Originally Posted by
seeker333
I couldn't care less if one to chooses to tour on an e-bike,
Great, far too many people get too wound up about what other people choose to do.
Originally Posted by
seeker333
although I'd probably just rent a decent motor vehicle for this type of "tour" since it's probably less costly than buying an e-bike
that is a bit of a non-sequitur
The two are different activities that have little to do with one another. It is like saying, "I would rather go sailing than a High-School reunion" That is fine as a statement of preference; however, one should not pretend they they are analogous activities; other than that both are things a person might do with their leisure time.
I find it interesting that the people who claim that an e-bike* is just like a motor vehicle tend to have very little actual experience riding e-bikes*.
All that being said, many here know that I am in the process of adding two of these:
from here
And this:
from here
to this:
I already have the pile of parts; so I am past the idle dreaming stage. I am waiting for school to start so the students in my engineering club can work on it. The principal loved it as a student project.
Why do it? First, for the Edmund Hillary reason of, "because it's there." Of course, I look forward to riding with a sunshade. I would also like my loaded touring bike to ride like it does empty.
That may sound like I am trying to take the pain out of touring. On that, first, touring is not an exercise in machismo. Second, yes, I am. I have a medical problem (cerebral palsy & arthritis) that severely interferes with walking long distances. It also interferes with riding, heavily loaded, for long distances. There is just a point where pain, not exhaustion, kicks in. It isn't a slow build up, it is sudden and extreme. Frankly I prefer to avoid that. I can ride, lightly loaded for extended distances; that is what I am trying to be able to do with this.
Here is a picture of one person's project, I expect mine to be similar; except that I intend to use less panels.
Here are a couple of other, well known, and better built, solar bikes:
Is it touring? Yes.
Is it on a bicycle? Yes.
Is it bicycle touring? Yes; but it is, admittedly, a different game while bicycle touring.
*
When I say "e-bike" I am referring to low power electric bicycles, defined by federal, and most states, laws as bicycles. I am not referring to electric motorcycles and mopeds. For a better understanding of what an e-bike is, feel free to ask in an appropiately titled thread in the e-bike subforum.