I’ve come to the dark side of dark sides but am excited to be able to get back out in proper mountains and hills again.

[Suggsey]

Just an intro as a newbie to eMTB, been mountain biking and road biking for many many years but of recent arthritic knees have been giving me real grief post riding (for a couple of days being in agony walking upstairs at the age of 58 ain’t good but playing rugby was my life!)
Anyhow I’ll be retaining the XC hardtail for local nasty but pretty flat clay trails (that vary between moist and horrendous) unless of course I find that I really can’t not use the 2023 Spesh Turbo Levo (alloy) ive ordered and am waiting on delivery of.
My riding pals been using e-bikes for a few years and chasing him either uphill or XC while 12 years his senior has kept me pretty fit for mellow riding but after a brush with Ozempic (I’m type 2 insulin controlled diabetic) and some horrendous heart issues during and post riding I’ve found both psychologicaly but now with the knees physically a real mind block. I’m fine on long long shallow gradients but steep kicks off road I’m just not capable.
Anyway that’s pretty much me and why I’ve resorted to no longer being a luddite.
I look forward to finding very few problems and lots of benefits when I do find them of being here.

 

[Mabman]

It's not the end of the world Suggsey, all will be e-similated before that occurs. Enjoy your new bike as that is part of the experience.

 

[steve_sordy]

I hear you! Arthritic knees here too.

The emtb is a life saver and no mistake, but to make absolutely certain, I use Volterol gel 2.32% on my knees at least 30 mins before riding, lasts for hours. Rub it in all round, start with a half inch diameter globule, shouldn't need more. Takes about 10-15 mins to soak in and not be tacky.

 

[Suggsey]

Alas both Ibuprofen and Voltarol affect me and I have to use it minimally thanks to the diabetic meds it’s electro pain killing zapping or good old massage and deep heat. As long as I’m careful and start off low cadence easy riding with appropriate trousers on (Endura MT500 freezing point for low to minus C conditions). Hands are going too so had to ditch the drop bar bikes and can only do a days car spannering with an electric impact gun now for most stuff. Ideally I think I need to get myself to the drs and get on the list for some new knees and a hip but I’m leaving that until I can’t sleep at night as I’ve lost relatives post operatively. In the meantime I may invest in a range extender too to maximise the Trail miles if Eco isn’t sufficient.

 

[steve_sordy]

Bummer!
Healing vibes to you!

 

[Suggsey]

Cheers mate, keep using them while you can and I’m a firm believer in it’s not what you can’t do but what you can! Now I can climb proper climbs again. Worse case it’s a second hand Stannah

 

[Paulquattro]

Welcome to the forum

 

[mike_kelly]

You have pierced the darkness and come over to the enlightened side

 

[steve_sordy]

Alas both Ibuprofen and Voltarol affect me and I have to use it minimally thanks to the diabetic meds ....................

It has just occurred to me that I may have misunderstood your note. I can understand Ibuprofen and Volterol (completely different meds) when ingested may affect you and might mix badly with your other meds. But I was under the impression that applied to the skin they are much less reactive and much safer.

 

[Suggsey]

It has just occurred to me that I may have misunderstood your note. I can understand Ibuprofen and Volterol (completely different meds) when ingested may affect you and might mix badly with your other meds. But I was under the impression that applied to the skin they are much less reactive and much safer.

Unfortunately both (never use NSADs at the same time) aggravate my digestive tract (yes the rub on versions can too as they’ll still seep through (but less than oral route). I used the voltarol for about a week before realising that’s what was causing some unwanted blood signs and really bad digestive issues.
There’ll be a solution one day perhaps. Until then plenty of walking and ebiking will be done.

 

[jeanmarc]

I’ll be retaining the XC hardtail for local nasty but pretty flat clay trails (that vary between moist and horrendous) unless of course I find that I really can’t not use the 2023 Spesh Turbo Levo

Good luck with that!

 

[Simmo3801]

Just as a side line I've travelled from the UK to Lithuania and had my first hip replacement yesterday at the Nord Orthopedic Clinic there. They have a massive following online and a patient support group where you can chat to previous and current patients to answer any questions. I am not affiliated with the clinic in any way just one of the thousands of people who have been left high and dry by the NHS with unrealistic waiting times. I am desperate to get back and heal so I can enjoy my Whyte e160RS that I have owned for over a year but have sadly only managed to put 85 miles on it due to both hips needing replaced. Yes I've had to pay for the surgery but labour costs are so much cheaper in Lithuania that I can get 2 hips for less than the cost of one privately in the UK. I lost my business and most of my income so I am literally buying my life back by coming here.

Admin apologies if my reply is deemed unacceptable for this forum.

 

[Suggsey]

You’re not the first person I’ve heard mention the clinic and fair play to you as you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to get back to a healthy state and most importantly pain free with mobility. Take the Physio steady and don’t over do it too soon and most of all enjoy that first ride out when the day arrives!

 

[Suggsey]

I did my inaugural ride on the Turbo Levo on Sunday on one of my usual XC loops however due to the eco power level and despite the clay and mire surfaces I found myself so far ahead of my planned time scale so I added in another 5 miles of bridleway. Only hit the Turbo button three times to avoid tweaking my knees, one small dip and steep rise, one 45 degree grass/mud slope that I could analogue ride in bottom gear but know it’s one of the points that does aggravate and zoomed up it 3 from bottom gear with so seemingly little effort it had me saying over and over to myself “wow, just wow!” The final turbo engagement was as I started to traverse a really soft claggy ploughed field. Just as I was about to have to put a foot down in eco, I hit the button and whoosh again making me giggle and say Wow, I flew across, the last time I rode a wet ploughed field like that was on the Fat Bike a few years back before the knees.
All told 35 miles done in a couple of hours at an average of 12.7mph in Eco and about 900ft of elevation (it’s pan flat locally) and only 50% of battery capacity used. Not much road linking it together either. I think on the fully rigid analogue Whippet it would have taken me an extra hour at least and I’d have been in tatters at the end. After cleaning up I literally skipped up the stairs to go and have a soak. As for Heart Rate I compared data to see how hard I actually worked as to be honest I felt like I wasn’t as I was spinning along (proper felt like I was cheating but loving it) and turns out I’d been riding at near as damn it the exact same average heart rate without the spikes of near maximum HR I’d have on the analogue so if anything in terms of HR overall the ebike was better for fat-burning and not putting me into anerobic levels for extended periods.
New fatter diameter grips have just arrived and some nice Time Speciiale 8 pedals and hoping the Mudhuggers come before tomorrow nights slop fest!

 

[Suggsey]

 

[jeanmarc]

wow, just wow!

Told ya...