Good to know. That particular “3522 calorie” ride was 50 miles, 4300 ft elevation gain, 13.6 mph. But yes, assuming Strava is likely way off. But also not willing to spend $$$ on a power meter, or other $$$ ideas.
This forum all seems to be coming up with interesting things to consider.
I don’t have a power meter, but my Wahoo Bolt with speed, cadence sensor and a heart monitor, uploads to my Strava account. Always assumed the power and calories consumed data was probably way off.
With my particular...
Been trying different small frame bags for holding food, gels and other stuff, and this one is a RB that has worked out well for me. Only $10.99, and designed so that it can be strapped above OR below the top tube :)...
Absolutely makes a difference, and can be huge. Will vary greatly, depending on the individual, bike, power, level of assist, your aero position, and more. No way to know, unless you try yourself.
Back to the OP question, not sure if there is much that can be done software-related, to help bikers be safe on the road for commuting.
One out of the box idea, is if there could be some way for AI or Data Mining used or even crowd sourcing, to provide the most “bike-friendly” route navigation...
Reality is that recharging during the day, in the middle of a trip, is not typical due to long charging times.
Many people buy a bike that has acceptable range, or buy extra batteries that they can bring with them. Or in my case, adjust my assist level lower, to extend my range.
Otherwise...
To get back to your original question, the Dash subscription seems like a low risk way to not only try one or more models, but see how reliable the specific bike you get is over a period of time.
Volt Kensington mentioned in this review...
Absolutely helps with other sports, and even walking up hills and hiking is improved. More aerobic capacity, stronger heart, and more endurance. (helps that I often ride with lowest assist, or motor off, and do lots of hill climbing with a single speed)
Can’t speak from direct experience, but seems like Dash is a great option for you to just get an VanMoof A5 and see how well it works out for you. With their rental setup, included maintenance and support, would be lower risk.
One case where just getting one bike and spending an extended time...
Lots of good input so far, and though I sometimes disagree with others on their bias that spending more always being better (I like getting a still good product, at a value price, which is my bias), also think a VanMoof (which has a belt drive, which is the best for minimizing any maintenance...
A 5 mile commute is probably easy for most any e-bike, especially if you’re fairly active, and not very overweight. Highly recommend a belt drive and maybe even a single speed, since there’s less to go wrong, and less maintenance required. But your fitness level and steepness of hills would be...
Ha! I did look at the Wu Tan Clan edition, with black paint and yellow highlights. But that costs more, the white does look classy, and I even just got white water bottle cages to match. ;)