i am only 5’4 and the problem wasn’t riding but stopping securely. i could never get the saddle just right but then i found a simple miracle fix….elevated sneakers on Amazon for $35.00. they have a 3” heel and i am noe completely confident now. no more falls and riding a lot more now
I am 75 and have been building e-bikes and e-trikes for over 10 years. You were correct. Anyone will periodically fall. I don't think it has much to do with having a motor, or how careful you are. The falls usually go OK. My last one kept me off riding for 2 months. The risk is worth it!
I fell on my 1st bike. Miss hit a large hole on a bike path. Landed pretty good. Bike on the bottom, me on top. However I was sinking in a marsh, lol. If it wasn't sinking I could've gotten up on my own. My brother came back to get me. I don't know what I was sinking in, but it wasn't good! I also have a damaged left leg, good thing that I landed on my right.
Love this response.
Remember that falling is not reserved only for e-bikes you can also fall on regular bikes 🚲 I have many times when I was much much younger I am now in my 70’s and am loving my first e-bike have yet to fall but it will eventually happen but I am not going to worry about it and ruin my fun.
Well said. I have thought, if I wind up in a long term care facility, I'm not going unless I can keep my ebike in the room with me, and I can come and go during the day.
But yeah, falling is a risk I'm willing to take. At that point, I'll no doubt trade my fat tire cruiser for something smaller and lighter.
Great to see many comments of ebikers who've fallen but have gotten right back up and continue riding. I've been fortunate to have NOT fallen but take precautionary measures to lower the risk. I always where the Xnito helmet, gloves, watch for cars with my bar end mirrors, ride on smooth surfaces when possible, and slow down when there's debris on the road. Stay safe everybody👍
Fell off my bike 6 months ago and broke 2 ribs.... Helmet and gloves folks! - also when maneuvering at slow speed, don't use your front brake. Grabbing a fist full of front brake will take you to the ground if the handlebars are turned. Still riding!
Hey Russ, like you I had ridden over a 1000 miles on my Magicycle Cruiser with no issues. Fantastic bike by the way. I turned 67 last year and
am in pretty good athletic shape. Well, as winter approached here in Teton Valley, Idaho, I was determined to not let winter get in the way. So i installed some massive, studded, Avalanche Snow Storm tires and continued having a great time. They worked great on packed snow roads and even roads with a mixture snow, chunky ice, and gravel. I rode perhaps 75 miles all over the place. It was great! Until, one day I was riding on a day where things were melting. I was riding very conservatively in town. As I approached a stop sign, I was going less that 10mph and hit some deep slush. Without any warning that bike slid out from under me sideways so fast that I was slammed on my left shoulder. I had on my helmet, but I hit so hard I was seeing stars. When I gathered my wits and started to get up, I knew something was wrong. My left shoulder was in extreme pain and my arm strength was gone. Well as you can guess I suffered an AC shoulder joint separation. As I have found out, very common especially for mountain bikers and snow boarders.
So long story short I am in week 6 of recovery/ rehab. Do not need surgery, but that clavicle will always be a bump on the left shoulder.
So, yes a further note of caution especially for senior riders. One thing I learned from others was to set your seat height as low as possible if doing winter riding, so you can get your feet down quick. Your center of gravity is lower.
Yes, these bikes are heavy, kind of a combination of motorcycle and bicycle. I would recommend most seniors to look towards lighter weight step thru bikes when possible. Like you I prefer the larger heavier cruiser because I am 6' 225 lbs.
So thanks for posting and I hope my story helps others to deeply about E-biking and what kind of bike to start with.
Will be 78 this year and falling off a big, heavy bike is a fact of life!! Had my 3 falls already, all at a stop! But all were learning situations! Might fall again, but that can happen anytime, even without the bike! Don't be fearful of living your life, just be careful!!!
Russ, I bought my Magicycle Cruiser after watching your channel and absolutely love it, and have enjoyed many, many rides. I am lucky, and haven't fallen yet, but have come close a few times. Fat tire bikes like the Magicycle (and many others) are way too tall. The tires are 28" in diameter thread to thread, and for a person like me at 5" 8" with a 30" inseam it is impossible to sit on the seat and stop the bike, even with the seat all the way down. Moving forward off the seat puts me hard on the crossbar. Getting on and off the bike is truly something I don't want to do with anyone watching! LOL! Yes, I could buy the same bike like you have without the crossbar, but that only solves part of the problem. Manufacturers need to address this. They also need to give us a button that temporarily kills the pedal assist for times when we are making U-Turns or just maneuvering slowly in tight spaces. The pedal assist kicking in at level 5 at the wrong time has almost caused my demise on several occasions......
Your ebike considerations for seniors was probably the first videos I watched of yours. I have fallen twice. Both times I was trying to throttle around a turn from a dead stop and gave it to much throttle and bumped the curb and down I went. Ebikes are faster and heavier than regular bikes and the consequences of a fall can be greater. Thus, a good reason to always wear protective gear when riding. Despite the scrapes and bruises from my falls, I learned how to control my bike better and until I'm too old or weak to handle my ebike, I'll happily keep riding.
I actually was inspired by the over 60 video. I had just bought my Rad Ebike. It gave me a good insight as what to expect. Yes...I have fallen. I also crashed twice and was pretty badly injured! I am the same age as you. I have learned the hard way that I can not ride a bike like I am in my 20s or 30s! I love your attitude and way you handle comments! You are very pragmatic about the way to ride bikes safely! Keep up the good work! Ebike riding for me in my 60s has opened up riding for distances and over hills like I never have ridden in my whole life! It is awesome and I will be riding for as long as possible!
I'm 61 with both knee replacement surgeries done. I have several e-bikes and now a very powerful 2wd scooter. I live in an area where rough terrain is everywhere, even to my usual .7 mile trip to my rural mailbox from my cabin. After watching this, I just bought a new helmet on Ebay.
