Originally Posted by
McBTC
True, cycling has changed, especially since ~2019 and for many, offer advantages that outweigh nostalgic recollections, e.g., this googled this from a blogger on a bike tour in '22–
"The terrain is pretty hilly as soon as you get away from the waterfront. So everyone seems to have given up on pedaling around under their own power. Easily 90% of the cyclists we have seen here are on e-bikes, especially the kids. Everyone in the 10-18 age range was on an e-bike. It struck us as a bit sad, because e-bikes actually seem to be replacing regular bikes, not cars - hardly a climate-friendly development. It’s also not the best for kids, who generally need more exercise rather than less."
Lightweight skinny tire race bikes with arse-killing English leather saddles are definitely becoming way passé....
In my world, e-bikes replaced cars, not push bikes, and exercise achieved on bikes increased dramatically. I use car-sharing when really only a car will do, but that occurs not more than once a month.
Maybe you're riding somewhere where throttle e-bikes (which are not really bikes, but electric mopeds) are allowed. Those are not allowed in Europe. On a pedelec hills are still hills.
Back in the day, I loved my Brooks leather saddle. Not "arse-killing" at all; you had to break it in properly. They were extremely comfortable provided you wore the wool cycling shorts with the chamois insert in the seat. I used to do 100 miles three time a week in season like that. The only thing I DON'T miss were the glue-on tires, or sew-ups or whatever we called them -- ick.