itaa

Currently have sub 10kg boardman hybrid pro that I picked up for £250 in new condition some years ago, best bike I have ever had , love it and with the GP4000 tyres there's almost no rolling resistance, if keeping under 15km/h when there is no aero drag compared to bikes others ride there's almost no need to pedal as it just glides itself.

I don't commute on bike nor use it for competitive stuff ,just have one to go to places and cruise around, not even for exercise, most of the time I just stay at around 15km/h speed so there's almost no need to pedal but you can just enjoy the view.

Now to get a decent used electric bike you need to spend ~£1k to get something which has been £2-2.5k new and play russian roulette with used battery,and the components on those won't even be any better than What I already have + twice the weight.

I'm only considering electric so that I don't have to pedal/walk up the hills (not huge ones ,just regular inclines) and to get home easily when I'm tired as I'm pretty much banned from even riding a bike due to health problem (where I can't get tired too much)

Just wondering if perhaps someone already had a nice bike which would just roll itself when there's no aero drag and than got an electric bike?
Was it even worth for the stuff that I plan to use it for? Don't really even want another bike that much, only I have never ridden one so can't really compare to what I already have.

FlMTNdude

Aero doesn't even come into play as a factor at 15 km/hr. Your current bike is probably going to perform as well as anything, at least by your description. No bike is going to roll itself, it needs a motor (human). If your health is that poor, then you should get an electric scooter, aka 'bike'. I am assuming some kind of cardiovascular condition if you are banned due to health.

Phil_gretz

Extra watts are a bonus. If I could have a "free" 75 more watts on my conventional bike...wow. Many electrics can deliver a few hundred watts to the drive wheel. That's really something. But not for me, because I ride bicycles. At least so far in my life, until age or infirmity take over...

skookum

Bikes don't roll themselves.

You might consider just electrifying your present bike. If all you need is a little extra power on hills or when you are tired, a front wheel drive electric conversion would be simple to do and would give you then extra power you need.

Retro Grouch 

Not worth it for me yet but, at my age, that might change sometime in the future.

xroadcharlie

When I bought my comfort bike, I also considered a faster hybrid bike or an electric assisted bike, But then it dawned on me I ride for pleasure and adventure with some semblance of activity. Since time is not a factor, I choose a comfort bike where an upright riding position, 2" semi-knobby tires and 34 lbs pretty much assures it will never glide itself unless I find a STEEP hill or 80 kph tailwind.

That said with 21 speeds on tap, 11 of which are properly spaced, It is the most pleasurable bike I have ever ridden. I can always find a gear to suite my needs, Whether climbing a moderately steep grade, or pedaling against a 50 km headwind. The amount of effort I use depends on whether I'm feeling athletic or lazy. One important key to comfortable riding is having and using the correct gear for the job, Whether your on a 500 K tour with a loaded bike, Or just plodding around the neighbourhood.

If you have a medical condition that might be aggravated with the effort biking up a hill or against much headwind, Then an electric assisted bike might be a good idea. I'm 63 now and as long as I'm able, I'll be ridding my comfort bike.

Doc_Wui

I never had a light 22 pound bike. My lightest is 32 pounds, a hybrid with hydraulic disks, front shocks, etc. My lightest ebike is about 39 pounds. It used to be a 30 pound minivello,but I added a 4.5 pound motor and 4 pound battery..

I enjoy riding ebikes with my wife, age 71 and 69. Together, we covered about 1000 miles, and I rode another 1000 by myself.. We ride bikes that I converted. Not very expensive. About £500-£600.

SethAZ 

I'd say there's no shame in the e-bike route, especially if you have a health condition that makes hammering on a normal bike impossible. I don't have one, but I've read that some e-bikes allow you to dial in the amount of assist that they provide. If that's so then if you go the e-bike route you can dial down the assist to something just enough to counteract the additional weight of the e-bike, so that when you're feeling healthy you can still provide most of the power yourself, but you have the option of dialing up the assist if you need to.

I've been considering an e-bike for my wife. She's never been a cyclist. I got her a cheapo (LBS cheap, not Walmart cheap) bike that's heavy and a hybrid because she keeps saying she wants to start riding, but she never rides that much on it. If I can get her riding more and she starts to get quasi-serious about it I think an e-bike would be perfect, because it would allow her to accompany me on my rides. As it stands, I've tried to ride with her a couple times but she's doing like 9 or 10 miles at maybe 10mph and is exhausted at the end, and gets upset because I'm having such a hard time riding only 10mph that I'm riding up ahead and looping back and whatnot and it just pisses her off. If she had an e-bike it could probably provide her with enough assist to do longer rides at something more like my normal speed, and then we could ride together more often and it would be enjoyable for both of us. Anything that gets (or keeps) a person riding I think is a good thing, even if the velominati don't approve.

JayKay3000

I'd go to an LBS when you can and shop to buy an ebike. You may be able to get some demos on some. I've ridden an electric mountain bike and they are a blast and components, meh. Weight in bikes is only really an issue for hills and stop / start. Once you're moving weight is much less of an issue and aero. Again. Marginal gains. The thing that will slow you down most is you. But the thing is the more you ride the fitter you get so the easier riding in general is, but fitness is a cruel mistress. The fitter you are, the quicker you lose it when you stop.

If you have a genuine health problem I'd replace your normal bike with an Ebike. I'd buy through a local bike shop even second hand. See if they have second hand ebikes. That way you will have less gamble as a reputable place will have some knowledge and given it a decent service.

A bike is a bit like a tool, you need the right one for the job.