So far I have fallen 7 times! 😂 It is because I am about 2” too short for my bike but I love it. As long as I am on a level surface and stop slowly, I am okay. The last was basically because I was getting scared about riding on some gravel and I started to stop not realizing the ground was a little lower on the right, so down I go and hit my head on something laying on the side of the driveway. If I hadn’t tried to stop I would have probably been fine. And even though I think it was you that said to put on your helmet no matter how short the ride, I didn’t have it on when I fell, because I was just moving it to the front of our house. From now on though even if a few feet I will have on my helmet! 😅😅 BTW love your videos! The one about when going around a curve to look where you want your bike to go, and not off to the side has saved me from going down more than once now. Thanks for the tips!
Thanks for watching!
Greetings Russ. Yes, I do remember the original fall video. I could not stop laughing. But, on a serious note, I have not fallen since I have been riding. On one occasion, when I made a sudden turn, the sand in the road made me slip. Thankfully, I regained control and moved on. After the incident, I remembered the fall video, and I chuckled. Your experiences about falling plant subconscious seeds, reminding us about safety. Thanks, buddy.
I repair a lot of E-Bikes and most of the owners are 50 years old and up. Some don’t wear helmets. I believe when some of them fall it will be a wake up call and you will see the E-Bike for sale online.
I fell off my Lectric twice, after riding my road bike for decades w/o ever falling off. I knew it was the weight so I sold it and got one lighter.
Maybe yet another advantage of the lower step thru bike like my Magicycle Ocelot Pro. Instead of falling you can pretty hopefully easily step right off. I went with the expensive Hollywood rack as it comes with a ramp which makes it pretty easy to get the bikes on/off the rack. But you are correct, anything can happen while riding. Fear of falling definitely won't stop me from riding. I prefer to be active even if I am considered to be a senior.
I fell once on the rad rover. As i left my slightly sloped driveway onto the roadway the rad over slid out beneath me on black ice. Luckily there was no oncoming cars as it was 5:15am.
In my youth, I raced off-road motorcycles at a relatively high-level. Then as a young adult, I started to cowboy for a living. And did so for a long time. Most of that time I was starting horses under saddle. So I’ve hit the ground a lot. I know I do not get back up from the ground at my age now like I did in my youth. But just yesterday, I slipped on a step and bruised up my knee pretty badly. I don’t think the chance of getting hurt on an E bike is much different than the chance of getting hurt doing anything else. You’ll be as careful as you can, but sometimes accidents happen. That’s why they call them accidents. Let’s all be careful, but let’s still live life. As I always say, stay safe, God bless, and keep the wheels rolling.
Well I made it about a year before I crashed, and my shoulder is still messed up from it. But I still ride and love it .
I'm 70 ond over weight I have fallen 3 times on my E-Bike but I feel so much better now that I feel it was worth it.
My son told one more fall and I have to get a trike
Agreed on wearing gloves! 🧤 🧤 i fell down once without gloves, my palms got scraped up bad. I had never considered scrapes on your palms can be quite debilitating and interfere with daily life. It can also make it very hard to ride and hold the handlebars. I’ll only make that mistake once. When i see people riding without gloves, its often a fairly accurate indicator they’ve never fallen before. Even the fingerless gloves are a bajillion times better than nothing. Its the palm scraping terror I’m concerned about.
I am 72 and own a Heybike Explore. The first time I went to ride it on the old towpath bike path, I fell backwards from using the brakes wrong. I was wearing a helmet, and since I wasn't moving very fast, I had just got started, I really didn't get much of an injury, more just had the wind knocked out of me and was surprised I did such a stupid move. Anyway, Thanks Russ for bringing this subject to light and adding your advice and experience to the mix.
I purchased my ebike (Bee Cool Explorer) in 2022 at age 75. Over the past two years I've fallen two times and both were due to my stupidity by losing forward momentum at slow turns. Now, I recognize that I need to be cognizant of slow turns with a 78 pound bike. That being said, I really enjoy the ebike with long rides and enjoying the outdoors.
Falling in general is a major risk for seniors. Seniors need to weigh whether it's worth it. I've seen seniors fall just getting on or off a bike. E-bikes just make it possible for someone who is already too weak to ride to get on a bike. That might be a teachable moment that maybe you shouldn't own one.
Russ, I have fallen off my regular 24 inch bake dozens of times. This was in the late 1940's. My cousins and I had a game where we would chase each other on our bikes and try to hit their rear wheel with our front wheel with the express purpose of making them wreck. Some minor injuries, but no broken bones, ever. We didn't have TV to watch back then so we invented things to do outside from morning to dark. This way of living is very different from the children of today.
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Like you I fell 3 times when I first got my ebike. The bike wasn’t moving. 2 out of 3 times I was trying to catch a falling bike. Let it fall. Had to get used to the weight of the bike. It harder to hold on to than my mountain bike. My concern on the bike trail is all the new ebike owner without helmets. I’ve asked several about it, they always complain about helmets being hot. I then show them a picture of my face after a regular bike crash ,with a helmet. Not pretty.
I did actually fall (67yrs old) while on my Dost Drop Chain. Luckily, I was on the grass, trying to get started again, and I fell onto a small hill. It was basically a slow motion lay down. Now that's the way to fall! 😂😂
I T-boned a van that cut me off while on my e-bike! 10/10 would not recommend. The crash caused my shoulder to depart but the fall afterward did not cause me any substantial harm! Thank goodness for that!
Ouch!
I knew I should not drive when I stepped on the gas instead of the brake as I intended, ramming into the side of a building. Nothing was injured except my pride, and I didn't want to pay dearly for my brain's quirkiness.
If you think about it, most ebike reviewers are either young or older but athletic. Even then, I bet some of them fall but never mention it on their videos (particularly review videos). I suspect the recent rise in new trike releases from major ebike brands is an acknowledgment that these things have hidden risks that are a consequence of their design but to date have not been shared with customers (greater weight and operating speed, managing torque, taking PAS into turns, riding a road bike on MTB trails because you have the extra power, and so on). Any transportation medium requires the rider to be prepared for an undesirable event. You did your viewers a great service by putting that falling video out there, Russ, and I’m glad you continue to remind folks that stuff can happen on these things and to be vigilant.
