Sean Yates turns to e-bike to keep riding after health scares
The retired Tour de France stage winner says the assistance lets him enjoy riding


Sean Yates has taken to riding an e-bike after a number of health scares.
The Brit suffers from AV (Atrioventricular canal defect) that hinders his performance as his heart rate now maxes out at 90 beats per minute, meaning he can no longer ride hard.
So the Tour de France stage winner has opted for some electronic assistance, which he gets from his Ribble Endurance SLe e-road bike.
>>> Gocycle GX fast folding e-bike launched
The 58-year-old told Cycling Weekly during a recent training ride: “Some days I feel better than others, but the fact my heart isn’t working properly means my recovery is worse.
“If I go out for a four-hour ride, as I like riding for longer, then I’m laid up for the next two days.
“Everything is slower, my recovery is slower. It’s a vicious circle. So just having that help not only makes the ride more enjoyable, but consequently it makes recovery easier.”
Yates rides the newly launched Ribble e-bike, which the company says is the lightest in the world.
The Endurance SLe, designed with race geometry and Spanish ebikemotion system of a motor at the rear hub and battery stored in the downtube, weights just 11kg.
Yates retired in 1996, having won a time trial at the 1988 Tour de France and stages of the Critérium du Dauphiné, Paris-Nice and the Vuelta a España during his career.
He then turned to team management, and joined Team Sky in 2009 as a sports director before leaving in 2012.
After retiring from the peloton he continued to compete at a high level, competing in time trials across Britain.
>>> Best electric bike deals 2019: Big discounts on boosted bikes
Yates believes the years of intense training and riding have caused his health problems.
He said: “The fact I rode for 30 years, and much of it flat out – your heart gets bigger and my heart one of the chambers has dilated, and the valves aren’t working properly.
“Under normal circumstances, when a pro packs up they just ride every now and again, but I just kept going until I couldn’t go anymore.
“But I still want to keep going, I still want to ride my bike.”
>>> How they used to train: How Sean Yates lost weight and re-booted his career
His health issues prevent him from riding at the level he would like, which is where the electronic assistance comes in handy.
Yates has taken up a role as the ambassador for Ribble’s e-road bike, and will be seen riding the machine near Benicassim in Spain and across Europe in 2019.
He said: “When you’re healthy and you work hard you push yourself and it’s a satisfying feeling.
“This is like you’re trying to ride and you’ve got a bar across your chest.
“I can produce x amount of watts, so if I’ve got just a little bit of assistance it can make it enjoyable.
“I wouldn’t change anything in terms of what I’ve done, but it’s obvious I’ve pushed myself so much over the years my heart has said b***ocks to it.”
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Alex is the digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter and now as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output.
Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) and joining CW in 2018, Alex has covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers.
Away from journalism, Alex is a national level time triallist, avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
-
-
No joy for Yates after Giro d'Italia victory: five talking points from stage 14
Yates won the stage, but he wanted to win the race
By Stephen Puddicombe • Published
-
Men's Velocio LUXE bib shorts review
They're as good as the price demands, quickly becoming the go-to bib shorts
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
Halfords to offer free e-bikes to commuters affected by train station closures
Retailer is giving free week-long loans of e-bikes to those affected by Bank branch closure
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Is your e-bike legal? Experts share their advice so you don’t break the law
E-bikes only continue to grow in popularity, but here’s how you can stay on the right side of the law (and protect your warranty)
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
Orbea updates its Gain e-bike with more integration and more tyre clearance
Orbea says that the Gain is designed to enhance, rather than dominate, your ride with more speed and more range
By Paul Norman • Published
-
E-bike rider fined for speeding in Belgium
An e-bike rider has been fined for breaking the speed limit.
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
NYPD criticised for seizing e-bikes as part of road safety campaign
Criticism has been aimed at police in New York over the seizure of e-bikes as part of a road safety campaign.
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
Geraint Thomas: ‘E-bikes are a great way to get into cycling’
Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas has said he believes electric bikes are good choice for beginner cyclists.
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
‘15mph is too slow in traffic’ – retailer says faster e-bikes will improve safety
Making e-bikes faster will help improve safety on the roads, according to the founder of a online retailer.
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
I cheated on Strava and got a really amazing KOM
Could Strava athletes use e-bikes to take KOMs on epic climbs and get away with it? We put it to the test.
By Oliver Bridgewood • Published