E-Bike Range Doesn't Matter

We bought an e-bike, the pedal-assist cargo variety, a few months ago for hauling around a kid and a baby. This one is cool because it has a big bucket on the front and you can buy an adapter for an infant carseat which holds the carseat above where the older kid’s legs go.

When asked about the bike there are a few points that I make sure to hit:

• At school pickup, I don’t have to worry about how muddy or wet my kid is— I just drop her in the front bucket and head home. No mess in the car.
• I can easily choose to not hear my kid by saying “it’s too windy, have to talk when we get there”. To be fair, most of this time this is true. I think it leaves my kid to her own devices and she is fully “engaged” with the ride, something that is promoted by being in the front and looking forward.
• It’s very easy to stop for a little distraction. We can pull right up to an ice-cream shop on a whim, or pull over to look at some turkeys, or eat a snack together on a big rock without having to worry about where to park.
• The battery range is just not a problem like I thought it might be. Maybe it’s because I got a big enough battery. But really, >80% of the ride I am not using the e-assist at all. It’s trivial to click a button to add a little assist here and there, and the weight of the bike carries the inertia tremendously well. I cannot imagine doing a ride long enough in a single day that I would have to worry about the charge. Even if I did, I could still pedal home.
• My kid still thinks it’s so cool, and she loves having friends ride in it with her.

Overall, I recommend the e-bike, cargo or not.