@mattwigway I bought my e-bike specifically to reduce my incentive to avoid hills! And it works. I care not a whit about hills on my routes anymore.

@mattwigway @DrTCombs I just rode up Slow Page Street in San Francisco this week, and had this very question to confront. :) I chose the steeper, shorter path to see if I could do it in my cargo ebike, and it was a workout but a fun one. If I'd had a kid on board I would have chosen a longer, flatter route.

@mattwigway @forteller I choose a longer and, to a certain degree steeper, commute almost every day on my e-bike, to avoid what I consider an unsafe route. Around 1,5-2km longer, with substantially more secluded bike path, but also a bigger climb at the end. The e-bike makes it fine, no hassle.

@mattwigway @DrTCombs Uphill portions are pretty much irrelevant with an ebike. The steepest downhill bits can of course be riskier with the extra speed that I gain when starting at a higher speed from the top of the hill...

Also greatly enjoy having automatic shifting and a belt drive, much less need to fidget with the controls before/after the hill!

@mattwigway @DrTCombs As others have said, when I was on my own, no hill stood in my way. If I was carrying my two kids (probably 120 lbs together) I would sometimes reroute, but hills were still doable, just slower in an easier gear.
#cargobike

@mattwigway On my 250W mid-drive class 1 bike, I still avoid hills (but not as much as on my regular bike). Hills still slow me down and take extra muscle + battery power. But really maybe it's just a habit.

@mattwigway @DrTCombs There are some neighborhoods in my city that are up steep hills. Prior to my e-bike, I never rode to them. Now with the e-bike, there is no route or destination that I avoid due to hills. Also, the e-bike is great on excessively windy days. Basically the e-bike eliminates most of the hills and wind.

@mattwigway @DrTCombs hills reduce the overall travel time, since going up is about the same speed as going flat, but going down is a fair bit faster. I’d prefer hilly over flat, everything else being equal.

@mattwigway @DrTCombs
Bit of both?
Pre e-bike I would avoid the hill to my house.
Some of my city's hills still slow me down a lot - Haven't yet done the obnoxious detour up the world's steepest street, just to see if i can, but might some time.

Safety is still a factor in deciding routes. Narrow arterial route where most traffic speeds? Not nice to be puffing away to go uphill at 20-25k with cars still pushing past dangerously. I go the flatter route with shorter pinch point.

@mattwigway @DrTCombs where I live the hills are unavoidable! Getting an e-cargo #bakfiets helps, though with a full load I will still seek out less steep routes. Also the battery charge capacity nudges one toward flatter routes even if the distance is greater. Riding uphill in high power mode is a complete power drain.

@mattwigway @DrTCombs I had no intention of getting an e-bike but I got the chance to try one and was totally converted. Living in a hilly city (Halifax, Canada) it absolutely eliminates the incentive to avoid hills. Now they don't faze me at all. The best advice I got about e-bikes was to treat as a car replacement not a bike replacement. We have recently gone #CarFree because my e-bike & #CarShare have removed the need for a car that sits idle over 98% of the time! #ebikes

@mattwigway @DrTCombs doesn't completely eliminate incentive but some of the hills here in SW Portland are very very steep and curvy. I'll still choose to go slightly out of my way for a flatter route but only if it's slightly more indirect. Otherwise yes.

@mattwigway @DrTCombs completely unless low on battery