This is part technical question, part social question. Here's the situation: A group of us have ridden together for 12 years. Our rides generally range between 25 and 100 miles -- mostly in the 25 to 50 mile range. Historically, we've kept an easy 17.5 mph average pace without really thinking about it. Now the problem . . . the oldest rider in our group, age 64, has in the last year started having health issues. He's still able to ride, but his average speed, when he's really working at it, is about 14.5 mph. The rest of us will still ride with him, but the slow pace means that most of us are riding well down in "zone 1" and getting very little, if any, exercise benefit from the time on the bike. The pace differential has become a real problem for everyone in the group. Everyone, including the newly slow guy, has commented on it.

Question 1 -- Is an e-bike a viable solution to this problem? Will an e-bike produce enough boost for enough miles to help the slower guy keep up with the group over the course of 50 miles?

Question 2 -- If an e-bike IS the answer, how would you approach this with the slower guy? He's got the money to be able to afford an e-bike. Once, last year, he said that he would get an e-bike before he stopped riding entirely. How do you break it to an old friend that the time has come?

Thanks for your advice and recommendations. If an e-bike won't solve the problem, of course, the question is moot.