Just bought a Turbo Vado 5.0 SL non EQ.
VERY addictive unlike my "normal" pedal bike.
I know you all know all this but I had no idea as I "assumed" buying an e'bike was a resignation to a less active riding life at age 66.
Of course I was wrong.
I can get up a steep series of nearby hills good riders struggle with on $10,000 race bikes that I tried once back in the day and gave up half way and never bothered again.
The interesting thing is because you pretty much know you can make it you make the extra effort despite the assist and in effect I am working harder and attacking different leg muscles/thigh muscles than I do on my regular bike where I pretty much say, "screw the hills, I'm sticking to the flats."
Even on flat ground I'm finding I'm working harder as I'm going 50+ percent faster with the same effort depending on the mode.
12 mph as a "normal" comfy pace becomes 18 mph and pushing it goes from 15-20 to 20-30 so you end up pushing it more often.
I think I'll be getting more of a workout on this thing by far than the other bike which is not at all what I was expecting as I feared I'd just take it easy and let the bike do most of the work.
Both bikes weigh the same, as my Kona Nunu, a Mountain Bike now riding on Hybrid Tires at a bit over 30 lbs is a bit porky. For an E'bike 33 lbs is very light and the aluminum frame and carbon fiber fork give it a far more nimble/lighter feel.
Even with no assist the E'bike, with its superior components, is easier to pedal and glides easier/faster downhill, so zero range anxiety and no need to buy the optional extender battery for me.
The speed is the reward on the E'bike though.
Very very odd.
I can see having a lot of fun in the hills above my house where traffic is light and where I never ever ventured before because I didn't want to struggle up them.
That was my hope.
So, despite being quite expensive, (you can buy one heck of a great A/V system for 5 grand), I think it is great value for me as I will actually be getting more exercise than ever and at age 66 that is priceless.
And a small part of it is that riding without my riding partner of many years, (who I had an idiotic falling out with after decades), who was always slower, does indeed allow me to push more, so there is that.
Since the photo I've added a bar end mirror and kickstand.
I've always taken kickstands off but this one is too nice to just drop on the ground or lean against a tree.
faster/more accurate shifting. Less cables? Bored because it's too cold to ride and not enough snow to ski yet?
