Passing along my wife's comment to the notion that with e-assist you aren't working as hard - she claims to still work hard in achieving a level of fitness, however in doing so she is now able to ride with me where without e-assist it would not be possible.

There are those e-bikes I've seen where the cyclists feet aren't moving and yet the bikes are still being propelled at 20 mph (or more). IMO these bikes don't belong on the road unless they have a licence plate.

Back to the post quote above, a couple of years ago on one of my rides I caught up to and chatted with a cyclist on an e-assist bike - he bought it from Staples (the office supply store) of all places. Anyways, while riding he told me his story - he was nearly 300 lbs when his doctor told him he had to start exercising. He said without the e-assist he never would have been able to cycle at all. At the time I met him he had lost considerable weight and was commuting to work on his bike - and hoped to some day ride a bike without e-assist. I thought that was pretty cool. So there's another reason to ride an e-assist.

I like Biker395's post above where he points out that we each have our own reasons to ride, whether it be a conventional or e-assist bike. For me the joy in riding is climbing, not fast, but getting there.