Originally Posted by
BigAura
As I stated above, I use an e-bike for commuting. Contrary to the impression of many who do not use them frequently, e-bikes do provide exercise.
Do they provide as much exercise as riding a loaded bicycle into a 30mph headwind on a daily basis? No, an e-bike provides more exercise! This is because most people will opt to drive instead of having to deal with a physically arduous, and miserable, commute. Thus an e-bike provides significantly more exercise than the, commonly chosen, alternative.
As far as the other point, some people who both exercise and eat well still do not manage to HTFU to the point that cycling to points of interest, whatever they may be, is pleasurable. Those people then choose: don't go, drive, ride an e-bike. In the elite "HTFU" world they clearly should choose to not go. I, on the other hand, would much rather see people out enjoying cycling, on moth conventional and e-bikes, whichever they happen to enjoy riding more.
Scowling at people, or making people feel like they don't belong, or just plain hateful "HTFU" comments, does nothing to promote cycling. The facts are they you don't know. Possibly the person you are dissuading from cycling has spent a few years getting into shape enough to ride that e-bike to the point of interest. Bitter and hateful "HTFU" behaviors from other cyclists can easily have the effect of leaving the person thinking "I should have just driven."
The US has an elite sports problem. Children are told, from the youngest age, that fitness activities are just for the few, the rest should just watch and worship. As teachers we try to tell the kids the opposite, however, it doesn't work when the games we push them toward tell them that they can never be good enough; they should just watch.
Cycling should be an accessible sport, not an elite sport. It should not be subject to the hate and ridicule that the other "organized" sports are so filed with. Yet, the HTFU crowd wants to bring that elite sports attitude into something as benign as touring. Cycling should be a activity that is accessible to all, not just another opportunity for jocks to mock the "wan-a-bees."
E-bikes expand the accessibility of cycling. They make people more willing to cycle. I generally, welcome the expansion of e-bike usage.