I want to try to clarify something. My argument is not against the very idea of some disabled person getting motorized assistance and being able to get out in the world. What we are quibbling about here is whether motorized bicycles belong in the "bicycle touring" forums. I think the water gets muddied by some people conflating "it doesn't belong here" with "I'm against the whole idea". As I said before, I'm not against the idea of e-assist or e-bikes or whatever people end up calling these contraptions. All I say is that I object to just lumping it in with cycling, because it's not cycling, it's a kind of motorized transportation. The world of motorized (assisted, whatever you want to call it) transportation is exciting and vibrant, and fantastic for all those people out there who might otherwise drive a car, or even a moped. If they can get on an e-bike instead, then that's certainly a step in the right direction. All I'm saying is that if you have a motor on there, then it's not cycling, because cycling is fundamentally a self-powered activity. It's really a very deep part of the whole idea in many people's minds, I think. To try to pretend that putting a motor on there doesn't change anything is ludicrous. I don't care if people ride these things, I just don't want them calling it "bicycle touring" as if it's the very same as what self-powered cyclists are doing. It's not.
Look at this thread, we have perfectly able people talking about using e-bikes for their next tour. They aren't talking about it because they are disabled, they are talking about it because it sounds cool and maybe it'll make their tour a little easier. This is what's going to happen, count on it - people are going to use these things not because they have to, but because it makes it easier.
And why should I care? Because it affects the level of discourse and what is being talked about. I come to a bicycle touring forum because I know that we're all on the same page about what we're doing at least on some basic level. I no longer feel that we're on the same page, if some are happy with motors being included "just because, why not, who cares, etc". I know I for one would kind of resent a "bicycle touring" forum getting inundated with people who are discussing what are effectively motorcycles (even if they have pedals... they have a motor, that's a motorcycle). I don't go to a motorbike forum to talk about bicycle touring, why on earth would we want to bring motorbikes into this place? It's a different activity, it should have its own forum (and it does already, doesn't it?). If the regular e-bike forum isn't enough for the touring aspect, then someone should start an e-bike touring forum. I think it's distinct enough from regular bicycle touring to deserve its own space. As for the common areas between them - yes, of course there are common areas, like camping etc, but that is true of hiking as well. But we don't try to cram hiking and bicycle touring all together, do we. They have their own forums. Same should be true of e-bike activities.
Disabled people can get out there and do whatever they want, if they have the adaptive equipment to get it done then all power to them. But to try to call motorized transport "cycling" is a bit of a stretch even now, in the industry's infancy. If we start just accepting that "it's all cycling, no distinction at all, because think of the children and have some empathy, end of discussion", then where does that leave people who feel like they've woken up in an insane asylum? Because that's kind of how I'm feeling right now. I never thought we'd be having a passionate debate about whether or not tours on motorbikes should be included in forums like this one.
By all means ride e-assist, e-bikes, whatever, but it belongs in some other forum, not this one. Just my opinion, like I said earlier it's up to the mods and owners of the site what they do here. I'm just throwing my opinion into the ring.
Now back to you, social justice warrior brigade.
Neil