or ... up the legal riding age to 30 or something. If its illegal then they'll all want one!

I bought mine for the fun of it but I also wanted to use the car less for work. I have a 22km commute at 5am and I prefer it to be a bit more leisurely than the racing bike. Just because you are physically capable of riding a non powered bike, it does not exclude you from having an electric bike. As far as I am aware the electric bike is not designed to be a modern day invalid carriage.

 

As for teenagers getting lazier. Well that is a huge generalisation. most of the teenagers I know certainly do not fall into that catagory. In fact my 14 year old nephew is now getting injections in his knee, an injury caused by over training.

 

Electric bikes may never become mainstream bikes but they have shot up in popularity in Denmark this year. Every bike shop I go in sells them now.

 

The more the merrier I say.

 

Steve

I'm 37 and whilst capable of riding a non electric bike to and from work I can't think of anything I would rather do less.

 

The world is filled with all sorts of people with different strengths and weaknesses. I recognise that I can expend a lot of energy very quickly, but really struggle with the sustained and prolonged effort riding a bike requires where I live. I could cycle unaided up any of the hills I currently ride up on my ebike, but would be cream-crackered and perspiring and not want to ride any further. Same into a head wind. I take my hat off to anyone who can cycle unaided at a sustained speed greater than an assisted ebike.

 

Ebikes are a great compromised. Sure they could be allowed to legally go a bit faster but that's another thread and already discussed at length. The ebike makes it that much easier to face cycling into work everyday and keeps me away from the temptation of the car.

 

Oh and yeah, the grey is starting to show...

This will all be settled in time when an e-bike is seen as an e-bike, not a power assisted bicycle or a crippled motorcycle.

 

It is seen that way because it is a hybrid of powered and non powered, neither one thing or the other, like the old mopeds were. It's either for people too feeble to use a proper bike or people too wussy to ride a proper motor bike. When it has been around longer, it will be seen as a genre of its own and all that will fade into the past.

 

I imagine it's image will be like that of a tool, the kind of image the Honda step thru established. No one loved it but many recognised its virtues. It was quicker through city traffic than a glamorous BMW motorcycle, it used little fuel and it could be parked almost anywhere. If all you wanted was to move from one place to another without ceremony or fuss, that's what it did.

 

If the e- bike could take over that mantle, it's future would be fairly strong. The Honda step-thru went out of fashion because of increased (albeit unearned, credit sustained) wealth. We are going in then other direction now so maybe this dog will have it's day too.

Cycling into a head wind is awful. Rather ride in the rain!

Mainly because you put so much effort in and just get no where. My speed feels like I drop 5mph in a head wind and it demoralises me as I ride.

 

Tail wind on the other hand is awesome. Or drafting a bus or car.

 

Maybe I should get a sail??

 

Maybe I should get a sail??

 

Might be difficult tacking your way up the high street