John,
A very interesting post, providing helpful balance for those considering buying a bike, and making it more likely they will get the right one.
I found this comment particularly interesting:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aldby
Personally, I never seem to average more than 12 or 13 mph, which I find disappointing and surprising as it gives the illusion that I am going faster.
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I believe that is due to the frame geometry, in particular the wheelbase. A modern fashion is to make this short, to copy racing bikes and to make the bikes feel more 'responsive' and faster. In fact, the Trek 7.3 hasn't got a particularly short wheelbase (as it happens the dimensions are almost identical to my touring bike), but electric bikes tend to have stretched frames with longer wheelbases, so feel a bit slower at the same speed. That was my theory, and your evidence supports it nicely!
Frank