This letter made me sad. Jim is coming from a good place - he cares about the planet. But he's missing some important points. The key thing about e-bikes is they make cycling accessible for less able people. And that's the goal, isn't it? Get as many people out of cars as possible and create a world where there are so many bikes that city planners have to design cities that meet cyclists' needs. E-bikes enabled my wife and me to come back to cycling, despite health problems. And many seniors and less able people can cycle only because of e-bikes. Isn't it better that they ride assisted bikes, rather than not be able to cycle at all?