Russ. You are such a down to earth guy. Everything you said is correct. I chuckle just a little when you get tongue tied. That`s just like me. That`s just all part of being a nice guy.
Thanks! :)
I appreciate you being honest. If someone has weak bones they shouldn't buy a bike of anytime because everyone will fall. I just got my e-bike and most of the snow is gone but I hit a pile of snow which had some ice under it and I fell and hurt my shoulder. I will walk over any snow in the future. Really like your channel.
Thanks!
The weight of the fat tire bike was an argument the local bike shop used to discourage me from getting that bike. I am very happy with my Aventon Pace 500NG; the weight and handling are good for me.
Soon to be 57, I have fallen. I was turning into my driveway and the leaves were slippery which caused my front wheel to slide. Since I had just entered the driveway I wasn’t going fast, so it was more of a case of getting away from the bike as it leaned over. The fall I had as a teenager was by far worse.I try and minimize the risk by wrapping my wrists, wearing a helmet, and zippered shoes. As I age I might consider a trike .
Yes it can happen. Especially when it is a new to you bike. Stopping on wet pavement is crazy dangerous until you know the bike. People pop out, cars, DOGS.. and you are sliding/skidding and terrified. Getting to KNOW your bike is essential for your safety. I had a tiny electric Jetson at first. Learned the hard way. Thankfully I didn't hit them.😎
The weight of the bike was something I hadn't considered in the event of a fall. Thanks.
I have fallen 3 times on my ebike. It weighs about 90lbs. By the time the weight of the bike comes into play, you have already passed the tipping point, you're going down.
(edit) Something to maybe consider. On a daily riding basis, and especially at speeds >20mph, a heavier bike feels safer. On the other hand, in traffic, the more nimble nature of a lighter bike may win the day.
But you can also buy Protective clothing like knee pads elbow pads chest pads and so on jackets with padding I've fallen a couple of times because I got more daring and tried different things but it's all good I never wanted to stop riding my bike and I'm in my 50s
Yes you can fall...on any bike; not just EBikes. When I was a kid, I rode my bike everywhere without a helmet. No one did. Now I wear a helmet. Most are designed to save your head and brain and the one I wear doesn't look that bad. I'm older and like you said, you will fall off your bike eventually so I wear one. John
I fell over on my GoldWing once, On my Suzuki once and on my nice new Lectric XP 3.0 last week. Each time it was due to gravel, either my foot slipping on it or in the case of the ebike, the gravel was soft and I did a very slow speed high-sider. Even though I'm 70, I reacted by tucking my shoulder and rolling a couple times. They taught us how to fall way back when. Now, normally I have a heck of a time standing back up as I have a bad knee. Kind of the, "Help I've fallen and can't get back up!", but the adrenalin must have done the job for me. I was fine. The brand new ebike was fine, and I continued riding, disgusted with myself but still riding!
Russ, you're welcome to use my front lawn to fall on!
Falls are a possibility for anyone on any type of bike. I've got 7,000 miles on my RadMini, but I also ride in high risk situations like on mountain bike trails, deep sand, snow, ice, and doing jumps, and riding in traffic. My earliest crashes were flying airborne into a wooden fence, flipping on my back and skidding 50 feet in gravel on bare skin because my shirt rolled up, and t-boning a car while *I* was going 30mph. Guess what? None of those were on e-bikes.
Getting back to the RadMini, my first fall was from black ice in a parking lot. It just looked wet and I was going slow, but I went down hard! I had a camera on the headtube of the bike and the video was pretty hilarious... laying motionless for a minute with church bells ringing in the background, then me getting up and hopping to get my shoe that had flipped across the parking lot. My kickstand broke off, so I put it on my rack and rode home, and my hip was sore for a couple days but that was it. My only serious injury crash was intentional... someone at work released my front wheel, and when it came loose, the fork jammed in the spokes and catapulted me into the cement at 16mph. Fractured collarbone and brain trauma injury, but the doctors said if I was not wearing my DOT approved motorcycle helmet, the impact would have been fatal. Yes, I'm a fan of motorcycle helmets, though I use a bicycle helmet in parks and in other situations where I need to "fit in".
That being said, none of the falls or accidents were related to the bike being an e-bike or a pedal bike. If anything, there have been several occasions where the Radmini has prevented me from having an accident due to better brakes than most pedal bikes, and being able to get out of the way of drunks and other errant drivers. There is no requirement for you to go faster on your e-bike than your pedal bike, but if you decide to do so, that's your choice. My highest top speed of 51mph was done on a pedal bike, and my highest speed crash was also on a pedal bike. If there is a e-factor involved, it's that e-bike riders ride more.
That video in question was the first I found of your channel. I did order an E-bike that week and have enjoyed it since. I always wear a a helmet and gloves. In my 67 years I've only had one bad bike fall when I was 17. My front brake licked up for dinner resignand I went over the handlebars. I scraped my lips and chin and couldn't play my trombone too well for a couple I'd weeks. Crap hapowns. Back to now...I can feel my leg strength improving and my docs thinks it's a good thing.
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I know a lot of people only want to hear the good things as they'll get turned off the moment they hear it's not all rainbows and sunshine. However, I'm the kind of guy that likes to hear both the pros and the cons as I want to know what I need to be prepared for. I really appreciate your videos and how you take your time to explain your adventures, observations, and analysis with your ebikes. It's after you talked about some info that I really did more research into it. (i.e. I didn't really think about the gearing situation with ebikes until you talked about it.) Turns out for hub motor ebikes the motor doesn't even use the gears and it essentially replaces it's function with pedal assist for up hills, unless you run out of battery. The only reason you'd still use the gears is if you want or have to pedal. Thank you for putting these videos out as it gives me a lot more insights than I would be able to discover alone.
Totally correct. You will fall, misjudge and mistime how you place your feet, brake and throttle miscue, and who knows what else.
As a 68 year old I lusted for a method to be on my own to run errands and just to be moving freely.
