• JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    Personally I don’t understand why anyone would need even 750W for an electric bike, let alone multiple kilowatts.

    Mine is an EU-regulation 250W and I never even use the top power level. In fact sometimes I forget to turn on the battery and (on the flat) don’t even notice.

    This really looks like the same story of macho horsepower inflation that’s been at work with combustion motorbikes for a century. Look at those giant BMWs with 1.4-litre engines that are enough to power a sedan. Completely unnecessary and irrational (and non-existent just a few decades ago) but the biker-dude owners will always find a reason that they “need” it. And let’s face it, this really is a story about dudes.

    • wesley@yall.theatl.social
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      4 days ago

      There are people with limited mobility. There are places with lots of hills. There are people who need to carry cargo like kids and groceries on there bikes.

      There are people who live in places with lots of hills who have mobility issues and need to be able to carry lots of heavy cargo on their bikes.

      • JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        The EU-regs-respecting variant of that Engwe fat-tire job. Very popular among pizza-delivery riders. (Unlike them, I actually pedal.)

    • tatann@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      I’m a tall and heavy dude, I’ve just checked on my Bosch app, I went up to 621W on a recent trip. Even if it’s for a short but steep elevation (maybe a few seconds), I’m glad my motor is helping me so I can go for 40-60 km offroad trips without worrying about my legs giving up

      • JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        Interesting numbers. And good for you for getting out there. I agree: just knowing that the motor is there is a superpower in itself.

      • JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        That’s interesting. On my 250W heavy-as-a-rock (38kg) bike I have done rides of >70km involving >1000m of climbs (mountains), with baggage on the rack, and arrived with a couple of bars of battery to spare.

        This is why I’m wary of the word “need”. It’s true that I was a cyclist before an e-cyclist.