Originally Posted by
shelbyfv
The reason folks aren't buying your argument/position/theory is that you are including two very different things in your use of the term "assistance." As Biker395 has made clear, a rider powered bike requires the same amount of effort or work by the rider to complete a route, regardless of the gearing. He just takes more or less time. Single or multiple speeds are irrelevant as the single speed could have any gearing combo. No matter the gearing, there is no "assistance" provided the rider. When you talk of "assistance" from from an e bike, you are referencing the power stored in the battery, totally independent of the rider. Whether he has to pedal or turn a throttle to access this additional power source is immaterial.
and... I agree with you 100%. Never said it wasn't additional power... My point is
both are assistance because most people could not would not ride a single speed because they don't have the energy to ride it, thus they use gearing to
enable them to ride the bicycle, it's basically the same with the E-Bike, it assists/enable's one to ride a bike they couldn't ride without... IMO As to the throttle, again I agree with you, but as long as you are pedaling, and putting in over let's say 50% of the motivational power... I say you are still riding a bicycle, yes, a power assisted bicycle but still a bicycle, that is why there is an E in front of Bike, so people know exactly what you are riding... an E-Bike...
JMO If I ride 100Km a day, and have a 30% assisted ride, I rode 70Km that day, pedaling 100% of that 70Km without assistance and so on...