I had an early version currier scooter that i had to leave behind in a forced move. So i had some experience but each ride has differing characteristics. So when i got my engwe t14 (small, folding, good torque with decent speed and great disc brakes) stuff the plodding scooter from before
Lacked. there was learning
So i fell, but 30 years of playing disc golf trained me to fall gracefully, more or less.
Upshot, i guess ill have to start a training scenario of
"Pitfalls and pratfalls" or How to minimize your risk, using some of the ideas you gave.
Btw you can fall on a trike too.
Be prepared, pad your rear.
I"m 60 years old, I bought an Ebike and after 2 weeks I fall and I lost the air from my lungs and I stayed on the ground for 20 minutes cuz I couldn't breathe until I got air on my lungs again, I was sleeping on a chair for 2 weeks cuz my ribs were killing me and I was walking too slow cuz too much pain but I never missed a day on my job.
After that I been taking too much care when I ride my Ebike
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Wow! I read every comment! You certainly made the right decision to make a video on falling!! I've ridden my new ebike 3 times and I fell on the 3rd trip. Because I feel the most awkward when coming to a stop, at the end of my ride, I always drive to the back yard, so no one will see me fall. Sure enough.....I did exactly what I've been telling my self not do. When you stop to get off your bike, put the PAS into #0. Well, I forgot. Started to get off, accidentally touch the throttle and the bike took off throwing me to the ground! It happens so fast! I also feel really unstable when making a turn. I wonder if people are buying the Lectrics because they are lighter and they also are a lot cheaper in price? I never gave the weight of the bike a thought, but it's the weight of the bike that is causing my uncertainties. I'm looking for an indoor riding wheel, so during the winter, I can practice using PAS, shifting gears and getting in shape without worries of falling. Anyone know if any company is making one for 20" wheels? I have one for my 26" bike, but it won't fit my 20". I'm going to look into training wheels. I think that's a great idea while learning.
Several people have mentioned training wheels. You are not alone.
Russ, I've ridden on my Rad Rover 6+ about 1,500 miles over the last 6 months or so and have fallen once because I didn't see some mud just before getting onto a forested park trail. It was like you said, my e-bike seemed like it was going down in "slow motion" to my right side side. No way to balance myself or take corrective action once the e-bike started sliding. Fortunately I landed on grass and had my helmet and bike riding gloves on. Now I also ride with a Sedici winter jacket that has armor in the elbows and shoulders in case I take a fall and it isn't on grass!
I don't worry about the fall it's more important how your going to land 1 don't stick out you're hands 2 go limp with your chin tucked in and roll back when I was 6 or 7 years old the pe teacher got us kids to practice doing forward rolls and backward rolls on the lawn
Hi Russ, you were absolutely right to tell people that they may fall. I'm in the UK, and my bike was a hybrid and I had it converted to an ebike. I had never had an accident before, until 7th October last year! I was cycling along a typical Cornish narrow lane. I'm not into speeding so I was taking it steady. I went round a sharp right hand bend, then in about 50 yards there was a sharp left hand bend. I was ok with the right hand bend, but I saw a car coming from the left hand bend, so I lightly touched the brake, so I could slowly pull over to the side, but...as I touched the brake, I didn't realise that my front wheel was on gravel, and bang, I went over the handlebars, landed on my head! I had a head injury, broken nose, black eyes and face, broken arm, and my lower legs were covered in bruises, bumps and hematomas. I still have the hematomas now. I'm 61 years old, but there is no way I'm giving up my cycling. The people in the car just sat there and watched as my friend administered some first aid to me. I always carry a first aid kit. Anyway, I couldn't cycle for 2 months. 😥. I have been out a couple of times since, but now I have a frozen shoulder! But my aim is to get back onto my bike!
So sorry for your pain, but applaud your resilience in get back to riding and not letting this stop your love of biking.
@Russ Is Right Thanks Russ. I love cycling so much, even if an accident killed me, I would have died really happy! I often find I'm cycling along with a big smile on my face.
Boyscout motto...be prepared! thats all. Better to fall when stopped or stopping rather than moving. I think if your an older rider its a reality...most likely at a stop or coming to a stop from all I see. Occasionally its at speed, I fortunately have not experienced that.
I actually fell from braking in a straight road, i wasn't even going fast, ppl really need to be careful with braking, specially if they are on mechanical disk brakes, I almost fractured my rib(had a terrible pain for two weeks) and slightly dislocated my right knee, always keep your weight center in the rear side of your bike, so you dont fall forward when you need to brake suddenly, lean behind and straight your arms, that helps a lot even if you are going down really steep hill
Thanks for the video. I have fallen already this year. I was on the street on my ebike with 700c road tires and thought I would go on the sidewalk, its off a busy street and is rarely used. I came up to a point where the sidewalk made a quick swerve around fire hydrant. I got cute, and cut the angle. My rear tire went off the sidewalk, which was elevated several inches and took me down. I am happy I was ok, but my ego was a little sore. Also riding on this sidewalk months earlier, there were low hanging branches that I saw at the last moment and they knocked my glasses off and I ran them over with my rear tire. It was pretty funny but my vision was really impaired. If you dont know the sidewalk, it can be more dangerous than the busy road.
I really don't think there were people watching your "senior" video who suddenly became aware they might fall. And if they did they are already on borrowed time.
When I was in my 40's I had a bad fall bicycling home from work. I went down so fast that my hands got scraped up and my head (helmet) slid for about a foot on the pavement. Without the helmet, I would have needed facial surgery. The split-second reality of that fall impressed me: helmet and gloves, always. By the way, if it helps, you are one of the reasons I got an ebike (maybe Prioity bikes owes you some money). The Prioriy has a belt drive and inner hub gears. I would love to see you review one.
