Originally Posted by
kickstart
But why?
I have very little experience with paceline group rides, and E-bikes, but I have been cycling for 45 years. If I got an E-bike, and decided to do a group ride that welcomed inexperienced riders, why would I be any more "dangerous" than if I was riding a regular bike? It seems to me the E-bike would actually be safer, because I could focus on learning the nessary paceline skills without the distraction of struggling to keep up.
As someone without a dog in this fight, I don't see any rationality in what seems to be unreasonable fear and bias against E-bikes that's no different than than those directed towards recumbents, trikes, and velomobiles. All of which I have seen tagging along with club rides.
I test rode an electrically assisted fat bike on a field once. I don't know if it was representative of all e-bikes but my observation was that the power from the motor didn't cut off instantaneously when you stopped pedaling. There was a lag which I would expect as it's not easy for a control system to perfectly match the variable torque a person is able to apply to the pedals.
Riding solo this isn't necessarily a bad thing. In a group or paceline however it would be a disaster. Someone gets a little too close to the rider in front and eases off the pedals but the motor keeps going. Rider panics and hits the brakes causing problems for those behind.
I agree e-bikes have no place in a paceline.