It's a class 1, so it will assist up to 20mph. I typically cruise at around 15mph on my own (I'm in a similar weight class as a rider). For getting around my town, trips are not much longer than my car.

>assist up to 20mph (I'm in a similar [250lb] weight class as a rider)

So, how does it do on the occassional hills of a Chattanooga (e.g.)?

I'm about to visit my local store, which has one in stock, available today.

Not sure how things are in Chattanooga, but you will still have to exert yourself to climb hills, just way less than before. Also, REI lets you test drive these for free, so I would definitely try it out before buying!

350W motor, so you'll hit that 20mph limiter on the flats, but maybe won't sustain that up hill. It's better than a 250W motor, but not by a huge margin.

Not too great on steeper hills due to having a hub motor, but the trade-off is hub motors are really cheap.

> a fat 250lb'er

Honestly, I'd worry more about that seat. Bike seats can pinch nerves even if you're not a big guy, and if you are, you probably want to be careful with a narrow seat like that.

Yeah I have a nice leather Brooks ready to do... nice fat rearseat for my fat as.

Good plan! The first time I rode my old bike after some years of neglect and a few extra pounds, I was quite alarmed when I got off the bike and found that some parts of me had fallen asleep. I have a new respect for making sure the seat is a good fit.