A mature couple on a couple Optibikes went by my house about a month ago. I knew they were electric bikes before I saw them as I could hear them coming quite a ways off surprisingly, but I do live on a hill. I commented to my friend that I was talking to out in the drive that "there goes about $16k worth of bikes". He just gave me a blank expression. The woman said something about "Look, no hands" but they were firmly in place on the bars, but she wasn't pedaling. I think she meant to say, no pedaling? Looked like they were having a good time and they were headed the right way as they headed in to the park entrance behind my house. I have never seen them again in town but I would like to run in to them and swap out rides sometime to try one out.

I do agree with the sentiment here that you can build a very trick electric bike for that much. But not everyone can or wants to. Doesn't sound like they are totally problem free yet either, but what mechanical device is?

Another thought I had also was I wonder how Optibike deals with the 20mph limit on top speed for electric assist bicycles that is pretty much the ruling for all states and certainly a Federal regulation? I know it is easy to make your own machine and look the other way at that rule, as it is pretty dumb, but for someone that is engaged in sales and manufacturing that advertises illegal speed for their product I would think it might legal problems at some point? One of the big reasons I have gone to ICE is the speed allowable is 30mph. 20 just isn't enough as I can pedal a bike that fast and it doesn't get you integrated in to the flow of traffic on surface streets.

Hopefully the face of all motor assist bikes will have changed immensely in 5 years time. Along with the attitude of the general public and the laws governing their use.