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If you aren't in it for pure fitness, get an electric bike. All of a sudden headwinds and hills are afterthoughts. Usually you can get thicker more durable ti

If you aren't in it for pure fitness, get an electric bike. All of a sudden headwinds and hills are afterthoughts. Usually you can get thicker more durable tires. Carry cargo/racks with little regard to reduced aero and more weight. You can keep up with the spandex crowd in a mixed outing. You can go 20mph (at least, be careful with ones that go faster than you can handle) in almost all situations. Bike locks can be heavy and non-aero too. They are in a rapid, rapid phase of evolution. Likely they will become critical to urban lifestyles.

locallost 5y ago
Charging batteries is a hassle. Having to even think about it is a hassle. I like bikes because they are basically hassle free. They need no fuel, almost no maintenance. I put it in my basement and pick it up the next day without thinking about it once in between. I don't care that much if it gets stolen since I paid less than a 100 for it 7 years ago. So get an ebike if you feel like it or need it, but don't underestimate the simplicity of a trusty old fashioned bike.
microtonal 5y ago
If you aren't in it for pure fitness, get an electric bike. If you are physically fit, I'd rather say: get a good bike within your budget. For example, 1200 Euro will buy you a very decent non-electric bike, that will probably be a smooth ride. 1200 Euro will buy you quite a miserable eBike. 500-600 of the cost is the engine and battery pack, so a 1200 Euro eBike is roughly a 600 Euro bike (so, usually not great). If you have 2000-2500 Euro to spend, you can get a decent eBike or a high-end regular bike.
Freak_NL 5y ago
> If you aren't in it for pure fitness, get an electric bike. Depends heavily on terrain, weather, and the health of the rider. Get an electric bike if you wouldn't get on a normal bicycle otherwise. Get a normal bicycle if that works for you. The health benefits are substantial, they're cheaper, less likely to be stolen (because everyone wants en e-bike), and it's one less thing that can break or need replacing in time. Not having a battery to back you up also stops you from getting dependant on it. I don't own a bike for pure fitness (that's a desirable side effect), I own one because it is my means of transportation (outside of public transport for longer distances) and damn convenient, but I'm not about to give up the (significant) health benefit for a little more comfort I don't need now.
- tomatocracy 5y ago
  I have both an ebike and a couple of "normal" bikes. I use my ebike for commuting to the office - because with that I know at the end of a longer day when I'm tired (which happens on a relatively unpredictable basis for me) I won't be dreading the ride back home. You can dial down the electric assistance to make it more of a fitness experience and this is what I typically do outside of that situation.
- tonyedgecombe 5y ago
  I'm willing to be most people who ride an e-bike are seeing an improvement to their fitness. The reason is it wasn't a choice between an e-bike and a road bike. Rather it was a choice between an e-bike vs the car or an e-bike vs walking or a long ride on the e-bike vs a short ride on a road bike.

locallost 5y ago

Charging batteries is a hassle. Having to even think about it is a hassle. I like bikes because they are basically hassle free. They need no fuel, almost no maintenance. I put it in my basement and pick it up the next day without thinking about it once in between. I don't care that much if it gets stolen since I paid less than a 100 for it 7 years ago. So get an ebike if you feel like it or need it, but don't underestimate the simplicity of a trusty old fashioned bike.

microtonal 5y ago

If you aren't in it for pure fitness, get an electric bike. If you are physically fit, I'd rather say: get a good bike within your budget. For example, 1200 Euro will buy you a very decent non-electric bike, that will probably be a smooth ride. 1200 Euro will buy you quite a miserable eBike. 500-600 of the cost is the engine and battery pack, so a 1200 Euro eBike is roughly a 600 Euro bike (so, usually not great). If you have 2000-2500 Euro to spend, you can get a decent eBike or a high-end regular bike.

Freak_NL 5y ago

> If you aren't in it for pure fitness, get an electric bike. Depends heavily on terrain, weather, and the health of the rider. Get an electric bike if you wouldn't get on a normal bicycle otherwise. Get a normal bicycle if that works for you. The health benefits are substantial, they're cheaper, less likely to be stolen (because everyone wants en e-bike), and it's one less thing that can break or need replacing in time. Not having a battery to back you up also stops you from getting dependant on it. I don't own a bike for pure fitness (that's a desirable side effect), I own one because it is my means of transportation (outside of public transport for longer distances) and damn convenient, but I'm not about to give up the (significant) health benefit for a little more comfort I don't need now.

tomatocracy 5y ago
I have both an ebike and a couple of "normal" bikes. I use my ebike for commuting to the office - because with that I know at the end of a longer day when I'm tired (which happens on a relatively unpredictable basis for me) I won't be dreading the ride back home. You can dial down the electric assistance to make it more of a fitness experience and this is what I typically do outside of that situation.
tonyedgecombe 5y ago
I'm willing to be most people who ride an e-bike are seeing an improvement to their fitness. The reason is it wasn't a choice between an e-bike and a road bike. Rather it was a choice between an e-bike vs the car or an e-bike vs walking or a long ride on the e-bike vs a short ride on a road bike.