Let them know! Sometimes consumers letting manufacturers know of a reviewer they like can help get that bike in our hands. 😊
@@RussIsRight Consider it done. Here's a copy of what I wrote: "No problems: that's why I use Priority bikes. I bought an L-Train 4 1/2 years ago when you guys were Brilliant. Besides an easy screw shifter adjustment and putting air in the tires, I haven't touched the bike except to ride. I started watching Russ is Right on UA-cam and he talks about ebikes for older folks (like me), so my first thought was does Priority/Brilliant make a belt drive ebike? Long story short, I now own a Current ebike. What an upgrade. Hydraulic brakes and a motor are game changers. So, check out Russ is Right, I think he would love to review the Current--old folks have money. And thanks for making trouble-free fun bikes.
Thanks for the vote of confidence in me!
@@RussIsRight👍👍
Russ, I really enjoyed the over 60 video, which I watched right after I bought my ebike. I will confess that I hadn't thought about falling. I have a right hip replacement and the thought did scare me. Especially when you said "You are going to fall." Gulp! Well I bit the bullet and kept riding. And I fell! (Coming to a stop) with minor scrapes. I learned some things from that, and feel I'm less vulnerable to falling, but not immune. It did break the ice about falling. Regarding the other beefs, there is a culture of self-righteous complainers who love to jump on anything people do (like HOA's). Let them gripe; if it's not about stop signs it will be something else. And damaging the ebike industry? Ha. Look at the statistics! I don't think they will go hungry. Thanks for doing the rsponsible thing.
Two 'incidents'. One on first ride, came to a stop and didn't get off the seat properly and the bike fell over. It weighs > 70 lbs and was embarrassing more than anything else though no one saw me. Second one was different. I had come to a stop and had both feet on ground, it is a step thru frame. When I released the brake the motor engaged and I tried to control the bike by hanging on to the handlebars. It did a wheelie and slammed me and the bike to the pavement. Got some nasty road rash on one leg and thanks to good riding gloves my hand was OK. NO, I did not accidentally have my thumb on the throttle, I'm positive! Found out that some others who owned the model bike I had similar problems that required replacing some parts. First the company supplied a new throttle which did not solve the issue, then they sent a new controller which successfully resolved the problem.
7 things I learned about ebikes, 1 heavier than regular bike when you go down momentum is greater(wear a helmet&gloves), 2 no fun pushing a heavy ebike with a flat tar/tire (need no flat tire), 3 no fun pushing a heavy ebike with a dead battery (need a battery reserve, the battery gauge near empty just droops/not linear), 4 the 2 different rear motor ebikes I had both exhibited overheating on long uphill and cutoff until cooled down(your mileage may vary), 5 bright color wear is your friend on the street 6 pack disposable gloves to use when your chain jumps the sprocket 7 bring a phone for maps/sos
ps an extra bright light is your friend at night just in case of an unfamiliar bike path, happy riding...
pps go for torque sensor over cadence and thank me later
ppps it helps to have a truck or friend who will haul your sick ebike to a service point ie find a local ebike store who can be your friend, replacing a flat tire is not fun, replacing a BMS after the ebike store runs diagnostics that you don"t have
pppps go for it, life is short ebikes are fun!!!
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I have no idea what happens when I fall of my ebike. Thanks for the information
Russ I fell off my and the first thing I thought about was you and that video. It was so funny because I never thought I would fall. I ride a Himiway Cruiser and crossed over from grass to concrete and the concrete was higher then the grass and that fat back tire side on the concrete and did not roller over on the concrete concrete. But I learned from that, now I know to stay straight until I’m on the concrete and not turn before the back tire clear the grass.
I've fallen twice on my ride videos, the first time is from taking a corner too fast with a worn out tire, the second time was with my new tires on slimy rock. The trick to not getting hurt when you lose the front wheel is to NOT reach out and TRY to hang onto the handlebars and tuck and roll. You wont break any bones that way.
This is a hold over skill as a ski instructor where I teach my students to tumble and not face plant. In order to do this, you have to think about "tuck and roll" or "kiss your ass" on the way down. BTW my logo is a still frame of me falling gracefully from my Wipe Out video on my UA-cam channel.
As a matter of fact, I fell last Monday. The ride was going good until I encountered a big divet on the sidewalk, the front tire slipped underneath me and there I went. Luckily is winter in the Midwest, so I was dressed appropriately. My boot got caught underneath the bike, so it was a tad difficult for me to get up without help. I was riding with a friend. No injuries, except my pride. I have over 1300 miles on my ebike and I had some get outs before but nothing like this doozie. It is not if, it is when and like you said Russ, what are you going to do when it happens. I ride motorcycles and I am a ATGATT person, but on a bike we think it would be less injurious if we fall, but when you combine the different speed and weight of the ebike, the equation changes. Thank you for touching this matter. By the way I'm 62 fit female 😊
It’s kind of odd that people forget about crashes. Car companies market their cars as being safe in crashes, and if you ride a motorcycle, you’ll hear from people that it’s dangerous from time to time. You can get hurt doing anything, for me it’s not a reason to not do things. I do think it’s worth mentioning lighter ebikes, that might help some people get over their fears if you mention the bike doesn’t have to weigh 70 pounds if you’re willing to give up some battery and motor power, which someone in that camp likely is (if you’re afraid of falling to the extent you won’t bike, you don’t care about not being able to go 28).
Got the bike on Friday of memorial day weekend - following hip replacement in March. First ride on Saturday- fell, hurt my knee couldn’t weight bear. One month later, got back on - fell again! Since then, I have learned the safest way for me to stop without falling!! 😂
Stopping is when we all seem to fall.
Definitely at a disadvantage being 4’9”! 😂
We are new to e-bikes. They are sitting in our garage ready to be unboxed today so I can say I haven’t fallen off an e-bike. BUT I have fallen off my 10 speed . Last fall I remember the front tire caught in the area between a sidewalk and a parkway where the grass had been trimmed. The tire wedged into that and I could not turn the front tire to get it out so I fell. I was probably in my late 50’s at that time. Skinned my hand and got a really big bruise on my thigh. My response-whatever. My agreement to riding a bike is yes I am going to fall at some point. I love riding bikes-it is a price I will pay.
