momsonherbike

Congratulations on finding a bike for your wife that will hopefully have her riding alongside you - with a big smile on her face - for years to come. What a wonderful hubby you are!

Some of your questions may well be answered better in the ebike forum, but for now I have some suggestions for you based on my own experience with distance riding a geared front hub w/throttle.

First, I'm going to assume you got her a pedal assist? If so, then the "equipment efficiencies" will be determined by what level of assist she asks for to keep up with you (assuming you ride faster than she does), what kind of terrain you expect during your ride, and what the rated capacity of the battery is (10 mile, 20 mile, 40 mile) for that bike, and (of course) the miles you intend to travel.

Most PAS ebikes come with an LED display to allow a rider to keep track of the charge left in their battery. Next time you go out for a training ride together, first scope out the elevations so you will know the amount of climbing you'll both be facing, then see what level of assist she asks the bike for in order to (without overextending herself) keep up with you, both on the flat, and on the hills. Doing this a few times in different terrain, and with different length of miles, should give you a baseline for how much assist she needs to maintain your pace, and how her bike handles the output of power. That way you can determine if a 2nd battery is needed to be carried, or not - again, depending upon the miles you intend to cover, and the hills.

A super big plus to her having e-assist is she will be able to travel at your speed. Most hubby and wife touring teams that I've met and talked to have always had the hubby laughingly point to his wife and say "we go at HER speed" (ie: the slower rider) when it comes to purely mechanical bikes. In your case, however, her bike will put her on equal footing with you, which means you'll be able to optimize your pace without worrying about her getting tired or stressed or left behind. More often than not she may well end up in front of you so that you can draft off her, thus making your ride much easier and her bike a 2-for-1 machine. Sweet, huh?

Some of the newer battery technology allows for faster charging, so one item she should always carry in her panniers is a charger, and possibly a lightweight household 15' extension cord. Very small items that are fairly light weight. When you stop for lunch along the way, simply ask if you can plug in, and then take your time enjoying lunch. Most fast food places, and even regular restaurants, will have an outlet they will share with you, especially considering your wife's condition. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't fall all over themselves to give you some free electricity. Ideally, you should have a separate charger for each battery carried - that way, at night when you are in your hotel, you can half your charging time by doing both at once. It is very rare, unless you are stealth camping which I'm sure your wife will glare at you and say "not on your life, buster. We're finding a hotel!" that you lack a place to charge all your essentials - gps, phone, ipod, batteries, etc. I have heard of riders who will use the outdoor plugs for soda machines to charge up their items. Not judging, but I'd rather ask first.

Range anxiety is a big issue for a rider who is new to touring on an ebike. So do your homework at home first, find the bike's range and limits, and her comfort zone for length of time sitting in the saddle and peddling along, and once she is used to her bike and its capabilities on hills, and distance, she will feel far more comfortable in knowing she won't be stranded.

If you do go to Europe, simply rent a bike for her there. That should solve any of your "overseas" issues, plus it is far more common to see/rent ebikes over there than here.

Best of luck to you. I hope it all works out, and that she ends up loving her bike, and loving touring with you.