On 5/31/21 10:20 AM, Tom Kunich wrote:
On my 35 mile ride that was mostly through the Livermore Valley, I saw two electric bikes. I'm not exactly sure why someone would buy an electric bike for exercise unless they were attempting to keep up with a group and they were beginners but there you are,


That would be one reason. For experienced riders the reason is
different. They can then cover much more ground during the day,
especially on an E-MTB. With MTB the range can more than double,
assuming the same exercise level which is near full tilt for most guys.


I easily rode past them because both obviously had their power limiters as sold. It isn't as if I was trying to pass them because in both cases I eased up and intended to pass them at a red light so that it didn't look like I was trying to make them feel bad, but in one case he turned off as I was fairly close and the other case I was nearly coasting down a hill and those bikes are limited more or less to 15 mph as far as I can tell. Into a fairly strong headwind I was still doing 19 mph and simply wasn't going to slow down that much.

I can see reasons for an electric bike if you are commuting on them or, in the special case of a beginner trying to keep up with a slow group. But unless the power limiter is taken off they really are pretty slow and if you do take them off the battery has a pretty limited range.

One of them was supposed to look like a racing bike with an invisible battery but you can tell because of the size of the downtube.


Yuo can also here the telltake whirring when you are next to them.


The other made no pretenses and was a rather clunky flat bar bike that
the rider may have been using for transportation and had gone over the
hill via Dublin Grade and was returning the same way. He also was not
dressed in cycling clothing so that could not have extended his range.


What does cycling clothing have to do with range? I do not own such
clothing, don't want to, gives me rashes. I always ride in T-shirt and
jeans shorts and cover as much range as my buddies. Have to, because the
destination is usually a brewpub and I sure won't miss a good Pilsener
or Stout.


I wonder how long these things will last on the market since a touring bike is probably every bit the commuter as they are.


Sad to say but E-bikes will proliferate to no end. Both of us are young
enough that we may see the day where 50% of bikes ar E-bikes. Some
European countries are already almost there.

JFTR: I do not own an E-bike and don't plan to. Hoever, I can picture
myself switching to an E-MTB when my strength starts fading. Maybe when
I am 85, which is what I keep telling a riding buddy who wants to
convince me.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/