Originally Posted by
Pop N Wood
I'm not sure what is so magical about 250 watts. You wouldn't buy a blender with that little power, why do you think it is all that is needed for a bicycle? Just because the EU settled on that number? Better to have the power and not use it. it isn't like a muscle car where efficiency drops from having a big ass cam. Plus bigger motor usually means it isn't working as hard and should live longer.
250W is a decent output for an average club rider, so why would you want more power assist than that on a “bicycle”? The trend in e-bikes for sport use is to make them as light as possible, so you don’t want a big motor and heavy assed battery. The other trend is to make the pedalling feel as natural as possible so you still get the fitness benefit while increasing your speed. The concept is that you still pedal as you would on a normal bicycle with the same power and cadence, the only difference being that you get an additional proportional power assist.
An “e-bike” with a large motor and throttle is a form of transport, not a recreational sport. Both have their uses, but are radically different.