Originally Posted by
berchman
If you go to bentrider.com and do a search in the recumbent trike forum postings you will see that actual experience with an e-assisted trike beats your "logic." I rode non e-assisted trikes for years. My average speed over the mildly rolling terrain where I live never exceeded 10mph. Some of the hills slowed me down to 3mph in a 15" gear. I wear a heart monitor to satisfy my curiosity as to how hard I'm working. I got a torque sensing $10,000 ICE trike with the Shimano Sprint motor and aerobically speaking my workouts are more intense because I can keep a steady higher cadence and I'm just more motivated to work harder because of the speed. So now my average speed is 15mph. (I'm 81 with dual knee replacements.)
it would only be a valid comparison if 1) we knew your watts in both situations, and 2) you did a field test on the unaided bike before you started riding the assisted bike and after you went to the assisted bike.
81, with knee replacements, it's great you're out riding and it sounds like the ebike works for you.
My point in all this, is that IMHO, ebikes are not and should not be a mainstream substitute for pedal bikes.
Your situation appears to be a good example of a good use of electircal assist, but in no way shows that going to an ebike would be a good idea, or a good workout for most road riders.