Originally Posted by
rydaddy
A human powered bicycle can do everything you list. That bump in the road you call a hill can be a piece of cake with a little practice. If you insist on cheating yourself with a e-assist hub, then do it on a hardtail. Get someone that knows how to build a wheel you will have no problems. Then you can debunk this wierd myth about breaking wheels. A quality build is all you need.
I don't agree with this sentiment. I have a 25km commute to work that takes about an hour on my Big Dummy. By the time I get to work I am very sweaty but I'm also fortunate that I have showers available to me. If I didn't have the shower available I likely wouldn't do the commute.
An e-assist bike allows people to go further / quicker / haul more without pulling a sweat. Don't think of it like a bike with an electric motor. Think of it as an alternative to a car. There are many that are choosing to get:
- smaller cars
- motorcycles
- vespas
I think of these e-assist bikes in line with what a vespa/scooter is. You think of it like a bike that has a "cheat" attached to it. You wouldn't accuse someone who rides a motorcycle of "cheating" (at least I don't think you would) and that's how I see these e-assist bikes.