This is a great article on the "E-Bike Effect" from Treehugger (h/t @BrentToderian):
https://mastodon.online/@BrentToderian/111223648351940659
https://www.treehugger.com/e-bikers-ride-much-farther-and-more-frequently-than-regula-bikers-5076231
@BrentToderian I'm waiting for some commenter to chime in that e-assist is bad because it means the user doesn't get as much exercise. Someone always does. And (a) it's not true, but also (b) who cares????
@DrTCombs @BrentToderian how much exercise do people get driving around?
@gspeng @BrentToderian right? I'm gonna say none.
But also it's not my business. Maybe they have a physically-demanding job, or really like lifting weights, or play soccer with their kids, or are yoga instructors, or who cares??? I'm happy that riding my e-bike provides enough exercise for me. Doesn't have to be the same for other people.
@DrTCombs @gspeng @BrentToderian yes! I keep seeing an ad for an e-cargo bike where a dad and kid are zipping along without pedaling...
which I'll admit bugged me at first, but then I remembered someone saying that this is still better than them driving *even if they never pedal*!
@fbaum @gspeng @BrentToderian SAME! 100% same set of feelings.
@fbaum @DrTCombs @BrentToderian my friend zips along from home to school dropoff to office on his eBike because it’s downhill! Is that cheating? Before eBikes, he wasn’t facing that 2000’ elevation gain after work. They would have been in his SUV. Summertime, they take the eBike instead of SUV so that’s an environmental win
@fbaum @DrTCombs @BrentToderian I mean he zips along without pedaling almost the whole way to school
@BrentToderian @gspeng drivers are moving their foot from the brake to the throttle all the time, that isn't zero exercise. (the difference from zero is a rounding error, but it isn't zero)
@gspeng @BrentToderian I mean I'm literally sitting on my butt right now, getting zero exercise. I'd be getting a lot more if I were attempting to get my message out by, say, painting it on a billboard. Nobody's accusing me of cheating myself out of exercise though.