Originally Posted by
BigAura
If your point is eBikes should replace cars then you're in the wrong place. We ARE bicycle riders. What you're promoting is giving up human-powered bicycles and going to a MOTORIZED vehicle. The world is full of motorized vehicles and infrastructure built for those vehicles. That's where this electric motor bikes should be on the motor-vehicle roads. This phony idea that they are bicycles is trashing what little bicycle infrastructure there is. They are used on bike paths and backcountry as if they are bicycles, but they are not. These motorized monstrosities need to be recategorozed as motor vehicles.
Very sad
BTW: I all for electric motor-bikes being used INSTEAD of cars as long as they ride on motor-vehicle roads. Road based bike lanes in cities are fine,.MUPs, bike paths, and bike trails should remain non-motorized vehicles ONLY.
Speed is speed. If a human can go 24mph unassisted (my son does it all the time) then why does it matter if an e-bike can go 15 or 20mph assisted? It isn't whether it has a motor or not that is the issue (except maybe it you are just prejudiced against assistive devices), it is the speed. There is absolutely no difference between me on my little folding bike with my friction drive motor going 15mph and my son on his hybrid riding next to me sans motor. We are going at the same speed (except he gets tired of riding with me because I slow him down), using the same infrastructure, causing the same wear. Not all ebikes are heavy (my bike with motor system is 23.5lbs) but even if they do weigh more, then perhaps we'd have to ban heavy riders on regular bikes too if we claim weight increases damage to infrastructure. All I get from your comments is "you don't like ebikes" and if that's the case, don't buy one! Just like folks who don't believe in gay marriage should simply not get gay-married! In other words, aside from your sensibilities, I fail to see how it affects you. *not talking about offroaders riding ebikes here on singletrack.
Furthermore, I'm not talking about "giving up human powered"....I ride my bike 80% of the time human powered. Regular riding and e-biking can and do exist together.