I'm not sure I'd offer such absolutes milked, there's quite a few variables unmentioned that's contributed to your conclusion - few of which are as appropriate to the general hybrid concept as they may be to your experience with your specific build, your specific interest & application. While that experience is of course valid, to dismiss the concept outright without further clarification is a bit of a disservice to those that may be considering such as well as others that have also built hybrids, successful in their application & interests.
Please, I mean no offense - rather that if you mean to dissuade someone from what you've found a fruitless endeavor, a noble intent, all would be better served were you to explain your findings, the reasoning why as some of what you've stated is comparative, yet lacking an example for what is apparently a disappointment between intent and application.
For some examples;
Expensive = a comparative term. Expensive vs what? Why? You've a very clean & professional looking build - comprised of components & accessories that may or may not contribute to preformance overall vs expense.
Heavy = again comparative, even relative. Heavier then a bicycle doubtless, but is it heavier then a factory moped? What makes it so heavy, could something have been done differently? Does the difference in weight degrade preformance enough to negate the hybrid aspect?
Speed = this one you've almost explained with "Top speed is not combined. Only the torque is." which while true with your specific build and perhaps seen a failure with your specific interest, by saying why you've found it a disappointment helps to prevent others from making a similar attempt - while providing opportunity for those also with experience to offer their insight & suggestions should someone wish to try anyway.
You're absolutely right in that top speed isn't enhanced - but only with the components you chose to use, ungeared electric hub motors will only reach a certain maximum RPM before they start to create drag rather then assisting - had a geared electric drive been utilized, the electric's power assist range would be at your discretion. Yet if maximum top speed isn't your priority the inclusion of an electric hub motor can be a simple, clean method to aid specifically what you've mentioned in the second half of the statement, torque - which aids greatly acceleration, hill climbing and hauling capacity, some of which Motorbikenewb stated as priorities.
Granted, if "simple, light, fast & cheap" are the interests - hybrid experimentation is likely not to provide all four aspects if for no other reason then in our field, it is still so experimental, yet even then it's still all comparative as there's unexplored potential, depending on expectations and preformance parameters - which of the above being the highest priority & how.
Two can view the exact same build completely differently, as a success or failure - depending only on what they'd hoped to achieve. The hybrid build I experimented with is indeed complicated, heavy, slow & expensive - compared to say a bicycle with a two stroke KTM50 clone... but on the other had it's simple, light, fast & cheap compared to say, a posh factory scooter.
As my priorities were not "simple, light, fast & cheap" rather they were quiet, efficient & powerful - I've been quite well pleased with the results, I wanted a comfortable, fuel efficient machine, quick off the line but well suited for long distance sustained cruise with a heavy trailer in tow, my primary priority just playing with the pieces, trying to make them all fit. It's not even "expensive" in my opinion as while it may have cost about $3500 to build, it's very close to being
two motorized bicycles in components and was spread out over about three years of build time, most of which was costless but amusing R&D time, making my motorized bicycle hobby budget & expenditure no more then most, regardless of build.
Somehow, I got exactly what I wanted, though admittedly to this day I'm not quite sure how that happened
http://youtu.be/bNLTLRx8sTI
http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=24210
...& thank you for your kind words Silver
