😀🚲You know, if those trips were going to be taken on bikes without motors, they already would. #eBikes are the bikes that don't gather dust in the back of the garage, that actually replace car trips. Some people don't need them, but the people still in cars clearly aren't those ones.
It's not going to get someone into shape to feel defeated on the way home from the grocery store, trudging up the last hill with a laden acoustic bike. Many people are not going to go ride it just for exercise. An easy car replacement, even if you barely pedal, is going to get you more active than sitting in a car. I've heard plenty of these stories from people who were able to gradually get in shape thanks to the assisted moderate effort of regular e-bike use. It just removes barriers.
Sam Levine@enobacon There is a study on this phenomena (people getting more exercise when they switch to an ebike if they were previously only an occasional rider because they ride more frequently and for longer distances), but I think I closed the tab I had it open in. Someone on this server post it a while ago. It was a great bit of hard data to back up this argument.
@SRLevine there have been a few such studies but I have the hard data in my calf muscles 😎
MCDuncanLabPersonal vignette, before I got my e-bike I would ride in on weekends, occasional weekday, and very occasionally pick up groceries.
With the e-bike, I biked almost every day since May and did maybe 50% of my shopping by bike.
For me, the main reason I biked more is speed, on the e-bike if I push I can get to work in 30 min without being completely wiped out. On a regular bike, pushing only made me tired and didn't make me faster.
climate voter/degrowthist@MCDuncanLab @SRLevine @enobacon There you go. I have always kept the assist down to a low level. Sometimes I turn it off. Part of the reason for this is that I don't feel like I have to go very fast.