Originally Posted by
venturi95
OK, to address the topic: What does the E assist bicycle bring to touring? The answer: Bloated Weight, Complexity, a good deal of EXPENSE, range limits, and, oh yes, you don't have to pedal as hard for very brief periods.
As for the argument that it will open up touring for people who are physically limited, I would be very suprised to see anyone ever touring on one here in the western U.S.
I wonder how many people on E bikes ride them for a number of years, wear them out, keep them well serviced, etc., basically use them as an avid cyclist uses their bicycle?
All of your first points may apply to your vision of touring but they are relative to it (touring) over all.
Bloated weight. Perhaps; But to a road bike riding CCard tourer camping gear is bloated weight. To an UL tourer conventional loaded touring is bloated weight. Taking a laptop might seem like bloated weight to someone using a smart phone etc...
Complexity. Perhaps; as does using 700c tires in developing countries, using index shifters instead of friction shifting, using hydraulic disc brakes instead of cantilevers. All debated on this forum.
A good deal of expense. Again relative. So does hand building wheelsets, buying custom bikes, using CF or titanium etc... The often used reply is: "It's the persons money to spend as they want". Bike touring is a hobby and people invest as they see fit.
Range limits. That is a good one to discuss actually. From the ebike perspective there does seem to be range limits, though it appears some have dealt with it. But from a wider perspective, I think most bicycle tourers (except those who have no occupational or familial obligations), face range limits. I know I do. I only have so many holiday days, and can travel only so far each day, so each trip I plan is limited by the range/time equation. I am absolutely limited in range on a conventional bike as well, just in a different context. While one may be range limited by charge capacity initially, if that is solved and all things being equal, the e bike could extend the range over a conventional bike instead of being more limited. You or I may not want that at the moment but it is true. If someone with a disability can only ride 40 km's conventionally, but can manage 80 with an e bike, it has extended the range. If I can travel 100km conventionally, but can travel 200 by pedaling with the same effort using e assist, I have extended the range. I saw this happen just last week when I shared the bike lane briefly with a guy on an e recumbent while I commuted to work. He traveled twice as fast as I did and quickly out paced me on my 6speed gas pipe jobby. No harm, no foul.. I like riding my bike just the same.
You don't have to pedal as hard for very brief periods. True, and neither does a conventional bike rider when they approach a hill and drop the front derailer into the granny gear. Many discussions on BF as to how to maximize that potential. To say one is "right" and one is "wrong" puts a moral judgement on a mechanical system without addressing the personal reasons behind their use. Is it "right" for a physically fit person to use a granny gear when they are capable of cranking up a hill? Does it become "righter" when the person is older and has knee issues? And, is it "wrong" for someone with a heart condition or diabetes to use an electrical assist to avoid negative health issues? I don't believe personally in ascribing moral labels to objects like bicycles but feel even less inclined unless I understand the individual back story.
As to people touring. Seeing as we are just exploring this issue on BF now and another site has a policy against such journals probably not too many stories have been told, though, in this thread alone, there have been several.
IRL I see perhaps 1-2 bike tourers a week but suspect many more are actually touring. I have never seen a gates drive or fully decked out bike packing rig either but suspect people use those too.
How many people ride for a while and then maintain or wear out, lose interest etc... I wonder that too every day when I open CL and browse the bikes for sale by owner section. What is going on?
All points that make sense when viewed from a personal POV but applicable to all the other aspects of biking when looked at in a general sense.