Hey Jab,
You might want to look into the Motiv Shadow (http://www.motivelectricbikes.com). Being 5'7, the bike will be a perfect fit for you. The bike will allow you to add a rack or a basket for your commute plus, their batteries have a higher capacity so that you can travel longer distances...
Larry - All solid points, I should of clarified, "ripping the trail apart" it's just slang that we use for riding trails. I don't believe that an electric mtn bike will do more/less damage then a traditional mt bike on a trail, it's up to the rider's responsibility.
What I do know is that...
I am really torn in this matter......
I love mtn biking and I also love ebikes but I am going to agree with Vern an "electric motor on a trail would kind of spoil the experience for me," and the whole paying for the uphill makes sense. I CANT HAVE A FREE DOWNHILL (paying for a chair lift, is...
The bottom line is, use your head and ride the safest way you can for the the situation you are in. If you are weaving in and out of foot traffic doing 20mph on a boardwalk or sidewalk, well you deserve a ticket.
If you do not draw attention to yourself you will most likely be fine. I have...
That's not a dumb question at all. There is a CVT system that you can install on a bike, the NuVinci system. For me it's too expensive and heavy but I guess if it's electric it doesn't matter.