[brianwawok]

How much riding does it take to hold 25mph? 12 months of solid riding? (This is being generous, many people will never hold this speed)

How much riding does it take to twist your arm 30 degrees?

You don’t see a difference?

[zardo]

Why would people have a hard time doing 25mph on a pedal assist bike that isn't limited to less than that?

[oblio]

They're talking about riding a regular bike at 25mph. Most people can't sustain that.

[WarmWash]

Most people cannot sustain it on a 750w mid drive e-bike either.

[Qwertious]

Are ebikes not legally restricted to 250W-ish in most countries?

[pbmonster]

That's the limit for continuous rated power. The motor's frequently have 600W-750W of peak power output, and can legally use this much for short amounts of time (usually seconds, like accelerating from a stop; but often also for going up a steep hill for several minutes).

[cortesoft]

Why does it matter how much riding it takes?

The point in distinguishing the different classes is about where the bike should fit into the ecosystem. Should it ride on the shoulder, interacting with pedestrians and slower bikes, or should it ride on the road, interacting with cars and motorcycles.

It doesn’t matter how much riding it takes, it matters how fast and controlled it is moving compared to the other traffic in that class.

[jandrese]

The answer is cyclist gatekeeping? Or did I misunderstand your point?