The answer is now at hand - a conversion kit that transforms an ordinary bicycle into a hill-devouring machine.
A small battery-powered motor fitted to the hub of any bike wheel enabled riders to enjoy constant pedal assistance or to switch on a power boost when the going got tough, Bike Otago owner Greg Leov said.
There was no contest between the performance of electric bicycles and traditional bicycles, he said.
"An electric bike will get three times the speed of an ordinary bike up a hill and about double the speed on the flat."
Electric bicycles have been available in Dunedin for some years and those who own them swear by them. But at up to $3900 a pop they are beyond the pockets of many.
The conversion kits, which have only been available in Dunedin for three weeks, achieved the same thing for much less, Mr Leov said.
While no units had yet been sold, they were attracting a lot of attention, he said.
"People have been looking at them and going 'Wow'... Because the kits are cheaper and can be fitted on to people's own bike it should put pedal-assistance within the reach of many more cyclists."
Two conversion kits were available - a more powerful unit suitable for mountain bikes retailing at $1800 and a less powerful one designed for round-town commuting retailing at $1100. Another drawcard was that when a cyclist changed bikes, the motor and battery could be transferred to the new machine, Mr Leov said. Fitting the motor and other parts took about 30 minutes.
In Dunedin, electric bikes had initially been favoured by "alternative-thinking people", Mr Leov said. But as technology improved and more electric bikes were seen in use they had become increasingly popular with mainstream cyclists.
Many of his customers were couples, he said.
"As fuel prices rise, couples are selling the second car and getting an electric bicycle which one of them uses to commute to work.
One couple is sharing the bike.
She rides to work in the morning ... and he rides it home in the afternoon. They reckon they have cut their fuel bill by one third."
