Many affirmations in that article are either false or ludicrous: that "e-bikes might not need braking" (!!), that gears are a problem or that tires wear out too

Many affirmations in that article are either false or ludicrous: that "e-bikes might not need braking" (!!), that gears are a problem or that tires wear out too fast; and especially this: > The current bicycle supply chain optimizes for producing poor-quality bikes in small lots (<500). Our bikes need mass-produced automotive-grade parts that will last a lifetime instead. That's absolutely not true. There are mass-produced bikes that are cheap and last a very long time. (Decathlon bikes for example.) I have built a couple of e-bikes by fitting a Bafang engine on a regular bike; it's a wonderful solution, so much so that I don't use anything else (I used to ride a motorbike, but it's now rotting in my garage). That said, the fact that e-bikes are currently too expensive is true. The Bafang solution still costs €750+, in addition to the cost of the bike itself (which may be zero if you already have a bike, or around 350-500 if not). But the main cost is the battery; if there is a breakthrough that drives battery costs down then suddenly e-bikes will become super affordable.