I don't have much in the way of useful advice, though "you get what you pay for" almost certainly applies. But just wanted to say you shouldn't need to be nervous about asking about electric bikes. While they're certainly in the minority around here, we do have a couple of e-bike threads, and snobbery about such things (other than perhaps riding illegally overpowered ones on-road) isn't really in the spirit of YACF. I know that motors have opened up new cycling possibilities for some forumites, be that overcoming disability, making a longer commute practical, load hauling or just being less intimidated by hills. It's all good.