Comparing apples and oranges.softy wrote:A reasonable road bike can easily do 30km + no drama, so why limit a ebike to a slower speed when it is twice the weight? People want to use ebikes to commute and hoping to make it slightly easier and quicker, to their horror, not likely. For the maybe cyclist, they could buy a ebike, well maybe not. They go slow and are heavy. So how does this add a half way house to encourage cycling, or make longer distances appear short for cycling commuters?
Most people who choose to ride an e-bike are not looking at the carbon road bike option. They are mostly one of:
- middle-aged newbies who have not ridden a bike since their teens;
- older riders (maybe quite experienced) who find their muscular strength is lagging;
- younger people with some form of physical disability that limits their power and/or endurance.
The alternate choice for these riders would usually be a tourer, MTB, or city-bike/hybrid. 25-30 kmh is about the normal speed these riders would expect even if fit, specially as an average over mixed terrain.
I have a friend who loves his Gazelle e-bike. He's 75 and it is the thing that enables him to continue doing 70 km country tours, and maintain a comparable speed wih the rest of our club group. Without it he would only do short 20-30 km dawdles. He is no longer flexible enough to go hunkering down on a road bike, so even were he fit, a roadie would not be an option.
If you are fit enough to spin along at 35-40 kmh, then fine. Ride your roadie - I do not see too much reason for getting an e-bike.