>>968127I thought so too, but I've been incredibly surprised with mine. She's fairly quiet and my helmet gives me lots of view. Of course it's not the same as hiking, but I wouldn't say hiking is totally superior. I can go to places on my bike that I would never have access to hiking, unless of course I take multiple days off work. On my bike, I can do it in an day or even afternoon. I can easily go fast or go as slow as I want, or, if I'm feeling particularly devilish, I can turn off my bike and walk around.