My wife and I both have e-bikes, which are very different, mine second hand before throttle was banned, with a hub motor, it will fairly zip along on the flat, but hills are a problem, and the gearing for both bikes means 16 MPH is about limit for both, hers mid engine far better on hills, but double the price.
Mine will fold in two so can fit in back of car. Hers needs a bike rack, and weight means only one bike can be officially carried on the rack.
My son gave me a good quality bike, and I have to admit on the flat it is faster than the e-bike, due to gearing. Also it is far lighter, know which one I want to carry onto the train.
So 6 mile is not far, and when living in Shotton and going to Chester on the old railway track or river bank it was faster with a standard bike, but Shotton to Mold well just outside Bryn-y-baal, to Shotton either standard or e-bike less than 20 minutes, return it was 90 minutes normal bike 45 minutes with wife's e-bike.
This
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e-bike cost me around £750, folding, around 24 kg, 21 speed derailer gears, but even with that the gearing means 16 MPH max, just can't peddle any faster, only down hill free wheeling can I exceed 16 MPH. At 24 stone and 70 I am not as fit as your son, and do find hills a problem, but I live in Mid Wales and we have some steep bits.
If I changed the front sprocket, likely I could go faster, however at my fitness level once over the 16 MPH where I get motor assistance I would not exceed the 16 MPH anyway on those tyres, and to carry stuff means a ruck sack.
Wife's bike
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is far better, also limited to 16 MPH, but hill climbing far better as motor drives through gears, it is lighter, it has thinner tyres so lower rolling resistance, and can have panniers, but the big difference is how the assistance is delivered.
Mine the motor cuts in when speed drops below a set limit, hers you set how much assistance it gives, so with mine level 1 cuts out over around 4.5 MPH, level 2 cuts out at around 10 MPH and level 3 at 16 MPH. Hers has Eco, Standard and Boost and they work thought the range of speeds.
Put weight on her pedal and you get immediate help, mine you need to turn the crank around 5 times before full assistance comes in, and without the throttle which is not permitted on new bikes, starting off at junctions up hill would be a problem.
Before buying the first bike (wifes) we tried some, one at a bike shop, other at a motorist shop, both hub motors, but the one in cycle shop the motor cut in far quicker, and had walk assist. Both would do same speed, and needed same effort, but the more expensive one was easier to start on a hill.
Except for steep hills I find never change gear, I stay in top gear, the hub gives enough assistance so don't need to change gear, the Gtech takes advantage of that, and has only one ratio, and uses a drive belt instead of chain, but to change belt there is a section of frame which comes out, this clearly makes the frame weaker, so the maximum permitted
weight of the
rider (85kg) so 13 stone 5 pound weight limit.
Halfords let me test ride one, they did not point out my being clearly over weight for the bike, and it did do well.
Weight is a problem with electric bikes, clearly 250 watt with some one 11 stone is twice the assistance to some one 22 stone. I am sure my bike would climb hills far better if I was lighter.
i worked out when im fully fit( pre injury which im recovering from ) i used to lift up to 2 ton a day ,But if he feels he cant do it then fair enough. At the end of the day hes opting to cycle rather than car which is a win for his health etc
