When a bike shop opened nearby that specializes in e-bikes, they put out a request for people to come help them determine what the range of their bikes was under normal riding conditions in this area. What a hoot! On climbs, it was like being thirty again. That old power was there, albeit with a fraction of it coming from the assist. The only drawback was that the motor cut-out at 20 mph, so unless I was loafing it didn't do anything for me on flats.

I have no doubt that an e-bike or two are in my future. In fact, my wife wants to seriously look into having out next tandem built as an e-bike.

As to the folks who say it's not really cycling: If I can accept people driving somewhere to ride their bikes, they can learn to accept people using small motor assists.

I also see e-bikes as that all-important tool that allows people to free themselves of the car dependency that has led to so much ill-health and other woes. I always smile when I see people out on test rides with an e-bike (the shop that sells them is located a couple of miles down the bike path, so test-riders often pass near my home).