Originally Posted by Biker395

Me too. It looks like I might get a chance to do some riding in Europe this year, and by the wonder of e-bikes, my SO might actually go along and ride with me.

But the analogies offered here are nonsense. Exhibit 1: <removing those that are utterly irrelevant to cycling>



I'm not sure what is meant by "cheating" here, but none of those items involves supplementing human power with a motor. Huge difference.

Originally Posted by Biker395

And as for this:



You could have bought a bike with narrower tires, a suspension, drop bars, aero bars, aero wheels, and yes, you could have shaved your legs. But you didn't. You bought an ebike because it had a motor that adds energy to the bike, not simply make best use of your own human energy.

There's no hypocrisy, ignorance or arrogance in making the choice to buy to buy one and arguing again and again that there is no fundamental difference between the two?

I have no dog in the e-bike fight and will probably avail my SO to the use of one in the near future. Who knows ... maybe I'll avail myself to one as well. But when I do, hopefully, I'll be self-confident enough to accept my decision for what it is, not pretend that is analogous to adding lower gears or higher pressure tires. It defies even a basic understanding of physics and is just not true, no matter now many times it is repeated.