You're right, but I think there are some other benefits to doing away with the chain. I have an E-mountain bike and between chain stretch, chain damage, and mud I go through 2 chains per season plus a couple trail-side repairs. Also, no chain means you can optimize pedal speed/torque for each individual rider, and keep it in the ideal range all the time regardless of bike speed. Essentially it offers a much wider power band than gears and a chain. You could also optimize crank length for clearance instead of torque. The front chainring is also a big point of contact on mountain bikes, removing that could improve clearance with the right design. I'd also be interested in the regenerative braking - if I go on an Enduro ride I'm cooking my brakes on much of the downhill, regen could save those and recharge the battery at the same time. Maybe regen could even lead to a smaller battery and save some weight.

Sure there are disadvantages - weight, complexity, efficiency, probably others too. I think with time those will improve though and this just might be a viable setup for certain use cases.

Good resource thanks for posting! It seems like they really went out of their way to avoid mentioning EBikes. My experience has been that for folks with disabilities EBikes are a game changer as they allow people to put in as much effort as comfortable but not go past that. I also think the section about it getting sweaty could have mentioned EBikes as a potential solution. I understand they don't want to piss off cycling purists, but I think it's important to recognize the positive impacts these new technologies have.

Finally, I get their stance on helmets and agree that helmet mandates aren't ideal. That said, I think it's disengenuous to say that helmets are useless. It's true that those studies looking at city helmet use found no difference in safety overall, but I'm not convinced that wearing a helmet wouldn't improve my personal safety. I've absolutely wrecked a helmet riding on the street, and I'm very glad it wasn't my head instead.

Are you able to fall back to normal git commands if you don't know the shortcuts? This sounds awesome until I can't remember the syntax to do something I don't do everyday.

Yeah definitely no bike paths unless you keep it under like 18mph imo. This would be for rural roads.

Vespas here need registration, insurance, etc. etc. That would solve the range issue though.

There's definitely a lot of hate for e-motos among mountain bikers. IMO it all depends how it's ridden. If you turn down the power level and just cruise, you're not damaging the trail and it shouldn't be a bug deal. If you're giving it the beans and making ruts then that ruins the trail for everyone else and is definitely a dick move.

Only issue with gas mopeds is emissions. If they don't have a catalytic converter than the emissions are far worse than cars. Same is true with other small gas engines - lawnmowers, pressure washers, generators, etc.

I hear ya on that. My philosophy is that if I'm going out for coffee I'll pay for a good one from a local Cafe. Most mornings I'll make it at home to compensate for the cost.

Or support a local Cafe that treats their workers right. Can be hard to find, but they do exist.

Delta 9 is just THC. Cannabidiol is just CBD. Delta 8 and Delta 10 are the strange ones made from CBD which get you high but less so than delta 9. Sounds like a THC cookie to me and would probably have an effect. Interesting that CBD didn't work for you, but the Cannabidiol vapes did as those should in theory be the same ingredient.

This is key. Urban planners and environment folks focus so much on their respective fields and don't consider dignity enough. Of course we'd all like cheap, fast, sustainable transportation, but not if that means being packed into bench seating, plagued with delays, and sometimes even risk our safety due to other passengers. Trains don't have to be bad, but the penny-pinching planners often ruin the experience.

I live in the middle of nowhere and drive race cars on the weekend, I think we agree on a lot of things. I love having plenty of space, not a fan of close neighbors, apartment living or any of that shit.

I still want cheap trains and micromobility though. Every once in awhile I need to go into the city and taking my ebike in on the train is so much better than driving. Also even if you still drive like normal, it would go so much smoother if all the city folks stuck to the train and got off the roads.

Not saying cars should be more expensive, and definitely not saying city living is the way, but having better options for city folks only helps the situation for the rest of us.