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I’m a big fan of ebikes and have a full suspension Scott I use at trail centres mainly. I enjoy the faster stuff with a few jumps but.....old age has caught up with me at 51 and I’ve got damage to my left knee, cruciate ligament and meniscus tear. At moment not bad enough for surgery but bad enough I can’t bend and weight bear which means standing up on bike is pretty much out. I’ve ridden my Scott in various settings of assist and with a knee support I can get far enough. Can’t do any routes with jumps or drop offs so I’ve been mapping local routes with mainly forest trails and some road work.
So using my injury as an excise for another bike it looks like a hybrid would fit my requirements, specifically an ebike the Cube Kathmandu.
Question is knowing nothing about hybrids are they suitable for what I want, in my uneducated view they are but would appreciate comments from those that have ridden them. I may venture further afield into the Peak District but nothing at speed or too technical.
Appreciate comments, also any from folk who’ve had similar knee problems and had it resolved
I’ve got damage to my left knee, cruciate ligament and meniscus tear. At moment not bad enough for surgery but bad enough I can’t bend and weight bear which means standing up on bike is pretty much out.
That sounds bad enough for surgery to me.
I would be going down that route if it were me, I did with my hip (at 46) and fully recovered now a year later. Why wait.
Hope u get sorted, I know something about injury and compromise, but luckily (ok lots of patience, physical-therapy and persistence) just getting back into MTBing (at 52) after three years (no-seated-climbing predicament caused by lower transverse abs injury plus inguinal tears), plus prior 17 yrs of only being able to cycle in seated position because of arthritis damage and neuromas in both feet.
Type of bike is *mostly* irrelevant to condition if your only main disability is having to be seated. Zero-bob FS would prob smooth things out. Whichever bike, 3 things need to be addressed. Choose a bike for the terrain you wish to travel within limitation.
The three things:
1. Seat type and width. Think Dutch bikes saddles. For me that's a Brooks or an an older Spesh Sonoma. You'll need to be supported more firmly so consider goinf wider than normal. Consider cutout if there is no bonch-channel. Choose against thickly padded/gel etc, they have the opposite to required effect on medium to longer riders - ie they compress and force up into the perineum. Also can cause buttock-muscle fatigue 😂
2. Seating position/reach. Ideally more upright because you'll be trying to take some weight off the front of your perineum. So consider shorter stem of comfort bars. I went to North Rounder style and then Mary Bars. Currently fitting an On One Geoff bar.
3. More rubber or suspension if offroad. Hybrid tyres are usually too thin for comfort if you are always seated. 1.75 or more is minimum. Balloon tyres such as Big Apples are great.
In Twenty years have tried just about every type of bike in a quest for comfort (ie taking pressure off feet, feeling comfortable when seated) and only two types were what I would label 'unsuitable'
First was (ironically) a 700c aluminium hybrid with 28c tyres and straight bars. It was punishing over potholes, heavy and dull. Too little tyre clerance.
Second was a recumbent. Caused too much pressure on metatarsal area (and knees) when clipped in and/or climbing
Surprisingly suitable was a Batavus Personal. Super-weighty but MAD comfortable with slightly feet-forwatd cranks, upright wide swept bars and stepthru frame and smooth ride. I could literally cruise for hours and hours in comfort. 38c tyres.
Thanks, think I’ll push docs for an MRI scan and see about an op if possible as soon as possible. Until I have a definite there I’ll keep riding my full suss bike just a bit slower !