This maybe a bit left-field, but I've been enjoying immensely my Recumbent eTrike for the last three years.
It is very nice and ergonomic to sit in, you really can't fall (unless you break with the ourside front tire when turning steeply, don't ask how I know ;-), you don't need to balance at traffic lights and have ample places for saddle bags to carry your things with you.
I've got a self-integrated Performer Recumbent Trikes with the Pedelec bits from Chrystalyte.
I strongly suggest looking at the 36V models and prioritise torque over speed. The normal 25kmph Pedelec assist is plenty good as long as there is enough torque in the motor to help you in the up hills.
During my normal commute I notice the assist mainly when kicking off from a standstill like at trafic lights and in up hills. It's effect is kind of like you mom was pushing from the rack behind as a kid.
Doing the retrofit yourself saves easily a bunch of money, but of course a shop bought solution tends to be more seamless and you get service and support for the whole bike at the same place.
When mine was built there were no commercial options on the market - today I would probably a) purchase a significantly more expensive German built trike like a HP Velotechnik Scorpion and b) get it with the factory option SwissDrive Pedelec kit rather than build it myself.
Due to your position on a recumbent bike your air drag is near zero and you can efforlessly bike 100+ km on todays large capacity battery packs.
Also the motor technology has advanced significantly in the sense that more modern ones to mine do break power collection, have a free rolling gear to disconnect the motor entirely if you don't want to use break collection and they tend to have more torque than mine, which is now near 4 years old.
The main downside of a recumbent trike is that they are slightly wider on the street than a two wheeler and you are so low down that an attention flag and bright clothes is a must for personal safety as you are nearly invisible to drivers.
It is very nice and ergonomic to sit in, you really can't fall (unless you break with the ourside front tire when turning steeply, don't ask how I know ;-), you don't need to balance at traffic lights and have ample places for saddle bags to carry your things with you.
I've got a self-integrated Performer Recumbent Trikes with the Pedelec bits from Chrystalyte.
I strongly suggest looking at the 36V models and prioritise torque over speed. The normal 25kmph Pedelec assist is plenty good as long as there is enough torque in the motor to help you in the up hills.
During my normal commute I notice the assist mainly when kicking off from a standstill like at trafic lights and in up hills. It's effect is kind of like you mom was pushing from the rack behind as a kid.
Doing the retrofit yourself saves easily a bunch of money, but of course a shop bought solution tends to be more seamless and you get service and support for the whole bike at the same place.
When mine was built there were no commercial options on the market - today I would probably a) purchase a significantly more expensive German built trike like a HP Velotechnik Scorpion and b) get it with the factory option SwissDrive Pedelec kit rather than build it myself.
Due to your position on a recumbent bike your air drag is near zero and you can efforlessly bike 100+ km on todays large capacity battery packs.
Also the motor technology has advanced significantly in the sense that more modern ones to mine do break power collection, have a free rolling gear to disconnect the motor entirely if you don't want to use break collection and they tend to have more torque than mine, which is now near 4 years old.
The main downside of a recumbent trike is that they are slightly wider on the street than a two wheeler and you are so low down that an attention flag and bright clothes is a must for personal safety as you are nearly invisible to drivers.
