acoustic bikes are great, but to an extent. in very hilly areas, they would not be able to replace cars as primary mode of transport because normal commuters (me) don't have the physical ability to get bikes up steep inclines. i wish i did, but i (and many others) have bad knees
It's a bike, not a Marshall amp. Also, e-bikes with power-assisted pedalling are great for enabling personal mobility, particularly if you have any injuries or conditions.
Yup. And they flatten hills very much.
I got an ebike precisely because I live in a very hilly area and cannot gain the leg strength to safely and practically use my acoustic bike for local travel.
Hmm. On my very hilly commute, I often encounter an old man on an ebike. On hills, he leaves me far behind. If anything, ebikes make hills manageable for people who otherwise would never cycle there.
in addition, ebikes allow us to get up to speeds faster than an acoustic bike, which makes it safer to ride on the road in car traffic. this also enables longer commutes, making suburban sprawl less of a barrier to car-free living. don't mean to pile on just wanted to provide my 2 cents