Russ. You look to be in good health for your age. Like many people I picked up riding a bike after years without one. You might fall and get hurt if you ride thinking you are. You should have an exercise practice that helps improve your balance. If you do fall your body will automatically react a d but tense up. I have fallen on ice and slippery surfaces without injury. A bike with a low center of gravity also makes it easier to balance. I remember as a kid I had a stingray bike I used to deliver newspapers and sometimes had 50 pounds of Sunday papers on the front bag and rear racks. Only time I went down was due to front tire flat and just scraped a knee
Good video, I have fallen and might fall again. But, I will if I can still get up and keep on riding.
I've now had my ebike since mid-August 2022 and I've fallen two times. The first time which I fell was when I tried to go up a small hill on grass and the hill was steeper than I anticipated. I lost power and fell on my left side. Fortunately, I was not hurt. The second time that I fell was at a stop and I lost my balance and again fell on the left side. Again, I was fortunately not hurt, but the bike did land on my leg. I could have been worse. Last week at a stop and vehicle turned into me and bent the front wheel. I was not hurt but the entire side of the vehicle was scratched. The car driver did not stop and drove off. Technically it was a hit and run. I did not call the police because my only description of the car was that it was a red, small sedan. I've been warned by my riding partner that I should learn to think like I'm invisible to everyone and take precautions with that mindset. Oh, by the way - I'm 75 and intend to keep on riding as long as I can.
Stay safe!
Knowing how to fall (crashing) is a must for any cyclist, and it's OK if it does happen. I've crashed 2 times in the last year, both times ended up hurting my right shoulder. Both times I go back on the bike and keep going.
The first time was on my Rad Rover 6 Plus ebike and happen at high speed, went off the bike path to avoid other cyclist coming at me. When I tried to get back on the bike path, my front tire wouldn't go back on the path because of there being a large edge exposed of the cement. The other time was with my new carbon fiber fat tire bike, a Trek Farley 9.6. This time I was dumb, I was trying to take a selfie of myself riding the bike, and I was going too slow and had both hands off the handlebars and lost control!
Crashing is a part of cycling, and the chances of going to happening to just about anybody is very good. When you ride make sure you got proper ID with you and any medical insurance cards just in case. And speaking of insurance, I also am a member of USA Cycling and they offer additional insurance if you get hurt while cycling. Looking back over my many many years of cycling, I think I've crash at least once on every bike I've owned. The funniest crash that comes to mind, was when I was cycling with my road bike and had clipless pedals and was very new to using them. And as I was approaching a stop sign, I was trying to clip out of the pedals and I fell over. But what's funny about this crash is my wife (at the time) and her daughter were in the car right next to me on their way home and saw it 😂
Great video Russ, always enjoying watching.
Follow my rides (and crashes) on Strava
www.strava.com/athletes/
Yea your right, I have fallen. and when the bike is to heavy or to big like myself. I am 4'11" and it is very hard to find a bike for me without breaking the bank. The Tern makes very good bikes for my size but too expensive with the Bosh motors and no throttle on them. I always where my helmet and my bike gloves because I have nerve neuropathy on my hands. But I get back on my horse because I love to ride but safety first.
If I remember correctly, that’s the first video I watched, even though I received my bike as a gift. I was still looking into different e-bikes just as research for myself along with different channels on them. The first time I took a spill, my cellphone auto dialed 911, which I turned off quickly. Even landing jumps the dang phone goes off on it’s own. I like the feature but only if I knock myself out, since I’m old school, I don’t wear a helmet but for a few times.
I have fallen many times and I’m 62 years old. U right if you ride a lot you will fall some time or another.. like I said if you’re scared don’t buy. Walk. In your yard and you still might fall 😂… I don’t do videos for this same reason.. because of what people will say… not what they might say… what they will say… I look at reviews to see if I got a good deal on my bike.. take care
Being a person that pretty much records all my rides and puts them up on UA-cam, my viewers know I have fallen twice. It is a little debatable if you would call the second fall a real fall since I fell in a very soft manicured lawn. However, the first fall, which was on a hill, was definitely a fall. My gloves took a major hit on that fall and I was so thankful that I was wearing them. If I had been wearing knee pads, they might have help since I got a few cuts just below the knees from the asphalt. So far I have not been really injured from my falls, but I have heard stories of people breaking bones from falls where they were at a full stop or just barely moving. Most Ebikes are heavy. Each person needs to make their own decision based on risk they are willing to take, but falling risk didn't play much of a role in my decision. Everything you do has risk and falling on an ebike is no where near the highest risk I take.
Yup! I saw that 2nd fall on your video!
You can fall on a bike, ebike, trike, etrike, scooter, escooter, skateboard AND while walking. No one goes their entire life without falling. BUT you can minimize the risk by paying attention and for any wheeled device you ride to learn the best technique for that device. For example cornering a trike like a bike will likely cause you to fall...so you have to relearn cornering. Yet hitting small stones or loose gravel or wet leaves on a bike will more likely cause a fall than the same on a trike.
So everything has its own risks and advantages.
Most falls? Going down stairs and slipping in bathtubs.
If you want perfect safety then I guess you would never get out of bed.
Check out training wheels for ebikes.
Finally. a comment on training wheels. Russ WHY didnt you mention this, make it your first video for senior riding. There are many training wheels on market, but after my 3d fall which this summer resulted in two broken wrists, I'm researching trraining wheels. There is a European company, I think its swinging wheels or something that Im trying to find that looks the best. all the american models look clunky and very heavy. Russ, again, please do a video on training wheels. (No interest in trike but may have to consider it at some point)
My Wife and I were out riding one day and I took 2 tumbles. 1 we came to a stop for a red light and my foot got caught under my kick stand as I was trying to flip it down and went for a tumble . The second time was I was to close to the curb and side swiped , making me go for one HELL of a drop and roll ending up on the grassy curb Laughing my head off and my Wife was very confused!! Laugh at it now still!!
