from the stokemonkey site:
"Most electric bike products are designed for people who don’t, won’t, or can’t ride regular bicycles. Stokemonkey is different.
We don’t believe in replacing human power with electricity; we believe in replacing cars for tasks that even the strongest cyclists seldom if ever choose to handle without a car. Developed in a car-free household, Stokemonkey is for fellow riders who want to become more completely independent of cars in their daily lives."
more here-->
http://cleverchimp.com/products/stokemonkey/
I think there are some very good reasons for electric assist.