I've participated on several 75 mile loop rides with groups as large as 35 riders. The last one I went pitted me and my electrified lwb recumbent against about 20 very serious roadies on a 65 mile loop. To make a long story short, I was enjoying a beer back at the meeting place by myself for a full 15 minutes before the 1st racing roadie showed up. I only used 8Ah of power from my 48V pack on this ride too, so clearly I put a lot of my own effort into it.

What does this mean? This means that by adding a power-assist system, I augmented my performance level beyond that of the fastest guy there that day. It's a safe bet that I wouldn't have beat him without the electric advantage. What makes this a milestone moment is that I personally demonstrated that with the technology available right now, it's possible to add motor/controller/batteries and GREATLY augment one's own performance. I'll agree that using this new found power to beat a bunch of guys with no power assist is a bit fruitless. What I refuse to believe is that it doesn't have a legitimate place in a world with rising fuel costs and limited commuting options.