We all fall at one time or another. I’ve fallen 4-5 times in the last 40 years while riding. I use cleats, so my feet are locked onto the pedals. If you don’t twist your foot in time to get your foot down, you’ll fall. I haven’t fallen in the last 15 years and at 71 Y/O I don’t relish falling. Remember, you can’t control everything. I always wear a helmet and gloves. I’ve only fallen intentionally once to avoid a head-on collision with car on the bike path on Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive near Fullerton Ave. in the ‘80s. Got a bit of road rash (gravel and dirt imbedded into your skin) but was otherwise okay. Oh well, things happen. You can’t let fear rule your life! Get out and bike.
Hey, Russ! You're right about tuning into your channel because of the "Important EBike Considerations For Senior Riders" episode, that's what started me watching your videos.
As to discouraging me from buying an e-bike ... you were preaching to the choir. I absolutely agree with what you were saying. Having taken a few falls on my motorcycle, I was keenly aware of the risks of falling on an e-bike.
May I make a suggestion? For these winter vids, where you're talking over previously taped rides, can you briefly describe where the background ride was shot - say a short write up in the Description portion of the video?
This video was shot at Kenosha Wisconsin.
It really depends on what kind of eBike you are riding that determines the risk of the impact of falling. With a cruiser, which tends to be a big heavy bike, a fall could have much more impact. Whereas, if you're riding a smaller lighter bike like an Lectric, you might make out much better. With the later, you might be closer to the ground, or the lighter weight may make managing the bike in a fall easier. So, both bike size and design could make a significant difference. IMHO. 😁
I've fallen one time and that was due to someone's car turning unexpectedly. Coming to a stop, I simply lean slightly with my toes holding my balance while STILL SEATED. I'm not buying this hop off at stops thing. My leg extension is near straight at bottom of pedal stroke. My top bar is 28". It's a Specialized mtn bike with street tires=26". I do plan however on raising my handle bars to ileviate my neck having to be in the full head up position. I do want to get ebike, much more research needed.
Your loaded bike is 70 pounds?! You should inform your audience about the MUCH lighter options out there! For example, check out any of Specialized SL ('Super Light') bikes. They're a bit more than 30 pounds. Easier to handle, less problematic if they fall on you and overall way more fun to ride!
Most of my Ebikes are 70 lbs or more. Only one is 43 lbs.
@@RussIsRight Gotcha. Nonetheless, probably worth pointing out to your viewers that 70lbs isn't the only game in town. If viewers are apprehensive about falling and handling large bikes, there are lighter ebikes out there. :)
I had a stroke 1 1/2 years ago. As a result, I had left sided weakness , and balance issues. The problem with me is that my brain will tell my left side a command, but my left side is too slow to respond as it once did pre stroke. I fell 3 times on the street also, twice while making a sharp left turn,once while making a u-turn on my left side. As I made a turn, I remember telling my left leg to extend out to help balance my left side. As I turned, I looked down and my left leg didn’t follow the directions my brain gave it. This shocked me, which led to imbalance and a crash. I was lucky that the streets were empty and nobody saw me. I’ve since been going to the gym and working my legs to give me more strength but I’m not selling myself short … I know I will fall again one day. I wear a helmet, gloves and sometimes knee pads.
Thanks for sharing. Ride safe.
Russ, what brand is that mirror on your bike in this video? I want an on-the-handle mirror? You don't have it right up agains the grip and you can see with it pretty well, right? I know it's the length of the handle bars that determines if a mirror will work on the handle bars or not. I just don't want the ones on the ends of the bars. They always get in the way and don't look as nice as the ones on the bars. I own a Kommoda.
Russ, I love your videos and appreciate your help!! I'm sorry you have to explain to people about why or why not you don't stop at every stop sign. People have lost their common sense. Every reviewer I watch has had someone complain about them not coming to a complete stop at every single stop sign. You handle those comments a lot better than I would!! You're a good guy, Russ!
That is the Hafny “teardrop shaped” mirror (my description of it). The link is in the description of the video. I do have to move my shoulder out of the way to see clearly though. I think most of these on-handlebar mirrors kind of require this. But I like this style of mirror best as it has better (larger teardrop shape allows me to see lower on the street as well as above the cars coming towards me).
@@RussIsRight Thanks Russ, I’ll buy them through your link. 👍🏻
Hey Russ love your videos. I have a question we have the Jaguarundi bike and I was wondering can the twist throttle be changed to a thumb throttle? I notice in your background video you have a thumb throttle on the bike.
You have a couple of options on the thumb throttle. Totally replace it with a dedicated thumb throttle (you can find them on Amazon) or just put a clamp-on thumb throttle (like what I do). Here's how I did mine: ua-cam.com/video/OPPBwhGP-Ns/v-deo.html
@Russ Is Right great thanks I'm watching your current video now about falling. It's good information. My wife fell twice once turning and the other she accidentally twisted the throttle going into the garage and crashed. That might be a good video for you to make about accidentally twisting the throttle.
Russ will you be testing a Magicycle deer full suspension bike before Feb 5 2023 ? If not will you be able to test a Cyrusher Ranger soon ???
My video of the Deer will be released on Feb 1… when the Deer is officially released.
Are you considering trikes? I've seen the Radpower Trike and it seems interesting.
Not unless they send me one.
A few Months ago I had a strange fall. On my usual daily ride, I have a spot where I stop to sip some water and have a quick snack(candy fruit-chew). I don't get off my bike for this cause it's a quick stop. I'm sitting there, opening my fruit-candy, and drop it. Leaning over to retrieve it, the bike(big fatty) starts leaning over to the left with me. I couldn't stop the bike. "Big Fatty" fell right on top of me in what seemed like slow-motion. I had to laugh at myself as I'm sure it looked hilarious. There were a few people that I'm sure saw that, but that's o.k. as I know it provided a good chuckle for them! moral of my story... leave the candy on the ground if you drop it!!
