The owner of a Norwich e-bike shop has blamed misleading press coverage of e-bikes, and the Panorama episode fronted by Adrian Chiles in particular, for a drop-off in trade that has resulted in his shop’s closure. Mark Watkin opened e-Velo in Halesworth, Suffolk, in 2015 and subsequently expanded into premises in the Royal Arcade in Norwich last summer. However, both shops have now been forced to close. Watkin said that alarmist media coverage of e-bikes had played a significant part.
I honestly never considered powered bikes as anything but a motorcycle alternative. they got nothing to do with bicycles and I don’t care about their potential demise (which is kinda overdramatic, that is nowhere on the horizon).
I know I have nothing but disdain and resentment when they hug bike paths, sidewalks, etc. and in my view those things should be in regular traffic lanes, same as mopeds and motorcycles.
as to the combustion part, no idea how prevalent that is but I wouldn’t keep this thing in my home or near it.
I think there is a distinction to be made between e-bikes with a reasonable amount of pedal-assist and e-bikes with throttles and overpowered motors.
E-bikes make cycling more accessible (old people, certain disabilities) and that’s something we should strive for. I don’t care to own one myself, but I do like the idea of still being able to cycle when I’m old and my knees are shot.