apparently my city literally literally banned public rail funding, and people online love jerking off about how good biking is, so i figured might as well try. I have come up with:
pros:
good for mental health / exercise / endorphins
arguably quaint
feel like an old timey guy taking his wares to market
feel european
can annoy others
less of a police state around them vs cars
more flexible parking, routes
capacity to be peaceful
nice in summer
cons:
look like an annoying dork (esp w neon - which also hurts the quaint factor)
have to wear a helmet (^)
getting sweaty, potentially "unpresentable" for work
still have to find safe parking
still takes a while
have to find new routes to places
can't listen to music or might die
little meaningful protection against severe injury
I've been riding bikes for more than 50 years and never wore a helmet. Now I got an ebike - and a helmet. And I actually like it. It provides a bit of shade, the airflow is still good (it has many air holes), and it keeps almost all sweat from running down my face.
Do you live in a city or an are with a lower population? I strap the helmet on in the city or doing some speed, but when we're out visiting with family in the country or a small town, we usually go without it.
I live in the city, but with the ebike I now can also go to the surrounding country side. I still like the helmet there, because shade for the head and a lot less sweat in my face. And it's not a high end helmet, it is a cheap one from Aldi.