Just call me waffler... As soon as I decide this is the best way forward when I realized my ebike is the bike I use the most often. I starting thinking more about it and realize it's an added headache. I guess I'll go on waffling for longer. Electric bikes would be more comfortable on the ride, but more limiting in other ways. I would use it more, but relying on needing to find an outlet makes me hesitant. Plus finding someone to deal with repair is a bigger issue on an ebike too.

I live in the B'more area.NOTHING is terrible far from town - ever. When I go on rail trails or anywhere near me to bike, there are towns everywhere. I would camp in camp spots, but would would probably lunch/dinner at restaurants where I could plug in. On Rail trails I don't need an electric bike either. The gradient is NOT difficult. But if I go on Ragbrai or do a cross country tour, things will be more difficult and outlets more spread out. I would want the convenience of an ebike... maybe.

But one of the reasons I like the idea of being able to pitch a tent is not having to worry about getting X miles in a day to get to my hotel reservation. I don't even like the idea of going to hotels because I have this fear of picking up bedbugs! (I got eaten alive by bedbugs above the arctic circle at an Air BnB in Iceland 7 years ago which fortunately none hitchhiked home, but since then, I'm just scared of sleeping anywhere but home, so I limit that. I LIKE sleeping out in a campsite too. (Just like I leave my bedroom window open all but the hottest nights at home).

We have an electric plug in car. We love it. It can go about 45 miles without a charge. Then it automatically flips to the small gas motor when we drive further. That is kind of what I want in an ebike... When I'm close to home, having enough charge to do those rides, but when I get to the end of the battery having the bike not be a BEAST for the rest of the ride. I THINK some of these newer bikes are getting better with that. They aren't that heavy! Like the new Salsa Confluence and the Orbea electric bikes?

There is a very nice traditional bike on line now for about 2k in my size, with the features I would like (but used). Or I could buy a new Ebike (and in the future buy a battery extender) for not a hell of a lot more and it would be NEW. It's even getting hard too justify buying traditional bikes with their hefty price tags even in the used market!

How many times did I waffle in this post?

Signed the Waffler.