I think once you fall you've gotten over your fear of falling and you realize hey that wasn't so bad and that fear of falling is gone. Falling is gona happen everywhere in your life you can fall when walking when jogging when riding when skiing or snow boarding even when on quads or snowmobiles. Everyone falls the cure is prepared for the fall. Wear gloves when riding or knee pads when your a new bike rider that will for sure save your knees from getting cut up just happened to my wife yesterday on our brand new ebikes she went off concert path on to wet grass trying to get back on the concrete path and down she went. Lucky she was wearing gloves and knee pads. The knee pads got hammered all scuffed up. I told her imagine what your knee would have looked like if you weren't wearing them i mean they were so scraped up took the black paint on them right off. She was fine got up walked away with a broken finger nail and a busted cell phone holder. The bike was fine no damage at all other then the cell phone holder.
Glad she is ok. Yes, being prepared for a fall is a smart thing to do.
I was just released from the hospital, after a fall from my ebike, which broke my femur. What's worse, is that only a few weeks earlier, I had a hip replacement on the same leg! I've fallen a number of times from several types of bikes and ebikes, both step-through and full framed. And, these falls always happened as a result of having to perform a tight U-turn, or having come to a full stop and then attempting to hold myself up on the bike. The leg always gives out, and I always fall with the last time having resulted in serious injury. Now, I'm.left to think (before giving this hobby up and selling my only months-old ebike) if I still would've fallen, if I had at first jumped off the seat as if I was finishing my ride, instead of trying to balance myself with my full weight on the bike. Would I have still fallen? Honestly, I'd still have to answer, yes, and that gives me my answer, as to whether I need to find another hobby! I'm fine and safe, as long as I don't have to stop and hold myself up on a bike, but I've proven to myself over and over that my leg won't hold me up!!!!
An Etrike might be worth looking into. Check ones from Lectric for $1500.
@@RussIsRight Hi Russ:Good idea, but I don't think that they'd ship to Italy, which is where I live. Even so, I'm currently trying to source some training wheels for this 29 in her I have, which is only two months old. If I can't find training wheels, then (your suggestion) I'll try to sell this ebike, then buy an e-trike. But, either way I won't ride this bike anymore, because I'm still at risk of hurting myself even worse with this emtb!
Falling off a bike is something that happens, whether you be on a Bush bike electric bike or motor bike, if every body worried about what mite happen, no one would use a car or bike, I admit if your not good at riding a pushbike, then you should not get a E Bike, but you can't go through life worrying about what mite happen, anything in life has a risk 😉
There is the same risk of falling off a regular bike. There inherent risk in everything we do
If you really think you're going to fall wear protection like a knee pads elbow pads a helmet it will be just fine if you get the right size bike
I would have rolled up next to a tree and grabbed it.
I use to ride motorcycle you always fall just have to learn how to fall for less damage.
Russ, I said this before, I'm old! In June, I will be 79 years old. I don't have knee or hip problems, but I have COPD. That is why I gave away my bike and bought an e-bike. Also, older people are subject to falling down. I can't remember when the nurse asked me if I had tripped and fallen in the last year or so! So, each day I stand before a chair or something to help me in the exercise and stand on one foot, lean on that foot for twenty seconds, and do the other for twenty seconds. They say to do it many times a day, which will help with balance. That might save you from a bike fall! I'm waiting for my first fall on the bike!
Maybe more worriesome than falling is getting hit by a car on your E-bike. You might consider making a video discussing how to stay safe on your E-Bike. My suggestion would be don't ride in traffic on your e-Bike like it's a motorcycle. Stick to bike paths as much as possible. Don't know how many times I have seen E-Bike and bike riders riding in the road when there is a perfectly good bike path right next to it.
You good. Not only falling but you also can get hit by a car. So if you’re scared don’t buy
My biggest fear!
I lost my leg in November 2019. I got my first e-bike in July 2020. Well I got it assembled and I really could not wait to ride it. It is pretty big it's the ecotric Hammer bike and I'm not really big. I wasn't going very fast I went to turn and I didn't have the handlebars tightened down. So I fell on my nub. People were watching me screaming in pain in the lady goes to her daughter don't help him! So eventually the pain subsided and I took my bike back to the garage and believe me when you got one leg that's not easy. I tightened it down and went for another ride. Stupid me I wanted to see how fast it can go on my street is not very long and it goes pretty fast. I could not stop fast enough and there was a van coming on this little side street so I kept going and I crashed in somebody's yard. That wasn't so bad. I want camping to Lake Ontario Lakeside Beach north of me in New York. And yes I rode 30 miles. Electric only two batteries. Well I decided I was going to wear my son's old lacrosse pads man did that help. But if I fell off up there people help me unlike here in the city of Batavia. I've fallen off my bike so many times it's ridiculous it's like a horse you get back on I'm 61 years old. I was sitting here thinking about getting a freaking electric wheelchair. Not like I'm really wealthy but I used the stimulus to buy my bike. For a person like me just getting on it and riding it makes me feel free. I don't need insurance and a license. I don't think people should not ride an e-bike because they're old. They should get an e-bike that fits them. I've been riding bikes since I was about three years old. The bike has 1300 miles now and it's still going strong. I don't ride it in the winter salt in New York I don't know what that might do to the electrical system. I know it's not good. Back then they were 1,000 watts and that's what I needed to go camping toy wagon and get up the hills. The bike is better than having a puppy for A Conversation Piece. If you're going to have an e-bike get the right size unlike me I lowered the seat but I had to buy a new seat Pole. Test it out in the parking lot or somewhere if you fall off get the hell back on it and ride! Just like if you fall off the freaking horse get back on and ride
People don’t help others anymore. 🙁
I personally don't like e trikes I feel they are tippy if a person not aware you can get into trouble pretty fast
Good work Russ. I want to hear your wife's opinion on being "Right" all the time. LOL. I have never fell on my ebike but in my younger days I fell many times on a standard bike. Most of the time I was doing something I shouldn't have been doing. I wear gloves my self for that reason as you wear them. I tell the brothers to be prepared for a fall at all times cause you never know when it may happen. Happy Saturday. Richard P.S. Cannon at 5:42. Was that some sort of battleground?
This is Kenosha Wisconsin. They have a Civil War Museum there! 😊