I know electric bikes have a great following for city commuting, but I believe making them acceptable to the offroad crowd is going to be quite difficult. I see the hurdles being weight, performance and appearance. Battery technology will be the catalyst. Much smaller, more powerful batteries hidden within the lower tubes of a normal looking enduro, xc or DH type frame will be the ticket. I think there will be a market for these in the future.

 The market for these e-bikes is growing. I find my 900FS to have the same advantages as a hard tail over a full suspension when climbing. The climbing capability of the bike is just better than a non e-bike. I can climb steep inclines on the 900FS that I cannot climb on my hard tail. That is one of the purposes of the bike. I don't feel the bike is appropriate in the lower foothills of Boise as there are just too many riders on traditional drive train mountain bikes. The speeds are different on the climbs and non-motorized trail designations make feel dirty on an e-bike. However, when exploring steep motorcycle trails, this bike excels. I did find myself running out of battery power a mile from my destination. Pushing a 50 pound bike up the steep trail was a pain in the ass.