I probably made the mistake of replying in this thread since its in the Touring forum, and well, I don't tour. I just ride recreationally. But, since many of the comments have strayed from touring and are just general negative statements about e-bikes, I will share with you my experience. Last year at 39 and overweight, I decided to ride my old (non e-bike) MTB for the first time in 15 years. I live in a very hilly area, and I also have a set of bad knees which limit the amount of pressure I can exert, especially after riding for a while. At this time, I didn't know anything about e-bikes. I honestly didn't even know they existed, although if the thought had crossed my mind, I would have assumed they did exist. The point being, I didn't start my adventure by first looking into e-bikes. I was simply looking for a fun recreational activity and to get back on a bike for the first time in a long time. So, I road that old MTB on the rolling hills of Chester County, PA. Well, at least I road it in the valleys in between, because getting up those hills was impossible for me. So, after I'd get about 1/8th up the hill, I'd have to hop off the bike and walk it the rest of the way. Sure, still getting exercise, but not exactly my idea of fun. But, I did this several more times and just by happenstance (in searching for something bike related) I came across an article about e-bikes. I was intrigued. I didn't want to negate getting exercise, but part of the reason I wanted to ride a bike in the first place was for a fun recreational activity combined with a sense of exploration. Anyway, fast forward to now and I have a stable full of cycling options, including a couple e-bikes, my original good old MTB, and also a recumbent trike (leg powered, not e-assist) that I just added a couple months ago, and of course I ride all of them. When I want to ride hilly areas like around my neighborhood or Valley Forge National Park, I typically use an e-bike because I can still get some exercise but I can also get up all the hills without resorting to walking the bike, and I can avoid putting too much stress on my knees. But even with pedal assist, on some of these hills I'm still getting a workout, with my heart rate easily getting into the 170s, sometimes 180s. The e-bike allows me to go further than I could otherwise, which fulfills that sense of exploration. When I feel like heading out to a rail trail, yes, I've used e-bikes (often turning off e-assist altogether), but I also use my old MTB and the trike. So you see, it might be hard to stereotype me when I'm out there taking advantage of the various cycling technology the world has to offer, and I'm doing it as a means of enjoyment, with the side benefit of getting some fresh air and some exercise. And there is nothing wrong with that.