The article makes some sense.
I have mixed feelings about e-bikes. They make a lot of sense for commuting and for those who are not able-bodied. They also allow those who are less fit to ride with those who are fit, which is an awesome idea in many ways.. I do question using an e-bike on no-motorized-vehicles, multi-use singletrack. On singletrack, the balance of hard-fought MTB access and consideration for other trail users is very easy to upset. I can just see a bunch of unskilled douches on e-bikes braaaap-ing it up and annoying everyone. I also reserve the right to subtly roll my eyes at an apparently fit person in lycra on an e-bike: no, you're not really getting a workout despite the fact that they "only provide pedal assist" and that the "don't have a throttle". If you can pile on an extra 500 watts whenever you see fit, you're not really getting exercise.
I have mixed feelings about e-bikes. They make a lot of sense for commuting and for those who are not able-bodied. They also allow those who are less fit to ride with those who are fit, which is an awesome idea in many ways.. I do question using an e-bike on no-motorized-vehicles, multi-use singletrack. On singletrack, the balance of hard-fought MTB access and consideration for other trail users is very easy to upset. I can just see a bunch of unskilled douches on e-bikes braaaap-ing it up and annoying everyone. I also reserve the right to subtly roll my eyes at an apparently fit person in lycra on an e-bike: no, you're not really getting a workout despite the fact that they "only provide pedal assist" and that the "don't have a throttle". If you can pile on an extra 500 watts whenever you see fit, you're not really getting exercise.