thanks to meb for turning me on to the power-assist newsgroup at Yahoo groups. this is the place for the latest info on power-assisted bikes. there is a spinoff group called e-motor-assist at Yahoo that is also interesting. most of us pedal along at least part of the time but add electric motors to our existing bikes or buy/build custom ebikes.
you can buy a kit that will give your existing bike electric motor capability without interfering with your ability to pedal along without the battery. for under $400 you can convert your bike to electric with a top speed without pedaling of 20-30 MPH for 7-15 miles on a charge.
