sean99
pfm Member
This is exactly the problem with which I was faced. The hill on top of which we live averages 16%, and in some places goes up to 23% - even the road racers are up dancing on their pedals. I simply can no longer do it on the old touring bike, and I really don't want another knee operation. The motor I have is like having three extra gears below the already low bottom gear, and I only need the second one to make the hill. It's good knowing that, when the physical effort is too much, I can simply press the magic switch.
Tones - I think yours is a somewhat special case. If I lived atop the Matterhorn I would also likely endorse electric bikes.
However I fear that 95% of electric bikes will become landfill in under 10 years because the batteries and or electronics will fail and the bike will be a 35-40lb boat anchor without them. I like the idea of a mild electric assist on the front or rear hub on a bike which could easily be converted to a normal bike (or have another wheel fitted). But the ultra-integrated motors and electronics seem like an unrepairable problem waiting to happen.