I don't see the purpose of a electric bike I would rather use my legs and get the benefit of exercise.

A out of shape friend uses it to commute to the train station but I can't help and think that a real bike would be so much better for him?

I love gadgets and the am intrigued by electric bikes but can't really justify it.

Assuming that your post is not a straight up troll..

I bought mine for strength training after a spinal injury. After I recovered I realized it was the best cargo bike I could ever hope for and added an Xtracycle longtail to it. Now it gets used hauling loads I couldn't or wouldn't want to carry on one of my regular bikes (50 pound sacks of dog food along with the rest of my groceries, 9 x 12 rug, bbq grill, 8 foot step ladder, fire wood, hundreds of pounds of potting soil).

But the main reason someone chooses an ebike is because they are fun and are what they wish to ride. Same reason someone would choose a road bike over a mountain bike or any bike over another, personal preference.

Range. You can put as much energy into an e-bike as you can a regular bike. The amount of time I ride pedal bikes versus my ebike is about the same. I just go much further on the ebike. Another benefit is I will take on trips and conditions that exceed my abilities. When I'm at the bonk stage I don't worry about getting home. That can be 20 miles away. I'll make it.

Some of us even work 20-30 miles away and a regular bike would take 2-3 hours to get to work.
My bike gets me to work, 21 miles away, in just over an hour and I'm not all sweaty and disgusting when I get there at 9:00am in 85 degree weather in the middle of spring/summer here in Florida.
And let me ask you when the last time you rode 95 miles on your pedal bike in one day?
I do it once a month from E. West Palm Beach to E. Ft. Lauderdale to W. Boca Raton and back to West Palm Beach.

Not trolling thanks for the good answers.

PS I did 100 miles on my road bike last Saturday.

All at once? And how tired and sweaty were you? Lol

Read the long distance forum. Centuries are kinda the starting point.
Being sweaty tired is also one of the reasons to ride a century. However one rarely goes into the office for 8 hours of work after one.

It took all day and after the ride I took a shower had a meal and went to sleep. I was in no shape to work.

you forget not everybody is 30 even years old.
My ebike is commuter I work in shop, cannot imagine working in shop after 10km ride on MTB.
Older people have all kind of health conditions not form lazyness.
CM

V70cat: I wish I could do what you can. Maybe in a few years but then again I'll probably ride my ebike at 35mph instead of the sedate 25mph I go now.

I am over 50, age is a state of mind. It took me over two years to get to this level but most people can do it with training.

I guess for commuting and hauling electric bike have purpose, still wonder why I never see anyone on a electric pedal.

Prolly have the spandex/Lycra and a $4000 CF bike...

I pedal all the time... Just don't have to put too much effort into it..
I already have strong legs and I don't need the aerobic style exercise, just enough to keep my body in check.... Most people don't realize, that you don't HAVE to sweat to stay in shape... Even mild exercise EVERY DAY, will keep you fit..
Now I'm speaking from being 42 y/o 165lbs and 15% body fat..
If you're any age and overweight, that's a different story.. (at least in the beginning)

I'm 54. It seems you're making many statements about how great of shape you're in. You're not really asking many questions. It really seems like you're just insecure. Why do ebikes threaten you so much?

I DO use an ebike.
(Or is that for the other guy?).
Lol.
Yeah it seems as if he's balking at ebikes because he's fifty and in "incredible" shape..
That's why I asked about the Lycra and the Carbon Frame bike..

It's freaking hilarious when I see the Lycra crowd doing 25mph thinking they're cool with their $500 outfit and $4000-$8000 CF bike and I pass them doing 35 while pedaling (VERY slowly) on my ebike.. They get soooo pist!

I was just responding to your old age excuse.

I thought the initial response of using electric for commuting hauling stuff and going long distances made sense.

The concept that at 50 plus you need a electric bike is about the same as saying that I am so fat that I can't walk and need a electric wheel chair.

At a weight of 214 plus some of would be better off sweating off a few pounds, I needed to.

The concept that you are proud of passing road cyclist with a electric bike is silly, do you think a guy riding a Harley is proud when he passes you?

corSangesf,
excellent posts.
Exactely, you don`t have to push yourself to the limits or you don`t have to sweat to keep in shape.
Exactely it would be my point also, I am over 50 already in good shape 66kg not overweight.
And I have strong legs also, I just need to upkeep this.
It depends what you do for living, don`t forget. If you work mentally at the desk that is another thing.
I was talking about AVERAGE over 50 person health issues you are no doubt no average at all, you are exception.
We want here in NAmerica to get average/not in exceptional shape/ person to get on bike out of car , do you agree with me?
How to do it?
Ebike is excellent way.
Try to get average 50years old TO RIDE mtb BIKE. Many cannot even climb regular frame bike due to hip pain, arthraitise pain. They need support and security that they would be helped up that hill with electric assist.
"to get benefit of excercise"... - most riders pedal on ebikes that is clear from many posts, it is called exercise. Again you don`t have to be extreme and sweat it is still exercise.
The point cited over and over again is that people ride more on ebike than on regular bike.

Nothing really difficult to understand.
CH

I have seven ebikes and I ride them because they are more fun than regular bikes. If I feel like going 50 miles twice a week for the heck of it, to pick up a few organic eggs, I am very likely to do it. I'm not going to do it on a regular bike. I'm too old, even if you think I am inadequate and less than immaculate. Spare the scorn.

I enjoy exploring on my bicycles. When I take an ebike I can ride and enjoy as much as I would like. Then turn on the electricity and be home soon. It is a great way to enjoy the outdoors.

About the best way that I can describe riding a properly set up e bike to a cyclist is that it is like riding a tandem with a very fit stoker. Also any effort you put in is repaid in fitness and extended range. Don't knock it too hard until you have tried it.

Efficiency is an excellent reason. Is there a more energy efficient mode of transportation than an ebike? Probably not. Consider the energy required to supply the food and the very low metabolic efficiency of a warm-blooded animal consuming that food pedaling it....

For some of us just switching from gasoline to electric commuting is a major accomplishment.

the short answer..."it's fun."

the long answer is different for everyone. for me personally, i think it's kind of cool to combine the efficiency of a bike with the efficiency of electricity. i like studying and reading about batteries, voltage, etc. and seeing the latest technology. most people can output about 150 watts on a bike. most cyclists in great shape can output 300 watts. lance armstrong can output around 500 watts for a short time. most of the e-bikes built by guys here output at least 500 watts but also burst well above 1000 watts! an electric bike is a much more efficient form of transportation than a car. it may even be better than a bus. and heck, it might even be better than human pedaling (think about the extra food a person must consume resulting in additional usage of natural resources, etc.). there is a famous study done by a Wharton Professor (where I went to school btw) that concluded that biking does more harm than good for the environment when you think of it as strictly an environmental study due to the additional resources used by the cyclist having longer life, eating more, producing more waste, etc.

but again...it's just fun.

You are not going to believe it but I just found out some people drive cars for fun. They even destroy forests with their trucks for fun. I would much rather have them running around (even recklessly) on electric bikes than in their cars.
I find that my legs are much more sore when I am done riding my electric bike since I really push going up hills because I have help getting home if I am really tired. I don't save any energy for the trip home.

Wait until your mid-30s and then you'll understand why people like electric bikes. If you are anything like me, mid-30s is when your muscles and bones start to ache. I got a few nagging injuries that the doctors refuse to operate on so I'm stuck with this body. I got two bad shoulders, one bad right inner thigh muscle, and bad left hamstring.