That's a great testimonial. If I ever become a lot weaker, an e-bike could keep me on bikes, so what could be bad with that? I'm not calling you weak, by the way, just that my terrain and other circumstances are different from yours.

For me its not really a strength issue, its pain, and energy. 7 years in the military, and 17 years in the moving business has taken a serious toll on my knees. For the past decade I've been a city P&D driver, while nowhere near as strenuous, it still means I'm typically starting my commute home already physically worn out from the days work.
The daily grind 5 days a week was just adding up to be too much.

ZEHUS | human + Here is an E-Bike that you never plug in, all the energy comes/supposed to come from re-gen from pedaling, braking, downhill... I really do wonder how well it works tho, but if it does, that would make this E-Bike set up 100% human powered, and all the nay-sayers can not say you are getting external energy, thus are not human powered and thus you are not riding a bicycle...

I experienced the benefit of riding an e-bike this evening. 37 degrees, dark, and raining with an uphill ride home. I just wanted to get home. I put it on level 4 pedal assist. I kept my speed between 18-20 mph with moderate effort. My 7.3 mile ride lasted about 24 minutes. On my road bike, I would have averaged 11-13 mph in the same conditions with significantly more effort and it would have taken me 35-40 minutes. This is a benefit of an e-bike that is expected.

When you make commuting by bicycle about getting to work and back, rather than exercise, fitness, racing, and competition - an e-bike makes sense. Although the weather was miserable for a commute, I had 6 miles of MUP all to myself, away from the cars, noise, and traffic. I observed that the freeway was at a standstill as I crossed over the bridge to get on the MUP.

I wonder where the other 10-15 regular bike commuters were on a day like this? I expect that they were in a car (having thoughts about how to complain about e-bikes?)

That is funny!

I used to love road biking. Well, I still do, but I've had chronic knee issues and three surgeries. The e-bike has been a literal sanity saver (yes, I was on the verge of losing it). My knee is improving enough that I can get some of a workout on a regular road bike, but the commute was just too long for me to reliably do it via bike (even one way). Since getting the electric bike I've been able to commute more often. I also have a pedal assist, which means I'm still getting a decent workout (I gain about 600 feet on my 13 mile commute, 600 feet either way). If the knee is hurting, or if I'm running late, I'll bump up the assist. But normally I have it on one of the lower settings.

I actually rode a few blocks, and chatted at a stoplight with another bike commuter this miserable, cold, wet evening... He was on an e-bike too.

Is it still "cheating" when the regular bikes DNS?

yes

Well I'm a little late to this thread but I read through the whole thing. I sure do love Alan's build threads for the Ti bike and his other bikes, but that attitude against e-bikes and e-bike riders is just ridiculous.

Reading through this thread makes me even more excited for my BBS02 750W mid-drive kit to arrive, going onto my heavy upright-riding utility bike. Should be here next Tuesday. Now the bike will be even heavier! But hopefully it will cut some time off my grocery trips, and give me another option for commuting to work instead of using the car. I only ride twice a week now because I just can't handle 31 miles of hilly commuting for 2 consecutive days on my road bike commuter. I just tried to do it today, but could not. Legs were beat from yesterday.

I don't understand the general e-bike objections on MUP's. I think fast KOM-hunting roadies are more dangerous than e-bike riders. You just have to use your head. If no one is around for a stretch on the MUP, sure open it up for a bit if you want. When you see people, haul it down to a reasonable speed. When passing people especially with kids, I try not to exceed about 8-10 MPH. Doesn't matter if there's a motor or not. Turn assist off as you pedal past people on the path. It shouldn't be a big deal.

[MENTION=365305]kickstart[/MENTION] what roads are you dealing with that have big grades? That 277th street looks murderous, 24% grade going east out of the valley!

Rainy pm commutes are much fun even on a regular bike. You don't need an electric bicycle to experience it. I usually have the MUP to myself and it is so quiet. On rides like that, I always get a deja vu sense of Cross Country Skiing in Upstate N.Y. Very peaceful.

If only I had a MUP/T available. I have to use 2-lane rural roads, and big 5-lane arterial roads. In winter I try to leave the office as early as possible so that at least part of my commute is in daylight. And if it's raining, it's just miserable when cold out.

277th is typical of the choices I have on my pm commute, but it's actually posted as18℅. Both am, and pm there's a couple of hills that are only about 1/4 mile long but around 20℅. Besides the hills mentioned, the rest of the 8 miles one way is rolling hills in the 5℅ to 8℅ range, and about 3 miles are flat, but 2 of those miles are on 2 separate MUT's with a 15 mph speed limit.

I see lots of bike commuters down in the valley, but rarely see any head east out of the valley except for a couple of hard core commuters, one being a co worker on a recumbent, and another person on an E-bike. From what I've experienced, the negitivity is a BF thing that has nothing to do with reality. Another co worker is planning on doing a test ride on an E-bike this weekend.