E-Bikes thoughts, comments?

[estronat]

I think I would consider an e-bike if somehow the batterypack could be lighter but also have wider wheels..for winter, yes make it a fat bike here where we live where it's long hard and snowier winters in the prairies.

The good news is that ebikes do come in all kinds of varieties, including fat bikes, mountain bikes, road, commuter, hybrid, city, cruisers, eTrikes, etrailers, fully engineered and kits available for those DIY types. I've been following the discussions and learning about different eBikes at electricbikereview.com and it is amazing the number of companies and the proliferation. Even well-known companies like Trek, Specialized, Felt, and Giant have eBikes in their lineup.

My local Specialized bike shop was all {sniff-sniff-pew-pew} when I was chatting with the guys about eBikes until they realized that it expands the range of people who can successfully ride and enjoy cycling and that anything that gets people to cycle and get out of their cars and get exercise and doesn't harm the environment doing so, is a good thing. If one is a "cycling enthusiast" then it should warm the cockles of one's heart to see people on bikes, even if those bikes have some battery power to the rider get up a hill. Pedelecs often require the rider to push those pedals, as the rider is part of the engine, and in mid-drive engines, like Bosch, the rider doesn't go anywhere if they are not pedaling the bike.

For many people eBikes don't replace their regular road or mountain bike, it replaces their use of their car so they spend a lot more time on a bike or allows them to get their exercise in commuting to and from work.