Originally Posted by chicbicyclist
I'm not a "hardcore" weekend recreational warrior either, it is my main form of transportation in the urban core of the city. It's cheaper and sometimes faster, and well, its cool. I don't care if I don't have the newest and lightest gear, if a bicycle moves(and looks cool), it's fine.
I'm not an enviro-freak either, so I don't care about the environment that much that I try to live a really simple life as much as possible, although I do consider myself a bleeding heart liberal.
I don't care if I own a car or not(I own a gas guzzling 64 mustang, so that kinda evens it out), they have thier uses, and I use public transportation if I need to so I'm not a car-free activist, though it does make me smile that I'm saving some money on gas.
So to answer your question, I am a
Utility Cyclist . In quite a hilly city. I use the motor to make cyling easier for me(main complaint of the general public when it comes to cycling for commuting/utilitarian use: it's too hard, and the hills!) and demonstrate that it is indeed a viable form of transportation for short to medium distances, especially in the urban core of San Diego.
I agree that it is a good alternative to other forms of motorized transportation. My father has been toying with the idea of doing something like that with his Cattrike.
Originally Posted by chicbicyclist
I don't need a work out, in fact, I need to gain weight(I'm one of those people who are blessed/cursed with a fast metabolism).
20 miles of unpowered cycling is out of the question for me, and I hardly consider it "short". Hehe.
Cycling isn't about weight loss. In fact, cycling can help you develop muscle ... which weighs more. Cycling is about fitness. And if you currently think 20 miles is a long ride, that tells me that your fitness level needs a little work.
I would really be impressed with your setup if it were possible to ride without the motor, and then just turn the motor on now and then for a bit of a break. That's what my father has in mind.