Yesterday I visited the Swiss Museum of Transport (Verkehrshaus der Schweiz) in Lucerne. Part of the museum is dedicated to testing different modes of transportation such as the Chevrolet Volt, Segways, and a fleet of electric bicycles from a Swiss Company called Flyer. The model I tested was similar to the one pictured above. I have a love/hate relationship with electric bikes based mostly on their weird looks. This has been changing as of late because the design is getting better, and they are becoming more practical and are now more than just a novelty item. This was my first turn on an electric bike, albeit on a small testing track within the museum grounds. This particular bike worked with an assist mode, meaning you do have to pedal to propel the bike. There are different levels of assist you can set from a handlebar mounted lever. I chose high, as I wanted the full effect, and the bike flew down the road with little effort. I also tried a Flyer towing a kids trailer with one of my kids installed, and it was effortless. Pedaling down the road takes little effort, yet you are pedaling to make it go. The controls for the electric motor are quite simple, with the remainder of the bike similar to a standard bike. Electric bikes have come a long way, and in the future, once they become more affordable, I think they will take a big percentage of the cycling market.